Transport high availability

• US 20060248373A1
• Filed: 04/29/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Tribble, Eric D., Warman, Leon, Pearson, Malcolm
• Granted Patent: US 7,681,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/4
• 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 69/40 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

Failover systems and methods for providing redundant backup of data transmitted over a network to provide transport high availability of electronic data. The present invention relates to creating redundant backup copies of electronic data as well as transmission of the backup copies over a network in the event of a failure of a network component.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for redundantly saving electronic data transported over a computer network, the method comprising:

receiving the data at a location from a source;

saving the data received from the source to a primary computing device;

saving primary backup data corresponding to the saved data to a secondary computing device remote from the location;

confirming when the primary backup data is saved to the secondary computing device and confirming to the source that the data has been received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, transferring data from the primary computing device to a target computing device;

and

receiving confirmation from the target computing device that the data has been received.

3. The method of claim 2, in response to receiving confirmation that the data has been received by the target, further comprising,

deleting data from the primary computing device;

and

deleting primary backup data from the secondary computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, identifying failure of the primary computing device;

and

transferring the primary backup data to a target computing device when the primary computing device has failed.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, receiving confirmation from the target computing device that primary backup data received;

and

deleting primary backup data from the secondary computing device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, wherein when the primary backup data is not saved to the secondary computing device,

identifying a failure of the secondary computing device;

refusing confirmation of receipt of the data from the source; and

transferring previously confirmed data to a target computing device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising, identifying operability of secondary computing device subsequent to its failure;

confirming receipt of new data from the source; and

saving new primary backup corresponding to the new data to the secondary computing device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprise electronic mail.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein one or more computer-readable media have computer-executable instructions for performing the computer-executable method of claim 1.

10. A system for providing recovery of electronic data transported over a computer network, wherein network connects a source server and a target server, said system further comprising:

a primary server for receiving data from a source server and storing the received data in a primary server memory area;

a secondary server remote from the primary server;

wherein said primary server is configured to execute computer-executable instructions for;

receiving data from the source server;

saving data to the primary server memory area; and

sending primary backup data corresponding to data received from the source server to the secondary server;

wherein said secondary server is configured to execute computer- executable instructions for;

receiving primary backup data;

saving primary backup data to a secondary server memory area; and

providing confirmation to the primary server when the primary backup data has been saved.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said primary server is further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:

confirming receipt of the data received from the source; and

sending the data to the target server.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said remote secondary server is configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:

transferring primary backup data to the target server upon failure of the primary server.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said primary server is further configured to execute computer-executable instructions for:

identifying a failure of the secondary server;

refusing confirmation of receipt of additional data from the source; and

transferring previously confirmed data from the primary server to the target server.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the data comprise electronic mail.

15. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable components for providing high availability transport of electronic data, said components comprising:

a primary component receiving data from a source and storing the received data in primary storage;

a storage component saving data to a remote computer device and confirming it has been saved; and

a source component confirming to the source that the data has been received.

16. The computer-readable media of claim 15, further comprising:

a target component sending data to target from primary storage and receiving confirmation from the target that the sent data has been received by the target.

17. The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the primary component further:

deletes stored data from primary storage after the target confirms that data has been received by the target.

18. The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the primary component further:

determines a failure of the secondary component; and

refuses to confirm receipt of additional data from the source.

19. The computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the storage component further:

determines a failure of the remote computer device;

acquires an alternative remote backup device;

saves data to the alternative remote backup device; and

receives confirmation when the data has been saved by the alternative remote backup device.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the data comprise electronic mail.