Peer-to-peer resource resolution

• US 20020147810A1
• Filed: 01/22/2002
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Clary, Michael J., Pouyoul, Eric, Abdelaziz, Mohamed M., Yeager, William J., Gong, Li, Traversat, Bernard A., Joy, William N., Hugly, Jean-Christophe, Duigou, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,136,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4416 Network booting; Remote initial program loading [RIPL]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2546 Arrangements for avoiding unnecessary translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/35 involving non-standard use of addresses for implementing network functionalities, e.g. coding subscription information within the address or functional addressing, i.e. assigning an address to a function
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/45 Network directories; Name-to-address mapping
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0209 Architectural arrangements, e.g. perimeter networks or demilitarized zones
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/029 Firewall traversal, e.g. tunnelling or, creating pinholes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 : for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/105 : Multiple levels of security
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/126 : the source of the received data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 : at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 : at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 : Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 : Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 : Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 : Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1057 : involving pre-assessment of levels of reputation of peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 : Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1061 : using node-based peer discovery mechanisms static access to replicated servers H04L67/1006; service discovery H04L67/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1063 : Discovery through centralising entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 : Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/107 : with limitation or expansion of the discovery scope
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1093 : Some peer nodes performing special functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 : Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• 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 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 : Privileged access

Abstract

A system and method for sending, resolving, and receiving queries for information on the status of network resources. A peer computing system may include one or more resolver nodes on a network for resolving queries for a resource to particular resource instances. The resolver nodes may receive query messages from peer nodes on the network. Each query message may request information about a resource implemented by one or more peer nodes on the network. The query messages may be formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol. The resolver node may determine a particular instance of the resource hosted on a particular peer node to receive the query. The resolver node may use a variety of criteria to determine a particular resource instance. The resolver node may forward the query message to the determined resource instance.

Claims

1. A peer computing system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes, operable to couple to a network, wherein the plurality of peer nodes are operable to participate a peer-to-peer environment on the network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, and cooperate with each other to form peer groups and share network resources in the peer-to-peer environment; and

a resolver node operable to;

receive a query message from one of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the query message is formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol, wherein the query message indicates a request to a resource implemented by one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

determine a particular instance of the resource on a particular one of the one or more peer nodes; and

forward the query message to the determined resource instance.

2. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the determined resource instance is configured on the particular one of the one or more of peer nodes to send a response message in response to the query message to the peer node of the plurality of peer nodes sending the query message, wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

3. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the determined resource instance is configured on the particular one of the one or more peer nodes to send a response message in response to the query message to the resolver node, wherein the resolver node is operable to forward the response message to the peer node of the plurality of peer nodes sending the query, and wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

4. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource implemented by the one or more peer nodes is configured on each of the one or more peer nodes to:

implement one or more resource handlers wherein each of the one or more resource handlers is operable to;

receive the query message; and

generate a response message in response to the query message formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol; and

register the one or more resource handlers with the resolver node.

5. The peer computing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the query message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers to generate the response message.

6. The peer computing system as recited in claim 4, wherein the response message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers that generated the response message.

7. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource is a service.

8. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource is content.

9. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resource is an application.

10. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resolver node is a peer node of the plurality of peer nodes.

11. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the resolver node is operable to cache query messages and cache response messages.

12. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the query message includes a credential corresponding to the peer node sending the query message, wherein the resolver node is further operable to:

determine if the peer node is authorized to access the resource using the credential of the peer node included in the query message; and

prohibit the peer node from accessing the resource if the peer node is not authorized.

13. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the query message includes a query identifier for identifying the query message.

14. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the query message includes a query field specifying the requested information.

15. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the response message includes a credential corresponding to the particular one of the one or more peer nodes hosting the determined resource instance to which the query message was forwarded.

16. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the response message includes a query identifier corresponding to the query message.

17. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the response message includes a response field comprising the information requested by the query message.

18. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the determination, the determined resource instance is a resource instance located a fewest number of hops on the network from the peer node sending the query message.

19. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein, in the determination, the determined resource instance is implemented on the particular one of the one or more peer nodes that has the least processing load of the one or m ore peer nodes.

20. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, f further comprising:

a rendezvous node coupled to the network;

wherein the rendezvous node is operable to;

receive the query message;

determine whether to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes if it is determined to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

discard the query message if it is determined not to propogate the query message;

determine whether to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message; and

designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message if it is determined to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message.

21. The peer computing system as recited in claim 20, wherein in said determining, the rendezvous node is configured to communicate with a service on the network, wherein the service is operable to:

determine whether to propagate the query message; and

determine whether to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message.

22. A resolver node, comprising:

a processor;

a port operable to couple the peer node to a network;

a memory operable to store program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;

receive a query message from a peer node on the network, wherein the query message is formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol, wherein the query message indicates a request to a resource implemented by one or more other peer nodes on the network;

determine a particular instance of the resource on a particular one of the one or more other peer nodes;

forward the query message to the determined resource instance.

23. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the determined resource instance is configured on the other peer node to send a response message in response to the query message to the peer node, wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

24. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the determined resource instance is configured on the other peer node to send a response message in response to the query message to the resolver node, wherein the resolver node is operable to forward the response message to the peer node, and wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

25. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resource implemented by the one or more peer nodes is configured on each of the one or more peer nodes to:

implement one or more resource handlers wherein each of the one or more resource handlers is operable to;

receive the query message; and

generate a response message in response to the query message formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol; and

register the one or more resource handlers with the resolver node.

26. The resolver node as recited in claim 25, wherein the query message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers to generate the response message.

27. The resolver node as recited in claim 25, wherein the response message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers that generated the response message.

28. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resource is a service.

29. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resource is content.

30. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resource is an application.

31. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resolver node is a peer node.

32. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the resolver node is operable to cache query messages and cache response messages.

33. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the query message includes a credential corresponding to the peer node, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

determine if the peer node is authorized to access the resource using the credential of the peer node included in the query message; and

prohibit the peer node from accessing the resource if the peer node is not authorized.

34. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the query message includes a query identifier for identifying the query message.

35. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the query message includes a query field specifying the requested information.

36. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the response message includes a credential corresponding to the other peer node.

37. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the response message includes a query identifier corresponding to the query message.

38. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein the response message includes a response field comprising the information requested by the query message.

39. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein, in the determination, the determined resource instance is a resource instance located a fewest number of hops on the network from the peer node sending the query message.

40. The resolver node as recited in claim 22, wherein, in the determination, the determined resource instance is implemented on the particular one of the one or more other peer nodes that has the least processing load of the one or more other peer nodes.

41. A peer computing system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes, operable to couple to a network, wherein the plurality of peer nodes are operable to participate a peer-to-peer environment on the network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, and cooperate with each other to form peer groups and share network resources in the peer-to-peer environment; and

means for receiving a query message from one of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the query message is formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol, wherein the query message indicates a request to a resource implemented by one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

means for determining a particular instance of the resource on a particular one of the one or more peer nodes;

means for forwarding the query message to the determined resource instance.

42. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, further comprising means for sending a response message in response to the query message to the peer node of the plurality of peer nodes sending the query message, wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

43. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

means for implementing one or more resource handlers for receiving the query message on the resource implemented by the one or more peer nodes;

means generating a response message using a particular one of the one or more resource handlers in response to the query message formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

44. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the query message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers to generate the response message.

45. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the response message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers that generated the response message.

46. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the resource is a service.

47. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the resource is content.

48. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the resource is an application.

49. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

means for caching query messages; and

means for caching response messages.

50. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the means for determining comprise means for determining a particular resource instance located a fewest number of hops on the network from the peer node sending the query message.

51. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, wherein the means for determining comprise means for determining a particular resource instance on the particular one of the one or more peer nodes that has the least processing load of the one or more peer nodes.

52. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, further comprising means for determining if the peer node is authorized to access the requested resource.

53. The peer computing system as recited in claim 41, further comprising:

a rendezvous node coupled to the network operable to receive the query message;

means for determining whether to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

means for propagating the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes if it is determined to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

means for discarding the query message if it is determined not to propogate the query message;

means for determining whether to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message; and

means for designating the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message if it is determined to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message.

54. A method, comprising:

implementing a peer-to-peer environment on a network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling a plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, and cooperate with each other to form peer groups and share network resources in the peer-to-peer environment;

receiving a query message from one of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the query message is formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol, wherein the query message indicates a request to a resource implemented by one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

determining a particular instance of the resource on a particular one of the one or more peer nodes; and

forwarding the query message to the determined resource instance.

55. The method as recited in claim 54, further comprising sending a response message in response to the query message to the peer node sending the query message, wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

56. The method as recited in claim 54, further comprising:

implementing one or more resource handlers for receiving the query message on the resource implemented by the one or more peer nodes;

generating a response message using a particular one of the one or more resource handlers in response to the query message formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

57. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the query message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers to generate the response message.

58. The method as recited in claim 56, wherein the response message includes a handler name specifying one of the one or more resource handlers that generated the response message.

59. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the resource is a service.

60. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the resource is content.

61. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the resource is an application.

62. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein s aid determining comprises determining a particular resource instance located a fewest number of hops on the network from the peer node sending the query message.

63. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein said determining comprises determining a particular resource instance on the particular one of the one or more peer nodes that has the least processing load of the one or more peer nodes.

64. The method as recited in claim 54, wherein the query message includes a credential for the peer node, wherein the method further comprises:

determining if the peer node is authorized to access the resource using the credential of the peer node included in the query message; and

prohibiting the peer node from accessing the resource if the peer node is not authorized.

65. The method as recited in claim 54, further comprising:

determining whether to propagate the query message received by a rendezvous node coupled to the network to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

propagating the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes if it is determined to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

discarding the query message if it is determined not to propogate the query message;

determining whether to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message; and

designating the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message if it is determined to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message.

66. An article of manufacture comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are computer-executable to implement:

implementing a peer-to-peer environment on a network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling a plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, communicate with each other, and cooperate with each other to form peer groups and share network resources in the peer-to-peer environment; and

receiving a query message from one of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the query message is formatted in accordance with a peer resolver protocol, wherein the query message indicates a request to a resource implemented by one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

determining a particular instance of the resource on a particular one of the one or more peer nodes;

forwarding the query message to the determined resource instance.

67. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 66, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement sending a response message in response to the query message to the peer node sending the query message, wherein the response message is formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

68. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 66, wherein the program instructions are further executable to implement:

implementing one or more resource handlers for receiving the query message on the resource implemented by the one or more peer nodes;

generating a response message using a particular one of the one or more resource handlers in response to the query message formatted in accordance with the peer resolver protocol.

69. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 66, wherein, in said determining, the program instructions are further executable to implement determining a particular resource instance located a fewest number of hops on the network from the peer node sending the query message.

70. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 66, wherein, in said determining, the program instructions are further executable to implement determining a particular resource instance on the particular one of the one or more peer nodes that has the least processing load of the one or more peer nodes.

71. The article of manufacture as recited in claim 66, wherein, in said determining, the program instructions are further executable to implement:

determining whether to propagate the query message received by a rendezvous node coupled to the network to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

propagating the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes if it is determined to propagate the query message to one or more of the plurality of peer nodes;

discarding the query message if it is determined not to propagate the query message;

determining whether to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message; and

designating the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message if it is determined to designate the rendezvous node as the originator of the query message.