JP3570639B2 - How to manage system definition information - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a method for managing system definition information in an information processing system.
The information processing system uses a number of subsystems (programs) for performing various control operations, such as a file management program, a communication control program, and various compilers.
[0002]
Such subsystems (programs) cannot operate unless system definition information necessary for the operation of each subsystem is set. The system definition information includes information on the type of the main storage device, the storage capacity, the connected input / output device, the communication control device, the file storage device, and the like provided at the time in the information processing system.
[0003]
In computer systems in recent years, the number of opportunities to increase the number of network devices and change the operation mode during system operation increases, and the system definition is changed each time. However, the management of the change history and restoration of the definition before the change are performed. It is desired that this can be easily performed.
[0004]
[Prior art]
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.
In the figure, reference numeral 40 denotes system definition information (simply referred to as definition information) 1 to n to be set in subsystems 1 to n, and 41 denotes operation means for changing definition information having unique contents corresponding to each subsystem. (Composed of programs) 1 to n and 42 are subsystems 1 to n each composed of different programs.
[0005]
In the example of FIG. 4, in order to change the definition information of each of the subsystems 1 to n, the unique operation means 1 to n are used for each, and the definition information 1 to n of the corresponding subsystem 1 to n is changed. To change. In the example of the definition information 1, it is assumed that “A” is currently set in the subsystem 1 as the definition information. If the user wants to change this content to “A + α” as the definition information 1 by changing the computer system, he or she can set the subsystem 1 by operating the keys while viewing the screen with the operating means 1 or use the definition information in which “A + α” is recorded in advance. The definition information is changed by setting 1 in the subsystem 1 by the operation means 1. The definition information of each of the other subsystems 2 to n can be changed by different operation means 2 to n.
[0006]
In this method, the definition information of each subsystem had to be changed using its own operation means. However, by improving this, a method of unifying the operation means for changing the system definition was realized. I have.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Even if the operation means for changing the conventional system definition information is unified, the definition information of each subsystem is frequently changed due to a change in the configuration of the computer system. In this case, since the operation history of the system definition information of the subsystem group is not managed in the above-described conventional technology, for example, when an error occurs after changing the system definition, it is necessary to restore the definition before the change. However, there is a problem that the system definition before the change cannot be restored.
[0008]
Note that, as a conventional technique, generation management of programs, program data, files, and the like is described in JP-A-1-276229, JP-A-3-58125, JP-A-3-9426, and JP-A-3-14046. However, in the case of system definition information, it was not possible to use these technologies as they were to restore them to the previous generation.
[0009]
The present invention manages the operation history, updates the system definition to a new generation, and returns to the previous generation in an environment that collectively manages the operation of changing the system definition set for a program having various functions. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of managing system definition information which can maintain consistency with a system state in the system.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the principle of the present invention.
In FIG. 1, 1 is an input / output unit having an input function and an output function, 2 is an information processing device, 3 is a system definition management unit, 4 is a difference management unit, 5 is a definition return unit, and 6 is a definition for each subsystem. A difference file storing the difference between each generation of information up to the current generation (the latest generation), 7 is a subsystem group (system), 8 is a plurality of subsystems, and 8a is each subsystem. A change permission / non-permission determining means 9 for determining whether the definition can be changed is an external storage device in which new definition information (update definition information) 9a is stored. 1a to 1c are operations performed in the input / output unit 1, 1a is a definition update operation, 1b is a definition return operation, and 1c is a history display operation.
[0011]
According to the present invention, the system definition management unit is provided with a difference management unit, which generates a difference in response to an update operation of definition information, stores the difference in a difference file, and generates an inverse difference in response to a return operation. Notify each subsystem, determine whether each subsystem can update or revert these, and if possible, update or revert the definition information of the subsystem. If not, define information. Does not change the value and outputs an invalid message.
[0012]
[Action]
In FIG. 1, an operator performs a definition update operation 1a for updating the previous definition information of each subsystem to new information at the input / output unit 1 of the information processing apparatus 2, and inputs the definition information. At this time, the update definition information 9a to be set in the external storage device 9 is prepared in advance, and the contents can be collectively input by the definition update operation 1a. In this description, it is assumed that the definition information of the nth generation is set in the current subsystem group 7, and the update definition information 9a is the (n + 1) th generation. The system definition management unit 3 starts the difference management unit 4 in response to a definition update operation input, and the difference generation unit 4a operates to update the definition information. The difference generation unit 4a calculates a difference between the input update definition information 9a for update and the active definition information (nth generation) managed by the system definition management unit 3. The obtained difference is held in the difference management unit 4 and is notified to the corresponding subsystem 8 of the subsystem group 7.
[0013]
In each of the subsystems 8 that have received the notification, the changeability determination unit 8a determines whether the received difference can be changed. This determination is for determining whether to comply with the resources and operational conditions each subsystem uses notifies the updatable to system-defined management unit 3 must, if appropriate, be compatible, notifies the updating impossible. Upon receiving the update permission from each subsystem, the difference management unit 4 registers the difference generated by the update in the difference file 6 as an n-th difference, and outputs an update impossible message to the input / output unit 1 when the update is impossible. Invalidate the nth generation difference file.
[0014]
The operator performs a definition return operation 1b from the input / output unit 1 by specifying a generation. In this description, assuming that it is specified to return to the definition information of one generation before the generation (nth generation) set in the information processing apparatus 2, the definition returning unit 5 is activated. The definition return unit 5 causes the difference management unit 4 to execute inverse difference generation. As a result, the inverse difference generation unit 4b performs an inverse difference (from the (n−1) th generation to the (n−1) th generation) for restoring from the difference file 6 from the current generation (the nth generation) to the state of the previous generation (the (n−1) th generation). (Corresponding to the difference when updating to a generation), and an inverse difference is generated. This inverse difference is notified to the corresponding subsystem 8 of the subsystem group 7.
[0015]
In each of the subsystems 8 that have received the notification, the changeability determination unit 8a determines whether it is possible to restore the definition by the inverse difference based on the resources used by each subsystem, the operating conditions, and the like. As a result, if possible, the difference management unit 4 is notified. If the restoration is not possible, a notification that the restoration is impossible is sent to the difference management unit 4. When the difference management unit 4 receives the notification of the return possible from each subsystem 8, the difference management unit 4 deletes the n-th generation difference (the reverse difference generated by the reverse difference generation unit 4b) stored in the difference file 6, and notifies the non-returnable. Is received, the content of the difference file 6 is left as it is, and the definition return unit 5 outputs to the input / output unit 1 a message indicating that the definition cannot be returned. The return operation of the definition information can be executed by the same principle as that of returning the current generation by a plurality of generations.
[0016]
When the history display operation 1c is performed from the input / output unit 1, the history management unit 4c of the difference management unit 4 of the system definition management unit 3 operates. The history management unit 4c extracts the difference of each generation from the difference file 6, outputs the difference to the input / output unit 1, and displays it.
[0017]
【Example】
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a processing flow for updating and returning definition information. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 10 denotes an input / output device having a keyboard 10a and a display 10b; 11-1 to 11-n, definition information of each generation (1 to n) input for updating; and 12, a CPU, a memory, and a file. An information processing apparatus including a storage device, 13 a system definition management unit, 13a a change information notification unit, 14 a difference management unit, 15 a difference generation unit, 16 an inverse difference generation unit, 17 a return unit, 18 a history A management unit 19 is a difference file for holding and managing differences between the generations, and 20-1 to 20-n are subsystems. Each part indicated by 13 to 18 and 20 in FIG. 2 can be configured by a program.
[0018]
When a command is entered from the keyboard 10a to execute definition information update (change to a new generation), return to the original generation definition information, and history display, etc., the system definition management unit 13 sends the command to the command. Perform the corresponding control. In the definition information 11, first-generation definition information is first collectively input and set from an external storage device such as a disk device, and then the hardware and software (for example, the capacity of the terminal and the storage device) constituting the system are defined. The definition information is updated in accordance with a change or the like, and the definition information is input and set in the order of the second generation, the third generation, and so on.
[0019]
The system definition management unit 13 controls a difference management unit 14, a difference generation unit 15, an inverse difference generation unit 16, a return unit 17, and a history management unit 18, and a plurality of subsystems 20 corresponding to various programs of the information processing apparatus. Manage definition information for.
[0020]
The processing flow of updating and returning the system definition information by the system definition management unit 13 (including the difference management unit 14 to the return unit 17) and the subsystem 20 will be described with reference to FIG. A. In the second update process, when an instruction to update the system definition information is generated by a command input from the keyboard 10a of the input / output device 10 (S1 in FIG. 3), the system definition management unit 13 operates and the new definition information (nth Is read (S2 in FIG. 3). In this case, the n-th generation definition information 11-n of FIG. Next, the current definition (the definition of the (n-1) th generation in operation) information is read from the definition information storage unit (not shown in FIG. 2) of the information processing device 12 (S3 in FIG. 3). Next, difference information between the read new definition information (nth generation) and the current definition information (n-1st generation) is generated by the difference generation unit 15 in FIG. 2 (S4 in FIG. 3). The generated difference is saved in the n-th generation of the difference file 19 in FIG.
[0021]
The subsequent processing steps S5 to S10 are the same processing as the return processing of the definition information. However, in the case of the update processing, the contents of the change of the definition information for each subsystem 20 will be described. The difference generated by the update is notified from the change information notification unit 13a (S5 in FIG. 3). Upon receipt of this, each subsystem checks the state of the system to determine whether or not the changed definition information satisfies the current hardware and software conditions of the system. 13a) is notified of whether the definition can be changed (S6 in FIG. 3). The change information notification unit determines whether the definition can be changed (S7).
[0022]
The determination to be made in the case of a change that updates the definition information is, for example, to add hardware, but it is necessary to determine whether the system configuration has been added, When the memory area is changed to use the current memory capacity, various factors such as determining whether the current memory capacity is sufficient are performed.
[0023]
If it is determined that this change is possible, each subsystem performs a process of reflecting the definition change information in the system (S8), and validates the new definition information as the current definition information (S9). If it is determined that the change cannot be made, the definition change operation is regarded as an error, and the content of the abnormality is notified by a message (S10). In this case, the subsystem 20 of FIG. 2 notifies the system definition management unit 13 that the change is impossible, so that the system definition management unit 13 generates a message indicating that the change is not possible to the input / output device 10, and the message is displayed on the display 10b. Is done. Further, the system definition management unit 13 invalidates (or deletes) the saved n-th generation difference information.
[0024]
B. of FIG. The case of the return processing of the definition information shown in FIG. This reverting function can be used when reverting to a previous generation in which it is guaranteed that no error will occur when a failure occurs as a result of changing the system configuration. Actually, it can be returned up to a plurality of generations before (including the first generation). In this description, an example will be described in which the current generation is set to the n-th generation and the current generation is returned one generation before (the original n-1st generation).
[0025]
When a command to return the definition information to the original generation is input from the keyboard 10a and a return instruction is generated (S11 in FIG. 3), the system definition management unit 13 in FIG. The return unit 17 reads the difference file 19 in which the difference (difference n) between the previous generation and the current generation is stored in the inverse difference generation unit 16 (S12). When the inverse difference information is generated from the read content (S13 in FIG. 3), each subsystem is notified of the definition change content (in this case, the reverse inverse difference information) (S5).
[0026]
Each subsystem 20 checks whether it is possible to change the system status to return the definition information to the previous generation, and notifies the change information notifying unit whether the change is possible (S6), and the change information notifying unit checks the notified definition. It is determined whether or not the change is possible (S7). If it is determined that the reversion can be changed, the definition change information (reverse difference information returned to the previous generation) is reflected in the system as in the case of the above update (S8), and the new definition information is updated. (N-1st generation) is validated as the current definition information (S9). If it is determined that the change of the return is not possible, the operation of changing the return of the definition is regarded as an error, and the content of the abnormality (the reason why the return cannot be performed) is notified by a message (S10).
[0027]
As described above, there is a case where the change of the return of the definition information causes an error and a case where the error does not result in an error. For each of the states shown below as specific examples, it is determined whether the change is an error or not.
(1) When return error occurs Basically, when hardware information is physically added and software information (system definition) is added, the subsequent return operation may result in an error. An error occurs in the following cases (1) to (3).
[0028]
{Circle around (1)} Cancellation (deletion) after adding a terminal definition: This is to return the system definition if the terminal to be deleted is used when the definition information is returned to cancel it after adding the terminal. (Delete device) cannot be performed.
[0029]
(2) Cancellation (deletion) after adding a magnetic tape unit
(3) Cancellation (deletion) after adding an external storage file (secondary storage device)
(2) When the return does not result in an error The operation information of only software that does not depend on external information (hardware configuration information, etc.) can basically be returned without any problem, and the following items (1) to (3) There is.
[0030]
(1) Definition of language used in the system (local definition)
(2) Acquisition unit of accounting information (3) Number of jobs to be processed at one time in the system If returning the above definition information results in an error, display the information that caused the error on a display by a message This allows the operator to know the cause and take action.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, operability can be improved in an environment in which a change operation of system definition information is collectively managed in response to frequent changes in equipment addition or operation form in a recent information processing system. In addition to managing the operation history of the definition information, it is possible to set the restoration of the definition before the change so as to match the actual configuration of the system.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a principle configuration diagram of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a processing flow for updating and returning definition information.
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
Reference Signs List 1 input / output unit 1a definition update operation 1b definition return operation 1c history display operation 2 information processing device 3 system definition management unit 4 difference management unit 5 definition return unit 6 difference file 7 subsystem group (system)
8 Subsystem 8a Changeability determination means 9 External storage device 9a New definition information (update definition information)

Claims (2)

In a management method in which an information processing device collectively manages system definition information set in a plurality of subsystems executing each control process,
The system definition management unit generates and saves difference information between the current system definition information and the new definition information for each generation of the definition information based on the input of the definition information update instruction.
Notifying the subsystem of the difference information,
Each subsystem, the whether or not the condition of the difference information reported respectively the current system, the determination result to determine whether updates to the current system to each of the system-defined management unit Notify ,
The system definition management unit updates the definition information of each subsystem in a lump when all the judgment results from the subsystems are updatable, and when the judgment result from the subsystem is not updatable , A method for managing system definition information, wherein an output indicating an error is generated and the saved difference information is invalidated. In claim 1,
The system definition management unit extracts inverse difference information from the definition information of the previous generation from the difference file based on the input of the return instruction of the definition information,
Notifying the respective subsystems of the inverse difference information,
Each subsystem notifies the determination result to determine whether the restoration of the definition information from the previous generation by the inverse difference information notified to each of the system definition management unit,
The system definition management unit collectively restores the definition information of each subsystem when all of the judgment results from the respective subsystems can be restored,
The method of managing the system definition information, characterized by generating an output representative of an error if the restoration on the determination result from the sub-system is impossible.

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