Apparatus for connection management and the method therefor

Abstract

An apparatus and method for scheduling data distributions to or results information from, or collectively, “jobs” a plurality of data processing systems via a network. A connection to a target system is created. For each distribution, a session, which is an independent thread, is allocated from one of a plurality of pool of sessions and launched to effect execution of the job. Each pool corresponds to a predetermined priority level, and the session is allocated from the pool having the same priority level as the priority level of the job being scheduled. A connection supports a multiplicity of independent threads. In the event of an error, the session is released, and the scheduling of the aborted job is retried after a predetermined retry interval expires. After expiry of the retry interval, a callback method is invoked when the target system on which the scheduled job is executed becomes accessible.

1 - 11 . (canceled) 
   
   
       12 . A data processing system for connection scheduling within a network comprising a plurality of nodes, comprising:
 circuitry operable for determining if a job is available for scheduling;   circuitry operable for determining, in response to said circuitry operable for determining if said job is available, if a session is available, wherein said session is included in a pool of sessions, said pool of sessions having a preselected one of a set of priority levels corresponding to a priority level of said job and wherein said session effects an execution of said job;   circuitry operable for creating a network connection to a target system for said execution of said job, wherein said target system is another node of the networked data processing system;   circuitry operable for launching said session to effect said execution of said job, if said session is available; and   circuitry operable for launching an error handling thread in response to an error condition, said error handling thread releasing said session.   
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein said session comprises a thread. 
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising circuitry operable for determining if said network connection is an existing network connection, and wherein said circuitry operable for creating said network connection is operated if said network connection is not an existing network connection, and wherein said session is launched using said existing network connection if said network connection is an existing network connection such that said existing network connection supports multiple logical sessions. 
   
   
       16 . (canceled) 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising circuitry operable for changing value of a job state from a first value to a second value in response to said launching of said error handling thread. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  wherein said first value signals that said job is available for scheduling. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 12  further comprising circuitry operable for retrying said steps of determining if a job is available for scheduling, determining if a session is available, and launching said session, in response to an error condition. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein said circuitry operable for retrying is operated until a predetermined time interval has elapsed. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 20  further comprising circuitry operable for registering a callback method in response to an expiry of said predetermined time interval. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 21  wherein said circuitry operable for determining if a job is available for scheduling, determining if a session is available, and launching said session are operated in response to an invoking of said callback method by said target system. 
   
   
       23 . A computer program product embodied in a machine readable storage medium, the program product for job scheduling comprising instructions for:
 determining if a job is available for scheduling;   determining, in response to instructions for determining if said job is available, if a session is available, wherein said session is included in a pool of sessions, said pool of sessions having a preselected one of a set of priority levels corresponding to a priority level of said job and wherein said session effects an execution of said job;   creating a network connection to a target system for said execution of said job, wherein said target system is another node of the networked data processing system;   launching said session to effect said execution of said job, if said session is available; and   launching an error handling thread in response to an error condition, said error handling thread releasing said session.   
   
   
       24 . The program product of  claim 23  wherein said session comprises a thread. 
   
   
       25 . (canceled) 
   
   
       26 . The program product of  claim 23  further comprising instructions for determining if said network connection is an existing network connection, and wherein said instructions for creating said network connection are performed if said connection is not an existing network connection, and wherein said session is launched using said existing network connection if said network connection is an existing network connection such that said existing network connection supports multiple logical sessions. 
   
   
       27 . (canceled) 
   
   
       28 . The program product of  claim 23  further comprising instructions for changing value of a job state from a first value to a second value in response to said launching of said error handling thread. 
   
   
       29 . The program product of  claim 28  wherein said first value signals that said job is available for scheduling. 
   
   
       30 . The program product of  claim 23  further comprising programming for retrying said steps of determining if a job is available for scheduling, determining if a session is available, and launching said session, in response to an error condition. 
   
   
       31 . The program product of  claim 30  wherein said instructions for retrying are repeated until a predetermined time interval has elapsed. 
   
   
       32 . The program product of  claim 31  further comprising programming for registering a callback method in response to an expiry of said predetermined time interval. 
   
   
       33 . The program product of  claim 32  wherein said instructions for determining if a job is available for scheduling, determining if a session is available, and launching said session are executed in response to an invoking of said callback method by said target system.