Selecting a preferred server from groups of servers based on geographical information obtained from the requesting client

• US 20040133626A1
• Filed: 12/17/2003
• Published: 07/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Vuozzo, Michael L., Herrero, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US10/738,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20040133626A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• 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 63/0272 Virtual private networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• 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 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• 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

Redirecting a client request for digital information to a server by selecting a server based on client location. The client location derived from a query to a client application such as a modem dial-up application or a mobile phone Global Positioning System. The client location information being used in combination with a listing of groups of servers as well as a listing of servers having the requested digital information to select a preferred server satisfying geographical preferences.

Claims

1. A method for redirecting a client request for a package to a server having the package, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request from a client computer to download a package of digital data;

querying a client application running on the client for client location information;

if client location information is received, using the client location information to select a server for downloading the package; and

downloading the package from the selected server to the client computer.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein using the client location information comprises the further steps of:

receiving an identifier from the requesting client computer, the identifier identifying the requesting client computer;

retrieving server redirection information from storage, the server redirection information comprising a representation of a plurality of groups of candidate server identities, each group of candidate server identities comprising one or more candidate server identities;

retrieving availability information from storage, the availability information comprising the identities of servers having the specified package available for downloading;

selecting a preferred group of the one or more groups of candidate server identities, the preferred group being selected according to predetermined criteria; and

downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a first candidate server identified in the preferred group of servers if the first candidate server is a server identified in the availability information.

3. The method according to claim 2 comprising the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a second candidate server identified in a default group of servers if the second candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the first candidate server.

4. The method according to claim 3 comprising the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a third candidate server identified in a master default group of servers if the third candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the second candidate server.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the client location information is any one of an internal IP address, telephone area code, a postal zip code or Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the client application is a telephone modem dial-up application.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the querying a client application step comprises the further steps of:

retrieving the client internal IP address from a list of servers in a routing table;

using the internal IP address if it is equal to a locally obtained IP address; and

using an internal IP address range server group that includes the internal IP address if the internal IP address is not equal to the locally obtained IP address.

8. A computer program product for redirecting a client request for a package to a server having the package, the computer program product comprising:

a storage medium readable by a processing circuit and storing instructions for execution by the processing circuit for performing a method comprising;

receiving a request from a client computer to download a package of digital data;

querying a client application running on the client for client location information;

if client location information is received, using the client location information to select a server for downloading the package; and

downloading the package from the selected server to the client computer.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8 wherein using the client location information comprises the further steps of:

receiving an identifier from the requesting client computer, the identifier identifying the requesting client computer;

retrieving server redirection information from storage, the server redirection information comprising a representation of a plurality of groups of candidate server identities, each group of candidate server identities comprising one or more candidate server identities;

retrieving availability information from storage, the availability information comprising the identities of servers having the specified package available for downloading;

selecting a preferred group of the one or more groups of candidate server identities, the preferred group being selected according to predetermined criteria; and

downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a first candidate server identified in the preferred group of servers if the first candidate server is a server identified in the availability information.

10. The computer program product according to claim 9 comprising the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a second candidate server identified in a default group of servers if the second candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the first candidate server.

11. The computer program product according to claim 10 comprising the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a third candidate server identified in a master default group of servers if the third candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the second candidate server.

12. The computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the client location information is any one of an internal IP address, telephone area code, a postal zip code or Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

13. The computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the client application is a telephone modem dial-up application.

14. The computer program product according to claim 8 wherein the querying a client application step comprises the further steps of:

retrieving the client internal IP address from a list of servers in a routing table;

using the internal IP address if it is equal to a locally obtained IP address; and

using an internal IP address range server group that includes the internal IP address if the internal IP address is not equal to the locally obtained IP address.

15. A system for redirecting a client request for a package to a server having the package, the system comprising:

a network;

a client system in communication with the network;

a server system in communication with the network, wherein said server system includes instructions to execute a method comprising;

receiving a request from a client computer to download a package of digital data;

querying a client application running on the client for client location information;

if client location information is received, using the client location information to select a server for downloading the package; and

downloading the package from the selected server to the client computer.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the step of using the client location information comprises the further steps of:

receiving an identifier from the requesting client computer, the identifier identifying the requesting client computer;

retrieving server redirection information from storage, the server redirection information comprising a representation of a plurality of groups of candidate server identities, each group of candidate server identities comprising one or more candidate server identities;

retrieving availability information from storage, the availability information comprising the identities of servers having the specified package available for downloading;

selecting a preferred group of the one or more groups of candidate server identities, the preferred group being selected according to predetermined criteria; and

downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a first candidate server identified in the preferred group of servers if the first candidate server is a server identified in the availability information.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the method comprises the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a second candidate server identified in a default group of servers if the second candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the first candidate server.

18. The system according to claim 17 wherein the method comprises the further step of downloading the specified package to the requesting client computer from a third candidate server identified in a master default group of servers if the third candidate server is a server identified in the availability information and the specified package can not be downloaded from the second candidate server.

19. The system according to claim 16 wherein the client location information is any one of an internal IP address, telephone area code, a postal zip code or Global Positioning System (GPS) data.

20. The system according to claim 16 wherein the querying a client application step comprises the further steps of:

retrieving the client internal IP address from a list of servers in a routing table;

using the internal IP address if it is equal to a locally obtained IP address; and

using an internal IP address range server group that includes the internal IP address if the internal IP address is not equal to the locally obtained IP address.