Electronic commerce distributed network and method

• US 6,259,700 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1997
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Sterling Commerce (America) Incorporated (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Hsieh, Francis, Manring, Brad
• Primary Examiner(s): Olms, Douglas W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pizarro, Ricardo M.
• Application Number:
  US08/884,882
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 370/216, 370/219, 370/220, 370/400, 370/217, 370/351, 370/420, 709/221, 705/26
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

An electronic commerce distributed network is disclosed that includes a plurality of interconnected processing nodes. Each processing node (50) includes a first sub-node (52) and a second sub-node (54) that are connected to communicate information and are in geographically remote locations. The first sub-node (52) of each processing node (50) has an active state in which the first sub-node (52) communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations. The second sub-node (54) of each processing node (50) has a mirror state in which the second sub-node (54) mirrors the first sub-node (52) as well as an active state in which the second sub-node (54) communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations. The first sub-node (52) of each processing node (50) is initially in the active state, and the second sub-node (54) is initially in the mirror state. The second sub-node (54) is operable to switch to the active state if the first sub-node (52) fails, such that each processing node in the electronic commerce distributed network can maintain operation in the event the first sub-node of that processing node experiences failure.

Claims

1. An electronic commerce distributed network, comprising:

a plurality of interconnected processing nodes;

each processing node comprising a first sub-node and a second sub-node, where the first and second sub-nodes of each processing node are connected to communicate information and are in geographically remote locations;

the first sub-node of each processing node having;

an active state in which the first sub-node communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations; and

the second sub-node of each processing node having;

a mirror state in which the second sub-node mirrors the first sub-node; and

an active state in which the second sub-node communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations;

the first sub-node of each processing node initially in the active state and the second sub-node initially in the mirror state, and the second sub-node operable to switch to the active state if the first sub-node fails;

such that each processing node in the electronic commerce distributed network can maintain operation in the event the first sub-node experiences failure.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein the processing of electronic commerce messages by each first sub-node and second sub-node when in the active state comprises:

receiving electronic commerce messages from originator organizations;

processing the electronic commerce messages to build outgoing electronic commerce messages; and

communicating the outgoing electronic commerce messages to recipient organizations.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the first sub-node of each processing node further has a mirror state in which the first sub-node mirrors the second sub-node;

the first sub-node in the mirror state when the second sub-node is in the active state, and the first sub-node operable to switch to the active state if the second sub-node fails;

such that each processing node in the electronic commerce distributed network can maintain operation in the event either the first sub-node or the second sub-node experiences failure.

4. The network of claim 3, wherein the first and second sub-nodes of each processing node each comprise:

a processing engine;

a regional server; and

a regional mirror server;

wherein the processing engine and the regional mirror server are operated when in the active state and the regional mirror server is operated when in the mirror state.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein each processing node provides processing of electronic commerce messages for participating organizations within a regional area of the processing node.

6. The network of claim 1, wherein the first sub-node and the second sub-node of at least one of the processing nodes are in geographically remote locations comprising different cities.

7. A processing node for an electronic commerce distributed network, comprising:

a first sub-node; and

a second sub-node, the first and second sub-nodes connected to communicate information and in geographically remote locations;

the first sub-node having;

an active state in which the first sub-node communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations; and

the second sub-node having;

a mirror state in which the second sub-node mirrors the first sub-node; and

an active state in which the second sub-node communicates with other processing nodes and processes electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations;

the first sub-node initially in the active state and the second sub-node initially in the mirror state, and the second sub-node operable to switch to the active state if the first sub-node fails;

such that the processing node can maintain operation in the event the first sub-node experiences failure.

8. The processing node of claim 7, wherein the processing of electronic commerce messages by the first sub-node and the second sub-node when in the active state comprises:

receiving electronic commerce messages from originator organizations;

processing the electronic commerce messages to build outgoing electronic commerce messages; and

communicating the outgoing electronic commerce messages to recipient organizations.

9. A method of operation for an electronic commerce distributed network, comprising:

forming a processing node having a first sub-node and a second sub-node in geographically remote locations, the first and second sub-nodes connected to communicate information;

operating the first sub-node in an active state to communicate with other processing nodes and to process electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations;

operating the second sub-node in a mirror state to mirror the first sub-node while the first sub-node is operated in the active state; and

switching the second sub-node, if the first sub-node fails, to operate in an active state to communicate with other processing nodes and to process electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations;

such that operation of the electronic commerce distributed network is maintained in the event the first sub-node experiences failure.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein operating to process electronic commerce messages when in the active state comprises:

receiving electronic commerce messages from originator organizations;

processing the electronic commerce messages to build outgoing electronic commerce messages; and

communicating the outgoing electronic commerce messages to recipient organizations.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

operating the first sub-node in a mirror state to mirror the second sub-node while the second sub-node is operated in the active state; and

switching the first sub-node, if the second sub-node fails, to operate in the active state to communicate with other processing nodes and to process electronic commerce messages communicated with originator/recipient organizations;

such that operation of the electronic commerce distributed network is maintained in the event either the first sub-node or the second sub-node experiences failure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein operating the first and second sub-nodes is accomplished using:

a processing engine;

a regional server; and

a regional mirror server;

wherein the processing engine and the regional mirror server are operated when in the active state and the regional mirror server is operated when in the mirror state.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein operating to process electronic commerce messages comprising processing electronic commerce messages for participating organizations within a regional area of each processing node.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first sub-node and the second sub-node are in geographically remote locations comprising different cities.