Computer-based cluster management system and method

1. A network system, which is joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the network system comprising:

a storage apparatus comprising a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state;

the storage apparatus comprising a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by at least one of the plurality of computers, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster, wherein one of the computers includes a cluster forming unit configured to form a cluster including the computer itself and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, and updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the formed cluster on the second table,

and wherein the computer that formed the cluster includes a cluster growing unit configured to, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition to the cluster exists, determine whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the cluster growing unit causes the probability value to vary with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

2. A network system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer that formed the cluster further includes a cluster erasing unit configured to, upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster, erase the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

3. A network system according to claim 1 , wherein the addition easiness information is a numeric value obtained by quantifying a degree of easiness of the addition, and wherein the cluster growing means increases the easiness degree of the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as the numeric value increases.

4. A network system according to claim 3 , wherein the cluster growing means maintains the numeric value at a constant value regardless of the addition of the candidate computer.

5. A network system according to claim 3 , wherein the cluster growing means sets the numeric value variable after the numeric value has been recorded on the second table.

6. A network system, which is joined and left by a plurality of management computers each of which controls one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the network system comprising:

a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state; and

a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster,

wherein at least one management computer includes a cluster forming unit configured to form a cluster including a computer under its control and a computer controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, and updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state,

and wherein the management computer that formed the cluster includes a cluster growing unit configured to, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determine whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the cluster growing unit causes the probability value to vary with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

7. A network system according to claim 6 , wherein the management computer that formed the cluster further includes a cluster erasing unit configured to, upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster, erase the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

8. A network system according to claim 7 , wherein one of the management computers holds at least one second table, the maximum number of which is the number of computers under its control.

9. A network system according to claim 8 ,

wherein each second table includes at least one of a master table and a slave table, the master table being, when a management computer holding the second table forms a first cluster including a first computer under its control, generated for the first computer, and the slave table being, when the management computer holding the second table supervises and controls an operation of a second computer under its control added to a second cluster formed by another management computer, generated for the second computer,

wherein the addition easiness information is recorded on the master table,

and wherein the management computer holding the master table acts as a master management computer for initiatively performing information processing concerning the formation of the first cluster, changing of a number of computers in the first cluster, and erasing of the first cluster, while the management computer holding the slave table acts as a slave management computer with respect to the second cluster.

10. A network system according to claim 9 , wherein the master management computer includes a search unit configured to search for a candidate computer for addition to the first cluster by inquiring of a management computer whether a computer under a clustering enabled state exists.

11. A network system according to claim 9 , wherein one of the management computers determines, according to the addition easiness information on the first cluster formed by the master management computer, whether a candidate computer under its control is to be added to the first cluster.

12. A network system according to claim 9 , wherein the addition easiness information is a numeric value obtained by quantifying a degree of easiness of the addition of the candidate computer to the first cluster, and wherein the cluster growing means of the master management computer increases the easiness degree of the addition of the candidate computer to the first cluster as the numeric value increases.

13. A network system according to claim 12 , wherein the cluster growing means maintains the numeric value at a constant value regardless of the addition of the candidate computer.

14. A network system according to claim 12 , wherein the cluster growing means sets the numeric value variable after the numeric value has been recorded on the second table.

15. A management computer, which controls one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the management computer comprising:

a network connecting unit configured to establish connection to a computer network that the management computer is capable of joining and leaving together with another management computer having the same type of function;

a table managing unit configured to enable access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster;

a cluster forming unit configured to form a cluster including one of the computers under its control and one of the computers controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

a cluster growing unit configured to, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determine whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the cluster growing unit causes the probability value to vary with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

16. A management computer according to claim 15 , further comprising cluster erasing unit configured to, upon completion of execution of a job by the formed cluster, erase the cluster and returning the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

17. A cluster management method for use in a network system which is joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the cluster management method comprising the steps of:

storing, by each computer, on a first table, clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether its state is a clustering enabled state;

forming, by one of the computers, a cluster including the computer and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table;

updating, by the computer, the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state;

storing, by the computer, addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to the cluster on a second table, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster; and

determining, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the probability value varies with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

18. A cluster management method according to claim 17 , further comprising the steps of:

erasing, by the computer that formed the cluster, the cluster upon completion of execution of a job by the cluster; and

returning, by the computer, the addition easiness information recorded on the second table and the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer, which belonged to the erased cluster, recorded on the first table to states before the formation of the cluster.

19. An article comprising a non-transitory machine readable tangible medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program being executable by a computer included in a network system which is joined and left by a plurality of computers each of which is capable of being clustered with another computer, the computer program being executable by the computer to perform:

a table managing step for enabling access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster;

a cluster forming step for forming a cluster including the computer itself and another computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster on the first table to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

a cluster growing step for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the probability value varies with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.

20. An article comprising a non-transitory machine readable tangible medium having embodied thereon a computer program, the computer program being executable by a management computer to control one or a plurality of computers, each capable of being clustered with another computer, as a computer or computers which belong to the management computer, the computer program being executable by the management computer to perform:

a network connecting step for establishing connection to a computer network that the management computer is capable of freely joining and leaving together with another management computer having the same type of function;

a table managing step for enabling access to a first table for storing clustering enabled/disabled information indicating whether a state of each computer is a clustering enabled state and a second table for storing addition easiness information indicating a probability value in adding another computer to a cluster which has already been formed by one or a plurality of computers, the probability value is a ratio of a required cluster size of the formed cluster to a total number of computers in the formed cluster;

a cluster forming step for forming a cluster including the computer under its control and the computer controlled by another management computer indicated as being under the clustering enabled state by the clustering enabled/disabled information on the first table, updating the clustering enabled/disabled information on every computer included in the formed cluster to information indicating a clustering disabled state, and storing the addition easiness information on the cluster on the second table; and

a cluster growing step for, when a candidate computer that is a candidate for addition exists, determining whether the candidate computer is to be added to the cluster according to the addition easiness information recorded on the second table,

wherein the probability value varies with the addition of the candidate computer to the cluster as a trigger.