Load balancing technique implemented in a data network device utilizing a data cache
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method for effecting electronic commerce over a data network, the method comprising:
- receiving an initial block of data from a device;
assigning the initial block of data from the device to a first server of a server system,the server system including a plurality of servers for performing load balancing,a session being initiated between the device and the first server,the first server being coupled to a first data cache and a database,information associated to the session being stored in both the first data cache and the database, the information associated to the session including an identifier for the session, andthe first server having information related to a plurality of products available for purchase from an on-line merchant;
generating a response to the initial block of data at the first server, with the response including information associated to the session;
transmitting the response to the device; and
causing subsequent blocks of data received from the device to be routed to the first server, with information related to at least one of the subsequent blocks of data stored in both the first data cache and the database, and with such information being stored as associated to the session,wherein at least one subsequent block of data is related to purchasing a product from the plurality of products in an electronic shopping cart corresponding to the device; and
wherein the method further comprises retrieving information associated to the session from the database into the first data cache if the first server detects that at least state data related to such information can not be accessed from the first data cache due to a cache miss.
4 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for implementing a load balanced server system are described which may be used for effecting electronic commerce over a data network. The system comprises a load balancing system and a plurality of servers in communication with the load balancing system. Each of the plurality of servers may include a respective data cache for storing state information relating to client session transactions conducted between the server and a particular client. The load balancing system can be configured to select, using a load balancing protocol, an available first server from the plurality of servers to process an initial packet received from a source device such as, for example, a client machine of a customer. The load balancing system can also configured to route subsequent packets received from the source device to the first server. Before generating its response, the first server may verify that the state information relating to a specific client session stored in the data cache is up-to-date. If the first server determines that the state information stored in the data cache is not up-to-date, then the first server may be configured to retrieve the desired up-to-date state information from a database which is configured to store all state information relating to client sessions which have been initiated with the server system.
-
Citations
11 Claims
-
1. A computer-implemented method for effecting electronic commerce over a data network, the method comprising:
-
receiving an initial block of data from a device; assigning the initial block of data from the device to a first server of a server system, the server system including a plurality of servers for performing load balancing, a session being initiated between the device and the first server, the first server being coupled to a first data cache and a database, information associated to the session being stored in both the first data cache and the database, the information associated to the session including an identifier for the session, and the first server having information related to a plurality of products available for purchase from an on-line merchant; generating a response to the initial block of data at the first server, with the response including information associated to the session; transmitting the response to the device; and causing subsequent blocks of data received from the device to be routed to the first server, with information related to at least one of the subsequent blocks of data stored in both the first data cache and the database, and with such information being stored as associated to the session, wherein at least one subsequent block of data is related to purchasing a product from the plurality of products in an electronic shopping cart corresponding to the device; and wherein the method further comprises retrieving information associated to the session from the database into the first data cache if the first server detects that at least state data related to such information can not be accessed from the first data cache due to a cache miss. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A computer-implemented method for effecting electronic commerce over a data network, the method comprising:
-
receiving an initial block of data from a device; assigning the initial block of data from the device to a first server of a server system, the server system including a plurality of servers for performing load balancing, a session being initiated between the device and the first server, the first server being coupled to a first data cache and a database, information associated to the session being stored in both the first data cache and the database, the information associated to the session including an identification for the session, the first server having information related to a plurality of products available for purchase from an on-line merchant, and each of the plurality of servers including a plurality of addresses for accessing information via that server; generating a response to the initial block of data at the first server, with the response including information associated to the session, and including at least one address for accessing information via the first server; transmitting the response to the device; and causing at least one subsequent block of data received from the device to be routed to the first server based on the at least one address, wherein information related to a subsequent block of data is stored in both the first data cache and the database, with such information being stored as associated to the session, and the subsequent block of data is related to purchasing a product from the plurality of products in an electronic shopping cart corresponding to the device, wherein the method further comprises retrieving information associated to the session from the database into the first data cache if the first server detects that at least state data related to such information can not be accessed from the first data cache due to a cache miss.
-
-
11. A computer-implemented method for effecting electronic commerce over a data network, the method comprising:
-
receiving an initial block of data from a device; assigning the initial block of data from the device to a first server of a server system, the server system including a plurality of servers for performing load balancing, a session being initiated between the device and the first server, the first server being coupled to a first data cache and a database, information associated to the session being stored in both the first data cache and the database, the information associated to the session including an identification for the session, and the first server having information related to a plurality of products available for purchase from an on-line merchant, generating a first response to the initial block of data at the first server, with the first response including information associated to the session, and including information related to a server identifier corresponding to the first server; transmitting the first response to the device; and causing subsequent blocks of data received from the device to be routed to the first server, with information related to at least one of the subsequent blocks of data stored in both the first data cache and the database, and with such information being stored as associated to the session, wherein the at least one subsequent block of data is related to purchasing a product from the plurality of products in an electronic shopping cart corresponding to the device, wherein at least one subsequent block of data received from the device includes information related to the server identifier, wherein the server system is further configured or designed to compare the information related to the server identifier received from the device with information related to the server identifier accessed from the first server, and wherein the server system is further configured or designed to flush at least a portion of the first data cache and to have information in the at least a portion of the first data cache retrieved from the database if information related to the server identifier provided by the device is different from the information related to the server identifier accessed from the first server due to a cache miss.
-
Specification