REPLICATION SERVER SELECTION METHOD

• US 20130046978A1
• Filed: 09/20/2012
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Simon, Steven Neil, O'Rourke, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,954,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes

Abstract

A method for a client computer to find a network address of a server computer by searching for the network address using at a backup search procedure if the address of the server computer cannot be identified using a primary search procedure. The primary and backup search procedures can be performed in parallel and multiple backup search procedures can be performed to identify the address of the server computer. Alternatively, the primary and backup search procedures can be performed in serial wherein the backup search procedure is performed only when the primary search procedure does not identify the address of the server computer.

Claims

1. A method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer having a public key, the method comprising:

searching for a network address of the password server computer using a backup search procedure if the address of the password server computer cannot be identified using a primary search procedure; and

establishing a connection with the password server computer using the network address found,

wherein;

the public key is an identifier of the password server computer,

the public key identifies a plurality of password server computers having different network addresses, and

the backup search procedure searches for the password server computer with a search query that is based at least in part on the public key.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising authenticating the password server computer after the connection has been established.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating a local storage of the client computer with a list of network addresses for password server computers after the connection has been established.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the primary and backup search procedures are performed in parallel.

5. A system for locating a network address of a password server computer having a public key, the system comprising:

a client computer configured to;

search for a network address of the password server computer using a backup search procedure if the address of the password server computer cannot be identified using a primary search procedure; and

establish a connection with the password server computer using the network address found,

wherein;

the public key is an identifier of the password server computer,

the public key identifies a plurality of password server computers having different network addresses, and

the backup search procedure searches for the password server computer with a search query that is based at least in part on the public key.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the client computer is configured to perform the primary and backup search procedures in parallel.

7. A computer-readable data storage device containing a program with instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer having a public key, the method comprising:

searching for a network address of the password server computer using a backup search procedure if the address of the password server computer cannot be identified by the client computer using a primary search procedure; and

establishing a connection between the client computer and the password server computer using the network address,

wherein;

the public key is an identifier of the password server computer,

the public key identifies a plurality of password server computers having different network addresses, and

the backup search procedure searches for the password server computer with a search query that is based at least in part on the public key.

8. The computer-readable data storage device of claim 7, further comprising instructions for authenticating the password server computer after the connection has been established.

9. The computer-readable data storage device of claim 7, further comprising instructions for populating a local storage of the client computer with a list of network addresses for password server computers after the connection has been established.

10. The computer-readable data storage device of claim 7, wherein the primary and backup search procedures are performed in parallel.

11. A method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer, the method comprising:

performing a primary search procedure, the primary search procedure including searching a local storage of the client computer system for the network address of the password server computer;

performing a backup search procedure if the network address of the password server computer is not found using the primary search procedure, the backup search procedure including searching a configuration record of the client computer system for the network address of the password server computer; and

establishing a connection with the password server computer using the network address found.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

the password server computer is a password server computer having a public key that is an identifier of the server computer, and

the primary search procedure or the backup search procedure searches for the server computer using a search query that is based at least in part on the public key to identify the password server computer, said public key identifying a plurality of password server computers having different network addresses.

13. A method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer, the method comprising:

performing a primary search procedure;

performing a backup search procedure if the network address of the password server computer is not found using the primary search procedure, said backup search procedure searching an authentication record for the network address of the password server computer, and

establishing a connection with the password server computer using the network address found.

14. A method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer, the method comprising:

performing a primary search procedure;

performing a backup search procedure if the network address of the password server computer is not found using the primary search procedure, said backup search procedure determining whether the password server computer is running on a CPU that is the same CPU on which the client computer is running in order to determine the network address of the password server computer; and

establishing a connection with the password server computer using the network address found.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining whether the password server computer is running on the same CPU as the client computer comprises using a loop back address of the password server computer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining whether the password server computer is running on the same CPU of the client computer comprises sending out an inter process communication to the CPU.

17. A method for a client computer to find a network address of a password server computer having a public key, the method comprising:

searching for a network address of the password server computer using a backup search procedure if the address of the password server computer cannot be identified using a primary search procedure; and

establishing a connection with the password server computer using the network address found,

wherein;

the public key is an identifier of the password server computer,

the public key is shared by a plurality of password server computers each respectively having different network addresses from each other, and

the backup search procedure searches for the network address of the password server computer using a search query that is based at least in part on the public key.