Arrangement in a network for passing control of distributed data between network nodes for optimized client access based on locality

• US 20050283649A1
• Filed: 06/03/2004
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toebes, John, Turner, Bryan C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,566 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/6.12
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/42 Mailbox-related aspects, e.g. synchronisation of mailboxes
• 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: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

A network has network nodes for storage of respective copies of a data file. One of the network nodes has a corresponding unique locality control object for the copies of the data file. The locality control object provides authority for the one network node to control storing and modifying any of the copies of the data file. The other network nodes lacking the locality control object must obtain permission from the one network node before modifying any one of the copies of the data file. The network nodes also can negotiate for passing the locality control object from the one network node to another one of the network nodes based on determined locality attributes associated with the copies of the data file.

Claims

1. A method in a network node configured for connection to a network, the method including:

identifying a data file for storage in the network; and

selecting storage locations in the network for respective copies of the data file based on determined locality attributes relative to at least one user of the data file, based on the network node having possession of a unique locality control object for the data file.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from a requesting network node via the network, a request to modify the data file; and

selectively granting the request to modify the data file to the requesting network node, based on determining the requesting network node has a prescribed locality attribute having an established association with the locality control object.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the receiving includes detecting that the request specifes modification of one of the copies of the data file stored at a corresponding specified storage location;

the selectively granting includes selectively granting the request based on the prescribed locality attribute indicating a distance attribute within a required distance attribute between the specified storage location and the requesting network node.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the established association identifies the user having generated the request at the requesting network node to be a member of a class associated with the locality control object.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the distance attribute is based on a determined number of hop counts between the requesting network node and the corresponding storage location of the one of the copies of the data file.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the receiving includes receiving a plurality of the requests in a determined sequence from respective requesting network nodes;

the selectively granting includes selectively granting the requests in order of the determined sequence.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the selectively granting includes distributing the grant of the request among respective network nodes configured for controlling the respective storage locations, for implementing the request among the respective copies of the data file.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the selecting includes:

determining an access activity attribute for the data file, the access activity attribute indicating an identified user class, having a prescribed association with a determined attribute of the data file, that has one of a prescribed likelihood of accessing the data file and a determined history of accessing the data file, the identified user class including the at least one user;

selecting the storage locations based on determined locality attributes relative to the identified user class.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the selecting further includes selecting at least one new storage location in the network, for one of an existing copy of the data file and a new copy of the data file, based on detecting a change in the access activity attribute.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the data file is an e-mail message, the selecting at least one new storage location including selecting a new delivery location for the e-mail message based on the access activity attribute indicating the at least one user is closer to the new delivery location relative to previously-selected storage locations of prior e-mail messages for the at least one user.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selecting of a new delivery location for the e-mail message includes sending the one of the existing copy and a new copy of the e-mail message to the new delivery location prior to receiving an e-mail update request for the e-mail message from the at least one user.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of selecting the storage locations based on determined locality attributes relative to the identified user class includes selecting the storage locations based on the storage locations being within a prescribed proximity to members of the identified user class.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein selecting includes selecting each storage location based on the storage location meeting a prescribed minimum performance requirement.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the selecting further includes selecting the new storage location based on a detected loss of performance in the storage location storing the existing copy of the data file.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

identifying another network node, based on the access activity attribute, that has a determined proximity that is closer to the identified user class than the network node;

transferring the unique locality control object to the another network node, for control of the copies of the data file by the another network node, based on the another network node having the determined proximity closer to the identified than the network node.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

sending a new request to the another network node for modification of one of the copies of the data file, based on the another network node having possession of the unique locality control object; and

selectively modifying the one copy of the data file based on whether the another network node approves the new request.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the unique locality control object for the data file is no longer available on the network based on a determined absence for a prescribed interval; and

generating within the network a new unique locality control object for the data file to replace the unique locality control object having been determined as no longer available.

18. A network node configured for connection to a network, the network node including:

means for identifying a data file for storage in the network; and

means for selecting storage locations in the network for respective copies of the data file based on determined locality attributes relative to at least one user of the data file, based on the network node having possession of a unique locality control object for the data file.

19. The network node of claim 18, wherein:

the means for identifying is configured for receiving, from a requesting network node via the network, a request to modify the data file; and

the means for selecting is configured for selectively granting the request to modify the data file to the requesting network node, based on determining the requesting network node has a prescribed locality attribute having an established association with the locality control object.

20. The network node of claim 19, wherein:

the means for identifying is configured for detecting that the request specifes modification of one of the copies of the data file stored at a corresponding specified storage location;

the means for selecting is configured for selectively granting the request based on the prescribed locality attribute indicating a distance attribute within a required distance attribute between the specified storage location and the requesting network node.

21. The network node of claim 20, wherein the established association identifies the user having generated the request at the requesting network node to be a member of a class associated with the locality control object.

22. The network node of claim 20, wherein the distance attribute is based on a determined number of hop counts between the requesting network node and the corresponding storage location of the one of the copies of the data file.

23. The network node of claim 19, wherein:

the means for identifying is configured for receiving a plurality of the requests in a determined sequence from respective requesting network nodes;

the means for selecting configured for selectively granting the requests in order of the determined sequence.

24. The network node of claim 19, wherein the means for selecting is configured for distributing the grant of the request among respective network nodes configured for controlling the respective storage locations, for implementing the request among the respective copies of the data file.

25. The network node of claim 18, wherein the means for selecting is configured for:

determining an access activity attribute for the data file, the access activity attribute indicating an identified user class, having a prescribed association with a determined attribute of the data file, that has one of a prescribed likelihood of accessing the data file and a determined history of accessing the data file, the identified user class including the at least one user; and

selecting the storage locations based on determined locality attributes relative to the identified user class.

26. The network node of claim 25, wherein the means for selecting is configured for selecting at least one new storage location in the network, for one of an existing copy of the data file and a new copy of the data file, based on detecting a change in the access activity attribute.

27. The network node of claim 26, wherein the data file is an e-mail message, the means for selecting configured for selecting, as the at least one new storage location, a new delivery location for the e-mail message based on the access activity attribute indicating the at least one user is closer to the new delivery location relative to previously-selected storage locations of prior e-mail messages for the at least one user.

28. The network node of claim 27, wherein the means for selecting is configured for sending the one of the existing copy and a new copy of the e-mail message to the new delivery location prior to receiving an e-mail update request for the e-mail message from the at least one user.

29. The network node of claim 26, wherein the selecting means is configured for selecting the storage locations based on the storage locations being within a prescribed proximity to members of the identified user class.

30. The network node of claim 29, wherein selecting means is configured for selecting each storage location based on the storage location meeting a prescribed minimum performance requirement.

31. The network node of claim 26, wherein the selecting means is configured for selecting the new storage location based on a detected loss of performance in the storage location storing the existing copy of the data file.

32. The network node of claim 26, wherein the means for selecting is configured for:

identifying another network node, based on the access activity attribute, that has a determined proximity that is closer to the identified user class than the network node; and

transferring the unique locality control object to the another network node, for control of the copies of the data file by the another network node, based on the another network node having the determined proximity closer to the identified than the network node.

33. The network node of claim 32, further comprising:

means for sending a new request to the another network node for modification of one of the copies of the data file, based on the another network node having possession of the unique locality control object; and

means for selectively modifying the one copy of the data file based on whether the another network node approves the new request.

34. The network node of claim 32, wherein:

the means for identifying is configured for determining that the unique locality control object for the data file is no longer available on the network based on a determined absence for a prescribed interval; and

the means for selecting is configured for generating within the network a new unique locality control object for the data file to replace the unique locality control object having been determined as no longer available.

35. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions for controlling storage of data by a network node configured for connection to a network, the sequences of instructions including instructions for:

identifying a data file for storage in the network; and

selecting storage locations in the network for respective copies of the data file based on determined locality attributes relative to at least one user of the data file, based on the network node having possession of a unique locality control object for the data file.

36. The medium of claim 35, further comprising instructions for:

receiving, from a requesting network node via the network, a request to modify the data file; and

selectively granting the request to modify the data file to the requesting network node, based on determining the requesting network node has a prescribed locality attribute having an established association with the locality control object.

37. The medium of claim 36, wherein:

the receiving includes detecting that the request specifes modification of one of the copies of the data file stored at a corresponding specified storage location;

the selectively granting includes selectively granting the request based on the prescribed locality attribute indicating a distance attribute within a required distance attribute between the specified storage location and the requesting network node.

38. The medium of claim 37, wherein the established association identifies the user having generated the request at the requesting network node to be a member of a class associated with the locality control object.

39. The medium of claim 37, wherein the distance attribute is based on a determined number of hop counts between the requesting network node and the corresponding storage location of the one of the copies of the data file.

40. The medium of claim 36, wherein:

the receiving includes receiving a plurality of the requests in a determined sequence from respective requesting network nodes;

the selectively granting includes selectively granting the requests in order of the determined sequence.

41. The medium of claim 36, wherein the selectively granting includes distributing the grant of the request among respective network nodes configured for controlling the respective storage locations, for implementing the request among the respective copies of the data file.

42. The medium of claim 35, wherein the selecting includes:

determining an access activity attribute for the data file, the access activity attribute indicating an identified user class, having a prescribed association with a determined attribute of the data file, that has one of a prescribed likelihood of accessing the data file and a determined history of accessing the data file, the identified user class including the at least one user;

selecting the storage locations based on determined locality attributes relative to the identified user class.

43. The medium of claim 42, wherein the selecting further includes selecting at least one new storage location in the network, for one of an existing copy of the data file and a new copy of the data file, based on detecting a change in the access activity attribute.

44. The medium of claim 43, wherein the data file is an e-mail message, the selecting at least one new storage location including selecting a new delivery location for the e-mail message based on the access activity attribute indicating the at least one user is closer to the new delivery location relative to previously-selected storage locations of prior e-mail messages for the at least one user.

45. The medium of claim 44, wherein the selecting of a new delivery location for the e-mail message includes sending the one of the existing copy and a new copy of the e-mail message to the new delivery location prior to receiving an e-mail update request for the e-mail message from the at least one user.

46. The medium of claim 43, wherein the step of selecting the storage locations based on determined locality attributes relative to the identified user class includes selecting the storage locations based on the storage locations being within a prescribed proximity to members of the identified user class.

47. The medium of claim 46, wherein selecting includes selecting each storage location based on the storage location meeting a prescribed minimum performance requirement.

48. The medium of claim 43, wherein the selecting further includes selecting the new storage location based on a detected loss of performance in the storage location storing the existing copy of the data file.

49. The medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions for:

identifying another network node, based on the access activity attribute, that has a determined proximity that is closer to the identified user class than the network node;

transferring the unique locality control object to the another network node, for control of the copies of the data file by the another network node, based on the another network node having the determined proximity closer to the identified than the network node.

50. The medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions for:

sending a new request to the another network node for modification of one of the copies of the data file, based on the another network node having possession of the unique locality control object; and

selectively modifying the one copy of the data file based on whether the another network node approves the new request.

51. The medium of claim 49, further comprising instructions for:

determining that the unique locality control object for the data file is no longer available on the network based on a determined absence for a prescribed interval; and

generating within the network a new unique locality control object for the data file to replace the unique locality control object having been determined as no longer available.