System and method for efficient transfer of data blocks from client to server

• US 6,526,434 B1
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pease, David Allan, Carlson, James Vernon, Lopez, Bernard John, Mraz, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Backer, Firmin
• Application Number:
  US09/382,287
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 707/10, 707/102, 713/171
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/14 Multichannel or multilink protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system transfers data between a client computer and a server computer over a network, wherein communications are established over a first data link between the client and the server to provide the server with identification of the data to be transferred, then communications are established over a second data link between the client and the server for data transfer such that the second data link has a faster data transfer rate than the first data link, then the identified data is transferred from the client to the server; and then finally the client computer is provided with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data. The first data link is sufficient to support normal data operations utilizing existing network resources. The second data link can connect the clients to one or more of the servers, or may connect only particular clients and servers with special needs for large data transfer. The system provides efficient transfer of large data blocks from clients to servers over the network, without disruption to normal data operations and without a requirement for extensive and expensive resource upgrades or cumbersome and inconvenient archive methodologies.

Claims

1. A method of transferring data between a client and a server of a computer network, the method comprising:

communicating over a first network data link between the client and the server, and providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred;

communicating over a dual data link between the client and the server, the dual data link having a faster data transfer rate than the network data link, and transferring the identified data from the client to the server; and

communicating over the network data link and providing the client with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises authenticating the authorization of the client to send and receive data from the server.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises verifying the capability for the client to utilize the dual data link for the data transfer.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises determining the data that was most recently transferred to the server, and identifying for transfer only data that is more recent than data at the server.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the step of communicating over the dual data link comprises a point-to-point network communication.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further including the step of performing a data compression process on the data prior to providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred.

7. A method as defined in claim 6, wherein the metadata indicates whether the identified data has been compressed.

8. A computer data system comprising:

at least one client computer at which data editing operations are performed;

at least one server computer that periodically receives edited data from the client computer and places the edited data in storage;

a network data link between the client computer and the server computer that supports data transfer between the client computer and the server computer;

a dual data link between the client computer and the server computer that supports data transfer between the client computer and the server computer, the dual data link having a faster data transfer rate than the network data link;

wherein the client computer communicates with the server computer over the network data link to provide the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred, and then transfers the identified data to the server computer over the dual data link, and wherein the server computer communicates over the network data link and provides the client computer with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data.

9. A computer data system as defined in claim 8, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that authenticates the authorization of the client computer to send and receive data from the server computer.

10. A computer data system as defined in claim 8, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that verifies the capability for the client to utilize the dual data link for the data transfer.

11. A computer data system as defined in claim 8, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that determines the data most recently transferred to the server, and identifies for transfer only data that is more recent than the data at the server.

12. A computer data system as defined in claim 8, wherein the dual data link comprises a point-to-point network communication link.

13. A computer data system as defined in claim 8, wherein the client computer performs a data compression process on the data prior to providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred.

14. A computer data system as defined in claim 13, wherein the metadata indicates whether the identified data has been compressed.

15. A client computer comprising:

a network interface that permits transfer of data between the client computer and a server computer over a network data link between the client computer and the server computer, and also permits transfer of data between the client computer and the server computer over a dual data link having a data transfer rate faster than that of the network data link; and

a data application that permits the client computer to perform data editing operations and to periodically transfer data to the server computer;

wherein the client computer communicates with the server computer over the network data link to provide the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred, and then transfers the identified data to the server computer over the dual data link, and wherein the server computer communicates over the network data link and provides the client computer with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data.

16. A client computer as defined in claim 15, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that authenticates an authorization of the client computer to send and receive data from the server computer.

17. A client computer as defined in claim 15, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that verifies a capability for the client to utilize the dual link for the data transfer.

18. A client computer as defined in claim 15, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that determines the data most recently transferred to the server, and identifies for transfer only data that is more recent than the data at the server.

19. A client computer as defined in claim 15, wherein the dual data link comprises a point-to-point network communication link.

20. A client computer as defined in claim 15, wherein the client computer performs a data compression process on the data prior to providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred.

21. A client computer as defined in claim 20, wherein the metadata indicates whether the identified data has been compressed.

22. A server computer comprising:

a network interface that permits transfer of data between the client computer and a server computer over a network data link between the client computer and the server computer, and also permits transfer of data between the client computer and the server computer over a dual data link having a data transfer rate faster than that of the network data link; and

a data application that permits the server computer to receive edited data from the client and to periodically receive transferred data from the client computer;

wherein the client computer communicates with the server computer over the network data link to provide the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred, and then transfers the identified data to the server computer over the dual data link, and wherein the server computer communicates over the network data link and provides the client computer with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data.

23. A server computer as defined in claim 22, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that authenticates an authorization of the client computer to send and receive data from the server computer.

24. A server computer as defined in claim 22, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that verifies a capability for the client to utilize the dual link for the data transfer.

25. A server computer as defined in claim 22, wherein the metadata provided by the client computer includes data that determines the data most recently transferred to the server, and identifies for transfer only data that is more recent than the data at the server.

26. A server computer as defined in claim 22, wherein the dual data link comprises a point-to-point network communication link.

27. A server computer as defined in claim 22, wherein the client computer performs a data compression process on the data prior to providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred.

28. A server computer as defined in claim 27, wherein the metadata indicates whether the identified data has been compressed.

29. A program product for use in a computer system that executes program steps recorded in a computer-readable media to perform a method for transferring data between a client and a server of a computer network, the program product comprising:

a recordable media;

a program of computer-readable instructions executable by the computer system to perform method steps comprising;

communicating over a first network data link between the client and the server, and providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred;

communicating over a dual data link between the client and the server, the dual data link having a faster data transfer rate than the network data link, and transferring the identified data from the client to the server; and

communicating over the network data link and providing the client with status information relating to the transfer of the identified data.

30. A program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises authenticating an authorization of the client computer to send and receive data from the server computer.

31. A program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises verifying a capability for the client to utilize the dual link for the data transfer.

32. A program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of identifying the data to be transferred further comprises determining the data that was most recently transferred to the server, and identifying for transfer only data that is more recent than data at the server.

33. A program product as defined in claim 29, wherein the step of communicating over the dual data link comprises a point-to-point network communication.

34. A program product as defined in claim 29, further comprising the step of performing a data compression process on the data prior to providing the server with metadata that identifies the data to be transferred.

35. A program product as defined in claim 34, wherein the metadata indicates whether the identified data has been compressed.