PURPOSE: To efficiently determine a master process (processing node) for controlling shared resources in a distributed computer system.

CONSTITUTION: In this method for determining the master process, the master process is required so as to hold just intermittently the exclusive access of a shared resource control file. The master process updates the shared resource control file periodically at new time stamp time. A process for requiring the access to the shared resources reads the shard resource control file and determines whether any other process is designated as a master or not. Then, when the lapse of this from the final time stamp time is longer than the preset time length, the shared resource control file is made invalid, and the new shared resource control file is prepared by the process to which the access is required.