System, method and computer program product for providing server discovery services during a startup sequence

• US 6,704,768 B1
• Filed: 11/08/2000
• Issued: 03/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TeleCommunication Systems Inc (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aether Systems, Inc. (Comtech Telecommunications Corporation)
• Inventors: Sobchak, Richard K., Bonefas, Rudy G., Zombek, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Najjar, Saleh
• Application Number:
  US09/707,960
• Time in Patent Office: 1,217 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/205, 709/220, 709/222, 709/223, 709/226, 709/227, 709/238, 709/248, 370/254
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1635 Cumulative acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message applying to all previous messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0092 Error control systems characterised by the topology of the transmission link
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0681 Configuration of triggering conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0281 Proxies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0407 wherein the identity of one or more communicating identities is hidden cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for anonymous credentials or for identity based cryptographic systems H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/083 using passwords cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using a predetermined code H04L9/3226
• 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 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/133 Protocols for remote procedure calls [RPC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 : Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 : Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/164 : Adaptation or special uses of UDP protocol
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/18 : Multiprotocol handlers, e.g. single devices capable of handling multiple protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 : Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/045 : involving different protocol versions, e.g. MIPv4 and MIPv6

Abstract

A system, method, and computer program product for providing discovery services for servers during a startup sequence can include powering on a server in a domain; creating a listener socket for the server to accept coupling requests from other servers; registering server information for the server with a database; searching the database for other registered servers in the domain; establishing a couple to each of the other registered servers in the domain; and verifying validity of the couple to each of the other registered servers including performing a handshake. The server information registered with the database can include an IP address; a listener port; a domain; a version number; or a server type. Establishing can include: sending a couple message from a coupling server of the other registered servers; receiving the couple message by another server of the other registered servers; verifying a version number of the couple message; verifying that the couple message sent and received is a valid couple message; replying with a reply message to the couple message; or verifying that the reply message contains a valid version number and server type. Alternatively, establishing can further include closing the couple if the version numbers are not valid; closing the couple if the server type is not valid; or closing the couple if the reply message is not received within a predetermined amount of time. The method can also include registering a server identifier (ID), a service type, or a message type supported by the server. The server can be a back end server (BES); a proxy gateway (PG); a message router (MR); or an HTTP Proxy BES.

Claims

1. A method of providing discovery services for servers during a startup sequence comprising:

(a) powering on a server in a domain;

(b) creating a listener socket for said server to accept coupling requests from other servers;

(c) registering server information for said server with a database;

(d) searching said database for other registered servers in said domain to identify other registered servers of a type different than a type of said server;

(e) establishing a couple to each of said other registered servers in said domain; and

(f) verifying validity of said couple to each of said other registered servers including performing a handshake.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server information registered with the database comprises at least one of:

an IP address;

a listener port;

a domain;

a version number; and

a server type.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said step (e) comprises at least one of:

(1) sending a couple message from a coupling server of said other registered servers;

(2) receiving said couple message by another server of said other registered servers;

(3) verifying a version number of said couple message;

(4) verifying that said couple message sent and received is a valid couple message;

(5) replying with a reply message to said couple message; and

(6) verifying that said reply message contains a valid version number and server type.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

(7) closing said couple if said version numbers are not valid.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

(7) closing said couple if said server type is not valid.

6. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

(7) closing said couple if said reply message is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

(g) registering at least one of a server identifier (ID), a service type, and a message type supported by said server.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said server is at least one of:

a back end server (BES);

a proxy gateway (PG);

a message router (MR); and

an HTTP Proxy BES.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

verifying that said server has only one couple to the other registered servers in said domain.

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising:

maintaining only one couple to the other registered servers in said domain.

11. A system operative to provide discovery services for servers during a startup sequence comprising:

a server in a domain having

a processor,

a memory coupled to said processor,

a power supply operative to power on said server coupled to said processor,

a socket operative to create a listener socket for said server to accept coupling requests from other servers;

a registry operative to register server information for said server with a database;

a query tool operative to search said database for other registered servers in said domain of at least one type different than a type of said server;

a coupler operative to establish a couple to each of said other registered servers in said domain; and

a validator operative to verify validity of said couple to each of said other registered servers including performing a handshake.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the server information registered with the database comprises at least one of:

an IP address;

a listener port;

a domain;

a version number; and

a server type.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein said coupler is operative to at least one of:

send a couple message from a coupling server of said other registered servers;

receive said couple message by another server of said other registered servers;

verify a version number of said couple message;

verify that said couple message sent and received is a valid couple message;

reply with a reply message to said couple message; and

verify that said reply message contains a valid version number and server type.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said coupler is further operative to close said couple if said version numbers are not valid.

15. The system according to claim 13, wherein said coupler is further operative to close said couple if said server type is not valid.

16. The system according to claim 13, wherein said coupler is further operative to close said couple if said reply message is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

17. The system according to claim 11, wherein said registry is operative to register at least one of a server Identifier (ID), a service type, and a message type supported by said server.

18. The system according to claim 11, wherein said server is at least one of:

a back end server (BES);

a proxy gateway (PG);

a message router (MR); and

an HTTP Proxy BES.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein

said server is operable to verify that said server has only one couple to each of said other registered servers in said domain.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein said server is further operative to maintain only one couple to each of said other registered servers in said domain.

21. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, said computer program product having program logic encoded therein, said program logic adapted to provide discovery services for servers during a startup sequence comprising:

program code means for enabling a computer to power on a server in a domain;

program code means for enabling the computer to create a listener socket for said server to accept coupling requests from other servers;

program code means for enabling the computer to register server information for said server with a database;

program code means for enabling the computer to search said database for other registered servers in said domain that are of a type different than said server;

program code means for enabling the computer to establish a couple to each of said other registered servers in said domain; and

program code means for enabling the computer to verify validity of said couple to each of said other registered servers including performing a handshake.

22. The computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium of claim 21, further comprising:

program code means for enabling the computer to verify that said server has only one couple to the other registered servers in said domain.