Web serving system

• US 20010027480A1
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Published: 10/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xcelera Inc.
• Original Assignee: Clearway Technologies, LLC (Xcelera Inc.)
• Inventors: Kriegsman, Mark E.
• Granted Patent: US 6,915,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/10 File systems; File servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

The present invention is a collaborative server system for providing high speed data transmission of data files across a communications network which, in brief summary, comprises a communications network, a primary server having a primary communications component for connecting the primary server to the communications network, and at least one secondary server having a secondary communications component for connecting the secondary server to the communications network. The primary server and the at least one secondary server include storage component for storing data files. The data files include static data files and/or dynamic data files. The storage component of the primary server further stores at least one look-up table having specific criteria pertaining to the data files and the primary and at least one secondary servers. The processor component of the primary server is effective to receive a request for specific data files from a network user, to look-up specific criteria in the look-up table pertaining to the specific data files, and to allocate transmission of each specific data file between the primary server and the at least one secondary server based on the specific criteria

Claims

1. An apparatus connected to a network, for receiving a request for data files from a network user and allocating transmission of the data files between predetermined devices connected to the network, said apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing data files and at least one look-up table having specific criteria pertaining to said data files and said predetermined devices, said data files including dynamic data files and/or static data files; and

data allocation means which is capable of;

(i) receiving a request for specific data files, from a network user,

(ii) looking up specific criteria in said look-up table pertaining to said specific data files, and

(iii) allocating transmission of each specific data file between said predetermined devices based on said specific criteria; and

means for transmitting data to said network user.

2. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said data allocation means causes said transmitting means to transmit any dynamic data file in said specific data files to said network user.

3. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said data allocation means selects an optimum device from said determined devices for each static data file in said specific data file and causes said network user to request said each static data file from a corresponding selected optimum device.

4. The apparatus as recited in

claim 3

, wherein said data allocation means transmits an address code of the corresponding selected optimum device for each static data file to said network user.

5. The apparatus as recited in

claim 4

, wherein said network user, responsive to said receipt of said address code for each static data file, requests each of said static data files from the corresponding selected optimum device

6. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, further comprising means for transferring a copy of any data file stored in said memory means to any of said predetermined devices.

7. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, further comprising means for updating said specific criteria in said look-up table of said memory means.

8. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said specific criteria include a latency of a connection between each of said predetermined devices and said network user.

9. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said specific criteria include an estimated cost of transmitting the data file from each of said predetermined devices to the network user.

10. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said specific criteria include a transmission bandwidth of each of said predetermined devices.

11. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said specific criteria include a current capacity of each of said predetermined devices to transmit data files to said network user.

12. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said specific criteria include a version type of data files retrievable by each of said predetermined devices.

13. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein at least one of said specific data files includes embedded references to additional data files.

14. The apparatus as recited in

claim 1

, wherein said data allocation means is further capable of looking up specific criteria in said look-up table pertaining to said additional data files, and allocating transmission of each of said additional data files between said predetermined devices, based on said specific criteria pertaining to said additional data files.

15. The server system as recited in

claim 14

, wherein said embedded references include corresponding address codes for each of said additional data files, said allocation means having means for rewriting said address codes.

16. A collaborative server system for providing high speed data transmission of data files across a network, comprising:

a primary server and a secondary server, both connected to a network across a communication medium, said primary server comprising;

(a) memory means for storing data files and at least one look-up table having specific criteria pertaining to said data files and said primary server and said at least one secondary server, said data files including dynamic data files and/or static data files;

(b) data allocation means which is capable of;

(i) receiving a request for specific data files from a network user, (ii) looking up specific criteria in said look-up table pertaining to said specific data files, and (iii) allocating transmission of each specific data file between said primary server and said at least one secondary server based on said specific criteria; and

(c) means for transmitting data across said network,

said at least one secondary server comprising;

secondary memory means for storing data files, said data files including dynamic data files and/or static data files, and means for transmitting data across said network.

17. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said data allocation means causes said transmitting means of said primary server to transmit any dynamic data file in said specific data files to said network user.

18. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said data allocation means selects an optimum server from a group including said primary server and said secondary server for each static data file in said specific data file and causes said network user to request said each static data file from a corresponding selected optimum device.

19. The server system as recited in

claim 18

, wherein said data allocation means transmits an address code of the corresponding selected optimum device for each static data file to said network user.

20. The server system as recited in

claim 19

, wherein said network user, responsive to said receipt of said address code for each static data file, requests each of said static data files from the corresponding selected optimum device

21. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said primary server further comprises means for transferring a copy of any data file stored in said primary memory means to said secondary memory means of said at least one secondary server.

22. The server system recited in

claim 16

, wherein said primary server further comprises means for updating said specific criteria in said look-up table of said primary memory means.

23. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said specific criteria include a latency of a connection between said primary server and said at least one secondary server and said network user.

24. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said specific criteria include an estimated cost of transmitting the data file from said primary server and said at least one secondary server to the network user.

25. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said specific criteria include a transmission bandwidth of said primary server and said at least one secondary server.

26. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said specific criteria include a current capacity of said primary server and said at least one secondary server to transmit data files to said network user.

27. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said specific criteria include a version type of data files retrievable by said primary server and said at least one secondary server.

28. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein at least one of said specific data files includes embedded references to additional data files.

29. The server system as recited in

claim 28

, wherein said data allocation means is further capable of:

looking up specific criteria in said look-up table pertaining to said additional data files, and allocating transmission of each of said additional data files between said predetermined devices, based on said specific criteria pertaining to said additional data files.

30. The server system as recited in

claim 29

, wherein said embedded references include corresponding address codes for each of said additional data files, said data allocation means having means for rewriting said address codes.

31. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said primary server is connected to the network across a slower transmission medium than said at least one secondary server.

32. The server system as recited in

claim 31

, wherein said primary server is connected to the network across an analog transmission line and said at least one secondary server is connected to the network across a faster digital transmission line.

33. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said network user includes means for requesting and receiving data files, via the network.

34. The server system as recited in

claim 33

, wherein said network user further includes means for generating a web page from said specific data files.

35. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said network user and said primary server are connected in a local area network (LAN), said LAN being connected to said network.

36. The server system as recited in

claim 16

, wherein said network user and said at least one secondary server are connect to a local are network (LAN), said LAN being connected to said.

37. An apparatus connected to a network, for receiving a request for data file having embedded therein references to additional data files from a network user and allocating transmission of all of the data files between predetermined devices connected to the network, said apparatus comprising:

memory means for storing data files and at least one look-up table having specific criteria pertaining to said data files and said predetermined devices, said data files including dynamic data files and/or static data files; and

data allocation means which is capable of;

(i) receiving a request for at least one specific data file having embedded therein references to additional data files, from a network user,

(ii) looking up specific criteria in said look-up table pertaining to each of said additional files, and

(iii) allocating transmission of each of said at least one specific data file and each of said additional data files between said predetermined devices based on said specificcriteria; and

means for transmitting data to said network user.

38. The apparatus as recited in

claim 37

, wherein said embedded references include corresponding address codes for each of said additional data files, said data allocation means having means for rewriting said address codes.