Patent ID: 6289422
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A distributed processing system comprising:multiple processors, one processor comprising a client node and one or more other processors each comprising a server node;each server node having at least one storage tape associated therewith;means for writing blocks of data from a client process of said client node to a first storage tape of a first server node of the distributed processing system, wherein said writing continues until a physical end of storage is reached for the first storage tape, said physical end of storage being reached without size of said first storage tape having been predetermined;means for switching writing blocks of data from said client node to a second storage tape of a second server node of the distributed processing system when said physical end of storage is reached for said first storage tape, wherein said means for switching accomplishes said switching writing transparent to said client process of said client node; andwherein said means for writing blocks of data from said client process of the client node to said first storage tape or to said second storage tape comprises means for writing said blocks of data using a write-behind operation which may fail, wherein when occurring said failure is transparent to the client process due to said transparent switching writing from the first storage tape to the second storage tape, and wherein said first server node and said second server node periodically notify the client node whether previously received blocks of data have been correctly written to the first storage tape or the second storage tape, respectively.