Storage and retrieval system for WEB cache

• US 7,231,494 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ironport Systems (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cox, Alan L., Zwaenepoel, Willy, Hu, Y. Charlie, Pai, Vijay S., Pai, Vivek S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sparks; Donald
• Assistant Examiner(s): DILLER, JESSE DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/677,979
• Time in Patent Office: 2,443 Days
• Field of Search: 345/738, 345/760, 707/10, 707/100, 707/103, 707/104, 707/205, 709/226, 711/4, 711/112, 711/113, 711/133, 711/165, 711/167, 711/137
• US Class Current: 711/137
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

The invention provides a storage and retrieval routine for Web objects. A Web page typically includes several objects such as text, images and hyper-links to other Web pages. Each Web page and its objects are usually stored in separate files. A storage and retrieval routine stores objects that correspond to the same Web page in co-located positions on a disk. Therefore, when the Web page and its embedded and hyper-linked Web objects are retrieved, the seek time is reduced, thereby reducing the object retrieval time as perceived by a computer user and increasing the number of requests per second that a Web content server can deliver.

Claims

1. A server for storing Web objects in co-located positions on a storage device, comprising:

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

receiving, at a server from a first client device, a first request for a first Web object;

in response to the first request,

the server obtaining the first Web object and a second Web object; and

the server sending to the first client device the first Web object and the second Web object;

the server causing the first Web object to be stored in a first temporary location on the storage device;

the server causing the second Web object to be stored in a second temporary location on the storage device,

wherein the storage device is included in the server;

wherein the server is a Web caching server;

the server identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

determining that a criterion is satisfied wherein the criterion is satisfied when the Web caching server is processing a number of requests that is below a specified value;

based on a criterion being satisfied,

the server causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file in a first storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file comprises the server causing the first Web object to be moved from the first temporary location to the first storage location; and

the server causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file in a second storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file comprises the server causing the second Web object to be moved from the second temporary location to the second storage location;

wherein the second storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the first storage location in response to identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

receiving, at the server from a second client device, a second request for the first Web object; and

in response to the second request,

the server obtaining the first Web object by causing the first file to be read from the storage device in a first read operation;

the server obtaining the second Web object by causing the second file to be read from the storage device in a second read operation; and

the server sending to the second client device the first Web object and the second Web object.

2. A server as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first storage location is co-located with respect to the second storage location on the storage device because the first storage location and second storage location are associated with a relationship; and

the relationship is selected from the group consisting of;

(a) the first storage location and the second storage location are located within a first track of the storage device;

(b) the first storage location is within a first sector of a second track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second sector of the second track of the storage device, and the first sector is contiguous with the second sector;

(c) the first storage location is within a third track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fourth track of the storage device, and the third track is adjacent to the fourth track;

(d) the first storage location is within a first cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second cylinder of the storage device, and the first cylinder is adjacent to the second cylinder;

(e) the first storage location and the second storage location are located within a third cylinder of the storage device; and

(f) the first storage location is within a fourth cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fifth cylinder of the storage device, and the fourth cylinder is closely spaced with respect to the fifth cylinder.

3. A server as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the second Web object is a component of the Web page;

the component of the Web page is associated with a file type that is selected from the group consisting of a text file type, an image file type, an audio file type, and a video file type; and

the Web page and the component of the Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the component of the Web page being embedded within the Web page.

4. A server as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the Web page includes a hyper-link to the second Web object; and

the Web page and the second Web object have correlated retrieval times as a result of the Web page including the hyper-link to second Web object.

5. A server as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the first Web page and the second Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the second Web page being embedded within the first Web page.

6. A server as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the server further comprising sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform the steps of;

the server identifying that a third Web page is embedded within the second Web page;

the server obtaining the third Web page; and

the server causing the third Web page to be stored as a third file in a third storage location on the storage device, wherein the third storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the second storage location because the third Web page is embedded within the second Web page.

7. An apparatus for storing Web objects in co-located positions on a storage device, comprising:

means for receiving, at a server from a first client device, a first request for a first Web object;

means for, in response to the first request,

the server obtaining the first Web object and a second Web object; and

the server sending to the first client device the first Web object and the second Web object;

means for the server causing the first Web object to be stored in a first temporary location on the storage device;

means for the server causing the second Web object to be stored in a second temporary location on the storage device,

wherein the storage device is included in the server;

wherein the server is a Web caching server;

means for the server identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

means for determining that a criterion is satisfied, wherein the criterion is satisfied when the Web caching server is processing a number of requests that is below a specified value;

means for, based on a criterion being satisfied,

the server causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file in a first storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file comprises the server causing the first Web object to be moved from the first temporary location to the first storage location; and

the server causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file in a second storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file comprises the server causing the second Web object to be moved from the second temporary location to the second storage location;

wherein the second storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the first storage location in response to identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

means for receiving, at the server from a second client device, a second request for the first Web object; and

means for, in response to the second request,

the server obtaining the first Web object by causing the first file to be read from the storage device in a first read operation;

the server obtaining the second Web object by causing the second file to be read from the storage device in a second read operation; and

the server sending to the second client device the first Web object and the second Web object.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first storage location is co-located with respect to the second storage location on the storage device because the first storage location and second storage location are associated with a relationship; and

the relationship is selected from the group consisting of;

(a) the first storage location and the second storage location are located within a first track of the storage device;

(b) the first storage location is within a first sector of a second track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second sector of the second track of the storage device, and the first sector is contiguous with the second sector;

(c) the first storage location is within a third track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fourth track of the storage device, and the third track is adjacent to the fourth track;

(d) the first storage location is within a first cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second cylinder of the storage device, and the first cylinder is adjacent to the second cylinder;

(e) the first storage location and the second location are located within a third cylinder of the storage device; and

(f) the first storage location is within a fourth cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fifth cylinder of the storage device, and the fourth cylinder is closely spaced with respect to the fifth cylinder.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the second Web object is a component of the Web page;

the component of the Web page is associated with a file type that is selected from the group consisting of a text file type, an image file type, an audio file type, and a video file type; and

the Web page and the component of the Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the component of the Web page being embedded within the Web page.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the Web page includes a hyper-link to the second Web object; and

the Web page and the second Web object have correlated retrieval times as a result of the Web page including the hyper-link to second Web object.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the first Web page and the second Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the second Web page being embedded within the first Web page.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the apparatus further comprises;

means for the server identifying that a third Web page is embedded within the second Web page;

means for the server obtaining the third Web page; and

means for the server causing the third Web page to be stored as a third file in a third storage location on the storage device, wherein the third storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the second storage location because the third Web page is embedded within the second Web page.

13. A computer-readable storage medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for storing Web objects in co-located positions on a storage device, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of:

receiving, at a server from a first client device, a first request for a first Web object;

in response to the first request,

the server obtaining the first Web object and a second Web object; and

the server sending to the first client device the first Web object and the second Web object;

the server causing the first Web object to be stored in a first temporary location on the storage device;

the server causing the second Web object to be stored in a second temporary location on the storage device,

wherein the storage device is included in the server;

wherein the server is a Web caching server;

the server identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

determining that a criterion is satisfied, wherein the criterion is satisfied when the Web caching server is processing a number of requests that is below a specified value;

based on a criterion being satisfied,

the server causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file in a first storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file comprises the server causing the first Web object to be moved from the first temporary location to the first storage location; and

the server causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file in a second storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file comprises the server causing the second Web object to be moved from the second temporary location to the second storage location;

wherein the second storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the first storage location in response to identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

receiving, at the server from a second client device, a second request for the first Web object; and

in response to the second request,

the server obtaining the first Web object by causing the first file to be read from the storage device in a first read operation;

the server obtaining the second Web object by causing the second file to be read from the storage device in a second read operation; and

the server sending to the second client device the first Web object and the second Web object.

14. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first storage location is co-located with respect to the second storage location on the storage device because the first storage location and second storage location are associated with a relationship; and

the relationship is selected from the group consisting of;

(a) the first storage location and the second storage location are located within a first track of the storage device;

(b) the first storage location is within a first sector of a second track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second sector of the second track of the storage device, and the first sector is contiguous with the second sector;

(c) the first storage location is within a third track of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fourth track of the storage device, and the third track is adjacent to the fourth track;

(d) the first storage location is within a first cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a second cylinder of the storage device, and the first cylinder is adjacent to the second cylinder;

(e) the first storage location and the second storage location are located within a third cylinder of the storage device; and

(f) the first storage location is within a fourth cylinder of the storage device, the second storage location is within a fifth cylinder of the storage device, and the fourth cylinder is closely spaced with respect to the fifth cylinder.

15. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the second Web object is a component of the Web page;

the component of the Web page is associated with a file type that is selected from the group consisting of a text file type, an image file type, an audio file type, and a video file type; and

the Web page and the component of the Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the component of the Web page being embedded within the Web page.

16. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first Web object is a Web page;

the Web page includes a hyper-link to the second Web object; and

the Web page and the second Web object have correlated retrieval times as a result of the Web page including the hyper-link to second Web object.

17. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the first Web page and the second Web page have correlated retrieval times as a result of the second Web page being embedded within the first Web page.

18. A computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 13, wherein:

the first Web object is a first Web page;

the second Web object is a second Web page; and

the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform the steps of;

the server identifying that a third Web page is embedded within the second Web page;

the server obtaining the third Web page; and

the server causing the third Web page to be stored as a third file in a third storage location on the storage device, wherein the third storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the second storage location because the third Web page is embedded within the second Web page.

19. A method for storing Web objects in co-located positions on a storage device, comprising:

receiving, at a server from a first client device, a first request for a first Web object;

in response to the first request,

the server obtaining the first Web object and a second Web object; and

the server sending to the first client device the first Web object and the second Web object;

the server causing the first Web object to be stored in a first temporary location on the storage device;

the server causing the second Web object to be stored in a second temporary location on the storage device,

wherein the storage device is included in the server;

wherein the server is a Web caching server;

the server identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

determining that a criterion is satisfied, wherein the criterion is satisfied when the Web caching server is processing a number of requests that is below a specified value;

based on a criterion being satisfied,

the server causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file in a first storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the first Web object to be stored as a first file comprises the server causing the first Web object to be moved from the first temporary location to the first storage location; and

the server causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file in a second storage location on the storage device, wherein causing the second Web object to be stored as a second file comprises the server causing the second Web object to be moved from the second temporary location to the second storage location;

wherein the second storage location is selected to be co-located with respect to the first storage location in response to identifying that the second Web object is embedded within the first Web object;

receiving, at the server from a second client device, a second request for the first Web object; and

in response to the second request,

the server obtaining the first Web object by causing the first file to be read from the storage device in a first read operation;

the server obtaining the second Web object by causing the second file to be read from the storage device in a second read operation; and

the server sending to the second client device the first Web object and the second Web object.