Server, computer system, object management method, server control method, computer program

• US 7,571,446 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2002
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yajima, Akio, Hirose, Shinichi, Seki, Naishin
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; Andy
• Application Number:
  US10/474,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20040172630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,666 Days
• Field of Search: 719/330, 709/201, 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219
• US Class Current: 719/330
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4493 Object persistence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

It is one object of the present invention to provide a server, a computer system that can efficiently operate a server, an object management method and a server control method. For each web page that is presented to a user terminal, a server predicts the times whereat users will issue the next requests, i.e., the times NA whereat objects held by the server will be used, and manages objects stored in the main storage based on predicted use times NA. In the process employed for swapping an object out of the main storage, basically the object is swapped out whose predicted use time NA is the latest.

Claims

1. A server which employs an object designated for each user to perform a process in accordance with a user request received via a network, said server comprising:

first object storage means, for storing objects used to perform processes;

second object storage means, for storing an object transmitted by said first object storage means;

processing means, for performing a process, upon receiving a request from a user, by using an object stored in said first object storage means, said object becoming a currently used object;

use time prediction means, for predicting a next use time whereat said currently used object used by said processing means is to be used next by said processing means, said next use time being a predicted time whereat said currently used object is to be used by the processing means based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

object management means, for transmitting, based on said time predicted by said use time prediction means, said object by said first object storage means to said second object storage means.

2. The server according to claim 1, wherein said use time prediction means predicts, for each user, the next use time said object will be used, and said object management means is further used for transferring from the first object storage means to the second object storage means objects for which the predicted times have passed.

3. The server according to claim 1, wherein said processing means employs an object to perform a process sequence consisting of multiple steps, and wherein, at each of said steps of said process sequence, said use time prediction means predicts the time for the use of said object.

4. The server according to claim 1, wherein said object management means extracts from said first object storage means and transmits to said second object storage means an object for which the time for use has passed.

5. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing functions of a server, which employs an object designated for each user to perform a process in accordance with a user request received via a network, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 1.

6. The server according to claim 1, wherein:

said use time prediction means predicts, for each user, the next use time said object will be used, and said object management means is further used for transferring from the first object storage means to the second object storage means objects for which the predicted times have passed;

said processing means employs an object to perform a process sequence consisting of multiple steps, and wherein, at each of said steps of said process sequence, said use time prediction means predicts the time for the use of said object; and

said object management means extracts from said first object storage means and transmits to said second object storage means an object for which the time for use has passed.

7. A computer system comprising a processor which performs a process in accordance with a request received, via a network, from an external user terminal, said processor comprising:

a data output unit, for outputting to said user terminal, via said network, data requesting the input of content;

a request acceptance unit, for accepting data constituting requested content that is input at said user terminal based on said data output by said data output unit;

a main storage for storing objects generated for individual users;

a processing unit for employing a currently used object stored in said main storage to perform a process in accordance with said data indicating said requested contents;

an object management unit for managing objects stored in said main storage; and

a time prediction unit, for predicting, following the output of said data by said data output unit, a next use time whereat said processing unit will next employ said currently used object to perform a process, said next use time being a predicted time whereat the currently used object is to be used by the processing means based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

wherein, based on said time predicted by said time prediction unit, said object management unit manages said objects stored in said main storage.

8. The computer system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a time data accumulation unit for accumulating time data required from the time said data output unit outputs data to said user terminal until said processing unit employs an object to perform a process;

wherein said time prediction unit predicts a time for a specific user based on time data that are accumulated in said time data accumulation unit for multiple users and for said specific user, and said object management unit is further used for transferring from the main storage to a second object storage objects for which predicted times have passed.

9. The computer system according to claim 8, further comprising:

an index setting unit, for setting an index, for a specific user for whom a time is to be predicted, in a distribution of multiple sets of time data accumulated in said time data accumulation unit,

wherein said time prediction unit employs said index to predict said time for said specific user.

10. The computer system according to claim 8, wherein said time prediction unit predicts the time for said specific user by employing time data, for multiple users, that have been accumulated in said time data accumulation unit within an immediately preceding specified period of time.

11. The computer system according to claim 7, wherein a process sequence consisting of multiple steps is performed by using an object, and wherein, for each of said multiple steps, said time prediction unit predicts a time whereat said object is to be used the next time.

12. A computer program product comprising a tangible computer readable medium having recorded and computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing functions of a computer system, which performs a process in accordance with a request received, via a network, from an external user terminal, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 7.

13. A computer system in accordance with claim 7, and further comprising:

a time data accumulation unit for accumulating time data required from the time said data output unit outputs data to said user terminal until said processing unit employs an object to perform a process, wherein said time prediction unit predicts a time for a specific user based on time data that are accumulated in said time data accumulation unit for multiple users and for said specific user, and said object management unit is further used for transferring from the main storage to a second object storage objects for which predicted times have passed,

an index setting unit, for setting an index, for a specific user for whom a time is to be predicted, in a distribution of multiple sets of time data accumulated in said time data accumulation unit, wherein said time prediction unit employs said index to predict said time for said specific user,

wherein;

said time prediction unit predicts the time for said specific user by employing time data, for multiple users, that have been accumulated in said time data accumulation unit within an immediately preceding specified period of time;

a process sequence consisting of multiple steps is performed by using an object; and

for each of said multiple steps, said time prediction unit predicts a time whereat said object is to be used the next time.

14. A computer program product comprising a physical computer readable medium having recorded and computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing functions of a computer system, which performs a process in accordance with a request received, via a network, from an external user terminal, the computer readable program code means in said computer program product comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the functions of claim 13.

15. A method for managing objects stored in a main storage, said method comprising:

a prediction step of predicting a next use time whereat a said currently used object stored in said main storage is to be used next, said next use time being a predicted time where at currently used object is to be used based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

;

an object designation step of designating the object, of said objects stored in said main storage, for which said use time is the latest; and

a swap-out step of swapping said designated object out of said main storage.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein said object designation step and said swap-out step are performed when an object must be swapped out of said main storage in order for another object to be swapped in, or to generate a new object.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein said swap-out step is performed when said time predicted at said prediction step has elapsed, and further comprising a transferring step for transferring from main storage means to auxiliary storage objects for which the predicted times have passed.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein, at said prediction step, time is predicted in accordance with a fluctuation over time.

19. An article of manufacture comprising a tangible computer readable medium having recorded and computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing management of objects stored in a main storage, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 15.

20. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions recorded on tangible computer-readable medium and being executable by the computer to perform method steps for managing objects stored in a main storage, said method steps comprising the steps of claim 15.

21. A method for controlling a server that performs a process by using a current object stored in a main storage, said method comprising:

an output step of outputting the process results in accordance with a process request received from a user who has accessed said server via a network;

a data accumulation step of storing data for a required response time beginning upon the output of said process results and continuing until a response to said process results is received from a user;

a prediction step of employing the data accumulated for said response time to predict a next time whereat a response is to be input by said user relative to said process results that are output following the accumulation of said data for said response time, said next time being a predicted time whereat a currently used object is to be used based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

an execution step of employing said predicted time to swap an object out of said main storage.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

an index setting step of setting an index indicating the position of a response time for a specific user in the distribution, not only for said specific user but also for other users, of response time data accumulated at said data accumulation step, wherein, at said prediction step, time is predicted based on said index.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, at said prediction step, a time based on a standard index, which is set in advance, is predicted for a user for whom said index has not been set, and further comprising a transfer step for transferring from main storage to auxiliary storage means objects for which predicted times have passed.

24. The method according to claim 22, wherein said index setting step is performed each time response time data is accumulated at said data accumulation step.

25. A program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions recorded on tangible computer-readable medium and being executable by the computer to perform method steps for controlling a server that performs a process by using an object stored in a main storage, said method steps comprising the steps of claim 21.

26. An article of manufacture comprising a tangible computer readable medium having recorded and computer readable program code means embodied therein for causing control of a server that performs a process by using an object stored in a main storage, the computer readable program code means in said article of manufacture comprising computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect the steps of claim 21.

27. A computer program recorded on tangible computer-readable medium, said computer program permits a computer, which employs an object stored in main storage to perform a process in accordance with a request received from an external terminal, to perform:

a process for detecting a process request command issued by said external terminal;

a process for outputting data for process results in accordance with said process request command;

a process for predicting a next use time whereat said external terminal will enter in said process results the next process request command, said next use time being a predicted time whereat a currently used object is to be used based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

a process, based on said timing, for managing an object that is required to perform a process in accordance with said next process request command.

28. The computer program according to claim 27, which further permits said computer to swap out of said main storage an object, stored in said main storage, for which said predicted timing is the latest.

29. A computer program recorded on tangible computer-readable medium, said computer program permits a computer, which employs an object stored in main storage to perform a process in accordance with a request received from an external terminal, to perform:

a process for predicting a next use time whereat each of the objects stored in said main storage is to be used next, said next use time being a predicted time whereat a currently used object is to be used based on time data accumulated for multiple users of non-currently used objects and based on time data for the specific user of said currently used object; and

;

a process for designating an object, one of said objects in said main storage, for which said use time is the latest; and

a process for swapping said designated object out of said main storage.

30. A system for a process using objects comprising a plurality of user terminals connected via a network, such as the Internet or a LAN, to a server comprising at least one computer of a service provider,

said terminals being Personal Computers comprising:

a function for receiving data from the server via the network;

a browser function for displaying on a display screen of a monitor an image based on received data;

a data input function, such as is provided by a pointing device or a keyboard, enabling a user to enter information and a request based on the contents of the display screen; and

a function for transmitting to the server via the network, information entered using the data input function;

said server comprising;

a control block, for performing a process based on CPU instructions based on a control program installed in advance;

a memory being first object storage means, or main storage device, such as Dynamic Random Access Memory;

a hard disk drive being second object storage means or an auxiliary storage device; and

a data transmitter/receiver, for transmitting and receiving data via the network;

said control block comprising;

a request acceptance unit, for accepting a request issued by an external terminal and received via the network, by the data transmitter/receiver;

a processing unit, for performing a process in accordance with the received request; and

a process result transmitter being a data output unit, for transmitting to the terminal a process result obtained by the processing unit via the data transmitter/receiver and the network; and

said processing unit comprising;

an object management unit, for retrieving a required object from the memory, or for generating a new object, in order to perform a process in accordance with the request;

a memory management unit being object management means or an object management unit, for managing objects in the memory, including swapping out an object from the memory to the hard disk drive, or swapping in an object from the hard disk drive to the memory, when objects are managed by the memory management unit, the processing unit predicts a next time an access will occur during a process sequence session performed for a user, and the control block further comprises an access prediction unit being use time prediction means or a time prediction unit, said server performs the process requested by the user as a series of multiple steps, by the server 30 providing;

homepages for the user'"'"'s terminal, connected via the network to the server, and

web pages that correspond to individual steps of the process.

31. A system for a process using objects as recited in claim 30, employed for Internet banking, in accordance with an entry received from the user terminal,

said server sequentially presents:

a web page for accepting log-in ID and password entries,

a web page for accepting a process menu being a money transfer or an account balance inquiry selected by a user following the log-in,

a web page for accepting the entry of information being an account number for the money transfer destination, and an amount of money to be transferred required for execution of the process in accordance with a selected process menu,

a web page for receiving from the user a confirmation for the process contents, and

a web page for providing notification that the process has been completed.

32. A system for a process using objects as recited in claim 31, wherein in the server 30, therefore, based on a process request command and parameters included in the request, being request contents data, received by the request acceptance unit, the processing unit performs a predetermined process and presents the results to the user, and the process result transmitter transmits data for a web page that permits the user to enter the request contents for a next process step.

33. A system for a process using objects as recited in claim 32, wherein data for displaying the web pages on the terminal is stored on the hard disk drive of the server, and the process results transmitter reads, from the hard disk drive, data for a web page to be transmitted, being Hypertext Markup Language data, and the data transmitter/receiver transmits this Hypertext Markup Language data, together with process result data provided by the processing unit, to the terminal via the network 20.

34. A system for a process using objects as recited in claim 33, wherein the access prediction unit predicts a response time each user will access the next web page to each web page presented by the server, said response time being predicted that extends from a time whereat the server transmits the data for a web page to the use time, whereat the terminal, which receives the data, displays the web page and the user, by reading the web page and completing the requested items thereon, and transmits to the server via the terminal, a command that the server responds to by using an object for the user.