Distributed network system architecture for collaborative computing

• US 20030167301A1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Published: 09/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WebEx Communications Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Bin, Yuan, Zheng, Zhu, Min, Shen, Jian, Yan, Shi, Yang, Guanghong, Li, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,130,883 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1827 Network arrangements for conference optimisation or adaptation
• 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 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A distributed collaborative computer system is provided that comprises a plurality of server computers interconnected via a high-speed link. Client computers can connect to any available server computer and start or join a conference hosted on either the server computer to which the client computer is connected or any other server in the system. As a result, the system and method of the present invention is easily scalable to support an arbitrary number of participants to a conference by merely adding the appropriate number of server computers to the system. In addition, by replicating the conference information on more than one server computer, the single point of failure limitation is eliminated. In fact, if a server hosting or participating in a conference malfunctions, the failure is detected by other server computers and the client computer is able to reconnect to the conference through a new server computer.

Claims

1. A computer system for distributed collaborative computing, the system comprising:

a plurality of server computers connected to a plurality of client computers via a global-area computer network;

a high-speed direct connection link connecting the plurality of server computers; and

a computer program executable by the server computers, wherein the computer program comprises computer instructions for;

establishing a connection over the global-area computer network between one of the server computers and one of the client computers;

establishing a communication link between the server computer and one of the other server computers over the high-speed direct connection link; and

conducting an on-line conference among an arbitrary number of the client computers connected to an arbitrary number of the server computers.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

sharing an application program executed on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

viewing a document stored on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

detecting a failure of one of the server computers handling the on-line conference;

disconnecting the failed server computer from the on-line conference;

connecting another of the server computers to the conference; and

resuming the on-line conference.

5. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising a database, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

storing information about the status of the on-line conference in the database.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

ensuring that a maximum number of authorized conference participants in not exceeded.

7. A method of operating a distributed collaborative computing system comprising a plurality of server computers, the method comprising:

establishing a connection over a global-area computer network between one of the server computers and a client computer;

establishing a communication link between the server computer and one of the other server computers over a high-speed direct connection link; and

conducting an on-line conference among an arbitrary number of the client computers connected to an arbitrary number of the server computers.

8. The method claim 7, further comprising:

sharing an application program executed on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

viewing a document stored on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a failure of one of the server computers handling the on-line conference;

disconnecting the failed server computer from the on-line conference;

connecting another of the server computers to the conference; and

resuming the on-line conference.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the distributed collaborative computing system further comprises a database and the method further comprises:

storing information about the status of the on-line conference in the database.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

ensuring that a maximum number of authorized conference participants in not exceeded.

13. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program executable by a plurality of server computers, the computer program comprising computer instructions for:

establishing a connection over a global-area computer network between one of the server computers and a client computer;

establishing a communication link between the server computer and one of the other server computers over a high-speed direct connection link; and

conducting an on-line conference among an arbitrary number of client computers connected to an arbitrary number of the server computers.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

sharing an application program executed on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

viewing a document stored on one of the client computers on an arbitrary number of other client computers.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

detecting a failure of one of the server computers handling the on-line conference;

disconnecting the failed server computer from the on-line conference;

connecting another of the server computers to the conference; and

resuming the on-line conference.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, further comprising a database, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

storing information about the status of the on-line conference in the database.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the computer program further comprises computer instructions for:

ensuring that a maximum number of authorized conference participants in not exceeded.