Lease renewal service

• US 6,237,009 B1
• Filed: 06/14/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Waldo, James H., McClain, John W. F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEWIS, CHERYL RENEA
• Application Number:
  US09/332,512
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 707/206, 707/201, 707/10, 709/104, 709/203
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/023 Free address space management
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0253 Garbage collection, i.e. reclamation of unreferenced memory
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0261 using reference counting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/289 Object oriented databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/50 Allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5011 the resources being hardware resources other than CPUs, Servers and Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5061 Partitioning or combining of resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99957 Garbage collection

Abstract

In accordance with methods and systems consistent with the present invention, a lease manager is provided for managing leases between clients and other network services. To use the lease manager, a client enters into a management lease with the lease manager, specifying an amount of time during which the lease manager can manage preexisting leases between the client and network services on behalf of the client. This management includes renewing the preexisting leases with the other network services. Further, the lease manager notifies the client when a lease between the lease manager and the client is near expiration. The lease manager also notifies the client of failed attempts to renew the preexisting leases, as well as the management lease, either with a network service or with the lease manager.

Claims

1. A method in a data processing system, containing a client, a lease manager, and a network service, the method comprising the steps performed by the lease manager of:

receiving from the client an indication of a lease on the network service; and

managing the lease on behalf of the client.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing step further includes the step of notifying the client when the lease is near expiration.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing step further includes the step of renewing the lease before expiration.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing step further includes the steps of:

attempting to re new the lease;

determining that the attempt failed; and

notifying the client that the attempt failed.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the managing step further includes the steps of:

receiving an indication of a period of time;

and managing the lease for the period of time.

6. A method in a data processing system, containing a client, a lease manager, and a network service, the method comprising the steps performed by the lease manager of:

receiving from the client an indication of a lease on the network service;

specifying a duration for managing the lease on behalf of the client; and

managing the lease for the specified duration.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the managing step further includes the step of notifying the client that the lease is near expiration.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the managing step further includes the step of renewing the lease before expiration.

9. A method in a data processing system containing a client, a lease manager, and a network service, the method comprising the steps performed by the lease manager of:

receiving from the client an indication of a first lease with the network service;

entering into a second lease with the client for a period of time;

while the period of time has not expired,

determining whether the first lease is near expiration;

when it is determined that the first lease is near expiration,

determining whether the client has registered to be notified of when the first lease is near expiration;

when it is determined that the client has registered to be notified,

notifying the client that the first lease is near expiration;

when it is determined that the client has not registered to be notified,

attempting to renew the first lease with the network service;

determining whether the attempt failed; and

when it is determined that the attempt failed,

notifying the client of the failed attempt to renew the lease with the network service.

10. A data processing system comprising:

a memory containing;

a lease manager that manages leases with network services;

a client that has a lease with a network service and that sends a request to the lease manager to manage the lease on behalf of the client; and

at least one processor for running the lease manager and the client.

11. A computer-readable memory device containing an interface data structure used for accessing a lease manager, the data structure containing:

a method for use by a client with a preexisting lease to enter into a management lease with the lease manager that manages the preexisting lease on behalf of the client.

12. The computer-readable memory device of claim 11 wherein the interface data structure contains a notify method for use by the client to receive notification that the preexisting lease is near expiration.

13. The computer-readable memory device of claim 11 wherein the interface data structure contains a notify method for use by the client to receive notification when an attempt to renew the preexisting lease fails.

14. The computer-readable memory device of claim 11 wherein the interface data structure contains a second method for use by the client to cancel the management lease with the lease manager.

15. The computer-readable memory device of claim 11 wherein the interface data structure contains a second method for use by the client to group the preexisting lease into a set.

16. The computer-readable memory device of claim 15 wherein the interface data structure contains a second method for use by the client to remove the preexisting lease from the set.

17. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the data processing system having a lease manager, the method comprising the steps performed by the lease manager of:

receiving from a client an indication of a lease on a network service; and

managing the lease on behalf of the client.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the managing step further includes the step of notifying the client that the lease will expire in a specified time period.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the managing step further includes the step of notifying the client that an attempt to renew the lease failed.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the managing step further includes the step of renewing the lease before expiration.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the managing step further includes the step of entering into a lease agreement of a duration unilaterally specified by the client.

22. An apparatus for managing a lease in a data processing system containing a client and a network service, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving from a client, an indication of a lease on a network service; and

means for managing the lease on behalf of the client.

23. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a data processing system to perform a method, the data processing system having a lease manager, the method comprising the steps performed by the lease manager of:

receiving from a client, an indication of a lease on a network service;

specifying a duration for managing the lease on behalf of the client; and

managing the lease for the specified duration.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the managing step further includes the step of notifying the client that the lease is near expiration.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 wherein the managing step further includes the step of renewing the lease before expiration.

26. A method in a data processing system containing a client, a network service, and a lease manager, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a lease on the network service;

sending a request to the lease manager to manage the lease on behalf of the client for a specified period of time; and

receiving an indication from the lease manager when the specified period of time is near expiration.

27. A method in a data processing system containing a client, a network service, and a lease manager, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a lease on the network service;

sending a request to the lease manager to manage the lease on behalf of the client; and

receiving an indication from the lease manager when the lease is near expiration.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the sending step includes:

rendering the client inactive.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the receiving step includes:

activating the client.