Fault tolerant computer system
US5157663A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 24, 1990 |
| Grant date | Oct 20, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 24, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06F11/2038
- WIPO fieldComputer technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing a fault-tolerant backup system such that if there is a failure of a primary processing system, a replicated system can take over without interruption. The invention provides a software solution for providing a backup system. Two servers are provided, a primary and secondary server. The two servers are connected via a communications channel. The servers have associated with them an operating system. The present invention divides this operating system into two "engines." An I/O engine is responsible for handling and receiving all data and asynchronous events on the system. The I/O engine controls and interfaces with physical devices and device drivers. The operating system (OS) engine is used to operate on data received from the I/O engine. All events or data which can change the state of the operating system are channeled through the I/O engine and converted to a message format. The I/O engine on the two servers coordinate with each other and provide the same sequence of messages to the OS engines. The messages are provided to a message queue accessed by the OS engine. Therefore, regardless of the timing of the events, (i.e., asynchronous events)…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.