INDEX SERVER SUPPORT TO FILE SHARING APPLICATIONS

• US 20080275885A1
• Filed: 07/01/2008
• Published: 11/06/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Rooney, John G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,140,645 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/1834 implemented based on peer-to-peer networks, e.g. gnutella p2p communication protocols H04L67/104

Abstract

An index server support for file sharing applications is disclosed. A way of retrieving an index server includes sending a request for investigating a hierarchical structure of index servers in a network to a known index server, intercepting the investigation request by the first index server that becomes aware of the investigation request, notifying an originator of the investigation request of the intercepting index server identity, dropping the intercepted request is dropped by the intercepting index server. The originator of the investigation request then registers the intercepting index server as addressee for future file querying requests.

Claims

1. A method of providing index server support to a file sharing application, said method comprising:

handling requests for investigating a hierarchical structure of index servers in a network, including

intercepting an investigation request that is directed to a remote index server, and

notifying an originator of the investigation request of the intercepting index server identity.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

notifying the remote index server of the intercepting index server identity.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

accepting an investigation request as recipient,

notifying an originator of the investigation request in response to the investigation request.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

receiving a note from a remote intercepting index server disclosing its identity,

registering the remote intercepting index server as child index server.

5. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

sending an investigation request to a known index server,

receiving a notification in response to the request.

6. A method according to claim 5, further comprising

registering the known index server as a parent index server when the known index server is the originator of the received note.

7. A method according to claim 5, further comprising

registering the originator of the received note as parent index server when the originator of the received note is not the known index server.

8. A method according to claim 5, further comprising

sending an investigation request to the originator of the response when the originator of the received note is not the known index server but another index server, and

receiving a further notification in response to this further investigation message.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising

registering the originator of the further notification as parent index server

10. A method according to claim 1, further comprising

handling requests for querying a file as part of a file sharing application, including

searching an index of the index server for a registered client that can provide the queried file.

11. A method according to claim 10, comprising

forwarding the query to a registered child index server when the queried file is not allocated to a client registered in the index.

12. A method according to claim 10, comprising

forwarding the query to a registered parent index server when the queried file is not allocated to a client registered in the index.

13. An index server, comprising

a control logic that is configured for performing a method as claimed in claim 1.

14. A computer program element comprising computer program code which, when loaded in a processor unit of an index server, configures the processor unit for performing a method as claimed in claim 1.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing provision of index server support to a file sharing application, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 1.

15. A method for retrieving an index server, said method comprising:

sending a request for investigating a hierarchical structure of index servers in a network to a known index server,

receiving a notification in response to the investigation request, and

registering the originator of the received note as destination for future file query requests.

16. A client computer for performing a file sharing application, said client computer comprising a control logic that is configured for performing a method as claimed in claim 15.

17. A computer program element comprising computer program code which, when loaded in a processor unit of a client computer, configures the processor unit for performing a method as claimed in claim 15.

18. A method for retrieving an index server, said method comprising:

an originator sending a request for investigating a hierarchical structure of index servers in a network to a known index server;

a first index server that becomes aware of the investigation request, intercepting said investigation request;

notifying an originator of the investigation request of the first index server identity,

the intercepting index server dropping the intercepted request without forwarding it to its destination, and

the originator of the investigation request is registering the intercepting index sever as addressee for file querying requests.

20. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for retrieving an index server, said method steps comprising the steps of claim 18.