Virtual resource ID mapping
View Patent ↗The present invention provides virtual mapping of system resource identifiers in use by a software application for the purpose of making the running state of an application node independent. By adding a layer of indirection between the application and the resource, new system resources are reallocated and then can be mapped to the application's existing resource requirements while it is running, without the application detecting a failure or change in resource handles. This layer of indirection makes the application's system resource identifier (system RID) transparent to the application. RID's are usually numeric in form, but can also be alphanumeric. RID's are unique to a machine, and can be reused once all claims to a specific RID have been given up.
1. In a computer network, a method of implementing a virtual layer around a software application instance in communication with an operating system, the method comprising:
registering an application by associating a unique application identifier with the application, and passing said application identifier to a software module that processes transitions between the application and the operating system;
allocating a resource in response to a resource request by the application;
allocating a resource identifier associated with said resource in response to said request;
allocating a virtual resource identifier associated with said resource in response to said request;
translating a combination of said application identifier and said resource identifier to said virtual resource identifier when the resource identifier is passed from the operating system to the application; and
translating a combination of said application identifier and said virtual resource identifier to said resource identifier when the virtual resource identifier is passed from the application to the operating system.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising creating an entry in a virtual resource translation table in response to said resource request, wherein said entry describes the association between said application identifier, said resource identifier, and said virtual resource identifier.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a plurality of resource identifiers and a plurality of resources with said virtual resource identifier.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said plurality of resources are a plurality of ports.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating said virtual resource identifier with a new resource identifier and a new resource in response to said application being restored from one or more snapshots.
6. A system comprising hardware adapted to execute program instructions from a computer readable medium, the program instructions including an operating system, a first software module, and a second software module, wherein:
the operating system is operable to:
allocate a resource in response to a resource request by an application; and
allocate a resource identifier associated with said resource in response to said request;
the first software module is operable to:
register the application by associating a unique application identifier with the application; and
pass said application identifier to the second software module that processes transitions between the application and the operating system; and
the second software module is operable to:
allocate a virtual resource identifier associated with said resource in response to said request;
translate a combination of said application identifier and said resource identifier to said virtual resource identifier when the resource identifier is passed from the operating system to the application; and
translate a combination of said application identifier and said virtual resource identifier to said resource identifier when the virtual resource identifier is passed from the application to the operating system.
7. The system of claim 6 wherein said second software module is configured to update a translation table with an entry describing the association between said application identifier, said resource identifier, and said virtual resource identifier.
8. The system of claim 6 wherein said second software module is operable to associate a plurality of resource identifiers and a plurality of resources with said virtual resource identifier.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein said plurality of resources are a plurality of ports.
10. The system of claim 6 wherein said second software module is operable to associate said virtual resource identifier with a new resource identifier and a new resource in response to said application being restored from one or more snapshots.
11. A computer readable medium including program instructions executable to implement a method comprising:
registering an application by associating a unique application identifier with the application;
receiving a resource identifier associated with a resource allocated by an operating system in response to a resource request by an application;
allocating a virtual resource identifier associated with said resource in response to said request;
translating a combination of said application identifier and said resource identifier to said virtual resource identifier when the resource identifier is passed from the operating system to the application; and
translating a combination of said application identifier and said virtual resource identifier to said resource identifier when the virtual resource identifier is passed from the application to the operating system.
12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises creating an entry in a virtual resource translation table in response to said resource request, wherein said entry describes the association between said application identifier, said resource identifier, and said virtual resource identifier.
13. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises associating a plurality of resource identifiers and a plurality of resources with said virtual resource identifier.
14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein said plurality of resources are a plurality of ports.
15. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein the method further comprises associating said virtual resource identifier with a new resource identifier and a new resource in response to said application being restored from one or more snapshots.