Multi-homed data forwarding storage

• US 7,599,997 B1
• Filed: 08/01/2008
• Issued: 10/06/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Distributed Media Solutions, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Edward Merritt, Gene Fein
• Inventors: Merritt, Edward, Fein, Gene
• Primary Examiner(s): Dennison; J Bret
• Application Number:
  US12/184,866
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 709/251, 709/212, 710/100
• US Class Current: 709/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/677 Multiple interfaces, e.g. multihomed nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for multi-homed data forwarding storage. A method includes, in a computer system having multiple non-loopback network addresses, receiving a request to store data, directing the data to a memory location associated with a first non-loopback network address available to receive the data, continuously forwarding the data from the memory location associated with the first non-loopback network address to a memory location associated with another non-loopback network address in the computer system without storing on any physical storage device in the computer system. The continuously forwarding can include detecting a presence of the data in a memory location associated with a specific non-loopback network address, and forwarding the data to another memory location of another non-loopback network address in the computer without storing on any physical storage device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

in a computer system having multiple non-loopback network addresses, receiving a request to store at least one data item;

directing the at least one data item to a first non-loopback network address available to receive the at least one data item;

in response to the request to store the at least one data item, continuously forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback addresses in the computer system without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium in the computer system, the continuously forwarding comprising;

detecting a presence of the at least one data item at a specific non-loopback network address; and

forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback addresses in the computer system without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium, the forwarded at least one data item being available for retrieval if a request to retrieve the at least one data item is received.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein continuously forwarding further comprises applying a time stamp to the at least one data item at the specific non-loopback network address.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the multiple non-loopback network addresses are non-loopback Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve the at least one data item being continuously forwarded in the computer system; and

retrieving the at least one data item from a non-loopback network address in the computer system in response to the request to retrieve the at least one data item.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein retrieving comprises:

matching the at least one data item request using a hash mark representing the at least one data item entering a non-loopback network address; and

forwarding the at least one data item from the non-loopback network address to a requester.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising receiving an acknowledgment from the requester that the requested at least one data item has been received.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising periodically sending the at least one data item to a network of interconnected computers systems wherein the at least one data item is continuously forwarded from one computer to another computer in the network without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium in the network.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the computer system includes one of a wireless device, personal data assistant (PDA), laptop or personal computer (PC).

8. A tangible computer readable medium embodying instructions for causing a data processing apparatus to perform a method for storing data in a computer having multiple non-loopback network addresses, the method comprising:

receiving a request to store at least one data item;

directing the at least one data item to a first non-loopback network address available to receive the at least one data item;

in response to the request to store the at least one data item, continuously forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback network addresses in the computer system without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium in the computer system, the continuously forwarding comprising;

detecting a presence of the at least one data item at a specific non-loopback network address; and

forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback network addresses in the computer without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium, the forwarded at least one data item being available for retrieval if a request to retrieve the at least one data item is received.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein continuously forwarding further comprises applying a time stamp to the at least one data item at the specific non-loopback network address.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the multiple non-loopback network addresses are non-loopback Internet Protocol (IP) addresses.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving a request to retrieve the at least one data item being continuously forwarded in the computer system; and

retrieving the at least one data item from a non-loopback network address in the computer system in response to the request to retrieve the at least one data item.

12. The computer readable medium of claim 11 wherein retrieving comprises:

matching the at least one data item request using a hash mark representing the at least one data item at a non-loopback network address; and

forwarding the at least one data item from the non-loopback network address to a requester.

13. The computer readable medium of claim 12 wherein the method further comprises receiving an acknowledgment from the requester that the requested at least one data item has been received.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 8 wherein the computer includes one of a wireless device, personal data assistant (PDA), laptop or personal computer (PC).

14. A system comprising:

a processor;

multiple network interfaces, each of the network interfaces including a unique non-loopback Internet protocol (IP) address;

a data forwarding storage process comprising;

receiving a request to store at least one data item;

directing the at least one data item to a first non-loopback IP address available to receive the at least one data item;

in response to the request to store the at least one data item, continuously forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback IP addresses in the computer system without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium in the computer system, the continuously forwarding comprising;

detecting a presence of the at least one data item at a specific non-loopback IP address; and

forwarding the at least one data item among the multiple non-loopback IP addresses without storing the forwarded at least one data item on any fixed storage medium, the forwarded at least one data item being available for retrieval if a request to retrieve the at least one data item is received.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein continuously forwarding further comprises applying a time stamp to the at least one data item at the specific non-loopback IP address.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the data forwarding storage process further comprises:

receiving a request to retrieve the at least one data item being continuously forwarded in the computer system; and

retrieving the at least one data item from a non-loopback IP address in the computer system in response to the request to retrieve the at least one data item.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein retrieving comprises:

matching the at least one data item request using a hash mark representing the at least one data item at a non-loopback IP address; and

forwarding the at least one data item from the non-loopback IP address to a requester.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the data forwarding storage process further comprises receiving an acknowledgment from the requester that the requested at least one data item has been received.