Method and apparatus for managing dependencies in a distributed computing environment for ensuring the safety of remote procedure calls

A distributed computing environment comprising:

• a) a calling procedure;
• and
• b) a target procedure,
• wherein remote procedure calls between the calling procedure and the target procedure include an expected time stamp, indicative of the creation time of the target procedure at the time the calling procedure was last compiled, and an expected signature, indicative of data types and passing modes of formal parameters of the target procedure at the time the calling procedure was last compiled.

A method for performing a remote procedure call from a calling procedure to a target procedure, the method comprising the steps of:

• sending an expected time stamp and an expected signature from the calling procedure to the target procedure, wherein the expected time stamp is indicative of a creation time of the target procedure at the time the calling procedure was last created and the expected signature is indicative of data types and passing modes of the formal parameters of the target procedure at the time the calling procedure was last generated;
• performing a first test by comparing the expected time stamp to an actual time stamp to determine whether the target procedure is version compatible with the calling procedure, wherein the actual time stamp is indicative of the last time the target procedure was created;
• if the first test succeeds, then executing the target procedure;
• and
• if the first test fails, then
• performing a second test by comparing the expected signature to an actual signature to determine whether the target procedure is version compatible with the calling procedure, wherein the actual signature is indicative of data types and passing modes of the formal parameters of the target procedure and
• if said second test succeeds, then executing the target procedure.

A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for performing a remote procedure call from a calling procedure to a target procedure, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

• a) sending first and second sets of data from said calling procedure to said target procedure;
• b) performing a first test based on the first set of data to determine whether said target procedure is version compatible with the calling procedure;
• c) if said first test succeeds, then executing the target procedure;
• and
• d) if said first test fails, then
• i) performing a second test based on the second set of data to determine whether the target procedure is version compatible with the calling procedure, and
• ii) if said second test succeeds, then executing the target procedure.