DISTRIBUTING DEVICE, DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM, DISTRIBUTING METHOD AND PROGRAM

1 . A distribution device comprising:

a storage unit comprising a memory device;

an information creation unit, including one or more processors, configured to that store, in the storage unit, remaining capacity information of a protected area received from each of a plurality of host computers forming a computer cluster;

a destination selection unit that, including one or more processors, configured to, each time a processing request is received from one of a plurality of terminals, requesting execution of processing using the protected area on a memory of the host computer, refer to the remaining capacity information of each of the plurality of host computers stored in the storage unit in accordance with the processing request to select a destination to which the processing request is to be distributed; and

a transfer processing unit, including one or more processors, configured to transfer the processing request to the destination and transfer a response according to the processing request received from the destination to a requesting terminal.

2 . The distribution device according to claim 1 , wherein the information creation unit is configured to store communication destination information of the host computer together with the remaining capacity information of the protected area in the storage unit, and

the destination selection unit is configured to store communication destination information of a destination to which the processing request is to be distributed as well as communication destination information of the terminal that has requested the processing request in the storage unit.

3 . The distribution device according to claim 1 , wherein when a usage request which includes the capacity information of the protected area required for protected area usage processing and requests confirmation of whether or not the protected area usage processing can be used is received from the terminal prior to the processing request, the destination selection unit is configured to determine availability based on remaining capacity information of each of a plurality of host computers stored in the storage unit.

4 . The distribution device according to claim 3 , wherein when a reservation request is received from the terminal prior to the processing request, which includes the capacity information of the protected area required for the protected area usage processing and requests a reservation of the protected area usage processing, and when it is determined that the host computer is available, the destination selection unit is configured to rewrite the stored remaining capacity information by subtracting the capacity information required for the protected area usage processing from the remaining capacity information stored for the host computer determined to be available.

5 . The distribution device according to claim 1 , wherein the processing request includes, as a parameter, capacity information of the protected area required for protected area usage processing,

the distribution device further includes a queue management unit configured to output the processing request to a queue and manage the processing request stored at a head of the queue based on the capacity information included in the processing request stored at the head of the queue, and

the queue management unit is configured to:

calculate difference capacity information obtained by subtracting the capacity information included in the processing request stored at the head of the queue from each of the remaining capacity information stored for the plurality of host computers;

if the difference capacity information is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, notify the destination selection unit of the processing request stored at the head of the queue together with the information of the host computer when the difference capacity information is equal to or greater than the predetermined value and a smallest difference capacity information is calculated; and

if the difference capacity information is smaller than the predetermined value, continue monitoring without outputting the processing request stored at the head of the queue.

6 . A distribution system comprising:

the distribution device according to claim 1 ; and

a plurality of host computers forming a computer cluster, wherein

the host computer includes:

a memory having an encrypted protected area;

a protected area monitoring function unit configured to acquire remaining capacity information of the encrypted protected area and notify the distribution device of the remaining capacity information together with communication destination information of the host computer; and

a protected area usage processing unit configured to execute protected area usage processing upon receiving the processing request from the distribution device, and transmit a response including a return value according to the protected area usage processing to the distribution device.

7 . A distribution method of a distribution device including

a storage unit, the method comprising:

storing, in the storage unit, remaining capacity information of an encrypted protected area received from each of a plurality of host computers forming a computer cluster;

each time a processing request is received from one of a plurality of terminals requesting execution of processing using the encrypted protected area on a memory of the host computer, referring to the remaining capacity information of each of the plurality of host computers stored in the storage unit in accordance with the processing request to select a destination to which the processing request is to be distributed;

transferring the processing request to the destination; and

transferring a response according to the processing request received from the destination to a requesting terminal.

8 . (canceled)