GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTED VIRTUAL CACHE FOR WORLDWIDE REAL-TIME DATA ACCESS

• US 20160057245A1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Published: 02/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Supermicro Computer Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Supermicro Computer Incorporated
• Inventors: BAVANDPOURI, Farid
• Granted Patent: US 10,462,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/067 Distributed or networked storage systems, e.g. storage area networks [SAN], network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/185 Space-based or airborne stations; Stations for satellite systemsH04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/18515 Transmission equipment in satellites or space-based relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A globally distributed virtual cache is configured to provide storage resources for users around the globe. A user of the virtual cache uses a computing device to access data that is stored in storage centers included within the virtual cache. Those storage centers may be surface-based, atmosphere-based, or space-based. When the user accesses the same data repeatedly, the virtual cache migrates that data to a storage center that is closer to the user, thereby reducing latencies associated with accessing that data. When the user attempts to communicate with another user also coupled to the virtual cache, the virtual buffers data that is exchanged between those users to facilitate real-time or near real-time communication between those users.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for caching data within a globally distributed virtual cache, the method comprising:

provisioning a first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include a first storage resource that is associated with a first geographic region and is configured to cache data associated with a first computing device;

determining that the first computing device has accessed data that is stored in a second geographic region; and

reconfiguring the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include a second storage resource associated with a second region.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first storage resource and the second storage resource to buffer data that is streamed from a second computing device to the first computing device.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first storage resource and the second storage resource buffer the data to hide latency associated with streaming the data from the second computing device to the first computing device.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the first computing device resides in the first geographic region, and the second computing devices resides in the second geographic region.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising causing the first storage resource to cache data that is accessed repeatedly by the first computing device.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises a surface-based storage center disposed on the surface of the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises an atmosphere-based storage center disposed above the surface of the Earth and within the atmosphere of the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises a space-based storage center disposed within an orbit around the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the first computing device is no longer accessing data that is stored in the second geographic region; and

reconfiguring the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to no longer include the second storage resource.

10. A system configured to cache data, comprising:

a first server machine, including;

a memory unit,

a processing unit configured to;

provision a first portion of a globally distributed virtual cache to include a first storage resource that is associated with a first geographic region and is configured to cache data associated with a first computing device,

determine that the first computing device has accessed data that is stored in a second geographic region, and

reconfigure the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include a second storage resource associated with a second region.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the memory unit stores program instructions that, when executed by the processing unit, cause the processing unit to:

provision the first portion of a globally distributed virtual cache,

determine that the first computing device has accessed the data that is stored in the second geographic region, and

reconfigure the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include the second storage resource.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further configured to cause the first storage resource and the second storage resource to buffer data that is streamed from a second computing device to the first computing device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first storage resource and the second storage resource buffer the data to hide latency associated with streaming the data from the second computing device to the first computing device.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the first computing device resides in the first geographic region, and the second computing devices resides in the second geographic region.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further configured cause the first storage resource to cache data that is accessed repeatedly by the first computing device.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises a surface-based storage center disposed on the surface of the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises an atmosphere-based storage center disposed above the surface of the Earth and within the atmosphere of the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the first storage resource or the second storage resource comprises a space-based storage center disposed within an orbit around the Earth and includes at least one server machine configured to cache data.

19. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing unit is further configured to:

determining that the first computing device is no longer accessing data that is stored in the second geographic region; and

reconfiguring the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to no longer include the second storage resource.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing program instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to cache data within a globally distributed virtual cache, by performing the steps of:

provisioning a first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include a first storage resource that is associated with a first geographic region and is configured to cache data associated with a first computing device;

determining that the first computing device has accessed data that is stored in a second geographic region; and

reconfiguring the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to include a second storage resource associated with a second region.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising the step of causing the first storage resource and the second storage resource to buffer data that is streamed from a second computing device to the first computing device, wherein the first computing device resides in the first geographic region, and the second computing devices resides in the second geographic region.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

determining that the first computing device is no longer accessing data that is stored in the second geographic region; and

reconfiguring the first portion of the globally distributed virtual cache to no longer include the second storage resource.