System enabling server progressive workload reduction to support server maintenance

• US 7,441,046 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cerner Innovation, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Haley, John D., Song, Xiping, Kaehn, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): Carodne; Jason
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jakovac; Ryan J
• Application Number:
  US10/783,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021771A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/142 Managing session states for stateless protocols; Signalling session states; State transitions; Keeping-state mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

A data switching system, having a switch processor, directs requests to initiate a new operation session of an executable application. The switch processor parses received data representing a received universal resource locator (URL) to identify whether the received URL is associated with a request to initiate an operation session of an executable application. If the received URL is associated with a request to initiate an operation session, the switch processor initiates a data access request at a second URL address hosted by a particular server. In response to receiving a response indicating success of the data access request at the second URL address hosted by the particular server, the switch processor directs the request to initiate the operation session of the executable application to the particular server.

Claims

1. A data switching system for directing requests to initiate a new operation session of an executable application, comprising:

a switch processor for,

parsing received data representing a received URL to identify whether said received URL is associated with a request to initiate an operation session of an executable application, and if said received URL is associated with a request to initiate an operation session,

initiating a data access request at a second URL address hosted by a particular server; and

in response to receiving a response indicating failure of said data access request at said second URL address hosted by said particular server,

directing said request to initiate said operation session of said executable application to a server other than said particular server, said failure resulting from a change of destination address stored in said particular server made without accessing said switch processor.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said change of destination address stored in said particular server comprises change of file name of said particular server and

said received URL is at least one of, (a) the same as said second URL and (b) different to said second URL.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein

in response to receiving a response indicating failure of said data access request at said second URL address hosted by said particular server,

directing said request to initiate said operation session of said executable application to a server other than said particular server and

in response to receiving a response indicating success of said data access request at said second URL address hosted by said particular server,

directing said request to initiate said operation session of said executable application to said particular server.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said failure response results from a user changing a destination address stored in said particular server, said destination address corresponding to said second URL address, said failure indicating said particular server is not accepting requests to initiate an operation session of an executable application.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said switch processor,

parses data representing a URL to identify whether a URL is associated with a data request of a first or different second type, and

processes said URL associated data request of a first type differently to a URL associated data request of a second type.

6. A system according to claim 5, wherein

said switch processor parses data representing a URL to identify whether a URL associated data request is of a first type by determining if a URL data field identifies a server.

7. A system according to claim 6, wherein

said switch processor parses data representing a URL to identify whether a URL associated data request is of a first type by determining if a URL data field contains an ASP extension.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said switch processor parses data representing a URL to identify whether a URL is stateless.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein

said switch processor determines if a URL is stateless by determining if a URL data field contains at least one of, (a) a .gif extension, (b) a .js extension (c) a .jpeg extension and (d) a .html extension.

10. A system according to claim 1, wherein

said switch processor redirects a stateless data request directed to said particular server to a server different to said particular server in response to receiving a response indicating failure of said data access request at said second URL address hosted by said particular server.

11. A system according to claim 1, wherein

a URL associated data request of a first type is performable by a particular server and

a URL associated data request of a second type is performable by a plurality of different servers.

12. A system enabling a user to reduce workload of a server to support maintenance of said server, comprising:

an interface processor in a particular server for

changing a destination address stored in said particular server from a first destination address to a second destination address without accessing a remote switch processor, in response to user command, said change to said second destination address being used to identify said particular server is unavailable for initiation of new operation sessions of applications,

receiving a URL request to access data at said first destination address from said switch processor,

determining said URL request to access data cannot be accomplished because of said changed destination address and

initiating communication of a message identifying failure of said data access request to said switch processor.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said change of destination address stored in said particular server comprises change of file name of said particular server and

said message identifying failure of said data access request indicates said particular server is unavailable for initiation of new operation sessions of applications.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said interface processor parses data representing a URL to identify whether a URL associated data request is associated with a previously initiated operation session of an application.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said interface processor terminates a previously initiated operation session of an application in response to a timeout command.

16. A system according to claim 12, including

a display generator for initiating generation of data representing at least one display image enabling user entry of a command changing a destination address stored in said particular server from a first destination address to a second destination address.

17. A system according to claim 12, wherein

said interface processor in said particular server changes a destination address stored in said particular server from a second destination address to a first destination address, in response to user command, said change to said first destination address being used to identify said particular server is available for initiation of new operation sessions of applications.

18. A user interface system stored on a computer-readable medium enabling a user to reduce workload of a server to support maintenance of said server, comprising:

a display generator for initiating generation of data representing at least one display image, enabling user entry of a command changing a destination address stored in a particular server from a first destination address to a second destination address without accessing a remote switch processor communicating with said particular server, said change to said second destination address being used to identify said particular server is unavailable for initiation of new operation sessions of applications and in response to failure of said command indicating said failure by an indicator in said at least one display image.