Patent ID: 6178459
Filing Date: 2001-01-23
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A data processing apparatus monitoring data communication in a data network composed of a plurality of nodes and in which data flows between nodes thereof via communication channels for transmitting data unidirectionally, said apparatus comprising:means for forming a matrix comprising a plurality of elements, each element corresponding to a pair of nodes in the data network and representing a first count of direct communication routes directly linking the pair of nodes to which the element corresponds, the counted direct communication routes including the ones of the communication channels transmitting data between the pair of nodes to which the element corresponds;means for calculating, based on the matrix, a second count of a group of patterns of communication routes existing between a specified pair of nodes in the data network, the specified pair of nodes including a first node transmitting data and a second node receiving the data transmitted by the first node, the group of patterns of communication routes including each direct communication route between the specified pair of nodes and each indirect communication route between the specified pair of nodes; andmeans for detecting the specified pair of nodes and outputting a warning message when the second count is greater than or equal to a predetermined value, the warning message indicating that a risk exists of deadlock between the specified pair of nodes.