System and method for caching a network connection

• US 7,010,606 B1
• Filed: 12/29/2000
• Issued: 03/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Schreiber, Robert Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US09/750,321
• Time in Patent Office: 1,894 Days
• Field of Search: 709/227, 709/237, 709/217, 709/218, 707/1, 707/2, 707/10
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for caching a network connection. The system sustains connections between a server and one or more back-end databases. The server may establish multiple connections with one or more back-end databases based on data requests from one or more users. The server may determine one or more back-end databases from which the data requests may be satisfied. After receiving the data, the users, using an end-user device, may request disconnection of a connection between the end-user device and the server. The server, however, sustains the connection with the back-end database from which the data was retrieved. The server may use this connection to satisfy other data requests without re-establishing a connection with that back-end database.

Claims

1. A method for caching a network connection, comprising the steps of:

receiving a connection request for at least one first connection between at least one terminal and a server;

establishing the at least one first connection between the at least one terminal and the server;

requesting at least one second connection between the server and at least one database, wherein the database includes at least one self defining entity, the self defining entity including at least one of a hierarchical data list, a hierarchical data element, and a hierarchical data container;

establishing the at least one second connection;

retrieving the at least one self defining entity from the at least one database via the second connection; and

maintaining a record of the at least one second connection established.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of receiving a disconnection request for the at least one first connection from the at least one terminal.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of disconnecting the at least one first connection.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of sustaining the at least one second connection after the at least one first connection has been disconnected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the record includes a list of established second connections.

6. A system for caching a network connection, comprising:

connection request receiving means for receiving a connection request for at least one first connection between at least one terminal and a server;

connection establishing means for establishing the at least one first connection between the at least one terminal and the server;

connection requesting means for requesting at least one second connection between the server and at least one database, wherein the database includes at least one self defining entity, the self defining entity including at least one of a hierarchical data list, a hierarchical data element, and a hierarchical data container;

connection establishing means for establishing the at least one second connection;

data retrieval means for retrieving the at least one self defining entity from the at least one database via the second connection; and

maintaining means for maintaining a record of the at least one second connection established.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising disconnection request receiving means for receiving a disconnection request for the at least one first connection from the at least one terminal.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising disconnecting means for disconnecting the at least one first connection.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising connection sustaining means for sustaining the at least one second connection after the at least one first connection has been disconnected.

10. The system of claim 6, wherein the record includes a list of established second connections.

11. A system for caching a network connection, comprising:

a connection request receiving module that receives a connection request for at least one first connection between at least one terminal and a server;

a connection establishing module that establishes the at least one first connection between the at least one terminal and the server;

a connection requesting module that requests at least one second connection between the server and at least one database, wherein the database includes at least one self defining entity, the self defining entity including at least one of a hierarchical data list, a hierarchical data element, and a hierarchical data container;

a connection establishing module that establishes the at least one second connection;

a data retrieval module that retrieves the at least one self defining entity from the at least one database via the second connection; and

a connection maintaining module that maintains a record of the at least one second connection established.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a disconnection request receiving module that receives a disconnection request for the at least one first connection from the at least one terminal.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a disconnecting module that disconnects the at least one first connection.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a connection sustaining module that sustains the at least one second connection after the at least one first connection has been disconnected.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the record includes a list of established second connections.

16. A processor readable medium comprising processor readable code for caching a network connection, comprising:

connection request receiving code that causes a processor to receive a connection request for at least one first connection between at least one terminal and a server;

connection establishing code that causes a processor to establish the at least one first connection between the at least one terminal and the server;

connection requesting code that causes a processor to request at least one second connection between the server and at least one database, wherein the database includes at least one self defining entity, the self defining entity including at least one of a hierarchical data list, a hierarchical data element, and a hierarchical data container;

connection establishing code that causes a processor to establish the at least one second connection;

data retrieval code that causes a processor to retrieve the at least one self defining entity from the at least one database via the second connection; and

connection maintaining code that causes a processor to maintain a record of the at least one second connection established.

17. The medium of claim 16, further comprising disconnection request receiving code that causes a processor to receive a disconnection request for the at least one first connection from the at least one terminal.

18. The medium of claim 17, further comprising connection disconnecting code that causes a processor to disconnect the at least one first connection.

19. The medium of claim 18, further comprising connection sustaining code that causes a processor to sustain the at least one second connection after the at least one first connection has been disconnected.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein the record includes a list of established second connections.