Network load balancing for multi-computer server by counting message packets to/from multi-computer server
First Claim
1. A message dispatch system for a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers having respective server network links, said message dispatch system being connectable to an external telecommunications network and comprising:
- a message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multi-computer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said server network links;
said message dispatcher being configured to determine one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of network loading on said server network links; and
wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A message dispatch system is provided for a multi-computer server having a number of server computers connected via respective server network links. The message dispatch system, which is connectable to an external telecommunications network, includes a message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for the multi-computer server from the external telecommunications network and to dispatch the client requests to selected server computers via the server network links. The message dispatcher is configured to determine a server to which an external client request is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of message traffic volume on the server network links. Load balancing is performed based on parameters representative of the server network link loading, rather than, or possibly in addition to measurements on processor loading. Suitable network loading parameters can be derived by monitoring packets passing from and/or to the individual server computers. The monitoring can be performed in the dispatcher, or in a switch or a separate traffic monitor between the dispatcher and the server network links, for example.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A message dispatch system for a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers having respective server network links, said message dispatch system being connectable to an external telecommunications network and comprising:
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a message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multi-computer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said server network links;
said message dispatcher being configured to determine one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of network loading on said server network links; and
wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of dispatching received external client requests to server computers of a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers connected via respective server network links, said method comprising:
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a) receiving external client requests for said multi-computer server from an external telecommunications network;
b) determining one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of network loading on said server network links, wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links; and
c) dispatching one of said received client requests to said determined server computer via said respective server network link. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A message dispatch system for a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers connected via respective server network links to a common switch, said message dispatch system being connectable to an external telecommunications network and comprising:
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a first message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multi-computer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said switch and said server network links; and
at least one further message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multi-computer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said switch and said server network links;
each message dispatcher being configured to determine one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of the network loading on said server network links; and
wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A computer software message dispatch system for a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers connected via respective server network links, wherein said computer software message dispatch system is provided on a data carrier, is configured to be connectable to an external telecommunications network and comprises:
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a message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multi-computer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said server network links;
said message dispatcher being configured to determine one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to parameters representative of network loading on said server network links; and
wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links.
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40. A message dispatch system for a multi-computer server which comprises a plurality of server computers having respective server network links, said message dispatch system being connectable to an external telecommunications network and comprising:
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a message dispatcher configured to receive external client requests for said multicomputer server from said external telecommunications network and to dispatch said client requests to selected server computers via said server network links;
a traffic monitor configured to monitor parameters representative of network traffic to and/or from individual server computers via said respective network server links, said message dispatcher being configured to receive said parameters from said traffic monitor;
wherein said parameters comprise a count of message bytes to and/or from said server computers on said respective server network links;
wherein said message dispatcher is configured to determine one of said server computers to which one of said external client requests is to be dispatched in response to said parameters representative of network loading on said server network links;
wherein said traffic monitor is responsive to source address information in messages received from said server computers via said server network links to monitor the volume of traffic from said server computers on said respective server network links;
wherein said traffic monitor is responsive to destination information for messages dispatched by said message dispatcher to said server computers via said server network links to monitor the volume of traffic to said server computers on said respective server network links; and
wherein said parameters comprise parameters representative of return traffic on said server network links.
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Specification