Method of ordering a plurality of messages from a plurality of sources and system for implementing the method

A method of ordering a plurality of messages from a plurality of sources addressed to a plurality of application processes, each source broadcasting a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner and each receiving application process being capable of applying the same protocol to broadcast a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner to all said application processes;

• wherein, in order for all said receiving application processes to receive said messages in the same order, said method consists in:
• selecting from said application processes a plurality of relay processes, choosing for each of said sources an application process constituting the relay process for that source, the other application processes constituting slave processes for that source, the same application process being a candidate for selection as the relay process for more than one source but each source having only one relay process;
• rebroadcasting in a reliable and orderly manner messages broadcast by said source to all said application processes using said application process chosen as the relay process for a source, all said relay processes applying the same reliable and orderly broadcast protocol;
• processing in said relay process for a source data from all messages that it receives directly from said source;
• and
• processing in said slave processes only data from messages received via said relay processes, data from messages received directly from said sources not being processed.

System for ordering a plurality of messages from a plurality of sources addressed to a plurality of application processes capable of processing data from said messages, each source broadcasting a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner and each receiving application process being capable of broadcasting a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner to all said application processes, wherein, in order for all said application processes to receive said messages in the same order, said system includes:

• means for choosing from said application processes a process constituting a relay process, of which there is one only for all said sources, the other application processes constituting slave processes;
• means for rebroadcasting all messages broadcast by said sources from said relay process to all said application processes including said relay process;
• means for processing in said relay process data from all messages that it rebroadcasts;
• and
• means for processing in said slave processes only data from messages received via said relay process, data from messages received directly from said sources not being processed.

System for ordering a plurality of messages from a plurality of sources addressed to a plurality of application processes, each source broadcasting a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner and each receiving application process being capable of applying the same protocol to broadcast a series of messages in a reliable and orderly manner to all said receiving application processes, wherein, in order for all said application processes to receive said messages in the same order, said system includes:

• means for choosing from said application processes a plurality of processes constituting relay processes, choosing for each source an application process constituting a relay process for said source, the other application processes constituting slave processes for said source, the same application process being a candidate for choice as the relay process for more than one source but each source having only one relay process;
• means for rebroadcasting in a reliable and orderly manner messages broadcast by said source to all said application processes using said application process chosen as the relay process for a source, all said relay processes applying the same reliable and orderly broadcast protocol;
• means for processing in said relay process for a source data from all messages that it receives directly from said source;
• and
• means for processing in said slave processes only data from messages received via said relay processes, data from messages received directly from said sources not being processed.