Event Plug-In Updates Without Downtime in Distributed Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing parallel distributed processing systems are halted during program updates, leading to inconsistencies and increased downtime, particularly as the number of nodes increases.

Innovation Solution

An event processing method that allows for the addition, deletion, or update of plug-ins in response to control messages without stopping the system, using a management node to manage and synchronize these changes across nodes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the parallel distributed processing system stops to update programs of all nodes, then program consistency across nodes is improved, but system availability and productivity deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprogram consistencyVSAvoidsystem availability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts its operational state by allowing nodes to continue processing with existing programs while simultaneously accepting and loading updated programs. This dynamic transition enables the system to maintain availability during updates, resolving the contradiction between consistency and productivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Updated programs are prepared and distributed to nodes in advance before the update execution phase. Nodes receive and store updated programs while continuing to operate with current programs, ensuring that when updates are executed, consistency is achieved without requiring a complete system halt.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Stability of the object's composition

If the system stops to update programs, then program version uniformity is improved, but update time and loss of time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprogram version uniformityVSAvoidupdate downtime
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system maintains continuous operation during program updates by allowing nodes to process events with their current programs while simultaneously loading updated programs. This continuity eliminates idle time during updates, achieving version uniformity without system downtime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

Updated programs are distributed and prepared at nodes before the actual update execution. This preliminary preparation ensures that when the update is executed, all nodes can transition to the new version simultaneously or in a coordinated manner, achieving uniformity without extended downtime.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If nodes are updated at different times, then system flexibility and ease of operation are improved, but processing inconsistencies and reliability worsen

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupdate flexibilityVSAvoidprocessing consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where nodes report their program version status to a management node. The management node coordinates update execution timing across nodes based on this feedback, ensuring that updates are performed in a manner that maintains processing consistency while allowing flexible scheduling.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

All nodes receive and prepare updated programs in advance before execution. This preliminary distribution ensures that when updates are executed at different times across nodes, they all transition to the same version, maintaining consistency while allowing operational flexibility in the timing of actual execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3522014B1Event processing program and event processing method
Publication Date: 2026.01.14 FUJITSU LTD
  • EP3522014B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3522014B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3522014B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

An event processing program includes: storing, upon receipt of a control message representing information indicating a type of an event to be an execution condition for a plug-in and information regarding the plug-in, in association with each other, the information indicating the type of the event specified from the received control message and the plug-in, in association with each other, in a storage unit; and executing the plug-in upon receipt of an event message representing the information indicating the type of the event, the plug-in being stored in the storage unit in association with the information indicating the type of the event specified from the received event message.