Method and system for network load balancing with a compound data structure

• US 7,590,625 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2006
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tennican, Scott P., Skene, Bryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEROUX, ETIENNE PIERRE
• Application Number:
  US11/532,876
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 707/2, 707/3, 707/102, 711/136
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/742 Route cache; Operation thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/25 of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

The invention provides for employing a complex data structure to optimize the retrieval of data over a network. The complex data structure includes two separate sub-data structures (Trie and List) that separately reference the same data objects in a data store. The Trie sub-data structure is used to fulfill a single data object request. The List sub-data structure is employed with function requests related to several data objects. Each data object is associated with a parent object that includes a list of every reference to the data object in both the Trie and List sub-data structures. A collector object is a type of data object that is associated with a member object and which includes a list of other related data/collector objects. When data associated with the collector object is requested, other data associated with the other data/collector objects on the member object list are automatically retrieved.

Claims

1. An apparatus usable in managing network connections over a network, comprising:

a network interface for use in receiving and sending data; and

a processor coupled to the network interface, and operative to perform actions, including;

storing a plurality of connection data objects in a data store;

for each stored connection data object, assigning each of a plurality of different data structure types to the same stored connection data object;

in response to a request for a connection data object, automatically determining one of the plurality of different data structure types best suited to retrieve the requested connection data object; and

employing the determined data structure type to retrieve the requested connection data object.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to perform actions, further including:

associating a parent object with each connection data object, the parent object identifying each reference for the associated connection data object in the plurality of different data structure types; and

if at least one connection data object is deleted, employing each parent object associated with each deleted connection data object to identify each reference for the deleted connection data object such that each reference to the deleted connection data object is deleted.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of connection data objects comprise at least one of a port number, or IP address.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is further configured to operate as a server array controller.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the requested connection data object represents a network address a virtual server.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to perform actions, further including:

employing the requested connection data object to direct network traffic from one network device to another network device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is operative to perform actions, further comprising:

identifying a key in the request for the connection data object, wherein the key represents at least one of an IP address or a port number;

dividing the key into segments; and

employing each segment to search one of the plurality of different data structure type to locate the requested connection data object.

8. A computer-storage medium having computer-executable instructions for managing requests over a network, the computer-executable instructions when installed onto a computer enable the computer to perform actions, comprising:

storing a plurality of network connection data in a data store, wherein for each stored network connection datum each of a plurality of different data structure types is assigned to the same stored network connection datum;

if one network connection datum is requested, automatically determining one of the plurality of different data structure types best suited to retrieve the one network connection datum and employing the determined data structure type to locate and retrieve the one network connection datum from the data store; and

in response to a request to delete at least one network connection datum, automatically deleting each reference to each deleted network connection datum in the plurality of different data structure types.

9. The computer-storage medium of claim 8, wherein the machine-executable instructions enable the machine to perform actions, further comprising:

if a plurality of related network connection data are requested, automatically determining another one of the plurality of different data structure types best suited to retrieve the plurality of related network connection data and employing the determined other one of the plurality of different data structure types to locate and retrieve the plurality of related network connection data from the data store.

10. The computer-storage medium of claim 8, wherein the plurality of different data structure types comprise a Trie data structure type, a list data structure type, and a hash data structure type.

11. The computer-storage The machine-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the machine is configured to operate as at least one of a router, cache device, a firewall, or a server array controller.

12. The computer-storage medium of claim 8, wherein the machine is further configured to employ the network connection data to direct network traffic to an associated virtual server.

13. The computer-storage medium of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of different data structure types are based on at least one of an IP address or a port number.

14. A system useable in managing network connections over a network including a network interface, comprising:

a data store that is configured to store a plurality of network connection data; and

a processor coupled to the network interface, and operative to perform actions, including;

for each stored network connection data, assigning each of a plurality of different data structure types to the same stored network connection data;

in response to a request for a network connection data;

automatically determining one of the plurality of different data structure types best suited to retrieve the requested network connection data; and

employing the determined data structure type to retrieve the requested network connection data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the determination of one of the plurality of different data structure types is based in part on whether the request includes a key identifying the network connection data.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the key represents at least one of an IP address, or a port number.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is operative to perform actions, further comprising:

in response to a request to delete at least one the plurality of stored network connection data, automatically deleting each reference to each deleted network connection data in the plurality of different data structure types.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is operative to perform actions, further comprising:

employing the retrieved network connection data to access a virtual server.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the network connection data is associated with a network address for at least one virtual server in a pool of virtual servers.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the network connection data is associated with Network Address Translation (NAT) connections.