System and method for managing resources of a network load balancer via use of a presence server

• US 7,647,401 B1
• Filed: 10/14/2008
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Lanne, Fabien, Collet, Jean-Luc, Drouet, Francois-Xavier
• Primary Examiner(s): Winder; Patrice
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bhatia; Ajay
• Application Number:
  US12/250,564
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226, 709/206, 709/207
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users

Abstract

A system and associated method for managing resources of a network load balancer. The method begins with registering the network load balancer with the presence server. Next the network load balancer notifies the presence server when an end user requests resources from an application server connected to the network load balancer. The network load balancer then provides the end user access to the application server and subscribes to an information feed pertaining to the end user and supplied by the presence server. After receiving a notification from the presence server that the end user changed their presence information, the network load balancer updates their records pertaining to the end user in a database. Finally, the network load balancer determines whether to continue providing the end user with access to the application server or purge the end user'"'"'s records from the database.

Claims

1. A method for managing resources of a network load balancer via use of a presence server, the method comprising:

registering with said presence server, said registering being performed by said network load balancer;

after said registering, notifying said presence server of an end user requesting resources from an application server, said application server being connected to said network load balancer, said notifying being performed by said network load balancer;

after said notifying, providing said end user access to said application server by means of a network path monitored by said network load balancer, said providing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said providing, subscribing to an information feed being supplied by said presence server, said information feed pertaining to said end user, said subscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said subscribing, receiving from said presence server a notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said presence server sending said notification in response to said presence information pertaining to said end user having changed, said receiving being performed by said network load balancer;

after said receiving, identifying whether said end user was utilizing resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, said identifying being performed by said network load balancer; and

having identified said end user was utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, attempting to re-establish a connection between said end user and said network load balancer by sending a message having parameter UUID to said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said attempting being performed by said network load balancer;

having identified said end user was not utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said unsubscribing and said unregistering and said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

2. The method of claim 1, after being able to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

monitoring said information feed being supplied by said presence server for a subsequent said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said monitoring being performed by said network load balancer.

3. The method of claim 1, after being unable to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server, said unsubscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server, said unregistering being performed by said network load balancer; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

4. The method of claim 1, said registering with said presence server comprising:

sending to said presence server an Agent_Register message having parameters AppUID and AppType and IPAddress, said AppUID being a unique identifier for said network load balancer, said AppType being a numerical value indicating an application type for said network load balancer, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

5. The method of claim 1, said notifying said presence server of said end user requesting resources from said application server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_GetUserInfo message having a parameter IPAddress, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer;

receiving an acknowledgement message having parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info from said presence server in response to said sending, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said UUID-Infor being any other information gathered by said presence server with respect to said end user; and

storing said parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

6. The method of claim 1, said subscribing to said information feed being supplied by said presence server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_Subscribe message having parameter UUID, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

7. The method of claim 1, said receiving from said presence server said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed further comprising:

receiving a Notify message having parameters UUID and Status from said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said Status being a numerical value representing the status state of said end user; and

storing said parameters UUID and Status as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

8. A computer program product, comprising a computer-usable storage medium having a computer-readable program code stored therein, said computer-readable program code containing instructions that when executed by a processor of a computer system implement a method for managing resources of a network load balancer via use of a presence server, the method comprising:

registering with said presence server, said registering being performed by said network load balancer;

after said registering, notifying said presence server of an end user requesting resources from an application server, said application server being connected to said network load balancer, said notifying being performed by said network load balancer;

after said notifying, providing said end user access to said application server by means of a network path monitored by said network load balancer, said providing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said providing, subscribing to an information feed being supplied by said presence server, said information feed pertaining to said end user, said subscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said subscribing, receiving from said presence server a notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said presence server sending said notification in response to said presence information pertaining to said end user having changed, said receiving being performed by said network load balancer;

after said receiving, identifying whether said end user was utilizing resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, said identifying being performed by said network load balancer; and

having identified said end user was utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, attempting to re-establish a connection between said end user and said network load balancer by sending a message having parameter UUID to said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said attempting being performed by said network load balancer;

having identified said end user was not utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said unsubscribing and said unregistering and said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, after being able to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

monitoring said information feed being supplied by said presence server for a subsequent said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said monitoring being performed by said network load balancer.

10. The computer program product of claim 8, after being unable to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server, said unsubscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server, said unregistering being performed by said network load balancer; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

11. The computer program product of claim 8, said registering with said presence server comprising:

sending to said presence server an Agent_Register message having parameters AppUID and AppType and IPAddress, said AppUID being a unique identifier for said network load balancer, said AppType being a numerical value indicating an application type for said network load balancer, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

12. The computer program product of claim 8, said notifying said presence server of said end user requesting resources from said application server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_GetUserInfo message having a parameter IPAddress, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer;

receiving an acknowledgement message having parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info from said presence server in response to said sending, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said UUID-Infor being any other information gathered by said presence server with respect to said end user; and

storing said parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

13. The computer program product of claim 8, said subscribing to said information feed being supplied by said presence server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_Subscribe message having parameter UUID, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

14. The computer program product of claim 8, said receiving from said presence server said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed further comprising:

receiving a Notify message having parameters UUID and Status from said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said Status being a numerical value representing the status state of said end user; and

storing said parameters UUID and Status as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

15. A computing system comprising a processor coupled to a computer-readable memory unit, said memory unit comprising a software application, said software application comprising instruction that when executed by said processor, implement a method for managing resources of a network load balancer via use of a presence server, the method comprising:

registering with said presence server, said registering being performed by said network load balancer;

after said registering, notifying said presence server of an end user requesting resources from an application server, said application server being connected to said network load balancer, said notifying being performed by said network load balancer;

after said notifying, providing said end user access to said application server by means of a network path monitored by said network load balancer, said providing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said providing, subscribing to an information feed being supplied by said presence server, said information feed pertaining to said end user, said subscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said subscribing, receiving from said presence server a notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said presence server sending said notification in response to said presence information pertaining to said end user having changed, said receiving being performed by said network load balancer;

after said receiving, identifying whether said end user was utilizing resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, said identifying being performed by said network load balancer; and

having identified said end user was utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, attempting to re-establish a connection between said end user and said network load balancer by sending a message having parameter UUID to said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said attempting being performed by said network load balancer;

having identified said end user was not utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said unsubscribing and said unregistering and said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

16. The computing system of claim 15, after being able to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

monitoring said information feed being supplied by said presence server for a subsequent said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said monitoring being performed by said network load balancer.

17. The computing system of claim 15, after being unable to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server, said unsubscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server, said unregistering being performed by said network load balancer; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

18. The computing system of claim 15, said registering with said presence server comprising:

sending to said presence server an Agent_Register message having parameters AppUID and AppType and IPAddress, said AppUID being a unique identifier for said network load balancer, said AppType being a numerical value indicating an application type for said network load balancer, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

19. The computing system of claim 15, said notifying said presence server of said end user requesting resources from said application server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_GetUserInfo message having a parameter IPAddress, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer;

receiving an acknowledgement message having parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info from said presence server in response to said sending, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said UUID-Infor being any other information gathered by said presence server with respect to said end user; and

storing said parameters IPAddress and UUID and UUID-Info as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

20. The computing system of claim 15, said subscribing to said information feed being supplied by said presence server comprising:

sending said presence server an Agent_Subscribe message having parameter UUID, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.

21. The computing system of claim 15, said receiving from said presence server said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed further comprising:

receiving a Notify message having parameters UUID and Status from said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said Status being a numerical value representing the status state of said end user; and

storing said parameters UUID and Status as presence information in a database being connected to said network load balancer.

22. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computing system, wherein said code in combination with the computing system is capable of implementing a method for managing resources of a network load balancer via use of a presence server, the method comprising:

registering with said presence server, said registering being performed by said network load balancer;

after said registering, notifying said presence server of an end user requesting resources from an application server, said application server being connected to said network load balancer, said notifying being performed by said network load balancer;

after said notifying, providing said end user access to said application server by means of a network path monitored by said network load balancer, said providing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said providing, subscribing to an information feed being supplied by said presence server, said information feed pertaining to said end user, said subscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said subscribing, receiving from said presence server a notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said presence server sending said notification in response to said presence information pertaining to said end user having changed, said receiving being performed by said network load balancer;

after said receiving, identifying whether said end user was utilizing resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, said identifying being performed by said network load balancer; and

having identified said end user was utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, attempting to re-establish a connection between said end user and said network load balancer by sending a message having parameter UUID to said presence server, said UUID being a unique user identification value assigned to said end user, said attempting being performed by said network load balancer;

having identified said end user was not utilizing said resources of said application server at the time said presence server sent said notification, unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said unsubscribing and said unregistering and said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

23. The process for supporting computer infrastructure of claim 22, after being able to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

monitoring said information feed being supplied by said presence server for a subsequent said notification that presence information pertaining to said end user changed, said monitoring being performed by said network load balancer.

24. The process for supporting computer infrastructure of claim 22, after being unable to re-establish said connection between said end user and said network load balancer, said method further comprising:

unsubscribing from said information feed being supplied by said presence server, said unsubscribing being performed by said network load balancer;

after said unsubscribing, unregistering with said presence server, said unregistering being performed by said network load balancer; and

purging from a database connected to said network load balancer presence information corresponding to said end user, said purging being performed by said network load balancer.

25. The process for supporting computer infrastructure of claim 22, said registering with said presence server comprising:

sending to said presence server an Agent_Register message having parameters AppUID and AppType and IPAddress, said AppUID being a unique identifier for said network load balancer, said AppType being a numerical value indicating an application type for said network load balancer, said IPAddress being a unique internet protocol (IP) address of said network load balancer; and

receiving an acknowledgement message from said presence server in response to said sending.