Supporting the exchange of data by distributed applications

• US 20040177359A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HyperSpace Communications, Inc.
• Original Assignee: HyperSpace Communications, Inc.
• Inventors: Bauch, David James, Arteun, Mats Lennart, Ryd, Warren David
• Granted Patent: US 7,260,599 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• 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 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A facility for managing distributed application requests is described. The facility receives from a client for a distinguished distributed application executing in a computing system a communication to be delivered to a server for the distinguished distributed application. The facility retrieves a list of servers for the distinguished distributed application. The facility selects a server for the distinguished distributed application from the retrieved list.

Claims

1. A method in a network for processing an application request for a distinguished application, comprising:

in a client computer system,

using an agent specific to the distinguished application to intercept an application request for the distinguished application issued by a client for the distinguished application executing on the client computer system;

sending to a coordinating computer system a routing request identifying the client computer system and the distinguished application;

in the coordinating computer system;

receiving the routing request;

retrieving a list of server computer systems on which servers for the distinguished application are executing;

subsetting the retrieved list based upon the identity of the first computer system; and

returning the subsetted list to the client computer system;

in the client computer system;

receiving the subsetted list;

selecting a server computer system from the subsetted list;

negotiating a compression method and an encryption method with the selected server computer system;

compressing the intercepted application request using the negotiated compression method;

encrypting the compressed application request using the negotiated compression method;

transmitting the compressed and encrypted application request to the selected server computer system;

in the selected server computer system;

receiving the compressed and encrypted application request;

decrypting the received application request using the negotiated encryption method;

decompressing the decrypted application request using the negotiated compression method; and

using the agent specific to the distinguished application to pass the decrypted and decompressed application request to a server for the distinguished application executing on the selected server computer system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in the selected server computer system;

using the agent specific to the distinguished application to intercept an application response generated by the distinguished application in response to the application request;

compressing the intercepted application response using the negotiated compression method;

encrypting the compressed application response using the negotiated encryption method;

transmitting the compressed and encrypted application response to the client computer system;

in the client computer system;

receiving the compressed and encrypted application response;

decrypting the received application response using the negotiated encryption method;

decompressing the decrypted application response using the negotiated compression method; and

using the agent specific to the distinguished application to pass the decrypted and decompressed application response to the client for the distinguished application.

3. A generated data signal conveying a network packet data structure the network packet data structure containing both:

data representing data originally contained in a first source network packet generated by a first application executing on a source computer system; and

data representing data originally contained in a second source network packet that is distinct from the first source network packet, generated by a first application executing on a source computer system, the first application distinct from the second application program.

4. The data signal of claim 3 wherein the data representing data originally contained in a first source network packet is the data originally contained in a first source network packet.

5. The data signal of claim 3 wherein the data representing data originally contained in a first source network packet is a compressed version of the data originally contained in a first source network packet.

6. The data signal of claim 3 wherein the data representing data originally contained in a first source network packet is an encrypted version of the data originally contained in a first source network packet.

7. A method in an originating computing system for conveying data generated by different applications, comprising:

receiving from a first application data designated for transmission to a computing system other than the originating computing system;

receiving from a second application distinct from the first application data designated for transmission to a computing system other than the originating computing system;

combining the data received from the first and second computing system; and

transmitting a network datagram containing the combined data from the originating computing system.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the transmitted network datagram is a network packet.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising, before transmitting a network datagram containing the combined data, further processing the combined data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein further processing the combined data comprises compressing the combined data.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein further processing the combined data comprises encrypting the combined data.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the network datagram is transmitted to a destination computer system, the method further comprising negotiating with the destination computer system to obtain a processing specification, and wherein the further processing is performed in accordance with the processing specification.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising contacting a server computing system to identify a destination computer system based upon the identities of the first and second applications,

and wherein the network datagram is transmitted to the identified destination computer system.

14. A method in a computing system for managing distributed application requests, comprising:

receiving from a client for a distinguished distributed application executing in the computing system a communication to be delivered to a server for the distinguished distributed application;

retrieving a list of servers for the distinguished distributed application; and

selecting a server for the distinguished distributed application among the retrieved list.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the list of servers is retrieved from a remote network node,

the method further comprising, in the remote network node, based upon the identity of the computing system, subsetting a superset of the retrieved list of servers to produce the retrieved list of servers.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting the received communication to a remote computing system upon which the selected server for the distinguished distributed application is executing.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising repeating the method for a second distinguished distributed application distinct from the distinguished distributed application.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising, where the selected server for the distinguished distributed application is executing on the same remote computing system as the selected server for the second distinguished distributed application, combining the communication received from the client for the distinguished distributed application and the client for the second distinguished distributed application for transmission to the remote computing system on which both the selected server for the distinguished distributed application and the selected server for the second distinguished distributed application is executing.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising retrieving for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application an indication information about the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the retrieved information.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising retrieving for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application an indication of a response time associated with the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the retrieved indications.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising retrieving for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application an indication of a current workload level for the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the retrieved indications.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising retrieving for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application an indication of a cost associated with using the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the retrieved indications.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising, for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application, testing the level of responsiveness of the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the results of testing the level of responsiveness of each server.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising, for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application, testing the amount of time it takes for information to be transmitted to the server and back,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the results of the testing.

25. The method of claim 20, further comprising, for each server among the retrieved list of servers for the distinguished distributed application, testing whether it is possible to contact the server,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon the results of the testing.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the client for the distinguished distributed application is executing on a network node, and wherein each of the list of servers for the distinguished distributed application is executing on a network node,

the method further comprising, for each of the list of servers for the distinguished distributed application, determining the number of network hops required to communicate between the network node on which the client for the distinguished distributed application is executing and the network node on which the server for the distinguished distributed application is executing,

and wherein the selection of a server is based upon determined numbers of network hops.

27. The method of claim 14 wherein the received communication is designated by the client for the distinguished distributed application for delivery to a first server for the distinguished distributed application,

and wherein the receiving comprises intercepting the communication before it is delivered to the first server for the distinguished distributed application,

and wherein the selected server for the distinguished distributed application is distinct from the first server for the distinguished distributed application.

28. An apparatus for routing application requests, comprising:

a client network node on which both an application client and an application routing client execute;

a plurality of application server network nodes on each of which an application server executes, the application server capable of processing requests issued by the application client; and

an application routing server network node on which executes an application routing server, that, when consulted by the application routing client, returns information usable by the application client to select one of the plurality of application server network nodes to which to route requests issued by the application client.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, further comprising one or more additional network node on which both the application client and the application routing client execute.

30. One or more computer memories collectively containing an application routing data structure, the data structure comprising, for each of a plurality of network addresses at which application servers are executing:

an indication of the network address; and

information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server.

31. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, the data structure further comprises, for each of the plurality of network addresses at which application servers are executing, for each of a plurality of client computer systems, an indication of whether the client computer system is prohibited from contacting an application server executing at the network address.

32. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of the response time of the application server executing at the network address.

33. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of the current workload level of the application server executing at the network address.

34. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of a cost associated with using the application server executing at the network address.

35. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of the amount of time it takes for information to be transmitted to the network address and back.

36. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of whether it is possible to contact the network address.

37. The computer memories of claim 30 wherein, for each network address, the information usable by a client computer system to select a network address at which to contact an application server includes an indication of the number of network hops required to contact the network address.

38. A method in a computing system for configuring an application routing functionality, comprising:

installing an application routing client for forwarding to application servers requests issued by application clients; and

for each of a plurality of application clients, registering with the application routing client an agent that obtains application requests from the application and provides obtained application requests in a standard format.

39. A computing system for performing application request routing, comprising:

a plurality of application clients;

an application routing client for forwarding application requests obtained from the application clients to corresponding application servers; and

for each application program, an agent that obtains application requests from the application and provides obtained application requests to the application routing client in a standard format, all of the agents being invocable by the application routing client using a standard interface.

40. One or more computer memories collectively containing an application routing configuration data structure, the data structure comprising, for each of a plurality of applications for which application requests are to be routed, information usable to invoke an agent for obtaining application requests from the application and providing obtained application requests in a standard format, such that, in order to obtain application requests from each application, the contents of the data structure may be used to invoke the corresponding agent.

41. A method in a computing system for configuring an application routing functionality to route application requests for a new application, comprising:

in an application client computer system in which an application routing client is installed, installing a first application routing agent for the new application that obtains application requests from a client for the new application and provides them to the an application routing client for transmission to an application server computer system; and

in an application server computer system in which an application routing server is installed, installing a second application routing agent for the new application that obtains from the application routing server client requests sent from application client computer systems and provides them to a server for the new application.

42. A method in a computing system for configuring an application routing functionality, comprising:

installing an application routing client for forwarding to application servers application requests issued by application clients; and

registering with the application routing client a first transformation module for transforming application requests issued by application clients in a first manner to enable the application routing client to invoke the first transformation module to transform an application request in the first manner.

43. The method of claim 42, further comprising registering with the application routing client a second transformation module for transforming application requests issued by application clients in a second manner to enable the application routing client to invoke the second transformation module to transform an application request in the first manner.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein the first transformation module transforms application requests by compressing them in accordance with a selected compression algorithm.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein the first transformation module transforms application requests by encrypting them in accordance with a selected encryption algorithm.

46. One or more computer memories collectively containing an application routing configuration data structure, the data structure comprising, for each of a plurality of transformation methods with which application requests may be transformed, information usable to invoke a transformation module for transforming application requests using the transformation method, such that, in order to transform an application requests using a particular transformation method, the contents of the data structure may be used to invoke the corresponding transformation module.

47. A method in a computing system for configuring an application routing functionality to process routed application requests using a new transformation method, comprising:

in an application client computer system in which an application routing client is installed, installing a transformation module for performing and reversing the new transformation method on application requests routed by the application routing client; and

in an application server computer system in which an application routing server is installed, installing the transformation module for performing and reversing the new transformation method on application requests routed by the application routing server.

48. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a distinguished computer system to manage distributed application requests by:

receiving from a portion of a distinguished distributed application executing in the distinguished computer system a communication to be delivered to another portion of the distinguished distributed application;

retrieving a list of portions of the distinguished distributed application each executing in a computer system other than the distinguished computer system; and

selecting a portion of the distinguished distributed application among the retrieved list.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 48 wherein the portion of a distinguished distributed application executing in the distinguished computer system is a client for the distinguished distributed application, and wherein the portions of the distinguished distributor application executing in computer systems other than the distinguished computer system are servers for the distinguished distributed application.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 48 wherein the distinguished distributed application is a peer-to-peer application, and wherein each portion of the distinguished distributed application is a peer component for the distinguished distributed application.