Network server platform/facilities management platform caching server

• US 6,385,693 B1
• Filed: 12/31/1997
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roy, Sumit, Huang, Kenny Xiaojian, Kwabi, Christopher K., Valdez, Gabriel, Gerszberg, Irwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHACE, CHRISTIAN
• Application Number:
  US09/001,419
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 711/118, 711/122, 711/148, 711/117, 709/212, 709/213, 709/214, 709/217
• US Class Current: 711/118
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

The location of large caches of memory located at the network server platform can reduce traffic on the network trunks or Internet backbone. In some instances these memory caches might be located at the facilities management platform. Those users supported on a specific network server platform no longer would be required to download regularly used information from the Internet backbone minimizing congestion on the network. These memory caches can be supplemented or refreshed with new data on a regular basis based on the requirements or changing requirements of the users. The close location of regularly accessed data allows for faster downloads and minimizes congestion on the communication network. In addition to user requested information, push information can be stored in these caches for fast downloading to the users.

Claims

1. A network caching system, comprising:

a plurality of memory caches connectable to a computer network;

a plurality of cache engines connected to said plurality of memory caches and further connectable to said computer network, each said cache engine being configured to receive a request from a user for data stored on a remote source connected to said computer network;

wherein each said cache engine is configured to retrieve said data from at least one of said memory caches and transmit said data to said user when said data is stored in one of said memory caches;

whereas each said cache engine is configured to transmit a request for said data to said remote source, receive said data from said remote source, store said data in a memory cache, and transmit said data to said user, when said data is not already stored in one of said memory caches;

a cache engine controller connected to said plurality of cache engines, said cache engine controller being configured to manage said plurality of cache engines to provide balanced load access to said plurality of cache engines.

2. The system of claim 1, where said cache engines are each configured to enforce user access restrictions imposed by said remote source.

3. The system of claim 1, where said cache engines are each configured to retrieve, at the occurrence of a predefined event, a current version of data that is already stored in a respective said memory cache and store said current version of data in said respective memory cache.

4. The system of claim 3, where said predefined event is the lapse of a predefined period of time.

5. The system of claim 3, where said predefined event is the issuance of a user request to update the content of said respective memory cache.

6. The system of claim 1, where said cache engine controller is configured to reallocate traffic loading among said cache engines, whereby responsibilities of a heavily loaded cache engine are reallocated to a relatively less heavily loaded cache engine.

7. The system of claim 6, where said cache engine controller is configured to reallocate a traffic load of a failed said cache engine to remaining ones of said cache engines.

8. The system of claim 1, where said cache engine controller is configured to maintain a user profile for said user, search said computer network for information relevant to said user profile, and store said relevant information in one or more of said memory caches.

9. The method of claim 1, where said memory caches are located within a network server platform.

10. The method of claim 1, where said memory caches are located within a facilities management platform.

11. In a network caching system including a plurality of memory caches connectable to a computer network and a plurality of cache engines connected to said plurality of memory caches and further connectable to said computer network, a method comprising:

receiving a request at each said cache engine from a user for data stored on a remote source connected to said computer network;

retrieving said data from at least one memory cache;

transmitting said data from each said cache engine to said user when said data is stored in one of said memory caches;

when said data is not already stored in one of said of memory caches,

transmitting a request for said data from each said cache engine to said remote source,

receiving said data from said remote source,

storing said data in a memory cache, and

transmitting said data from each said cache engine to said user; and

managing said plurality of cache engines to provide balanced load access to said plurality of cache engines.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising enforcing user access restrictions imposed by said remote source.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising retrieving, at the occurrence of a predefined event, a current version of data that is already stored in a respective said memory cache and storing said current version of data in said respective memory cache.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said managing includes reallocating traffic loading among said cache engines, wherein responsibilities of a heavily loaded cache engine are reallocated to a relatively less heavily loaded cache engine.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said managing includes reallocating a traffic load of a failed said cache engine among remaining ones of said cache engines.