Automatically configured network server

• US 6,842,769 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Web.com Group, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Interland, Inc. (Web.com Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kim, Steven D., Elazary, Lior
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, Jack B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Hieu C.
• Application Number:
  US09/565,270
• Time in Patent Office: 1,712 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709217-219, 709220-224, 717168-178
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/082 the condition being updates or upgrades of network functionality
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0883 Semiautomatic configuration, e.g. proposals from system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/00 Network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416

Abstract

A network server runs a routine that is triggered by an external database management program. The routine receives configuration parameters from the database, and configures application programs resident on the server in accordance therewith.

Claims

1. A network server associated with a web hosting provider comprising:

data storage and processing circuitry, wherein said data storage and processing circuitry is configured to execute;

at least one application program having at least one configuration parameter, said configuration parameter defining at least in part a set of server resources available to a particular customer of the web hosting provider; and

an application program configuration routine triggered by an external database management program to receive data from said external database management program and to update said configuration parameter in accordance with said data in response thereto.

2. The network server of claim 1, wherein said application program configuration routine comprises a trigger module for receiving an update request, an update module for performing said update request, and an error detection module for detecting successful performance of said update request.

3. The network server of claim 1, wherein said at least one application program is selected from the group consisting of web server, mail server, media server and FTP server.

4. The network server of claim 1, wherein said application program configuration routine monitors the successful completion of said update.

5. The network server of claim 1, wherein said application program configuration routine comprises a daemon.

6. The network server of claim 1, wherein said application program is selected from the group consisting of web server, mail server, media server and FTP server.

7. The network server of claim 1, wherein said application program manages at least one of said server resources.

8. The network server of claim 1, wherein the configuration parameter is selected from the group consisting of memory space, processor capacity, and communication bandwidth.

9. The network server of claim 2, further comprising a reconfiguration module for reconfigurating the application program according to the accepted configuration parameters.

10. A computer readable data storage medium having program instructions stored therein for configuring data processing circuitry to perform a method of configuring at least one application program, the method comprising:

receiving a trigger from a database management program and in response thereto;

accepting configuration parameters for at least one application program from said database management program, said application program running on a network server associated with a web hosting provider; and

storing said configuration parameters,

wherein each configuration parameter defines at least in part a set of server resources available to a particular customer of the web hosting provider.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said method additionally comprises detecting an error in said storing step.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said at least one application program is selected from the group consisting of web server, mail server, media server and FTP server.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said set of server resources is selected from the group consisting of memory space, processor capacity, and communication bandwidth.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said set of server resources is associated with said network server.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said method additionally comprises reconfiguring the application program according to the accepted configuration parameters.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein said method additionally comprises:

determining if the server resource can be reconfigured according to the accepted configuration parameters; and

reporting an error, if the server resource cannot be reconfigured according to the accepted configuration parameters.

17. A network server associated with a web hosting provider comprising:

memory circuitry storing application program configuration parameters, wherein each application program configuration parameter defines at least in part a set of server resources available to a particular customer of the web hosting provider;

means for automatically updating said application program configuration parameters with values received from a database external to said network server.

18. The network server of claim 17, wherein said means for automatically updating said application program configuration parameters comprises a daemon.

19. The network server of claim 17, wherein said means for automatically updating comprises a trigger module for receiving an update request and in response thereto, activating an update module for storing said values received from said database.

20. The network server of claim 17, wherein said configuration parameter is selected from the group consisting of memory space, processor capacity, and communication bandwidth.

21. The network server of claim 17, further comprising means for reconfiguring the application program according to the accepted configuration parameters.

22. The network server of claim 17, further comprising:

means for determining if the server resource can be reconfigured according to the accepted configuration parameters; and

means for reporting an error, if the server resource cannot be reconfigured according to the accepted configuration parameters.