Method and System for Dynamic Distributed Data Caching

• US 20070150577A1
• Filed: 03/02/2007
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Parallel Networks, LLC (epicRealm Licensing LP)
• Original Assignee: Epicrealm Operating Inc.
• Inventors: Chin, Bryan, Lowery, Keith, Consolver, David, DeMasters, Gregg
• Granted Patent: US 7,730,262 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic distributed data caching is presented. The method includes providing a cache community (402) comprising at least one peer (413). Each peer has an associated first content portion (511) indicating content to be cached by the respective peer. A client (404) may be allowed to join the cache community. A peer list (426) associated with the cache community is updated to include the client. The peer list indicates the peers in the cache community. A respective second content portion (511) is associated with each peer based on the addition of the client.

Claims

1. A method for dynamic distributed data caching, comprising:

generating a content request for requested content at a first peer in a cache community;

determining a second peer associated with the requested content, the second peer being associated with the cache community; and

retrieving, by the first peer, the requested content from the second peer.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, by the second peer, the requested content from an origin server when the requested content is unavailable at the second peer; and

storing the requested content at the second peer.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content has been expired.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content is not stored at the second peer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the location includes:

generating, by a cache portion associated with the first peer, a location request;

communicating the location request to a master associated with the cache community; and

receiving a location response from the master, the location response indicating the second peer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the cache portion includes a software application.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

forwarding the content request to the second peer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the content request includes a hypertext transport protocol request.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the content includes a web page.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second peers respectively include a member of the cache community.

28. The system of claim 1, wherein the content request includes a hypertext transport protocol request.

29. The system of claim 1, wherein the content includes a web page.

30. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second peers respectively includes a member of the cache community.

11. A computer readable medium including code for dynamic distributed data caching, the code operable to:

generate a content request for requested content at a first peer in a cache community;

determine a second peer associated with the requested content, the second peer being associated with the cache community; and

retrieve, by the first peer, the requested content from the second peer.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the code is operable to:

retrieve, by the second peer, the requested content from an origin server when the requested content is unavailable at the second peer; and

store the requested content at the second peer.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content has been expired.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content is not stored at the second peer.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the code is operable to:

generate, by a cache portion associated with the first peer, a location request;

communicate the location request to a master associated with the cache community; and

receive a location response from the master, the location response indicating the second peer.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the cache portion includes a software application.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the code is operable to forward the content request to the second peer.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the content request includes a hypertext transport protocol request.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the content includes a web page.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 11, wherein the first and second peers respectively include a member of the cache community.

21. A system for dynamic distributed data caching comprising:

means for generating a content request for requested content at a first peer in a cache community;

means for determining a second peer associated with the requested content, the second peer being associated with the cache community; and

means for retrieving, by the first peer, the requested content from the second peer.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

retrieving, by the second peer, the requested content from an origin server when the requested content is unavailable at the second peer; and

storing the requested content at the second peer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content has been expired.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the requested content is unavailable when the requested content is not stored at the second peer.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein determining the location includes:

generating, by a cache portion associated with the first peer, a location request;

communicating the location request to a master associated with the cache community; and

receiving a location response from the master, the location response indicating the second peer.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the cache portion includes a software application.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising:

forwarding the content request to the second peer.