System and method for shifting functionality between multiple web servers

• US 20020002611A1
• Filed: 04/16/2001
• Published: 01/03/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sons of Innovation LLC
• Original Assignee: Sons of Innovation LLC
• Inventors: Vange, Mark
• Application Number:
  US09/835,875
• Publication Number:
  US 20020002611A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/5021 Priority
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5027 the resource being a machine, e.g. CPUs, Servers, Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/14 Routing performance; Theoretical aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/193 at the transport layer, e.g. TCP related
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/24 Traffic characterised by specific attributes, e.g. priority or QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1408 by monitoring network traffic monitoring network traffic per se H04L43/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1416 Event detection, e.g. attack signature detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/1458 Denial of Service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/1021 : based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 : using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 : Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 : Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 : Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 : Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5681 : Pre-fetching or pre-delivering data based on network characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 : Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 : Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 : Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A system for providing network functionality from a plurality of network-connected servers to at least one network-connected client computer. A management component is coupled to each of the servers. A shifting component coupled to or within the management component operates to shift data and program components between the networkconnected servers so as to configure a selected server to implement a specified set of functionality. A redirection component responsive to a client request for the specified set of functionality redirects the requesting client to the selected server(s).

Claims

1. A system for providing functionality over a network comprising:

a plurality of network-connected servers, each providing access to a set of functions implemented by program components within the server;

at least one network-connected client computer;

a management component coupled to each of the network-connected servers;

a shifting component within the management component operable to shift data and program components between the network-connected servers so as to configure a selected server to implement a specified set of functions; and

a redirection component responsive to a client request for the specified set of functions to redirect the requesting client to the selected server.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the selected network server further comprises:

a data storage mechanism;

processes responsive to client requests to accesses data in the data storage mechanism; and

processes operable to generate a response to the client requests using the accessed data.

3. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

processes operating independently of client requests to update data contained within the data storage mechanism.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the data storage mechanism comprises a cache.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the program components implement a database management system interface.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the network-connected servers is designated as a central authority for a particular set of functions and the program components implement processes for communicating with the central authority.

7. A system for providing functionality over a network comprising:

a plurality of network-connected servers, each providing access to a set of functions implemented by program components within the server;

at least one network-connected client computer; and

a redirection component responsive to a client request for selecting a particular one of the network-connected servers that implements a set of functions suitable for responding to the client request and redirecting the requesting client to the selected server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of network-connected servers comprise:

a first network-connected server in communication with the client;

a second network-connected server in communication with the first network-connected server, wherein the redirection component operates within the first network-connected server to identify and communicate with the second network-connected server to enable the first network-connected server to respond to the client request.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the first and second network-connected servers communicate with each other over an enhanced communication channel.

10. A system for implementing a web site comprising:

a first web server configured to provide a preselected set of content and service applications in response to client requests;

a second web server configured to provide a preselected set of content and service applications in response to requests from the first web server;

a communication channel established between the first and second web servers, wherein the web site is implemented by delivering web pages from at least one of the first and second web servers by distributed and cooperative interaction using services and content provided by both first and second web servers.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the web site includes functionality that is implemented by service applications running on both the first and second web servers.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the web site content is provided by the first web server and the web site functionality is provided by service applications running on the second web server.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the web site content is provided by the second web server and the web site functionality is provided by service applications running on the first web server.

14. A system for rendering graphical information in a network environment comprising:

a network;

providing a first network service for accessing raw data from a data store;

providing a second network service configured to obtain the raw data from the first network service over the network;

application software in the second network service for rendering a graphic display of the raw data; and

a client interface in the second network service for communicating the rendered graphic display from the second network service to a client application.

15. A method for delivering customized content from one or more network services to a client computer comprising the acts of:

providing a plurality of network servers each providing access to a set of raw data;

requesting the content from the network servers;

causing the network server to incorporate the raw data into a “

usuable format”

; and

delivering the “

usuable format”

from the network server to a client computer.

16. A system for supplying rendered information in a network environment comprising:

providing a first server for accessing raw data from a data store;

providing a second server configured to obtain the raw data from the first network resource;

application software in the second server for transforming the raw data into a rendered format; and

a client interface in the second server for communicating the rendered format from the second server to a client application.

17. A system for delivering functionality from a network resource comprising:

a client machine coupled to a network, the client machine having a user interface and a preferred format for presenting data using the user interface;

a gateway machine coupled to the network and having a client interface for receiving requests from the client and supplying responses to the client, the gateway machine having knowledge of the preferred format; and

formatting mechanisms within the gateway machine for receiving content in a first format from the network resource and reformatting the received content to a second format for communication to the client machine.