System and method for dynamic content routing

• US 20010039586A1
• Filed: 12/05/2000
• Published: 11/08/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Warp Solutions Inc. (Halo Technology Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Warp Solutions Inc. (Halo Technology Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chen, Kailai, Gnip, John, Primak, Leonard
• Granted Patent: US 6,598,077 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/141 Setup of application sessions admission control or resource allocation in data switching networks H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/146 Markers for unambiguous identification of a particular session, e.g. session cookie or URL-encoding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

A system for directing a request for dynamic content to an application server which having access to a database containing updated data relevant to the request. The system contains a dynamic content router, database replication agents and web server plug-ins. The dynamic content router directs the web server plug-ins to forward the request to the appropriate application server.

Claims

1. A method of dynamic content routing a client request to an application server, comprising the steps of:

receiving said request for content from a client over a communications network;

determining a dynamic content associated with said request;

selecting an application server from a plurality of application servers in accordance with said dynamic content; and

routing said request to said selected application server.

2. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of transmitting said requested content from said selected application server to said client.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein the step of selecting includes the step of selecting an application server connected to a database having data relevant to said requested content.

4. The method of

claim 3

, wherein the step of selecting includes the step of selecting an application server based on an available processing capacity of said database.

5. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the steps of

determining if a session exists between said client and one of said plurality of application servers;

establishing a session between said client and said selected application server if it is determined that a session does not exists between said client and one of said plurality of application servers to provide a session ID and a session time;

associating said dynamic content with said session ID to provide a link;

storing said link, said session ID and said session time as a last session time; and

transmitting said request for content to said selected application server by said client, said request having at least said session ID.

6. The method of

claim 5

, wherein the step of selecting includes the step of selecting an application server based on session persistence.

7. The method of

claim 5

, wherein the step of determining includes the steps of:

reading said session ID from said request to determine said link; and

determining said dynamic content as a function of said link.

8. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising the step of storing said selected server as a last accessed server.

9. The method of

claim 8

, wherein said plurality of application servers are grouped into one or more server clusters, each server cluster being associated with a database.

10. The method of

claim 9

, further comprising the step of determining replication latencies between said databases;

and storing said replication latencies.

11. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the step of selecting includes the step of selecting an application server as a function of said replication latencies.

12. The method of

claim 10

, wherein the step of selecting includes the steps of:

determining time elapsed between said last session time and a current session time if the database connected said selected server is different from the database connected to said last accessed server for said client to provide a session interval; and

selecting said last accessed server as said selected server if said replication latency between the databases connected to said last accessed server and said selected server exceeds said session interval.

13. A method of mirroring content in a database, comprising the steps of:

categorizing each content into either segmentable or non-segmentable content;

dividing said segmentable content into one or more segments;

labeling each segment of said segmentable content with a content label;

storing said non-segmentable content and each segment of said segmentable content, thereby effectively mirroring said content.

14. The method of

claim 13

, further comprising the steps of receiving a request for content stored in said database;

categorizing said request by content label and searching said database for said requested content in accordance with said content label.

15. A system for dynamic content routing a client request to an application server, comprising:

a web server for receiving said request for content from a client over a communications network;

a dynamic content router for determining a dynamic content associated with said request and selecting an application server from a plurality of application servers connected to said network in accordance with said dynamic content; and

wherein said web server is operable to route said request to said selected application server.

16. The system of

claim 15

, further comprising one or more databases connected to said plurality of application servers, each database having a plurality of data;

and wherein said selected application server is operable to transmit said requested content from an associated database to said client.

17. The system of

claim 15

, wherein said router is operable to select an application server connected to a database having data relevant to said requested content.

18. The system of

claim 17

, wherein said router is operable to select an application server based on an available processing capacity of said database.

19. The system of

claim 15

, wherein said router is operable to determine if a session exists between said client and one of said plurality of application servers, establish a session between said client and said selected application server if it is determined that a session does not exists between said client and one of said plurality of application servers to provide a session ID and a session time, associate said dynamic content with said session ID to provide a link, store said link, said session ID and said session time as a last session time, and transmit said request for content to said selected application server by said client, said request having at least said session ID.

20. The system of

claim 19

, wherein said router is operable to select an application server based on session persistence.

21. The system of

claim 19

, wherein said router is operable to read said session ID from said request to determine said link and determine said dynamic content as a function of said link.

22. The system of

claim 15

, wherein said router is operable to store said selected server as a last accessed server.

23. The system of

claim 22

, wherein said plurality of application servers are grouped into one or more server clusters, each server cluster being associated with a database.

24. The system of

claim 23

, wherein each database includes a replication agent for determining replication latencies between said databases and transmitting said replication latencies to said router;

and wherein said router is operable to store said replication latencies.

25. The system of

claim 24

, wherein said router is operable to select an application server as a function of said replication latencies.

26. The system of

claim 24

, wherein said router is operable to determine time elapsed between said last session time and a current session time if the database connected to said selected server is different from the database connected to said last accessed server for said client to provide a session interval;

and

selecting said last accessed server as said selected server if said replication latency between the databases connected to said last accessed server and said selected server exceeds said session interval.