Parallel Application Server Booting via Dependency Map

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Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional mechanisms for booting Tuxedo application servers result in long boot times due to sequential booting, which is inefficient for large or complex applications.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize a dependency map to boot application servers in parallel by introducing the DEPENDSON attribute for GROUP and SERVER, allowing servers with no dependencies to be booted simultaneously, and the remaining servers to be booted based on specified dependencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of time

If application servers are booted sequentially in a defined order, then dependency requirements are satisfied, but boot time becomes excessively long for large/complex applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveboot timeVSAvoidbooting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of timeVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the server booting process into multiple independent parallel groups based on dependency relationships. Servers that do not depend on each other are grouped together and booted simultaneously, while maintaining proper sequencing for servers that have dependency relationships. This segmentation allows the system to avoid sequential booting of all servers while still satisfying dependency constraints.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements a dynamic booting strategy where the booting order and parallelization are determined at runtime based on the actual dependency map of the application servers. The system dynamically identifies which servers can be booted in parallel versus which must be booted sequentially, adapting the booting plan to the specific dependency structure of the application rather than using a fixed sequential order.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Productivity

If application servers are booted in parallel, then boot time is reduced, but dependency management complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebooting efficiencyVSAvoiddependency map complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of server dependencies before the actual booting process begins. The system pre-computes the dependency map, identifies parallel booting opportunities, and creates a booting plan that specifies which servers can be started simultaneously. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex runtime dependency resolution and simplifies the actual booting execution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a dependency map data structure as an intermediary between the server configuration and the booting process. This dependency map serves as a mediator that captures all dependency relationships and provides a simplified interface for determining parallel booting opportunities. The dependency map abstracts the complexity of inter-server dependencies and enables efficient parallelization without requiring complex runtime dependency checking.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3365774B1System and method for booting application servers in parallel
Publication Date: 2022.04.06 ORACLE INT CORP
  • EP3365774B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3365774B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3365774B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system and method for booting application servers in parallel. In an exemplary method, each server and server group entry can be associated with a dependency attribute. The method can create a dependency map based upon the dependency attributes. When called to do so, each server that does not has no dependency can be booted in parallel. The remaining servers and server groups can be booted based upon the dependency map.