System and method for dynamic, transparent migration of services

• US 7,165,107 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2002
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Pouyoul, Eric, Abdelaziz, Mohamed M., Traversat, Bernard A., Hugly, Jean-Christophe, Duigou, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky; Moustafa M.
• Application Number:
  US10/164,259
• Publication Number:
  US 20020156893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,686 Days
• Field of Search: 709200-204, 709217-229
• US Class Current: 709/225
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/544 Buffers; Shared memory; Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• 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 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/164 at the network layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/166 at the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

System and method for the dynamic and transparent migration of services in a peer-to-peer networking environment. Member peers in a peer group using a peer-to-peer platform may cooperate to provide redundant instances of services to member peers. Dynamic migration of a service may be performed by unbinding one or more peer-to-peer platform pipes from a peer hosting an instance of the service and binding the pipes to another peer hosting a different instance of the service. Using pipes, services may transparently failover from one physical peer endpoint to another in order to mask a service or peer failure, or to access a newly published instance of a service. Thus, a collection of peers may provide a high level of fault tolerance, where, for example, a new peer at a different location may replace a crashed peer, with the new peer taking over the existing pipe to keep the communication going.

Claims

1. A peer computing system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes each configured to provide a redundant instance of a network service for access by other peer nodes in a network;

a peer node configured to access the network service by sending messages on a pipe bound to the peer node and to each of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with the network service;

wherein the peer computing system is configured to;

route one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to an instance of the network service on one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe;

detect that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service; and

route a subsequent one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to another instance of the network service provided by another one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe in response to the one of the plurality of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

2. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer node is not aware of which instance of the network service the messages are routed to.

3. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer node is not aware that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

4. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to unbind the one of the plurality of peer nodes from the pipe in response to the one of the plurality of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

5. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to bind the other one of the plurality of peer nodes to the pipe in response to the one of the plurality of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

6. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the network service is configured to transfer state information for the network service corresponding to the peer node from the one of the plurality of peer nodes to the other of the plurality of peer nodes in response to the one of the plurality of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

7. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer computing system further comprises a pipe resolver configured to determine a particular instance of the network service on the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which messages on the pipe for the network service are to be routed.

8. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the peer computing system further comprises a pipe resolver configured to:

determine the instance of the network service on the one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the one or more messages for the network service are to be routed; and

determine the other instance of the network service on the other one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the subsequent one or more messages for the network service are to be routed.

9. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on the network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other, and to share content in the peer-to-peer environment.

10. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are member peers in a peer group in the network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

11. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein, to detect that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service, the peer computing system is further configured to detect that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is disconnected from the network.

12. The peer computing system as recited in claim 1, wherein, to detect that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service, the peer computing system is further configured to determine load on the one of the plurality of peer nodes is above a load threshold for the one of the plurality of peer nodes.

13. A peer computing system, comprising:

a peer node configured to provide an instance of a network service for access by other peer nodes in a network;

another peer node configured to access the instance of the network service provided by the peer node by sending one or more messages on a pipe bound to the peer node and to the other peer node, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with the network service;

wherein the peer computing system is configured to bind the pipe to a different peer node configured to provide another instance of the network service for access by the other peer nodes in the network; and

wherein the other peer node is further configured to access the other instance of the network service provided by the different peer node by sending a subsequent one or more messages on the pipe bound to the different peer node and the other peer node if the peer node is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

14. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to:

route the one or more messages to the instance of the network service on the peer node bound to the pipe;

detect that the peer node is not able to provide access to the instance of the service; and

route the subsequent one or more messages to the other instance of the network service on the different peer node bound to the pipe in response to the peer node not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

15. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the other peer node is not aware of which instance of the network service is accessed via the pipe.

16. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to unbind the peer node from the pipe in response to the peer node not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

17. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to bind the different peer node to the pipe in response to the peer node not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

18. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the network service is configured to transfer state information for the network service corresponding to the other peer node from the peer node to the different peer node in response to the peer node not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

19. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer computing system further comprises a pipe resolver configured to determine to which instance of the network service on which peer node bound to the pipe the messages on the pipe for the network service are to be routed.

20. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer computing system comprises a plurality of peer nodes including the peer node, the other peer node, and the different peer node, wherein the plurality of peer nodes is configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on the network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other, and to share content in the peer-to-peer environment.

21. The peer computing system as recited in claim 13, wherein the peer node, the other peer node, and the different peer node are member peers in a peer group in the p network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

22. A peer computing system, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes, wherein the plurality of peer nodes is configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on a network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the plurality of peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other, and to share content in the peer-to-peer environment;

a subset of the plurality of peer nodes each comprising a redundant instance of a network service for access by others of the plurality of peer nodes in accordance with the peer-to-peer platform;

wherein, to access an instance of the network service, one of the plurality of peer nodes is configured to send messages to the network service on a pipe bound to the peer node and to one or more of the subset of peer nodes in accordance with the peer-to-peer platform, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel for communicating with the network service on the one or more of the subset of peer nodes;

wherein the peer computing system is configured to;

route one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to an instance of the network service on one of the subset of peer nodes bound to the pipe;

detect that the one of the subset of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service; and

route a subsequent one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to another instance of the network service provided by another one of the subset of peer nodes bound to the pipe in response to the one of the subset of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

23. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the peer node is not aware of which instance of the network service the messages are routed to.

24. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to unbind the one of the subset of peer nodes from the pipe in response to the one of the subset of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

25. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the peer computing system is further configured to bind the other one of the subset of peer nodes to the pipe in response to the one of the subset of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

26. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the network service is configured to transfer state information for the network service corresponding to the peer node from the one of the subset of peer nodes to the other of the subset of peer nodes in response to the one of the subset of peer nodes not being able to provide access to the instance of the service.

27. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the peer computing system further comprises a pipe resolver configured to:

determine the instance of the network service on the one of the subset of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the one or more messages for the network service are to be routed; and

determine the other instance of the network service on the other one of the subset of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the subsequent one or more messages for the network service are to be routed.

28. The peer computing system as recited in claim 22, wherein the subset of the plurality of peer nodes and the one of the plurality of peer nodes are member peers in a peer group in the network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

29. A peer-to-peer network environment, comprising:

a peer group comprising a plurality of peer group members, wherein each peer group member comprises a network node configured to communicate with other members of the peer group over one or more networks;

wherein a subset of the peer group members are configured to provide redundant instances of a network service to the peer group, wherein a member of the peer group can access the network service from any of the plurality of peer group members providing one of the redundant instances of the network service;

wherein the subset of peer group members providing redundant instances of the network service are configured to provide a fail-over mechanism wherein if one of the peers providing the network service fails or leaves the peer group, the network service may be obtained from another one of the peers providing the network service; and

wherein the subset of peer group members providing redundant instances of the network service support a pipe binding protocol for establishing a pipe to access the network service.

30. The peer-to-peer network environment as recited in claim 29, wherein a member of the peer group can access the network service by connecting to a pipe to one of the redundant instances of the network service, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel for communicating with the network service.

31. The peer-to-peer network environment as recited in claim 30, wherein the subset of peer group members providing redundant instances of the network service are configured to rebind a pipe in accordance with the pipe binding protocol from a failed one of the subset of peer group members providing redundant instances of the network service to another one of the subset of peer group members providing redundant instances of the network service so that peer group members connected to that communication pipe continue to have access to the network service.

32. A method, comprising:

a plurality of peer nodes each providing a redundant instance of a network service for access by other peer nodes in a network;

a peer node accessing the network service provided by the plurality of peer nodes by sending messages on a pipe bound to the peer node and to each of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with the network service;

routing one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to an instance of the network service on one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe;

detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service; and

routing a subsequent one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to another instance of the network service provided by another one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

33. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the peer node is not aware of which instance of the network service the messages are routed to.

34. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the peer node is not aware that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

35. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising unbinding the one of the plurality of peer nodes from the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

36. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising binding the other one of the plurality of peer nodes to the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

37. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising transferring state information for the network service corresponding to the peer node from the one of the plurality of peer nodes to the other of the plurality of peer nodes in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

38. The method as recited in claim 32, further comprising:

determining the instance of the network service on the one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the one or more messages for the network service are to be routed; and

determining the other instance of the network service on the other one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the subsequent one or more messages for the network service are to be routed.

39. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on the network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other, and to share content in the peer-to-peer environment.

40. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are member peers in a peer group in the network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

41. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service comprises detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is disconnected from the network.

42. The method as recited in claim 32, wherein said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service comprises determining load on the one of the plurality of peer nodes is above a load threshold for the one of the plurality of peer nodes.

43. A method comprising:

a peer node in a peer-to-peer network accessing an instance of a network service provided by another peer node in the peer-to-peer network via a pipe bound to the peer node and the other peer node, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the peer-to-peer network for communicating with the network service;

binding the pipe to a different peer node in the peer-to-peer network providing a redundant instance of the network service; and

the peer node accessing the instance of the network service provided by the different peer node via the pipe bound to the peer node and the different peer node.

44. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein said binding the pipe to a different peer node is performed transparently to the peer node.

45. The method as recited in claim 43, further comprising detecting that the instance of the network service on the other peer node is unavailable for access on the peer-to-peer network, wherein said binding the pipe to a different peer node is performed in response to said detecting.

46. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein said binding the pipe to a different peer node comprises binding the pipe to an endpoint of the different peer node, wherein the endpoint of the different peer node corresponds to a network interface of the different peer node that implements a network transport protocol supported by the pipe.

47. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment in the peer-to-peer network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other via pipes, and to share content including network services in the peer-to-peer environment.

48. The method as recited in claim 43, wherein the peer node, the other peer node, and the different peer node are member peers in a peer group in the peer-to-peer network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

49. A tangible, computer-accessible storage medium, comprising software instructions executable to implement:

a plurality of peer nodes each providing a redundant instance of a network service for access by other peer nodes in a network;

a peer node accessing the network service provided by the plurality of peer nodes by sending messages on a pipe bound to the peer node and to each of the plurality of peer nodes, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the network for communicating with the network service;

routing one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to an instance of the network service on one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe;

detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service; and

routing a subsequent one or more messages on the pipe for the network service from the peer node to another instance of the network service provided by another one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

50. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the peer node is not aware of which instance of the network service the messages are routed to.

51. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the peer node is not aware that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

52. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the software instructions are further executable to implement unbinding the one of the plurality of peer nodes from the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

53. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the software instructions are further executable to implement binding the other one of the plurality of peer nodes to the pipe in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

54. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the software instructions are further executable to implement transferring state information for the network service corresponding to the peer node from the one of the plurality of peer nodes to the other of the plurality of peer nodes in response to said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service.

55. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the software instructions are further executable to implement:

determining the instance of the network service on the one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the one or more messages for the network service are to be routed; and

determining the other instance of the network service on the other one of the plurality of peer nodes bound to the pipe to which the subsequent one or more messages for the network service are to be routed.

56. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment on the network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other, and to share content in the peer-to-peer environment.

57. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein the plurality of peer nodes and the peer node are member peers in a peer group in the network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.

58. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein, in said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service, the software instructions are further executable to implement detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is disconnected from the network.

59. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 49, wherein, in said detecting that the one of the plurality of peer nodes is not able to provide access to the instance of the service, the software instructions are further executable to implement determining load on the one of the plurality of peer nodes is above a load threshold for the one of the plurality of peer nodes.

60. A tangible, computer-accessible storage medium, comprising software instructions executable to implement:

a peer node in a peer-to-peer network accessing an instance of a network service provided by another peer node in the peer-to-peer network via a pipe bound to the peer node and the other peer node, wherein the pipe represents a virtual communications channel in the peer-to-peer network for communicating with the network service;

binding the pipe to a different peer node in the peer-to-peer network providing a redundant instance of the network service; and

the peer node accessing the instance of the network service provided by the different peer node via the pipe bound to the peer node and the different peer node.

61. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 60, wherein said binding the pipe to a different peer node is performed transparently to the peer node.

62. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 60, wherein the software instructions are further executable to implement detecting that the instance of the network service on the other peer node is unavailable for access on the peer-to-peer network, wherein said binding the pipe to a different peer node is performed in response to said detecting.

63. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 60, wherein, in said binding the pipe to a different peer node, the software instructions are further executable to implement binding the pipe to an endpoint of the different peer node, wherein the endpoint of the different peer node corresponds to a network interface of the different peer node that implements a network transport protocol supported by the pipe.

64. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 60, wherein peer nodes in the peer-to-peer network are configured to implement a peer-to-peer environment in the peer-to-peer network according to a peer-to-peer platform comprising one or more peer-to-peer platform protocols for enabling the peer nodes to discover each other, to communicate with each other via pipes, and to share content including network services in the peer-to-peer environment.

65. The tangible, computer-accessible storage medium as recited in claim 60, wherein the peer node, the other peer node, and the different peer node are member peers in a peer group in the peer-to-peer network, wherein member peers of the peer group are configured to share the network service with other member peers of the peer group only, so that the peer group defines a limited domain of availability for the network service.