Distributed shared persistent objects

• US 7,945,615 B1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adobe Inc.
• Original Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated (Adobe Inc.)
• Inventors: Shetty, Pritham, Manapragada, Srinivas
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Thu
• Assistant Examiner(s): GREENE, JOSEPH L
• Application Number:
  US11/263,590
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 703/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2365 Ensuring data consistency and integrity

Abstract

A system and method are described for managing a shared object in a distributed collaboration environment. The distributed collaboration environment is composed of at least one edge server in communication with a central server. When a client desires to modify the shared object, it issues an object modification request to the edge server it is connected to. The edge server compares the version identifier of the client shared object against the version identifier of the edge shared object. If the versions do not match, the edge server rejects the modification. Otherwise, it will forward the modification request to the central server for further consideration.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a modification request for a shared object from a client at an edge server from among multiple edge servers of a distributed computing environment having a central server in communication with said multiple edge servers, said modification request including a shared object modification and a client version identifier for said shared object;

comparing, by said edge server, the client version identifier for said shared object assigned by said client against an edge version identifier for said shared object;

forwarding said modification request from said edge server to the central server responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object matching the client version identifier for said shared object;

comparing, by the central server, the client version identifier for said shared object against a central version identifier for said shared object;

accepting, by the central server, said modification request when said comparing against the central version identifier for said shared object results in the central version identifier for said shared object matching the client version identifier for said shared object;

transmitting, by the central server, an acknowledgement of said accepting to said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

transmitting by the central server, (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to one or more other edge servers from the multiple edge servers different from said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

receiving the acknowledgement from said central server by said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

transmitting, by said edge server responsive to said receiving the acknowledgment, (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to one or more other clients connected to said edge server different from said client that issued the modification request; and

notifying said client by said edge server of said receiving the acknowledgment.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating, by said edge server, said modification request to one or more intermediate edge servers connected between said edge server and said central server;

evaluating said client version identifier for said shared object against an intermediate edge version identifier for said shared object by each of said one or more intermediate edge servers; and

forwarding said modification request to said central server for a result of said evaluating that comprises each intermediate edge version identifier for said shared object matching the client version identifier for the shared object.

3. The method of claim 2,

wherein said transmitting by the central server comprises transmitting (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to said one or more other edge servers from the multiple edge servers different from said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request that are different from edge servers which communicate with the central server through at least one of said one or more intermediate edge servers,

wherein said transmitting the acknowledgement by the central server to said edge server comprises relaying the acknowledgement via the one or more intermediate edge servers, the method further comprising:

receiving the acknowledgement by an intermediate edge server from a previous intermediate edge server and transmitting the acknowledgement to a successive intermediate edge server; and

transmitting, by the intermediate edge server, (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to clients connected to the intermediate edge server or to edge servers connected to the intermediate edge server that are different from the previous intermediate edge server and the successive intermediate edge server.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rejecting, by said edge server, said modification request responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object mismatching the client version identifier for said shared object; and

responsive to rejecting, updating a client instance of said shared object from said edge server.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

rejecting, by said edge server, said modification request responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object mismatching the client version identifier for said shared object; and

responsive to said rejecting, notifying said client of an outdated version of said shared object.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said client version identifier for said shared object comprises a slot version identifier of said shared object.

7. A computer implemented method comprising:

receiving a modification request for shared data from a client of a distributed collaboration environment at an associated one of multiple edge servers in said distributed collaboration environment, the multiple edge servers in communication with a central server, the modification request including a shared data modification and a client version identifier for the shared data;

determining, by the associated one of the multiple edge servers, that the client version identifier for the shared data matches an edge version identifier for the shared data;

forwarding said modification request to the central server of said distributed collaboration environment responsive to said determining;

establishing, by the central server, that the client version identifier for the shared data matches a central version identifier for the shared data

signaling, by the central server, to the associated one of the multiple edge servers to implement the shared data modification included in the modification request to one or more other clients connected to the associated one of the multiple edge servers different from the client that initiated the modification request;

propagating, by the central server, the shared data modification included in the modification request to one or more other edge servers connected to said central server that are different from said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request, wherein said one or more other edge servers implement the shared data modification included in the modification request to each of a plurality of connected clients;

implementing, by the associated one of the multiple edge servers responsive to said signaling, the shared data modification included in the modification request to the one or more other clients connected to said edge server different from said client that initiated the modification request; and

notifying the client by the associated one of the multiple edge servers of said signaling.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said forwarding comprises:

communicating said modification request to one or more intermediate edge servers from among said multiple edge servers connected between said associated one and said central server;

determining that said client version identifier for the shared data matches an intermediate edge version indicator for the shared data for each of said one or more intermediate edge servers; and

forwarding said modification request to said central server responsive to each of said determining.

9. The method of claim 8,

wherein said one or more other edge servers from the multiple edge servers different from said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request are different from edge servers which communicate with the central server through at least one of said one or more intermediate edge servers,

wherein said signaling by the central server to said associated one of the multiple edge servers comprises signaling via the one or more intermediate edge servers, the method further comprising:

propagating, by an intermediate edge server from among the one or more intermediate edge servers, the shared data modification included in the modification request to clients connected to the intermediate edge server or to edge servers connected to the intermediate edge server that are different from a previous intermediate edge server and a successive intermediate edge server.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said client version identifier for the shared data comprises a slot version identifier of said shared data.

11. One or more non-transitory storage mediums encoded with computer program code comprising:

code for receiving a modification request for a shared object from a client at an edge server from among multiple edge servers that are in communication with a central server, said modification request including a shared object modification and a client version identifier for said shared object;

code for comparing, by said edge server, the client version identifier for said shared object against an edge version identifier for said shared object;

code for forwarding said modification request from said edge server to the central server responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object matching the client version identifier for said shared object;

code for comparing, by the central server, the client version identifier for said shared object against a central version identifier for said shared object;

code for accepting, by the central server, said modification request when said comparing against the central version identifier for said shared object results in the central version identifier for said shared object matching the client version identifier for said shared object;

code for transmitting, by the central server, an acknowledgement of said accepting to said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

code for transmitting, by the central server, (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to one or more other edge servers from the multiple edge servers different from said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

code for receiving the acknowledgement from said central server by said edge server that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request;

code for transmitting, by said edge server responsive to said receiving the acknowledgment, (i) the shared object modification and (ii) the client version identifier for said shared object to one or more other clients connected to said edge server different from said client that issued the modification request; and

code for notifying said client by said edge server of said receiving the acknowledgment.

12. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums encoded with the code of claim 11 further comprising:

code for rejecting, by said edge server, said modification request responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object mismatching the client version identifier for said shared object; and

responsive to execution of said code for rejecting, code for updating a client instance of said shared object from said edge server.

13. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums encoded with the code of claim 11 further comprising:

code for rejecting, by said edge server, said modification request responsive to said comparing resulting in the edge version identifier for said shared object mismatching the client version identifier for said shared object; and

responsive to execution of said code for rejecting, code for notifying said client of an outdated version of said shared object.

14. The one or more non-transitory storage mediums encoded with the code of claim 11 wherein said client version identifier for said shared object comprises a slot version identifier of said shared object.

15. A system comprising:

a central server system of a distributed collaboration environment, the central server system including at least one processor;

multiple edge server systems in communication with the central server system, the multiple edge server systems including corresponding processors;

wherein an edge server system from among the multiple edge server systems is configured to;

receive a modification request of shared data from a client of said distributed collaboration environment, the modification request including a shared data modification and a client version identifier of the shared data;

determine that the client version identifier of the shared data matches an edge version identifier of the shared data; and

forward said modification request to the central server of said distributed collaboration environment in response to the determination;

wherein the central server system is configured to;

establish that the client version identifier of the shared data matches a central version identifier of the shared data;

signal to the edge server system to implement the shared data modification included in the modification request to one or more other clients connected to the edge server system that are different from the client that initiated the modification request;

propagate the shared data modification included in the modification request to one or more other edge server systems connected to central server system that are different from the edge server system that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request, wherein the one or more other edge server systems are configured to implement the shared data modification included in the modification request to each of a plurality of connected clients;

wherein the edge server system is further configured to;

implement, responsive to detection of said signal, the shared data modification included in the modification request to the one or more other clients connected to said edge server system that are different from said client that initiated the modification request; and

notify the client of said signal from the central server system.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein said edge server is further configured to:

communicate said modification request to one or more intermediate edge server systems connected between said edge server system and said central server system;

determine that said client version of the shared data matches an intermediate edge version of the shared data for each of said one or more intermediate edge servers; and

forward said modification request to said central server system responsive to each of said determinations.

17. The system of claim 16,

wherein said one or more other edge server systems from the multiple edge server systems different from said edge server system that forwarded the client'"'"'s modification request are different from edge server systems which communicate with the central server system through at least one of said one or more intermediate edge server systems,

wherein the central server system is configured to signal to said edge server system via the one or more intermediate edge servers, and

wherein an intermediate server system from among said one or more intermediate edge server systems is further configured to propagate the shared data modification included in the modification request to clients connected to the intermediate edge server or to edge servers connected to the intermediate edge server that are different from a previous intermediate edge server and a successive intermediate edge server.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein said client version identifier of the shared data comprises a slot version identifier of said shared data.