System and method for servicing internet object accessess from a coupled intranet

• US 6,601,090 B1
• Filed: 06/25/1999
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Dash, Basudeb, Gurijala, Anil
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheikh, Ayaz
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZIA, SYED
• Application Number:
  US09/344,788
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/201, 709/213, 707/10, 717/10
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

An object caching system (100) serving an Intranet (102) includes a cache name server (106) and a plurality of web cache servers (108A-108D). Each of the plurality of web cache servers (108A-108D) couples to an Intranet (104) and to the Internet (102) and stores a respective plurality of Internet objects that have been previously retrieved from the Internet (102). The cache name server (106) couples to the Intranet (104), receives a request for an Internet object from a web client (110A) coupled to the Intranet (104), and directs the web client (110A) to a serving web cache server (108A) of the plurality of web cache servers (108A-108D) based upon the request. If the serving web cache server (108A) possesses a copy of the Internet object, it returns a copy of the Internet object to the web client (110A). However, if the serving web cache (108A) server does not possess a copy of the Internet object, it retrieves a copy of the Internet object from the Internet (102) and returns a copy of the Internet object to the web client (110A). The cache name server (106) includes a database that stores an identifier and a serving web cache server ID for each Internet object stored by the plurality of web cache servers (108A-108D). The cache name server database may also store a time stamp for each Internet object. Each web cache server (108A-108D) also includes a database that stores Internet objects and respective time stamps.

Claims

1. An object caching system comprising:

a) a plurality of web cache servers coupled to an internet and to an internet and adapted to store internet objects retrieved from the internet; and

b) a cache naine server coupled to the internet and adapted to;

1) receive a request for a desired internet object from a select web client of a plurality of web clients coupled to the internet; and

2) direct the select web client to request the desired internet object from a serving web cache server selected from the web cache servers;

in response to a request for the desired internet object from the select web client, the serving web cache server further adapted to;

1) when the desired internet object is stored on the serving web cache server, provide the desired internet object to the select web client; and

2) when the desired internet object is not stored on the serving web cache server, retrieve the desired internet object from the internet, store the desired internet object, and provide the desired internet object to the select web client.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of web clients do not cache internet objects on behalf of other web clients.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein each of the plurality of web clients do not need access to the internet.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the web cache servers, web clients, and cache name server are separate entities.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the internet objects retrieved from the internet are retrieved from remote servers on the internet.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein when the desired internet object is retrieved from the internet, the serving web cache server is further adapted to report to the cache name server that the desired internet object is stored on the serving web cache server.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein upon receiving the request for the desired internet object, the cache name server is further adapted to:

a) determine if the desired internet object is stored on one of the web cache servers; and

b) if the desired internet object is stored on one of the web cache servers, select the one of the web cache servers storing the desired internet object as the serving web cache server.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein upon receiving the request for the desired internet object, the cache name server is further adapted to:

c) if the desired internet object is not stored on one of the web cache scarves, select one of the web cache servers as the serving web cache server.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein if the desired internet object is not stored on any of the web cache server, the cache name server is further adapted to select one of the web cache servers as the serving web cache server based on loading of each of the web cache servers.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the desired internet object is stored on a first web cache server and is frequently requested by the web clients, and the cache name server is further adapted to:

a) recognize that the desired internet object is frequently requested;

b) direct at least a second web cache server to store the desired internet object; and

c) upon receiving the request for the desired internet object from the select web client, direct the select web client to request the desired internet object from one of the web cache servers storing the desired internet object.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein when the desired internet object is not stored on any of the web cache servers, the cache name server selects the serving web cache server from the web cache servers based on loading of each of the web cache servers.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein when the desired internet object is not stored on any of the web cache servers, the cache name server selects the sewing web cache server from the web cache servers based on a capability of each of the web cache servers.

13. An object caching system comprising:

a) a plurality of web cache servers coupled to an internet and to an internet and adapted to store internet objects retrieved from the internet, a first web cache server of the web cache servers having stored a desired internet object, which is frequently requested by a plurality of web clients, which are coupled to the internet; and

b) a cache name server coupled to an internet and adapted to;

1) recognize that the desired internet object is frequently requested by ones of the web clients;

2) direct at least a second web cache server to store the desired internet object;

3) receive a request for the desired internet object from a select web client of the plurality of web clients; and

4) direct the select web client to request the desired internet object from a serving web cache server selected from the web cache servers storing the desired internet object in response to the request.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein upon receiving a request for a new internet object that is not stored on any of the web cache servers from the select web client, the cache name server is further adapted to:

a) select the serving web cache server from the web cache servers based on loading of each of the web cache servers; and

b) direct the select web client to request the new internet object from the serving web cache server.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the plurality of web clients do not cache internet objects on behalf of other web clients.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein each of the plurality of web clients do not need access to the internet.

17. The system of claim 13 wherein each of the web cache servers, web clients, and cache name server are separate entities.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the internet objects retrieved from the internet are retrieved from remote servers on the internet.

19. The system of claim 13 wherein in response to a request for the desired internet object from the select web client, the serving web cache server further adapted to provide the desired internet object to the select web client.