Controlling task execution

Abstract

A specification of a graphical representation of task dependency has a plurality of task elements each associated with a different task, a resource element having a plurality of attachment locations, and linking elements coupling the task elements to the resource element at the plurality of associated attachment locations. Associations of task elements to attachment locations on the resource element specify an ordering constraint on the tasks associated with the task elements. The tasks are executed according to the graphical representation of task dependency.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to the execution of control tasks. Background technique [0002] Computational tasks in a computing system often have dependencies that lead to the constraint that some tasks need to start or complete execution before or after other tasks are performed. Partial sequencing of tasks can be used to satisfy this constraint. Tasks are performed by processes running in the same or a different execution environment than some of the tasks that may be running concurrently. Control processing may be performed to initiate and monitor the execution of tasks according to the description of task dependency constraints. [0003] Figure 1A shows an example of a graph representing dependencies between tasks, a "dependency graph". Nodes represent tasks, and directed links represent dependency constraints. In this instance, the dependencies between tasks arise from access to a common data structure (in this case a table). The initialize...

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Problems solved by technology

This example shows the potential complexity that can exist in some dependency graphs

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