Peer-to-peer presence detection

• US 20030041141A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 02/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pouyoul, Eric, Abdelaziz, Mohamed M., Traversat, Bernard A., Hugly, Jean-Christophe, Duigou, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,197,565 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/107 with limitation or expansion of the discovery scope
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Embodiments of a decentralized mechanism for detecting the presence of entities in a peer-to-peer network. In one embodiment, using pipes, a peer may uniquely and independently generate an identity for a peer-to-peer network entity. The identity may be used to probe the peer-to-peer network for presence of instances of the corresponding entity on other peers regardless of which peer the identity was generated on and without using a central identity repository or presence system. In one embodiment, net crawling may be used to map identities and resolve the locations of instances of the corresponding entities. An entity may move anywhere on the network, and the decentralized mechanism for detecting entity presence may be used to locate the instance(s) of the entity.

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes configured to participate with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

one of the peer nodes configured to generate a unique identifier for a peer-to-peer network entity on the peer node;

wherein one or more others of the plurality of peer nodes are configured to host an instance of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of peer nodes is configured to;

obtain the unique identifier for the entity;

discover the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more others of the plurality of peer nodes; and

connect to one of the one or more instances of the entity via a pipe, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the one of the peer nodes is further configured to generate a pipe advertisement describing the entity and the pipe and corresponding to the unique identifier of the entity.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein, to discover the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more others of the plurality of peer nodes, the at least one of the plurality of peer nodes is further configured to:

discover the pipe advertisement corresponding to the unique identifier on the peer-to-peer network; and

resolve the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

4. The system as recited in claim 2,

wherein, to discover the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more others of the plurality of peer nodes, the at least one of the plurality of peer nodes is further configured to send a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol;

and

wherein the pipe resolver is configured to locate the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of peer nodes are configured to participate in a peer-to-peer environment on the network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

9. A system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes configured to participate with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

at least one of the peer nodes configured to;

obtain a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, wherein the pipe advertisement describes a pipe representing a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity on the plurality of peer nodes;

locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes in accordance with the pipe advertisement; and

connect to one of the instances of the entity on one of the one or more peer nodes via one of the input pipes in accordance with the pipe advertisement.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein, to obtain a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, the at least one of the peer nodes is further configured to:

obtain the unique identifier; and

discover the pipe advertisement corresponding to the unique identifier on the peer-to-peer network.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein, to locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes, the at least one of the peer nodes is further configured to resolve the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

12. The system as recited in claim 9,

wherein, to locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes, the at least one of the peer nodes is further configured to send a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol;

and

wherein the pipe resolver is configured to locate the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

15. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

16. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein the plurality of peer nodes are configured to participate in a peer-to-peer environment on the network in accordance with one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

17. A peer node, comprising:

a processor; and

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

participate with other peer nodes in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

obtain a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, wherein the pipe advertisement describes a pipe representing a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity on one or more other peer nodes;

locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on the one or more other peer nodes in accordance with the pipe advertisement; and

connect to one of the instances of the entity on one of the one or more other peer nodes via one of the input pipes in accordance with the pipe advertisement.

18. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein, to obtain a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, the peer node is further configured to:

obtain the unique identifier; and

discover the pipe advertisement corresponding to the unique identifier on the peer-to-peer network.

19. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein, to locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes, the peer node is further configured to resolve the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

20. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein, to locate one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes, the peer node is further configured to:

send a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol; and

receive from the pipe resolver indications of the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

21. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

22. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

23. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

24. The peer node as recited in claim 17, wherein the peer node is configured to participate in a peer-to-peer environment with other peer nodes according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

25. A method, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes participating with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

one of the peer nodes generating a unique identifier for a peer-to-peer network entity on the peer node;

generating instances of the entity on one or more others of the peer nodes;

another one of the peer nodes obtaining the unique identifier for the entity;

the other peer node discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes; and

the other peer node connecting to one of the one or more instances of the entity via a pipe, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity.

26. The method as recited in claim 25, further comprising the one of the peer nodes generating a pipe advertisement describing the entity and the pipe and corresponding to the unique identifier of the entity.

27. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes comprises:

discovering the pipe advertisement on the peer-to-peer network; and

resolving the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

28. The method as recited in claim 26, wherein said discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes comprises:

sending a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol; and

the pipe resolver locating the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

29. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

30. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

31. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

32. The method as recited in claim 25, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

33. A method, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes participating with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

one of the peer nodes obtaining a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, wherein the pipe advertisement describes a pipe representing a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity on the plurality of peer nodes;

the one of the peer nodes locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes in accordance with the pipe advertisement; and

the one of the peer nodes connecting to one of the instances of the entity on one of the one or more peer nodes via one of the input pipes in accordance with the pipe advertisement.

34. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said obtaining a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier comprises:

obtaining the unique identifier; and

discovering the pipe advertisement corresponding to the unique identifier on the peer-to-peer network.

35. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer comprises resolving the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

36. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein said locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes comprises:

sending a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol; and

the pipe resolver locating the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

37. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

38. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

39. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

40. The method as recited in claim 33, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

41. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

a plurality of peer nodes participating with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

one of the peer nodes generating a unique identifier for a peer-to-peer network entity on the peer node;

generating instances of the entity on one or more others of the peer nodes;

another one of the peer nodes obtaining the unique identifier for the entity;

the other peer node discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes; and

the other peer node connecting to one of the one or more instances of the entity via a pipe, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity.

42. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the program instructions are further configured to implement the one of the peer nodes generating a pipe advertisement describing the entity and the pipe and corresponding to the unique identifier of the entity.

43. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 42, wherein, in said discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

discovering the pipe advertisement on the peer-to-peer network; and

resolving the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

44. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 42, wherein, in said discovering the one or more instances of the entity corresponding to the unique identifier on the one or more other peer nodes, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

sending a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol; and

the pipe resolver locating the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

45. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

46. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

47. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 41, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

48. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 41, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.

49. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:

a plurality of peer nodes participating with each other in a peer-to-peer network on a network;

one of the peer nodes obtaining a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, wherein the pipe advertisement describes a pipe representing a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with instances of the entity on the plurality of peer nodes;

the one of the peer nodes locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes in accordance with the pipe advertisement; and

the one of the peer nodes connecting to one of the instances of the entity on one of the one or more peer nodes via one of the input pipes in accordance with the pipe advertisement.

50. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein, in said obtaining a pipe advertisement for a peer-to-peer network entity corresponding to a unique identifier, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

obtaining the unique identifier; and

discovering the pipe advertisement corresponding to the unique identifier on the peer-to-peer network.

51. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein, in said locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer, the program instructions are further configured to implement resolving the pipe advertisement to discover one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in accordance with a pipe resolver protocol.

52. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein, in said locating one or more input pipes corresponding to one or more instances of the entity on one or more of the peer nodes, the program instructions are further configured to implement:

sending a pipe resolver message indicating the pipe to a pipe resolver according to the pipe resolver protocol; and

the pipe resolver locating the one or more input pipes of the pipe corresponding to the one or more instances of the entity in response to the pipe resolver message.

53. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network user identity.

54. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network content.

55. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the entity is a peer-to-peer network module.

56. The computer-accessible medium as recited in claim 49, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the 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.