Method and system for reestablishing connection information on a switch connected to plural servers in a computer network

• US 7,363,347 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2002
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, David Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn; William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mesfin; Yemane
• Application Number:
  US10/289,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093416A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,993 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/219, 709220-222, 709/245, 709/246, 709/228
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for reestablishing connection information on a switch connected to plural servers in a computer network. In accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention, an identification is made, at the switch, of information to be transferred through the switch between a client and a first server. A determination is made of an absence of connection information on the switch for transferring the information from the client to the first server through the switch. In response to determining an absence of connection information, the connection information on the switch is reconstructed using connection information extracted from an information packet passing through the switch from at least one of the plural servers during a connection associated with the information.

Claims

1. A method for reestablishing connection information on a switch connected to plural servers in a computer network, comprising:

identifying, at the switch, information to be transferred through the switch between a client and a first server;

determining an absence of connection information on the switch used to transfer the information between the client and the first server through the switch;

transferring the information to a victim server using a dispersal algorithm that is established at the switch through one of the plural servers, the victim server being one of the plural servers designated to handle the transfer upon determining an absence of connection information on the switch; and

responding to the determining by reconstructing the connection information on the switch using connection information extracted from an information packet passing through the switch from at least one of the plural servers during a communication associated with the information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information to be transferred through the switch is information included in the information packet from the at least one of the plural servers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information to be transferred through the switch is information included in a first information packet transferred to the switch from the client, and the connection information is reconstructed on the switch using a second information packet sent by the at least one server to the switch in response to the first information packet.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising:

determining a group membership of the computer network, wherein the group membership includes the plural servers that are active in the computer network.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the group membership of the computer network is determined at predetermined time intervals.

6. The method of claim 4, comprising:

allocating, by the plural servers, a computer network connection address space among the plural servers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the computer network connection address space is allocated among the plural servers based upon a connection load of each of the plural servers.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plural servers notifies the switch of the dispersal algorithm to be used by the switch for allocating computer network connection address space of the plural servers.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersal algorithm is a predetermined matching function which is known to the plural servers and which is stored at the switch.

10. The method of claim 9, comprising:

storing the information in a computer memory of the victim server; and

forwarding the information packet from the victim server to the at least one of the plural servers.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the information packet is forwarded through the switch from the victim server to the at least one server, and wherein the information packet contains the address of the at least one server.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the connection information is a connection tuple of the information packet.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the responding comprises:

extracting, by the switch, the connection tuple from the information packet on the switch.

14. A system for reestablishing connection information in a switch of a computer network, comprising:

plural servers;

a switch, connected to each of the plurality of servers, for identifying information transferred through the switch between a client and a first server, for determining an absence of connection information on the switch used to transfer the information from the client to the first server through the switch, and for responding to the determination of the absence of connection information by reconstructing the connection information on the switch using connection information extracted from an information packet passing through the switch from at least one of the plurality of servers during a communication associated with the information, wherein said switch is configured to transfer the information to a victim server using a dispersal algorithm that is established at the switch through one of the plurality of servers, the victim server being one of the plural servers designated to handle the transfer upon determining an absence of connection information on the switch.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the information to be transferred through the switch is information included in the information packet from the at least one of the plural servers.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the information to be transferred through the switch is information included in a first information packet transferred to the switch from the client, and the connection information is reconstructed on the switch using a second information packet sent by the at least one server to the switch in response to the first information packet.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the switch and the plurality of servers determine a group membership of the computer network, and wherein the group membership includes the switch and the plurality of servers that are active in the computer network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the group membership of the computer network is determined at predetermined time intervals.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of servers allocate a computer network connection address space among the plurality of servers.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein at least one of the plural servers notifies the switch of the dispersal algorithm to be used by the switch for allocating computer network connection address space of the plurality of servers.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the dispersal algorithm is a predetermined matching function which is known to be plurality of servers and which is stored at the switch.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the connection information is a connection tuple of the information packet.

23. A method for reestablishing connection information on a switch connected to plural servers in a computer network, comprising:

identifying, at the switch, information to be transferred through the switch between a client and a first server;

determining an absence of connection information on the switch used to transfer the information between the client and the first server through the switch; and

responding to the determining by reconstructing the connection information on the switch using connection information extracted from an information packet passing through the switch from at least one of the plural servers during a communication associated with the information,

wherein at least one of the plural servers notifies the switch of a dispersal algorithm to be used by the switch for allocating computer network connection address space of the plural servers and, upon determining an absence of connection information on the switch, the information is transferred to a victim server using the dispersal algorithm.

24. A system for reestablishing connection information in a switch of a computer network, comprising:

plural servers;

a switch, connected to each of the plurality of servers, for identifying information transferred through the switch between a client and a first server, for determining an absence of connection information on the switch used to transfer the information from the client to the first server through the switch, and for responding information from the client to the first server through the switch, and for responding to the determination of the absence of connection information by reconstructing the connection information on the switch using connection information extracted from an information packet passing through the switch from at least one of the plurality of servers during a communication associated with the information,

wherein at least one of the plural servers notifies the switch of a dispersal algorithm to be used by the switch for allocating computer network connection address space of the plurality of servers and, upon determining an absence of connection information on the switch, the information is transferred to a victim server using the dispersal algorithm.