Patent ID: 6052712
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A barrier synchronization system for use in synchronization in a distributed computing environment, said computing environment having a group of members, including a plurality of related processes executing on one or more processors in the distributed computing environment, said barrier synchronization system comprising:means for processing a protocol of said group of members, said protocol having a dynamic number of synchronization phases; andmeans for voting by one or more members of said group at one or more synchronization phases of said protocol to indicate whether said protocol is to proceed to another synchronization phase, wherein said voting dynamically controls the number of synchronization phases of said protocol, said means for voting comprises means for providing at each of said one or more synchronization phases, a vote value indicating whether said protocol is to proceed from the present synchronization phase to said another synchronization phase, said vote value comprising one of the following:(a) an approved value indicating a desire to accept and complete the protocol;(b) a continue value indicating a desire to proceed to said another synchronization phase; or(c) a reject value indicating a desire to reject and end the protocol.