Method and system for optimizing resources

• US 7,321,953 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ip Ot Sub Ulc
• Original Assignee: Vignette Corporation (Open Text Corporation)
• Inventors: Thomas, David, Wells, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Thai; Tuan V.
• Application Number:
  US10/751,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20040148444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,478 Days
• Field of Search: 711/100, 711/118, 711/133, 711/136, 711/154, 711/167, 710/44
• US Class Current: 711/133
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0866 for peripheral storage systems, e.g. disk cache
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/123 with age lists, e.g. queue, most recently used [MRU] list or least recently used [LRU] list
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/264 Remote server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2212/465 Structured object, e.g. database record
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

The present invention provides a system and method for optimizing a cache that substantially eliminates reduces the disadvantages of previously developed cache management systems. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention provide a system of optimizing a cache by polling cached assets with a frequency dependent of the relative activity of a cached asset. An embodiment of the method of the system includes the steps of: (i) polling a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if the cached asset has been active within a first predefined period of time; (ii) if the cached asset has not been active, polling the cached asset according to a second schedule to determine if the cached asset has been inactive for at least a second predefined period of time; (iii) demoting the cached asset to less active status; and (iv) if the cached asset has been inactive for at least within the second predefined period of time, demoting the cached asset to inactive status. In one embodiment of the present invention, if the cached asset has been active within the second predefined period of time, the cached asset can again be polled according to the first frequency. The frequency with which the cached asset can be polled according to the first and second schedule can be a matter of optimization. Polling according to the first schedule can occur at a greater frequency than polling according to the second schedule. Thus, more active assets can be polled more often than less active assets.

Claims

1. A method for managing a cache comprising:

polling a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assigning said cached asset a new status; and

polling said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein in the step of polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

6. A method for managing a cache comprising:

polling a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assigning said cached asset a new status; and

polling said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein in the step of polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule.

11. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, executable by a processor to:

poll a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assign said cached asset a new status; and

poll said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

15. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

16. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, executable by a processor to:

poll a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assign said cached asset a new status; and

poll said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

19. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

20. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule.

21. A method for managing a cache comprising:

storing an asset in a cache to create a cached asset;

polling the cached asset with a frequency dependent on the relative activity of the cached asset;

polling the cached asset with a first frequency corresponding to a first status of the cached asset; and

polling the cached asset with a second frequency corresponding to a second status of the cached asset;

wherein the first status and the second status are based on the relative activity of the cached asset.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the frequency increases as the relative activity of the cached asset increases and wherein the frequency decreases as the relative activity of the cached asset decreases.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein polling the cached asset further comprises processing a timestamp associated with the cached asset.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

26. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, executable by a processor to:

store an asset in a cache to create a cached asset; and

poll the cached asset with a frequency dependent on the relative activity of the cached asset;

wherein the set of computer instructions are executable to;

poll the cached asset with a first frequency corresponding to a first status of the cached asset; and

poll the cached asset with a second frequency corresponding to a second status of the cached asset;

wherein the first status and the second status are based on the relative activity of the cached asset.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the set of computer instructions are executable to change the frequency as the relative activity of the cached asset changes.

28. The computer program product of claim 26, wherein the set of computer instructions are executable to process a timestamp associated with the cached asset.

29. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

30. The computer program product of claim 28, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

31. A method for managing a cache comprising:

assigning a cached asset a first status;

polling the cached asset according to a first schedule corresponding to the first status;

assigning the cached asset a second status;

polling the cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the second status; and

assigning the cached asset the second status if the cached asset has not been active within the first period of time, wherein polling according to the first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to the second schedule.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

polling the cached asset according to a third schedule corresponding to a third status.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein:

polling the cached asset according to the first schedule further comprising polling the cached asset according to the first schedule for a first period of time.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein polling according to said first schedule and polling according to said second schedule further comprise processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

37. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, said set of computer instructions executable to:

assign a cached asset a first status;

poll the cached asset according to a first schedule corresponding to the first status;

assign the cached asset a second status; and

poll the cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the second status, wherein polling according to the first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to the second schedule.

38. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein said set of computer instructions are further executable to poll the cached asset according to a third schedule corresponding to a third status.

39. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein:

polling the cached asset according to the first schedule further comprises polling the cached asset according to the first schedule for a first period of time.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said set of computer instructions are further executable to assign the cached asset the second status if the cached asset has not been active within the first period of time.

41. The computer program product of claim 37, wherein said set of computer instructions are executable to a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

42. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

43. The computer program product of claim 41, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

44. A method for managing assets comprising:

storing an asset;

polling the asset with a frequency dependent on the relative activity of the asset;

polling the asset with a first frequency corresponding to a first status of the asset; and

polling the asset with a second frequency corresponding to a second status of the asset;

wherein the first status and the second status are based on the relative activity of the asset.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the frequency increases or decreases as the relative activity of the asset increases or decreases.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein polling the asset further comprises processing a timestamp associated with the asset.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

49. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, executable by a processor to:

store an asset;

poll the asset with a frequency dependent on the relative activity of the asset;

poll the asset with a first frequency corresponding to a first status of the asset; and

poll the asset with a second frequency corresponding to a second status of the asset;

wherein the first status and the second status are based on the relative activity of the asset.

50. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the set of computer instructions are executable to increase or decreases the frequency as the relative activity of the asset increases or decreases.

51. The computer program product of claim 49, wherein the set of computer instructions are executable to process a timestamp associated with the asset.

52. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

53. The computer program product of claim 51, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

54. A method for managing assets comprising:

assigning an asset a first status;

polling the asset according to a first schedule corresponding to the first status, wherein polling the asset according to the first schedule further comprises polling the asset according to the first schedule for a first period of time;

assigning the asset a second status;

assigning the asset the second status if the asset has not been active within the first period of time; and

polling the asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the second status, wherein polling according to the first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to the second schedule.

55. The method of claim 54, further comprising:

polling the asset according to a third schedule corresponding to a third status.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein polling according to said first schedule and polling according to said second schedule further comprise processing a timestamp associated with said asset.

57. The method of claim 56, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

58. The method of claim 56, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

59. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, said set of computer instructions executable to:

assign an asset a first status;

poll the asset according to a first schedule corresponding to the first status;

assign the asset a second status; and

poll the asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the second status, wherein polling according to the first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to the second schedule.

60. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said set of computer instructions are further executable to poll the asset according to a third schedule corresponding to a third status.

61. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein:

polling the asset according to the first schedule further comprises polling the asset according to the first schedule for a first period of time.

62. The computer program product of claim 61, wherein said set of computer instructions are further executable to assign the asset the second status if the asset has not been active within the first period of time.

63. The computer program product of claim 59, wherein said set of computer instructions are executable to process a timestamp associated with said asset.

64. The computer program product of claim 63, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

65. The computer program product of claim 63, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

66. A method for managing a cache comprising:

polling a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assigning said cached asset a new status; and

polling said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule, and wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

67. The method of claim 66, wherein in the step of polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

69. The method of claim 67, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.

70. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, executable by a processor to:

poll a cached asset according to a first schedule to determine if said cached asset has been active within a first period of time;

if said cached asset has not been active within said first period of time;

assign said cached asset a new status; and

poll said cached asset according to a second schedule corresponding to the new status to determine if said cached asset has been active within a second period of time, wherein polling according to said first schedule occurs at a greater frequency than polling according to said second schedule, and wherein said second period of time is longer than said first period of time.

71. The computer program product of claim 70, wherein polling said cached asset according to said first schedule further comprises processing a timestamp associated with said cached asset.

72. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last accessed timestamp.

73. The computer program product of claim 71, wherein said timestamp further comprises a last modified timestamp.