Network status server, information distribution system, control method, and storage medium for storing control program

• US 7,353,291 B1
• Filed: 06/20/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Ogino, Tsukasa
• Primary Examiner(s): Wiley; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOUTAH, ALINA A
• Application Number:
  US09/597,145
• Time in Patent Office: 2,842 Days
• Field of Search: 709/105, 709/220, 709/203, 709/204, 709/223, 709/224, 709/238, 709/239, 709/241
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs

Abstract

There is disclosed a network status server for receiving an inquiry from a web server accessed by a client, and using path information and determining the optimum web server to return a response to the accessed web server. The web server receiving the response instructs the client to access the optimum web server from the next time. In this constitution, accesses among the dispersed/arranged web server sites are leveled, and access loads can be leveled even among the web servers in the respective web server sites. Moreover, the client can access the optimum web server.

Claims

1. A server determination apparatus, comprising:

first receiving means for receiving a first inquiry from a first one of a plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers a client should access based on a first access request received by the first one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client;

collection means for collecting, from the plurality of information distribution servers, network state information between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers;

first server determination means for determining, based on a logical distance between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first one of the plurality of the information distribution servers;

first informing means for informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first server determination means;

second receiving means for receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first one of the information distribution servers information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing means;

second server determination means for determining, based on network state information collected by said collecting means between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving means and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving means, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

second informing means for informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the inquiry received by the second receiving means which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determination means.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collection means collects, as the network state information, at least one of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said collection means collects at least one of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein as the network state information, said collection means collects at least one of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, a number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.

6. A server determination apparatus, comprising:

first receiving means for receiving a first inquiry from a first information distribution server, wherein the first inquiry is submitted by the first information distribution server based on a first access request received by the first information distribution server from a client;

collection means for collecting, from each of a plurality of information distribution servers, state information of each of the plurality of information distribution servers;

first server determination means for determining, based on a logical distance between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first information distribution server;

first informing means for informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first server determination means;

second receiving means for receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first information distribution server information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing means;

second server determination means for determining, based on state information of each of the information distribution servers collected by said collecting means between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving means and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving means, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

second informing means for informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the second inquiry received by the second receiving means which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determination means.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said first and second server determination means determines one of a plurality of sites provided with the plurality of information distribution servers, and determines the one of the plurality of information distribution servers in the determined one of the plurality of sites.

8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said collection means collects as the state information at least one information of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of said plurality of information distribution servers.

9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said state information comprises network state information in a plurality of sites provided with the plurality of information distribution servers.

10. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said collection means collects as the state information at least one information of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors in a plurality of sites provided the plurality of information distribution servers.

11. The apparatus according to claim 6, said collection means collects as the state information at least one information of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, a number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.

13. A server determining method executed by a server determining apparatus, the method comprising:

a first receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a first inquiry from a first one of a plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers a client should access based on a first access request received by the first one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client;

a collecting step of the server determining apparatus collecting, from the plurality of information distribution servers, network state information between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers;

a first server determining step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on a logical distance between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first one of the plurality of the information distribution servers;

a first informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first determining step;

a second receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first one of the information distribution servers information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing step;

a second server determining step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on network state information collected by said collecting step between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving step and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving step, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

a second informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the inquiry received by the second receiving step which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determining step.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein, as the network state information, said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.

18. A server determination method executed by a server determining apparatus, the method comprising:

a first receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a first inquiry from a first information distribution server as to which one of a plurality of information distribution servers a client should access based on a first access request received by the first information distribution server from the client;

a collection step of the server determining apparatus collecting, from each of the plurality of information distribution servers, state information of each of the plurality of information distribution servers;

a first server determination step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on a logical distance between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first information distribution server;

a first informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first server determination step;

a second receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first information distribution server information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing step;

a second server determination step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on state information of each of the information distribution servers collected by said collecting step between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving step and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving step, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

a second informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the second inquiry received by the second receiving step which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determination step.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said first and second server determination steps determine one of a plurality of sites provided with the plurality of information distribution servers, and determines the one of the plurality of information distribution servers in the determined one of the plurality of sites.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said collecting step further comprises collecting at least one information of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

21. The method according to claim 18, wherein said state information comprises network state information in a plurality of sites provided with the plurality of information distribution servers.

22. The method according to claim 18, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one information of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors in a plurality of sites proved with the plurality of information distribution servers.

23. The method according to claim 18, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one information of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, a number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of said plurality of information distribution servers.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.

25. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer readable server determining program executed by a server determining apparatus, the program comprising:

a first receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a first inquiry from a first information distribution server as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers a client should access based on a first access request received by the first one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client;

a collecting step of the server determining apparatus collecting, from the plurality of information distribution servers, network state information between the client and each of the plurality of information servers;

a first server determining step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on a logical distance between the client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first one of the plurality of the information distribution servers;

a first informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first server determining step;

a second receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first one of the information distribution servers information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing step;

a second server determining step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on network state information collected by said collecting step between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving step and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving step, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

a second informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the inquiry received by the second receiving step which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determining step.

26. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

27. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein, said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors.

28. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein, as the state information, said collecting step comprises collecting at least one of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, a number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

29. The storage medium according to claim 25, wherein the each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.

30. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer readable server determining program executed by a server determining apparatus, the program comprising:

a first receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a first inquiry from a first information distribution server as to which one of a plurality of information distribution servers a client should access based on a first access request received by the first information distribution server from the client;

a collecting step of the server determining apparatus collecting, from each of the plurality of information distribution servers, state information of each of a plurality of information distribution servers;

a first server determining step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on a logical distance between a client and each of the plurality of information distribution servers, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client which submitted the first access request to the first information distribution servers;

a first informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the first information distribution server of the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the first server determining step;

a second receiving step of the server determining apparatus receiving a second inquiry from the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers as to which one of the plurality of information distribution servers the client should access based on a second access request received by the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers from the client, wherein the second access request received by the determined one of the information distribution servers is initiated by the client in response to receipt by the client from the first information distribution server information indicating the determined one of the plurality of information distribution servers informed by the first informing step;

a second server determination step of the server determining apparatus determining, based on state information of each of the information distribution servers collected by said collecting step between the time that the first inquiry is received by the first receiving step and the time that the second inquiry is received by the second receiving step, which one of the plurality of information distribution servers should be accessed by the client; and

a second informing step of the server determining apparatus informing the one of the plurality of information distribution servers that submitted the second inquiry received by the second receiving step which one of the plurality of information distribution servers that the client should access determined by the second server determination step.

31. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said first and second server determining steps determine one of a plurality of sites provided with the plurality of information distribution servers, and determines the one of the plurality of information distribution servers in the determined one of the plurality of sites.

32. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one information of a response time, a number of router steps, and a packet loss ratio between said client and each of the plurality of information distribution severs.

33. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said state information further comprises network state information in a plurality of sites provided with the information distribution servers.

34. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said collecting step further comprises collecting at least one information of a congestion degree, a number of packets, and a number of packet errors.

35. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting at least one information of a CPU load ratio, a CPU idle value, a number of connection links, and a disk load ratio of each of the plurality of information distribution servers.

36. The storage medium according to claim 30, wherein each of the plurality of information distribution servers includes the first information distribution server.