System and/or Method for Client-Driven Server Load Distribution

• US 20080301219A1
• Filed: 06/01/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Kaufman, Matthew, Thornburgh, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• 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

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein relates to communication between a client and a server in a communications network. In one particular example, a server is selected from a plurality of servers to provide a resource and or service to a client.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

transmitting an initiation message to a plurality of servers over a network substantially simultaneously; and

selecting at least one of said servers to provide a resource and/or service based, at least in part, on a responsiveness of said at least one of said servers to said transmitted initiation message.

2. The method of claim 1, and further comprising determining said responsiveness based, at least in part, on one or more response messages received from at least one of said servers and transmitted in response to said initiation message.

3. The method of claim 1, and further comprising selecting said at least one of said servers in response to receipt of an earliest response to said plurality of said transmitted message originating from said selected at least one of said servers.

4. The method of claim 1, and further comprising:

including a tag in said initiation message; and

identifying a response message received in response to said initiation message from at least one of said servers by associating said tag with information in said received response message.

5. The method of claim 1, and further comprising establishing a session with said selected at least one of said servers.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said establishing said session with said selected at least one of said servers further comprises:

receiving a response message from said selected server comprising a cookie generated by said selected server; and

transmitting a session initiation message to said selected server, said session initiation message comprising information associated with said cookie.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said transmitting said initiation message comprises substantially simultaneously transmitting a plurality of UDP datagrams addressed to socket addresses of said servers, said UDP datagrams comprising said initiation message.

8. An article comprising:

a storage medium comprising machine-readable instructions stored thereon which, if executed by a computing platform, are adapted to cause said computing platform to;

initiate transmission of an initiation message to a plurality of servers over a network substantially simultaneously; and

select at least one of said servers to provide a resource and/or service based, at least in part, on a responsiveness of said at least one of said servers to said transmitted initiation message.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to determine said responsiveness based, at least in part, on one or more response messages received from at least one of said servers and transmitted in response to said initiation message.

10. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to select said at least one of said servers in response to receipt of an earliest response to said plurality of said transmitted message originating from said selected at least one of said servers.

11. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

include a tag in said initiation message; and

identify a response message received in response to said initiation message from at least one of said servers by associating said tag with information in said received response message.

12. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to establish a session with said selected at least one of said servers.

13. The article of claim 12, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are further adapted to cause said computing platform to:

initiate transmission of a session initiation message in response to receipt of a response message from said selected server comprising a cookie generated by said selected server, said session initiation message comprising information associated with said cookie.

14. The article of claim 8, wherein said instructions, if executed by said computing platform, are adapted to initiate substantially simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UDP datagrams addressed to socket addresses of said servers, said UDP datagrams comprising said initiation message.

15. A computing platform, said computing platform comprising:

a communication adapter adapted to transmit information to and receive information from a network; and

a processing system coupled to said communication adapter, said processing system being adapted to;

transmit an initiation message through said communication adapter to a plurality of servers over said network substantially simultaneously; and

select at least one of said servers to provide a resource and/or service based, at least in part, on a responsiveness of said at least one of said servers to said transmitted initiation message.

16. The computing platform of claim 15, wherein said processing system is further adapted to determine said responsiveness based, at least in part, on one or more response messages received from at least one of said servers and transmitted in response to said initiation message.

17. The computing platform of claim 15, wherein said processing system is further adapted to select said at least one of said servers in response to receipt of an earliest response to said plurality of said transmitted message originating from said selected at least one of said servers.

18. The computing platform of claim 15, wherein said processing system is further adapted to:

include a tag in said initiation message; and

identify a response message received in response to said initiation message from at least one of said servers by associating said tag with information in said received response message.

19. The computing platform of claim 15, wherein said processing system is further adapted to establish a session with said selected at least one of said servers.

20. The computing platform of claim 19, wherein said processing system is further adapted to:

initiate transmission of a session initiation message through said communication adapter in response to receipt of a response message from said selected server comprising a cookie generated by said selected server, said session initiation message comprising information associated with said cookie.

21. The computing platform of claim 15, wherein said processing system is adapted to initiate substantially simultaneous transmission of a plurality of UDP datagrams through said communication adapter and addressed to socket addresses of said servers, said UDP datagrams comprising said initiation message.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising means for determining said responsiveness based, at least in part, on one or more response messages received from at least one of said servers and transmitted in response to said initiation message.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising means for selecting said at least one of said servers in response to receipt of an earliest response to said plurality of said transmitted message originating from said selected at least one of said servers.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising:

means for including a tag in said initiation message; and

means for identifying a response message received in response to said initiation message from at least one of said servers by associating said tag with information in said received response message.

26. The apparatus of claim 19, and further comprising means for establishing a session with said selected at least one of said servers.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said means for establishing said session with said selected at least one of said servers further comprises:

means for receiving a response message from said selected server comprising a cookie generated by said selected server; and

means for transmitting a session initiation message to said selected server, said session initiation message comprising information associated with said cookie.

22. An apparatus comprising:

means for transmitting an initiation message to a plurality of servers over a network substantially simultaneously; and

means for selecting at least one of said servers to provide a resource and/or service based, at least in part, on a responsiveness of said at least one of said servers to said transmitted initiation message.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, and wherein said means for transmitting said initiation message further comprises means for substantially simultaneously transmitting a plurality of UDP datagrams addressed to socket addresses of said servers, said UDP datagrams comprising said initiation message.