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AssigneeTelcordia Technologies, Inc.
InventorsElmootazbellah Nabil Elnozahy, Vivek Ratan, Mark Edward Segal
Estimating the term…
In the Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) standard, availability of directory services is increased by apparatus and methods using agents inserted between requesting clients and servers. By using agents, additional functions are carried out which are not performed in a typical DCE environment. Each agent inserts itself between the requesters and servers by writing over the pointer to the server with information pointing to the agent, thus redirecting requests to themselves. The agent then receives incoming requests and forwards them on to its associated server and other agents. The agent handling requests for the master server is called the "master" agent and the agents handling requests for replica servers are "replica" agents. The agents make sure requests are performed before replying to the original requester. Agents also monitor themselves. If a master agent crashes, the remaining agents elect a new master agent. If a replica agent crashes the master agent excludes the agent from further communications. The apparatus and methods provide a highly available and robust directory server.
Apparatus for a Distributed Computing Environment (DCE) including a first and at least one second Cell Directory Service (CDS) machine and a DCE client machine, including a CDS clerk for communicating with said first CDS machine, said apparatus providing automatic failover to said second machine on failure of said first machine and said apparatus comprising
A method for providing automatic failover from a first Cell Directory Service (CDS) machine acting as a master to a second CDS machine to act as a master in a Distributed Computing Environment (DCE), said first CDS machine including a first CDS name server and a first agent distinct from and not a part of said first CDS name server but connected thereto and said second CDS machine including a second CDS name server and a second agent distinct from and not a part of said second CDS name server but connected thereto, said method comprising the steps of
A method for providing automatic failover from a first Cell Directory Service (CDS) machine having a server and a first agent distinct from said first CDS server but connected thereto, said first agent acting as a master in a Distributed Computing Environment (DCE), to one of a plurality of second CDS machines each having a server and a second agent distinct from a second CDS server but connected thereto, each said second agent capable of acting as a master in the Distributed Computing Environment on failure of said first machine, said method comprising the steps of
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.