Caching content and state data at a network element

• US 7,664,879 B2
• Filed: 11/23/2004
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: De Datta, Raj K., Chan, Alex Yiu-Man, Haridas, Snehal
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Application Number:
  US10/997,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/226, 709/245, 711/113, 711/117, 711/118, 370/389, 370/392
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element'"'"'s cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application.

In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.

Claims

1. A method of caching data at a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at a first network element, one or more first data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the first network element;

determining a first application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more first data packets, wherein content of the first application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more first data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more first data packets, and wherein the content of the first application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application;

generating a cache key based on at least a portion of the content of the first application layer message;

intercepting, at the first network element, one or more second data packets that the server application addressed to the client application in response to the particular request;

determining a second application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more second data packets, wherein content of the second application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more second data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more second data packets;

storing at least a portion of the content of the second application layer message within a particular cache at the first network element; and

storing, in the particular cache, an association between the cache key and the portion of the content of the second application layer messages;

wherein the method is performed by one or more computing devices.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a message classification based on the content of the second application layer message;

wherein storing the portion of the content of the second application layer message comprises storing a portion that is designated by a user-programmed policy that is associated with the message classification.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

synchronizing one or more additional caches with the particular cache.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located at a second network element that is separate from the first network element.

5. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located on a blade that is separate from a blade on which the particular cache is located.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second application message is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first network element is a network switch or router.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more first headers include a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the first application layer message.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first network element is an edge router of an enterprise network.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first content of the first application layer message is an XML message.

14. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein generating the cache key comprises hashing at least a portion of the first content of the first application layer message to derive the cache key.

15. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for caching data at a network element, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

intercepting, at a first network element, one or more first data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the first network element;

determining a first application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more first data packets, wherein content of the first application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more first data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more first data packets, and wherein the content of the first application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application;

generating a cache key based on at least a portion of the content of the first application layer message;

intercepting, at the first network element, one or more second data packets that the server application addressed to the client application in response to the particular request;

determining a second application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more second data packets, wherein content of the second application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more second data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more second data packets;

storing at least a portion of the content of the second application layer message within a particular cache at the first network element; and

storing, in the particular cache, an association between the cache key and the portion of the content of the second application layer message.

16. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out:

determining a message classification based on the content of the second application layer message;

wherein storing the portion of the content of the second application layer message comprises storing a portion that is designated by a user-programmed policy that is associated with the message classification.

17. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out synchronizing one or more additional caches with the particular cache.

18. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located at a second network element that is separate from the first network element.

19. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 17, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located on a blade that is separate from a blade on which the particular cache is located.

20. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the second application message is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

21. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first network element is a network switch or router.

22. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the one or more first headers include a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the first application layer message.

23. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

24. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

25. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the second application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

26. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first network element is an edge router of an enterprise network.

27. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the first content of the first application layer message is an XML message.

28. A volatile or non-volatile computer-readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the instructions which when executed cause generating the cache key comprise instructions which when executed cause hashing at least a portion of the first content of the first application layer message to derive the cache key.

29. An apparatus comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor,

cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

intercepting, at a first network element, one or more first data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the first network element;

determining a first application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more first data packets, wherein content of the first application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more first data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more first data packets, and wherein the content of the first application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application;

generating a cache key based on at least a portion of the content of the first application layer message;

intercepting, at the first network element, one or more second data packets that the server application addressed to the client application in response to the particular request;

determining a second application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more second data packets, wherein content of the second application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more second data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more second data packets;

storing at least a portion of the content of the second application layer message within a particular cache at the first network element; and

storing, in the particular cache, an association between the cache key and the portion of the content of the second application layer message.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out determining a message classification based on the content of the second application layer message;

and

wherein storing the portion of the content of the second application layer message comprises storing a portion that is designated by a user-programmed policy that is associated with the message classification.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more sequences of instructions further comprise instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out synchronizing one or more additional caches with the particular cache.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located at a second network element that is separate from the first network element.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located on a blade that is separate from a blade on which the particular cache is located.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the second application message is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the first network element is a network switch or router.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the one or more first headers include a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the first application layer message.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the first application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the first application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

39. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the second application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the first network element is an edge router of an enterprise network.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the first content of the first application layer message is an XML message.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 29, wherein the instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out generating the cache key comprise instructions which when executed cause hashing at least a portion of the first content of the first application layer message to derive the cache key.

43. An apparatus comprising:

one or more processors;

means for intercepting, at a first network element, one or more first data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the first network element;

means for determining a first application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more first data packets, wherein content of the first application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more first data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more first data packets, and wherein the content of the first application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application;

means for generating a cache key based on at least a portion of the content of the first application layer message;

means for intercepting, at the first network element, one or more second data packets that the server application addressed to the client application in response to the particular request;

means for determining a second application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more second data packets, wherein content of the second application layer message follows one or more headers in the one or more second data packets and is within the payload portions of the one or more second data packets;

means for storing at least a portion of the content of the second application layer message within a particular cache at the first network element; and

means for storing, in the particular cache, an association between the cache key and the portion of the content of the second application layer message.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, further comprising:

means for determining a message classification based on the content of the second application layer message;

wherein means for storing the portion of the content of the second application layer message comprises means for storing a portion that is designated by a user-programmed policy that is associated with the message classification.

45. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, further comprising means for synchronizing one or more additional caches with the particular cache.

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located at a second network element that is separate from the first network element.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein at least one of the one or more additional caches is located on a blade that is separate from a blade on which the particular cache is located.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the second application message is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

49. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the first network element is a network switch or router.

50. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the one or more first headers include a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the first application layer message.

51. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the first application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

52. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the first application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

53. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the second application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.