Method and system for selecting a computing device for maintaining a client session in response to a request packet

• US 20070061470A1
• Filed: 08/31/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudrock LLC (Slingshot Technologies LLC)
• Original Assignee: Noatak Software LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Berg, Mitchell
• Granted Patent: US 8,341,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• 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 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1017 based on a round robin mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1027 Persistence of sessions during load balancing

Abstract

A server farm for processing client requests comprising a first server having a first processor and a first network interface controller communicatively coupled to the first processor, and a second server comprising a second processor and communicatively coupled to the first server, wherein the first network interface controller is configured to maintain a state table associated with at least the first server and the second server and respond to receipt of a request packet from a client by, initiating by the first processor execution of a software application associated with the request packet when the state table corresponds to a first state, and selectively forwarding the request packet to the second server when the state table corresponds to a second state.

Claims

1. An information processing system, comprising:

a first computing device configured to;

receive a request packet originating from a client;

in response to receiving the request packet select a computing device for maintaining a session with the client based at least in part on a state of the first computing device and a second computing device;

when the selected computing device is the first computing device, output a response packet to the client for identifying the first computing device as maintaining the session with the client; and

when the selected computing device is a second computing device, output a response packet to the client for identifying the second computing device as maintaining the session with the client.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the state is a synchronized state of at least the first and second computing devices.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the session is an HTTP session.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computing device comprises a network interface controller.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the first computing device is configured to receive the request packet through a global computer network.

6. A method performed by a first computing device of an information processing system, the method comprising:

receiving a request packet originating from a client;

in response to receiving the request packet ,selecting a computing device for maintaining a session with the client based at least in part on a state of the first computing device and a second computing device;

when the selected computing device is the first computing device, outputting a response packet to the client for identifying the first computing device as maintaining the session with the client; and

when the selected computing device is a second computing device, outputting a response packet to the client for identifying the second computing device as maintaining the session with the client.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the state is a synchronized state of at least the first and second computing devices.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the session is an HTTP session.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the first computing device comprises a network interface controller.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein

the request packet is received through a global computer network.

11. A computer-readable memory medium containing contents that, when executed, cause a first computing device of an information processing system to perform a method comprising:

receiving a request packet originating from a client;

in response to receiving the request packet, selecting a computing device for maintaining a session with the client based at least in part on a state of the first computing device and a second computing device;

when the selected computing device is the first computing device, outputting a response packet to the client for identifying the first computing device as maintaining the session with the client; and

when the selected computing device is a second computing device, outputting a response packet to the client for identifying the second computing device as maintaining the session with the client.

12. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the state is a synchronized state of at least the first and second computing devices.

13. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the session is an HTTP session.

14. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the first computing device comprises a network interface controller.

15. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the request packet is received through a global computer network.

16. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the computer-readable memory medium is a memory of a computing device.

17. The computer-readable memory medium of claim 11 wherein the contents are instructions that when executed cause the first computing device to perform the method.