Patent ID: 6865549
Filing Date: 2005-03-08
Classification: G06F,Y10S

Abstract:
1. A method for providing concurrency control for a policy-based management system that controls resources in a distributed computing system, the method comprising: receiving a request to perform an operation on a lockable resource from a controller in the distributed computing system, wherein the controller is associated with a policy; wherein the controller sends the request in order to enforce a first policy for controlling resources in the distributed computing system; determining whether the controller holds a lock on the lockable resource, wherein the lock can be controlled by different controllers, and wherein only one controller can hold a lock on a resource at a given time; allowing the controller to execute the operation on the lockable resource if the controller holds the lock on the lockable resource; allowing the controller to acquire the lock if the controller does not hold the lock on the lockable resource; and allowing the controller to execute the operation on the lockable resource if the controller acquires the lock; wherein the controller can hold locks on other policies and can thereby create a hierarchical locking structure between policies.