Data communications networks, systems, methods and apparatus

• US 20030093491A1
• Filed: 07/30/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lauri Valjakka
• Original Assignee: Lauri Valjakka
• Inventors: Valjakka, Lauri, Karesniemi, Iiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,495,167 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/214
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• 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 67/1029 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 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A data communications network comprises a plurality of terminals and a main server adapted to manage selective retrieval of data from a first server by at least one target terminal. Some or all of the terminals are adapted to act as relay servers for serving data retrieved from the first server to at least one target terminal. The network includes a network information database and the main server selects at least one target terminal to act as a relay server for serving data to other target terminals on the basis of terminal performance information stored in the network information database. Terminals acting as relay servers also select further downstream target terminals to act as further relay servers on the basis of the relative performances of the further target terminals. The load on the main server is thus distributed among all of the relay servers, providing improved network performance.

Claims

1. A data communications network comprising:

a plurality of terminals; and

a main server adapted to manage selective retrieval of data from a first server by at least one target terminal selected from said plurality of terminals;

wherein

at least some of said terminals are adapted to act as relay servers for serving data retrieved from said first server to at least one target terminal.

2. A network as claimed in claim 1, wherein the main server is adapted to send transport requests direct to at least one first target terminal, said transport requests including details of data to be retrieved and the address of the first server from which the data is to be requested by the first target terminal.

3. A network as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first target terminal is adapted to act as a relay server and the transport request includes addresses of at least one second target terminal to which the data retrieved from the first server is to be relayed by the first target terminal.

4. A network as claimed in claim 3, wherein terminals adapted to act as relay servers are adapted to modify transport requests received from the main server or from other relay servers and to transmit the modified transport request to selected target terminals from a set of target terminals identified in the transport request, wherein the modified transport request identifies the terminal transmitting the modified transport request as the server from which the recipients of the modified transport request should request the data.

5. A network as claimed in claim 4, wherein the modified transport request further includes addresses of further target terminals for which the recipient of the modified transport request is to act as a relay server.

6. A network as claimed in claim 1, further including a network information database, wherein the main server is adapted to select at least one first target terminal to act as a relay server for serving data retrieved from said first server to at least one second target terminal on the basis of terminal performance information stored in said network information database.

7. A network as claimed in claim 6, wherein the main server is adapted to send transport requests direct to at least one first target terminal, said transport requests including:

details of data to be retrieved and the address of the first server from which the data is to be requested by the first target terminal; and

addresses of a plurality of further target terminals to which the data retrieved from the first server is to be relayed by the first target terminal;

the transport request further indicating the relative performances of the further target terminals based on the terminal performance information stored in said network information database.

8. A network as claimed in claim 7, wherein terminals acting as relay servers are adapted to select further downstream target terminals to act as further relay servers on the basis of the relative performances of the further target terminals indicated in said transport request.

9. A network as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the relative performances of said further relay servers are indicated in said transport request by ranking the addresses of the further target terminals in an ordered list.

10. A network as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the first server is the main server.

11. A network as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the first server is a terminal adapted to act as a relay server.

12. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of said terminals is adapted to communicate directly with said main server in an upstream direction.

13. A network as claimed in claim 2, wherein data to be retrieved by said target terminals is divided into a series of packets for transmission to said target terminals, and each of said terminals is adapted to communicate directly with said main server to acknowledge receipt of the last packet of a series routed thereto.

14. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein data is routed to said terminals as routed network protocol traffic such as TCP/IP traffic.

15. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said main server and each of said terminals includes a server socket for direct upstream communications between said terminals and said main server and at least one dynamically controlled and managed client socket for downstream data transfers between the main server and said terminals or between terminals acting as relay servers and other downstream terminals.

16. A network as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein data is transmitted in binary format.

17. A network as claimed in any preceding claim in which the main server is adapted to monitor the response times of terminals in the network and in which terminals are selected to act as relay servers for particular data transfers on the basis of their relative response times.

29. A method as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of said terminals communicates directly with said main server in an upstream direction.

30. A method as claimed in claim 29, including dividing data to be retrieved by said target terminals into a series of packets for transmission to said target terminals, and wherein each of said terminals is communicates directly with said main server to acknowledge receipt of the last packet of a series routed thereto.

34. A network server adapted to operate as a main server in a network or method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 33.

35. A network terminal adapted to operate as a relay server in a network or method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 33.

18. A method of operating a data communications network of the type comprising a plurality of terminals and a main server adapted to manage selective retrieval of data from a first server by at least one target terminal selected from said plurality of terminals;

comprising operating at least some of said terminals as relay servers for serving data retrieved from said first server to at least one target terminal.

19. A method as claimed in claim 18, including sending transport requests from the main server direct to at least one first target terminal, said transport requests including details of data to be retrieved and the address of the first server from which the data is to be requested by the first target terminal.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, including operating the first target terminal to act as a relay server and including in the transport request addresses of at least one second target terminal to which the data retrieved from the first server is to be relayed by the first target terminal.

21. A method as claimed in claim 20, including operating terminals adapted to act as relay servers to modify transport requests received from the main server or from other relay servers and to transmit the modified transport request to selected target terminals from a set of target terminals identified in the transport request, the modified transport request identifying the terminal transmitting the modified transport request as the server from which the recipients of the modified transport request should request the data.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the modified transport request further includes addresses of further target terminals for which the recipient of the modified transport request is to act as a relay server.

23. A method as claimed in claim 18, wherein the network further includes a network information database, the method including operating the main server to select at least one first target terminal to act as a relay server for serving data retrieved from said first server to at least one second target terminal on the basis of terminal performance information stored in said network information database.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23, including operating the main server to send transport requests direct to at least one first target terminal, said transport requests including:

details of data to be retrieved and the address of the first server from which the data is to be requested by the first target terminal; and

addresses of a plurality of further target terminals to which the data retrieved from the first server is to be relayed by the first target terminal;

the transport request further indicating the relative performances of the further target terminals based on the terminal performance information stored in said network information database.

25. A method as claimed in claim 24, including operating terminals acting as relay servers to select further downstream target terminals to act as further relay servers on the basis of the relative performances of the further target terminals indicated in said transport request.

26. A method as claimed in claim 24 or claim 25, including indicating the relative performances of said further relay servers in said transport request by ranking the addresses of the further target terminals in an ordered list.

27. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 26, wherein the first server is the main server.

28. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 26, wherein the first server is a terminal adapted to act as a relay server.

31. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 30, including routing data to said terminals as routed network protocol traffic such as TCP/IP traffic.

32. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 31, including transmitting said data in binary format.

33. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 32, including operating the main server to monitor the response times of terminals in the network and selecting terminals to act as relay servers for particular data transfers on the basis of their relative response times.

36. A computer program encoded on a data carrier for use in a network server as claimed in claim 34 for implementing a method as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 33.

37. A computer program encoded on a data carrier for use in a network terminal as claimed in claim 35 for implementing a method as claimed in any one of claims 18 to 33.