Statistical tracking of global server load balancing for selecting the best network address from ordered list of network addresses based on a set of performance metrics
First Claim
1. A computerized method usable in a system configured for load balancing, the method comprising:
- in response to a query, arranging network addresses into an ordered list based on a set of performance metrics; and
tracking data related to the query, including for a plurality of additional said queries, counting a number of times that a particular performance metric is used as a deciding factor to select a best network address among the ordered list of network addresses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Server load-balancing operation-related data, such as data associated with a system configured for global server load balancing (GSLB) that orders IP addresses into a list based on a set of performance metrics, is tracked. Such operation-related data includes inbound source IP addresses (e.g., the address of the originator of a DNS request), the requested host and zone, identification of the selected “best” IP addresses resulting from application of a GSLB algorithm and the selection metric used to decide on an IP address as the “best” one. Furthermore, the data includes a count of the selected “best” IP addresses selected via application of the GSLB algorithm, and for each of these IP addresses, the list of deciding performance metrics, along with a count of the number of times each of these metrics in the list was used as a deciding factor in selection of this IP address as the best one. This tracking feature allows better understanding of GSLB policy decisions (such as those associated with performance, maintenance, and troubleshooting) and intelligent deployment of large-scale resilient GSLB networks.
412 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A computerized method usable in a system configured for load balancing, the method comprising:
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in response to a query, arranging network addresses into an ordered list based on a set of performance metrics; and tracking data related to the query, including for a plurality of additional said queries, counting a number of times that a particular performance metric is used as a deciding factor to select a best network address among the ordered list of network addresses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A computerized method for load balancing among host servers using a load balance switch and plurality of site switches that each couple some of the host servers to a network, the method comprising:
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obtaining a set of performance metrics from the site switches that are indicative of access conditions at the host servers; whenever network addresses are requested by a query, arranging the network addresses as an ordered list in accordance with the obtained set of performance metrics; and tracking data related to the query and compiling the tracked data into statistics, including for a plurality of additional said queries, counting a number of times that each metric from the set of performance metrics is used to select a best network address among the network addresses. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An article of manufacture to provide load balancing among host servers using a load balance switch and plurality of site switches that each couple some of the host servers to a network, the article of manufacture comprising:
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a machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon to; in response to a query, arrange network addresses into an ordered list based on a set of performance metrics related to access conditions to the host servers; and track data related to the arrangement of the network addresses into the ordered list, including instructions to count a number of times that each performance metric is used to select one of the network addresses as an optimum network address. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
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18. A system to balance load among host servers of a network, each of the host servers being coupled to the network through at least one of a plurality of site switches, the system comprising:
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a network device having at least one metric collector to collect performance metric information and a controller configured to use an algorithm to arrange a list of network addresses based on the performance metric information collected by the metric collector and to provide an arranged list of network addresses in response to a query; and a storage area coupled to the controller to receive data from the controller, the storage area having counters that are adapted to use the data provided by the controller to count a number of times each performance metric is used as a deciding factor over other performance metrics in selection of one of the network addresses as an optimum network address. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus to balance load among host servers of a network, each of the host servers being coupled to the network through at least one of a plurality of site switches, the apparatus comprising:
a network device adapted to communicate with the plurality of site switches to obtain a plurality of performance metrics, the network device being configurable to arrange a list of network addresses based at least in part on a plurality of performance metrics obtained from the plurality of site switches, the network device further being configurable to identify which performance metric from the plurality of performance metrics is used to decide which network address is optimum, in a manner to allow counting of a number of times that each performance metric is used as a deciding factor over other performance metrics in selection of one of the network addresses as an optimum network address. - View Dependent Claims (25)
Specification