Dynamic directory service

• US 6,647,393 B1
• Filed: 05/02/1997
• Issued: 11/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ManageSoft Corporation (Flexera Software LLC)
• Inventors: Dietterich, Daniel J., Phillips, Robert S., Carter, John B., Davis, Scott H., Frank, Steven J., Abraham, William
• Primary Examiner(s): AMSBURY, WAYNE P
• Application Number:
  US08/850,137
• Time in Patent Office: 2,384 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-200
• US Class Current: 379/218.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0724 in a multiprocessor or a multi-core unit multiprocessors per se G06F15/80
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0757 by exceeding a time limit, i.e. time-out, e.g. watchdogs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1425 by reconfiguration of node membership
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1435 using file system or storage system metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/182 based on mutual exchange of the output between redundant processing components
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2094 Redundant storage or storage space G06F11/2056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0813 with a network or matrix configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/1072 Decentralised address translation, e.g. in distributed shared memory systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/167 using a common memory, e.g. mailbox
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5016 the resource being the memory
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 : Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 : Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

In a network of computer nodes, a directory service provides both the physical location of directory information around the network and the directory information itself in a single data structure. This single data structure is distributed throughout the network, and continuously redistributed, so as to create a directory service that is both more flexible, and more robust, than prior art directory services.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining directory information, comprising:

providing a plurality of nodes interconnected by a network, each of the plurality of nodes sharing a shared addressable memory space and including (i) a local persistent storage device for persistent storage and (ii) a directory service program for mapping at least a portion of the shared addressable memory space to at least a portion of the persistent storage to provide thereby addressable persistent storage accessible by each of the plurality of nodes;

providing a distributed directory service on the network by utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to allow directory parts to be selectively and dynamically migrated between ones of said plurality of nodes, without requiring restructuring the directory, and storage on said plurality of nodes, including on the local persistent storage devices, of the directory that includes both said directory information and information about the location of the directory information on the network, such that said directory is not statically replicated to all nodes of said plurality of nodes; and

obtaining both the location information and the directory information by accessing the distributed directory service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to replicate said directory parts.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically replicate said directory parts based on the number of accesses of the directory service by each of said nodes.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically replicate said directory parts based on available resources on the network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the distributed directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically migrate said directory parts based on the number of accesses of the distributed directory service by the nodes.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the distributed directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically migrate said directory parts based on available resources on the network.

7. A system for accessing directory information, comprising:

a computer network; and

a plurality of computers coupled to the network, each of the plurality of computers sharing a shared addressable memory space and including (i) a local persistent storage device for persistent storage and (ii) a directory service program for mapping at least a portion of the shared addressable memory space to at least a portion of the persistent storage to provide thereby addressable persistent storage accessible by each of the plurality of computers, each of the computers utilizing the directory service program to achieve a distributed directory service on the network for maintaining directory information, allowing directory parts to be selectively and dynamically migrated between ones of said plurality of computers, without requiring restructuring the directory, and storing on the plurality of computers including on the local persistent storage devices a the directory that includes both the directory information and information about the location of the directory information on the network, such that said directory is not statically replicated to all nodes of said plurality of nodes, and allowing both the location information and the directory information to be obtained by each of the computers.

8. A method for obtaining directory information, comprising:

providing a plurality of nodes interconnected by a network;

providing a distributed directory service on the network by installing on each of the nodes a directory service program that allows directory parts to be selectively and dynamically migrated between ones of said plurality of nodes, without requiring restructuring the directory, storage on said plurality of nodes of the directory that includes both the directory information and information about the location of the directory information on the network, such that said directory is not statically replicated to all nodes of said plurality of nodes; and

obtaining both the location information and the directory information by accessing the distributed directory service.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to replicate said directory parts.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically replicate said directory parts based on the number of accesses of the directory service by each of said nodes.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically replicate said directory parts based on available resources on the network.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the distributed directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically migrate said directory parts based on the number of accesses of the distributed directory service by the nodes.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the distributed directory service providing step further comprises the step of utilizing the directory service program on each of the plurality of nodes to selectively and dynamically migrate said directory parts based on available resources on the network.

14. A system for accessing directory information, comprising:

a computer network; and

a plurality of computers coupled to the network, each of the computers having a directory service program installed thereon, the plurality of computers with the programs comprising a distributed directory service on the network for maintaining directory information, allowing directory parts to be selectively and dynamically migrated between ones of said plurality of computers, without requiring restructuring the director, and storing on the plurality of computers the directory that includes both the directory information and information about the location of the directory information on the network, such that said directory is not statically replicated to all nodes of said plurality of nodes, and allowing both the location information and the directory information to be obtained by each of the computers.