Method and system for implementing a global lookup in a global ecosystem of interrelated services

• US 7,856,486 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Issued: 12/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: EKMK Limited Liability Company
• Original Assignee: Verizon Business Global LLC (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Pierret, Matthew C., Robertson, James A., Greene, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Borissov; Igor
• Application Number:
  US10/113,969
• Publication Number:
  US 20020178026A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,189 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705 7- 10, 705/14, 705/16, 705/26, 705/27, 705/28, 705/18, 705/21, 705/37, 705/42, 709/220, 709/203, 709/213, 709/245, 709/217, 709/218, 709/225, 709/226, 709/219, 709/223, 709/227, 709/229, 707/1, 707/104.1, 707/9, 707/10, 707/100, 711/147, 711/163
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06314 Calendaring for a resource
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06398 Performance of employee with respect to a job function
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3829 involving key management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0233 Object-oriented techniques, for representation of network management data, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0661 by reconfiguring faulty entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0843 based on generic templates
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0856 by backing up or archiving configuration information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0894 Policy-based network configuration management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/40 using virtualisation of network functions or resources, e.g. SDN or NFV entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5058 Service discovery by the service manager
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4553 Object oriented directories, e.g. common object request broker architecture [CORBA] name server
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 : received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 : involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 : Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 : Database or file accessing

Abstract

In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a global enterprise lookup (enterprise repository) is disclosed for providing a client with a mechanism for locating a needed service without knowing where that service is currently running in the enterprise. Whenever a service is launched in a container, that service registers itself with its domain registrar in order to make itself visible to the client in its own local domain but is visible only in the domain in which the service is running. A service must be registered with an enterprise level registry, the global enterprise lookup, to be visible throughout the enterprise. Clients needing a particular service that is not listed in the local registrar as running locally are directed to a global enterprise lookup (which may be implemented as a service for finding an enterprise repository) for the location of a global enterprise lookup within the enterprise. Additionally, the global enterprise lookup also manages VM container leases. When a service is launched, it acquires an enterprise lease with a local registrar. It must periodically renew the enterprise lease with the registrar to maintain its listing in the global enterprise lookup. If a service does not renew its lease within the time period of the lease, it is de-listed from the global enterprise lookup. If renewals are handled by the local domain registrars through replication and the like, the registrar may notify the global enterprise lookup of an enterprise lease renewal. Alternatively, specialized enterprise leasing services may be employed for tracking individual leases for services and notify the global enterprise lookup whenever an enterprise lease expires. Still alternatively, the enterprise employs a series of enterprise registrar services that trawl local registrars for registrations of services and registers the service with the enterprise repository.

Claims

1. A data processing system implemented method performed by a computer to implement an enterprise lookup in an ecosystem of interrelated services running in an enterprise, the enterprise comprising a plurality of network domains, the method comprising:

launching a service in a local network domain, where the local network domain is associated with one or more clients that are local to a particular network domain, and where another network domain of the plurality of network domains is associated with one or more non-local clients that are local to the other network domain;

registering the service with a registrar in the local network domain to make the service visible only to local clients in the local network domain,

where the registering the service with the registrar in the local network domain comprises;

providing at least one attribute in the registrar, where the at least one attribute includes one of;

one or more names,

domain-type information, or

an interface for the service;

determining that the service is to be made visible to the non-local clients outside of the local network domain, the non-local clients being local to the other network domain; and

registering the service with an enterprise lookup outside the local network domain to make the service visible to the non-local clients,

where the registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain comprises;

passing a location for the registrar to the enterprise lookup.

2. The method of claim 1, where registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain further comprises:

providing at least one attribute in the enterprise lookup, where the at least one attribute in the enterprise lookup includes one of;

one or more names,

domain-type information,

or a locator to an interface for the service.

3. The method of claim 1, where registering the service with the registrar in the local network domain further comprises:

acquiring an enterprise lease for the service with the registrar.

4. The method of claim 3, where the enterprise lease has one of:

a predetermined duration,

or a duration specified by the service.

5. The method of claim 4, where acquiring the enterprise lease for the service with the registrar comprises:

notifying the enterprise lookup of the duration for the enterprise lease.

6. The method of claim 5, where the enterprise lease for the service expires.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

de-listing the service with the registrar in response to the service'"'"'s enterprise lease expiring.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

de-listing the service with the enterprise lookup.

9. The method of claim 6, where a first service monitors the registrar for new enterprise lease expirations, recognizes the enterprise lease expiration for the service, and notifies the enterprise lookup of the enterprise lease expiration.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

de-listing the service with the enterprise lookup in response to notification of the service'"'"'s enterprise lease expiring.

11. The method of claim 4, where a first service monitors the registrar for new enterprise leases, recognizes the enterprise lease for the service, and registers the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain.

12. The method of claim 11, where the first service monitors the registrar for enterprise lease renewals, recognizes the enterprise lease for the service has been renewed, and updates the enterprise lookup with enterprise lease renewal information.

13. The method of claim 1, where registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain further comprises:

notifying the enterprise lookup by registrar replication.

14. The method of claim 1, where the service is not visible to any clients outside of the local network domain upon registering the service with the registrar in the network domain to make the service visible only to local clients in the local network domain.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to implement a method for implementing an enterprise lookup in an ecosystem of interrelated services running in an enterprise, the enterprise comprising a plurality of network domains, the method comprising:

launching a service in a local network domain, where the local network domain is associated with one or more clients that are local to a particular network domain, and where another network domain of the plurality of network domains is associated with one or more non-local clients that are local to the other network domain;

registering the service with a registrar in the local network domain to make the service visible only to local clients in the local network domain;

where the registering the service with the registrar in the local network domain comprises;

providing at least one attribute in the registrar, where the at least one attribute includes one of;

one or more names,

domain-type information, or

an interface for the service;

determining that the service is to be made visible to the non-local clients outside of the local network domain, the non-local clients being local to the other network domain; and

registering the service with an enterprise lookup outside of the local network domain to make the service visible to the non-local clients;

where the registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain comprises;

passing a location for the registrar to the enterprise lookup.

16. The program product of claim 15, where the instructions for registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain further comprise:

instructions for providing at least one attribute in the enterprise lookup, where the at least one attribute in the enterprise lookup includes one of;

one or more names,

domain-type information, or

a locator to an interface for the service.

17. The program product of claim 15, where the instructions for registering the service with the registrar in the local network domain further comprise:

instructions for acquiring an enterprise lease for the service with the registrar.

18. The program product of claim 17, where the enterprise lease has one of:

a predetermined duration, or

a duration specified by the service.

19. The program product of claim 18, where the instructions for acquiring an enterprise lease for the service with the registrar comprise:

a set of instructions to notify the enterprise lookup of the duration for the enterprise lease.

20. The program product of claim 19, where the enterprise lease for the service expires.

21. The program product of claim 20, further comprising:

a set of instructions to de-list the service with the local registrar in response to the service'"'"'s enterprise lease expiring.

22. The program product of claim 21, further comprising:

instructions for de-listing the service with the enterprise lookup.

23. The program product of claim 20, where a first service monitors the registrar for new enterprise lease expirations, recognizes the enterprise lease expiration for the service, and notifies the enterprise lookup of the enterprise lease expiration.

24. The program product of claim 23, further comprising:

a set of instructions to de-list the service with the enterprise lookup in response to notification of said service'"'"'s enterprise lease expiring.

25. The program product of claim 18, where a first service monitors the registrar for new enterprise leases, recognizes the enterprise lease for the service, and registers the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain.

26. The program product of claim 25, where the first service monitors the registrar for enterprise lease renewals, recognizes that the enterprise lease for the service has been renewed, and updates the enterprise lookup with enterprise lease renewal information.

27. The program product of claim 15, where the instructions for registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain further comprise:

instructions for notifying the enterprise lookup by registrar replication.

28. A device comprising:

a memory storing computer-readable instructions; and

one or more processors to execute the computer-readable instructions;

means for launching a service in a local network domain of an enterprise that comprises a plurality of network domains, where the local network domain is associated with one or more clients that are local to a particular network domain, and another network domain of the plurality of network domains is associated with one or more non-local clients that are local to the other network domain;

means for registering the service with a registrar in the local network domain to make the service visible only to local clients in the local network domain and not to clients outside the local network domain;

where the means for registering the service with the registrar in the local network domain comprises;

means for providing at least one attribute in the registrar, where the at least one attribute includes at least one of;

one or more names,

domain-type information, or

an interface for the service;

means for determining that the service is to be made visible to the non-local clients outside of the local network domain, the non-local clients being local to the other network domain; and

means for registering the service with an enterprise lookup outside the local network domain to make the service visible to the non-local clients,

where the means for registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain comprises;

means for passing a location for the registrar to the enterprise lookup.

29. The device of claim 28, where the means for registering the service with the enterprise lookup outside the local network domain further comprises:

means for notifying the enterprise lookup by registrar replication.

30. An enterprise system comprising:

one or more devices configured to implement an enterprise lookup; and

a plurality of network domains, where a particular one of the network domains comprises;

one or more devices configured to implement a registrar associated with the particular network domain, and

a plurality of client devices, where a particular one of the client devices is configured to;

launch a service in the particular network domain, where the particular network domain is associated with one or more clients that are local to the particular network domain, and another network domain of the plurality of network domains is associated with one or more non-local clients that are local to the other network domain,

register the service with the registrar in the particular network domain to make the service visible only to one or more other clients in the particular network domain and not to any clients outside of the particular network domain,

where, when registering the service with the registrar in the particular network domain, the particular client device is configured to;

provide at least one attribute in the registrar, where the at least one attribute includes one of;

 

one or more names,

 

domain-type information, or

 

an interface for the service;

determine that the service is to be made visible to non-local clients outside of the particular network domain, the non-local clients being local to the other network domain; and

register the service with the enterprise lookup to make the service visible to clients outside of the particular domain, where the enterprise lookup is outside of the particular network domain,

where, when registering the service with the enterprise lookup, the particular client device is configured to;

pass a location for the registrar to the enterprise lookup.

31. The system of claim 30, where the service is not visible to any clients outside of the particular network domain before the particular client device registers the service with the enterprise lookup.

32. The system of claim 30, where the registrar is a first registrar, where the particular network domain comprises at least a second registrar, where, upon registering the service, the first registrar is to:

register the service with the second registrar.

33. The system of claim 32, where, upon registering the service, the first registrar is further to:

register the service with every other registrar associated with the particular network domain.