METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMIC CLIENT/SERVER NETWORK MANAGEMENT USING PROXY SERVERS

• US 20090049173A1
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Published: 02/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pulito, Brian, Smith, Brian Keith, Spreitzer, Michael Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 7,979,563 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks

Abstract

The invention discloses a programming method and system for dynamic client/server network management using proxy servers, by allowing each active proxy server in an arrayed cluster to maintain an updated list of all other operating proxy servers in the cluster. When a client message requesting access to an application server is received by a clustered proxy server, the message may be forwarded to another proxy server (within the cluster) so that message (re)transmissions can pass through the same proxy server as the original message, allowing a proxy server to make consistent routing decisions (and other decisions) pertaining to that message.

Claims

1. A computer system comprised of at least the following components

(a). two or more proxy servers configured in an arrayed cluster for routing a transmitted message over a network from a client to an application server selected by the proxy server cluster;

wherein each active proxy server maintains an updated list of all other active proxy servers in the proxy cluster array to allow a message to be (re)transmitted across the proxy cluster array for delivery to the correct application server.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein a routing proxy server temporarily stores processing state information relating to a routed message.

3. The computer system of claim 2 wherein the message is hashed to determine the proxy server(s) storing temporary state information for the message.

4. The computer system of claim 2 wherein a (re)transmitted message is forwarded to one or more proxy servers in the cluster to identify a proxy server holding state information for the message.

5. The computer system of claim 4 wherein a (re)transmitted message is routed to a proxy server holding state information for the message.

6. The computer system of claim 2 wherein message state information is maintained for a designated interval of time between message retransmissions.

7. The computer system of claim 6 wherein a proxy cluster array list is updated when a new proxy server is activated or deactivated and the previous array list expires during the next designated interval.

8. The computer system of claim 2 wherein a deactivating proxy server broadcasts state information to the other active proxy servers in the proxy cluster array.

9. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the network uses Session Initiation Protocol over User Datagram Protocol (SIP/UDP) for transmitting messages.

10. A method of using a computer system comprised of at least the following steps carried out by the following components:

(a). configuring two or more proxy servers in an arrayed cluster for routing a transmitted message over a network from a client to an application server selected by the proxy server cluster;

wherein each active proxy server maintains an updated list of all other active proxy servers in the proxy cluster array to allow a message to be (re)transmitted across the proxy cluster array for delivery to the correct application server.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein a routing proxy server temporarily stores processing state information relating to a routed message.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the message is hashed to determine the proxy server(s) storing temporary state information for the message.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein a (re)transmitted message is forwarded to one or more proxy servers in the cluster to identify a proxy server holding state information for the message.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a (re)transmitted message is routed to a proxy server holding state information for the message.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein message state information is maintained for a designated interval of time between message retransmissions.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein a proxy cluster array list is updated when a new proxy server is activated or deactivated and the previous array list expires during the next designated interval.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein a deactivating proxy server broadcasts state information to the other active proxy servers in the proxy cluster array.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the network uses Session Initiation Protocol over User Datagram Protocol (SIP/UDP) for transmitting messages.