SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR RELIABLE DISTRIBUTED COMMUNICATION WITH GUARANTEED SERVICE LEVELS

• US 20120278398A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Skype S.Ã R.L. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Lowekamp, Bruce B.
• Granted Patent: US 8,650,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5009 Determining service level performance parameters or violations of service level contracts, e.g. violations of agreed response time or mean time between failures [MTBF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5093 wherein the managed service relates to messaging or chat services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/23 Reliability checks, e.g. acknowledgments or fault reporting

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method are described for exchanging messages between nodes and servers in accordance with specified service level guarantees, while at the same time retaining compatibility with other nodes and servers not subject to the same service level guarantees. For example, a system according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a first cluster of servers having messaging applications executed thereon for enabling message passing between a first plurality of nodes, a first message database maintained by the first cluster of servers for storing an archive of messages passed between the first plurality of nodes; a second cluster of servers having the same messaging applications executed thereon for enabling message passing between a second plurality of nodes; and a second message database maintained by the second cluster of servers for storing an archive of messages passed between the second plurality of nodes; wherein the first cluster of servers implement a first set of protocols for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a first specified threshold when exchanging messages between the first plurality of nodes. The first set of protocols may ensure various other characteristics of communication including, by way of example and not limitation, message delivery receipts and guaranteed call quality for voice calls.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented system comprising:

a first cluster of servers having messaging applications executed thereon for enabling message passing between a first plurality of nodes,

a first message database maintained by the first cluster of servers for storing an archive of messages passed between the first plurality of nodes;

a second cluster of servers having the same messaging applications executed thereon for enabling message passing between a second plurality of nodes; and

a second message database maintained by the second cluster of servers for storing an archive of messages passed between the second plurality of nodes;

wherein the first cluster of servers implement a first set of protocols for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a first specified threshold when exchanging messages between the first plurality of nodes.

2. The system as in claim 1 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a second specified threshold when exchanging messages between the second plurality of nodes.

3. The system as in claim 1 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols which do not ensure latency and/or data retention requirements above a specified threshold.

4. The system as in claim 1 wherein the first set of protocols include a vector clock protocol, wherein in accordance with the vector clock protocol, servers transmit messages to other servers before all messages for a particular messaging session have been received by all servers.

5. The system as in claim 4 wherein the vector clock protocol comprises:

incrementing a counter at each server as each server transmits a new message; and

transmitting the counter value to other servers with the first cluster when passing messages to those servers.

6. The system as in claim 5 further comprising:

receiving a counter value at a first one of the servers in the first cluster, the counter value being transmitted from a second one of the servers in the first cluster;

comparing the received counter value to a current counter value at the first one of the servers in the first cluster; and

if the counter values are not equal, then the first server requests any unreceived messages from the second server based on the counter value received from the second server.

7. The system as in claim 1 wherein the messaging applications are instant messaging applications or chat applications.

8. The system as in claim 1 wherein the data retention requirements comprise storing an archive of messages passed between nodes for a specified duration of time.

9. The system as in claim 1 wherein the first cluster of servers are associated with a first service level agreement (SLA), the SLA specifying the latency and/or data retention requirements.

10. The system as in claim 1 wherein the first set of protocols specify that each server in the first cluster of servers transmits new messages as soon as the new messages are ready to be transmitted without waiting for synchronization with the message database.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

executing messaging applications on a first cluster of servers to enable message passing between a first plurality of nodes,

storing an archive of messages passed between the first plurality of nodes in a first message database maintained by the first cluster of servers;

executing the same messaging applications on a second cluster of servers to enabling message passing between a second plurality of nodes; and

storing an archive of messages passed between the second plurality of nodes in a second message database maintained by the second cluster of servers;

implementing a first set of protocols on the first cluster of servers for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a first specified threshold when exchanging messages between the first plurality of nodes.

12. The method as in claim 11 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a second specified threshold when exchanging messages between the second plurality of nodes.

13. The method as in claim 11 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols which do not ensure latency and/or data retention requirements above a specified threshold.

14. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first set of protocols include a vector clock protocol, wherein in accordance with the vector clock protocol, servers transmit messages to other servers before all messages for a particular messaging session have been received by all servers.

15. The method as in claim 14 wherein the vector clock protocol comprises:

incrementing a counter at each server as each server transmits a new message; and

transmitting the counter value to other servers with the first cluster when passing messages to those servers.

16. The method as in claim 15 further comprising:

receiving a counter value at a first one of the servers in the first cluster, the counter value being transmitted from a second one of the servers in the first cluster;

comparing the received counter value to a current counter value at the first one of the servers in the first cluster; and

if the counter values are not equal, then the first server requests any unreceived messages from the second server based on the counter value received from the second server.

17. The method as in claim 11 wherein the messaging applications are instant messaging applications or chat applications.

18. The method as in claim 11 wherein the data retention requirements comprise storing an archive of messages passed between nodes for a specified duration of time.

19. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first cluster of servers are associated with a first service level agreement (SLA), the SLA specifying the latency and/or data retention requirements.

20. The method as in claim 11 wherein the first set of protocols specify that each server in the first cluster of servers transmits new messages as soon as the new messages are ready to be transmitted without waiting for synchronization with the message database.

21. A machine-readable medium having program code stored thereon which, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform the operations of:

executing messaging applications on a first cluster of servers to enable message passing between a first plurality of nodes,

storing an archive of messages passed between the first plurality of nodes in a first message database maintained by the first cluster of servers;

executing the same messaging applications on a second cluster of servers to enabling message passing between a second plurality of nodes; and

storing an archive of messages passed between the second plurality of nodes in a second message database maintained by the second cluster of servers;

implementing a first set of protocols on the first cluster of servers for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a first specified threshold when exchanging messages between the first plurality of nodes.

22. The machine-readable medium as in claim 21 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols for ensuring latency and/or data retention requirements above a second specified threshold when exchanging messages between the second plurality of nodes.

23. The machine-readable medium as in claim 21 wherein the second cluster of servers implement a second set of protocols which do not ensure latency and/or data retention requirements above a specified threshold.

24. The machine-readable medium as in claim 21 wherein the first set of protocols include a vector clock protocol, wherein in accordance with the vector clock protocol, servers transmit messages to other servers before all messages for a particular messaging session have been received by all servers.

25. The machine-readable medium as in claim 24 wherein the vector clock protocol comprises:

incrementing a counter at each server as each server transmits a new message; and

transmitting the counter value to other servers with the first cluster when passing messages to those servers.

26. The machine-readable medium as in claim 25 comprising additional program code to cause the machine to perform the operations of:

receiving a counter value at a first one of the servers in the first cluster, the counter value being transmitted from a second one of the servers in the first cluster;

comparing the received counter value to a current counter value at the first one of the servers in the first cluster; and

if the counter values are not equal, then the first server requests any unreceived messages from the second server based on the counter value received from the second server.

27. The machine-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein the messaging applications are instant messaging applications or chat applications.

28. The machine-readable medium as in claim 23 wherein the data retention requirements comprise storing an archive of messages passed between nodes for a specified duration of time.

29. The machine-readable medium as in claim 21 wherein the first cluster of servers are associated with a first service level agreement (SLA), the SLA specifying the latency and/or data retention requirements.

30. The machine-readable medium as in claim 21 wherein the first set of protocols specify that each server in the first cluster of servers transmits new messages as soon as the new messages are ready to be transmitted without waiting for synchronization with the message database.