Network distributed site cache RAM claimed as up/down stream request/reply channel for storing anticipated data and meta data
DCFirst Claim
1. In a digital computer system that includes high speed random access memory("RAM"), a method for caching in the RAM of the computer system an image of a portion of data stored in a dataset that the computer system can access in response to a request to access such data, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) claiming a channel in the RAM of the computer system for storing metadata relevant to accessing data in the dataset;
(b) loading metadata into the channel;
(c) from a pool of buffers in the RAM of the computer system, assigning to the channel a buffer for storing an image of a portion of the data from the dataset;
(d) accessing the dataset to load an image of a portion of the data from the dataset into the buffer assigned to the channel; and
(e) responding to the request to access the data by supplying from the buffer an image of the data stored in such buffer together with a portion of the metadata stored in the channel.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for caching data in a Network Distributed Cache ("NDC") (50) that is included in a network of digital computers (22, 24, 26A and 26B). The NDC (50) includes an NDC buffer (129) for storing at least a portion of an image of a dataset such as a file (156) retrieved from a server site (22) in response to a request from a client workstation (42) to access the dataset. The NDC (50) allocates channels (116) that store metadata extracted from the requests to access the dataset for which the channels (116) have been claimed, and from responses to such requests. The NDC (50) uses accumulated data stored in channels (116) to anticipate future requests to access datasets, and to forestall, as much as practicable, the client workstation (42) from experiencing any delay in accessing data by asynchronously pre-fetching data in advance of receiving a request from a client workstation (42).
508 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a digital computer system that includes high speed random access memory("RAM"), a method for caching in the RAM of the computer system an image of a portion of data stored in a dataset that the computer system can access in response to a request to access such data, the method comprising the steps of:
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(a) claiming a channel in the RAM of the computer system for storing metadata relevant to accessing data in the dataset; (b) loading metadata into the channel; (c) from a pool of buffers in the RAM of the computer system, assigning to the channel a buffer for storing an image of a portion of the data from the dataset; (d) accessing the dataset to load an image of a portion of the data from the dataset into the buffer assigned to the channel; and (e) responding to the request to access the data by supplying from the buffer an image of the data stored in such buffer together with a portion of the metadata stored in the channel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A cache for a digital computer system having a high speed RAM, said cache caching an image of a portion of data stored in a dataset in response to a request to access such data, said cache comprising:
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(a) channel claiming means for claiming a channel in the RAM of the computer system, said channel being adapted for storing metadata relevant to accessing data in the dataset; (b) means for loading metadata into said channel; (c) a pool of buffers in the RAM of the computer system from which a buffer is assigned to said channel for storing an image of a portion of the data from the dataset; (d) data loading means for accessing the dataset to load an image of a portion of the data from the dataset into said buffer assigned to said channel; and (e) request response means for responding to the request to access the data by supplying from said buffer assigned to said channel an image of the data stored in such buffer together with a portion of the metadata stored in said channel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A Network Distributed Cache ("NDC") site adapted for inclusion into a network of digital computers, the network including a client terminator site that is adapted for receiving a request from a client for access to data stored in a dataset located at a server terminator site, the server terminator site also being included in the network and being accessible by the client terminator site via the network, the NDC site comprising:
(a) an NDC having an NDC buffer and including; i. means for receiving requests for access to data stored in a dataset; and ii. means for the NDC to check the NDC buffer to determine when a projected image of valid data responsive to at least a portion of requests therefor is already present in the NDC buffer wherein; A. if the NDC buffer does not contain a projected image of all data requested from the dataset, and if the NDC site is not the server terminator site for the dataset, the NDC including means for transmitting a request for data via the network from the NDC site downstream to another site closer to the server terminator site for the dataset than the NDC site; B. if the NDC buffer does not contain a projected image of all data requested from the dataset, and if the NDC site is the server terminator site for the dataset, the NDC including means for accessing the dataset to project a valid image of the requested data into the NDC buffer; C. if the NDC buffer contains a projected image of all requested data, and if the NDC site is not the client terminator site which received the request from the client, the NDC including means for returning data requested from the NDC site upstream to the site from which the NDC received the request, whereby through a succession of such returns of data from one site to the next upstream site the requested data ultimately arrives at the client terminator site; and D. if the NDC buffer contains a valid projected image of all requested data, and if the NDC site is the client terminator site which received the request from the client, the NDC including data return means for returning the requested data from the NDC buffer to the client site. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
Specification