Caching dynamic content

• US 6,757,708 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2000
• Issued: 06/29/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Sarkar, Soumitra, Li, Yongcheng, Ims, Steven D., Tan, Yih-Shin, Craig, Ronald E., Poirier, Daniel E., Villari, Maria Rita
• Primary Examiner(s): CALDWELL, ANDREW T
• Application Number:
  US09/518,474
• Time in Patent Office: 1,579 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/311, 709/213-216, 709/315-316, 707/10, 719/311, 719/315-316
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

A method, system, and computer program product for caching dynamically generated content (including, but not limited to, dynamically generated Web pages), as well as determining when the cached content should be invalidated or purged. Rather than caching the generated datastream (i.e. the end result of the computations used in the dynamic generation process) as in the prior art, the interim results of computations (such as a generated bean instance or object, where the interim results may be stored using properties and methods) are cached according to the present invention. The input properties used to generate the bean or object, along with the input property values, are used to distinguish among cached instances and thereby identify when a cached instance may be used to respond to a subsequent request for the same content. Re-execution of the business logic of the bean or object may then be avoided, using the cached bean'"'"'s or object'"'"'s output properties to generate the content response. Application-specific, developer-defined criteria may be used in the cache invalidation determination.

Claims

1. A system for caching dynamically generated content, comprising:

means for setting input properties of an object using input data values;

means for executing a method of the object, after setting the input properties, thereby setting output properties of the object; and

means for caching the object in a cache after executing the method and setting the output properties, wherein the input properties and the input data values are used to create a key to identify the object in the cache, thereby automatically distinguishing among versions of the object which result from executing the method using different input data values.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the object is a Java bean.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the input data values comprise one or more of:

(1) a set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) parameters from a request for the output properties of the object;

(2) session state information pertaining to the object;

(3) context information pertaining to the object; and

(4) information globally available to the means for executing.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the request is for a JavaServer Page.

5. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for creating the key by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for executing the method further comprises means for accessing one or more data repositories to retrieve information used in setting the output properties.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cached object is stored in an in-memory cache.

8. The system according to claim 7, further comprising means for using additional caching tiers beyond the in-memory cache, wherein the additional caching tiers comprise one or more of:

(1) a file system, and (2) a database.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein objects cached in the database are accessible to a plurality of servers.

10. The system according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining whether a selected object is not cachable, and for bypassing operation of the means for caching if so.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein objects cached in the cache are accessible to a remote application.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the remote application accesses the cached objects using Remote Method Invocation (RMI) technology or CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) technology.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein the request is for an Active Server Page.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein the means for setting input properties and the means for executing the method operate responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of the object, when the object is not yet cached in the cache, and further comprising means for returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties that have been set.

15. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for receiving a request for output properties of a particular object;

means for creating a key for the particular object using the input properties and the input data values which are applicable for those input properties when the request is received; and

means for using the key created for the particular object to determine whether the particular object is already available in the cache, and if so, returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the cached particular object.

16. The system according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for checking the cache, responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of a particular object, to see if an already-cached version thereof is available;

means for handling a positive result of the means for checking, further comprising;

means for returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the already-cached version of the object; and

means for handling a negative result of the means for checking, further comprising;

means for activating operation of the means for setting input properties, the means for executing the method, and the means for caching, thereby creating a newly-cached version of the particular object; and

means for returning, to the issuer of the request, the output properties from the newly-cached version of the object.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the means for checking the cache further comprises means for generating the key for the particular object by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.

18. A method of caching dynamically generated content, comprising steps of:

setting input properties of an object using input data values;

executing a method of the object, after setting the input properties, thereby setting output properties of the object; and

caching the object in a cache after executing the method and setting the output properties, wherein the input properties and the input data values are used to create a key to identify the object in the cache, thereby automatically distinguishing among versions of the object which result from executing the method different input data values.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the object is a Java bean.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the input data values comprise one or more of:

(1) a set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) parameters from a request for the output properties of the object;

(2) session state information pertaining to the object;

(3) context information pertaining to the object; and

(4) information globally available to the executing step.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the request is for a JavaServer Page.

22. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of creating the key by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein the executing step further comprises the step of accessing one or more data repositories to retrieve information used in setting the output properties.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the cached object is stored in an in-memory cache.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising the step of using additional caching tiers beyond the in-memory cache, wherein the additional caching tiers comprise one or more of:

(1) a file system, and (2) a database.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein objects cached in the database are accessible to a plurality of servers.

27. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of determining whether a selected object is not cachable, and for bypassing operation of the caching step if so.

28. The method according to claim 18, wherein objects cached in the cache are accessible to a remote application.

29. The method according to claim 24, wherein the remote application accesses the cached objects using Remote Method Invocation (RMI) technology or CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) technology.

30. The method according to claim 18, wherein the request is for an Active Server Page.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of setting input properties and the step of executing the method operate responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of the object, when the object is not yet cached in the cache, and further comprising the step of returning, to an issuer of the request the output properties that have been set.

32. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a request for output properties of a particular object;

creating a key for the particular object using the input properties and the input data values which are applicable for those input properties when the request is received; and

using the key created for the particular object to determine whether the particular object is already available in the cache, and if so, returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the cached particular object.

33. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

checking the cache, responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of a particular object, to see if an already-cached version thereof is available;

handling a positive result of the checking step, further comprising the step of;

returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the already-cached version of the object; and

handling a negative result of the checking step, further comprising the steps of;

activating operation of the setting input properties step, the executing the method step, and the caching step, thereby creating a newly-cached version of the particular object; and

returning, to the issuer of the request, the output properties from the newly-cached version of the object.

34. The method according to claim 33, wherein the step of checking the cache further comprises the step of generating the key for the particular object by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.

35. A computer program product for caching dynamically generated content, the computer program product embodied on one or more computer-readable media and comprising:

computer-readable program code means for setting input properties of an object using input data values;

computer-readable program code means for executing a method of the object, after setting the input properties, thereby setting output properties of the object; and

computer-readable program code means for caching the object in a cache after executing the method and setting the output properties, wherein the input properties and the input data values are used to create a key to identify the object in the cache, thereby automatically distinguishing among versions of the object which result from executing the method using different input data values.

36. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the object is a Java bean.

37. The computer program product according to claim 36, wherein the input data values comprise one or more of:

(1) a set of Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) parameters from a request for the output properties of the object;

(2) session state information pertaining to the object;

(3) context information pertaining to the object; and

(4) information globally available to the computer-readable program code means for executing.

38. The computer program product according to claim 37, wherein the request is for a JavaServer Page.

39. The computer program product according to claim 35, further comprising computer-readable program code means for creating the key by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.

40. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the computer-readable program code means for executing the method further comprises computer-readable program code means for accessing one or more data repositories to retrieve information used in setting the output properties.

41. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the cached object is stored in an in-memory cache.

42. The computer program product according to claim 41, further comprising computer-readable program code means for using additional caching tiers beyond the in-memory cache, wherein the additional caching tiers comprise one or more of:

(1) a file system, and (2) a database.

43. The computer program product according to claim 42, wherein objects cached in the database are accessible to a plurality of servers.

44. The computer program product according to claim 35, further comprising computer-readable program code means for determining whether a selected object is not cachable, and for bypassing operation of the computer-readable program code means for caching if so.

45. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein objects cached in the cache are accessible to a remote application.

46. The computer program product according to claim 45, wherein the remote application accesses cached objects using Remote Method Evocation (RMI) technology or CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture) technology.

47. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the request is for an Active Server Page.

48. The computer program product according to claim 35, wherein the computer-readable program code means for setting input properties and the computer-readable program code means for executing the method operate responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of the object, when the object is not yet cached in the cache, and further comprising computer-readable program code means for returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties that have been set.

49. The computer program product according to claim 35, further comprising:

computer-readable program code means for receiving a request for output properties of a particular object;

computer-readable program code means for creating a key for the particular object using the input properties and the input data values which are applicable for those input properties when the request is received; and

computer-readable program code means for using the key created for the particular object to determine whether the particular object is already available in the cache, and if so, returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the cached particular object.

50. The computer program product according to claim 35, further comprising:

computer-readable program code mean for checking the cache, responsive to receiving a request for the output properties of a particular object, to see if an already-cached version thereof is available;

computer-readable program code means for handling a positive result of the computer-readable program code means for checking, further comprising;

computer-readable program code means for returning, to an issuer of the request, the output properties from the already-cached version of the object; and

computer-readable program code means for handing a negative result of the computer-readable program code means for checking, further comprising;

computer-readable program code means for activating operation of the computer-readable program code means for setting input properties, the computer-readable program code means for executing the method, and the computer-readable program code means for caching, thereby creating a newly-cached version of the particular object; and

computer-readable program code means for returning, to the issuer of the request, the output properties from the newly-cached version of the object.

51. The computer program product according to claim 50, wherein the computer-readable program code means for checking the cache further comprises computer-readable program code means for generating the key for the particular object by sorting the input properties by property name, and concatenating said the value of each input property to its sorted property name, wherein individual ones of the concatenated property name, value pairs are separated from one another with appropriate separators.