Web service for coordinating actions of clients

• US 7,984,158 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Andersen, Hans, Meek, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee; John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hussain; Imad
• Application Number:
  US11/725,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235384A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 709/228, 709/229, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services

Abstract

Architecture for providing communications resources of a network for client intercommunications. A client that desires to communicate makes a request to an arbitrary communications server node by the announcing of identifying information. The web service “parks” the request until the identifying information is ready. A second client can ultimately interact with the first client by sending identifying information and following the same lookup path to find the location at which the first client request is “parked”. A continuous hash is employed that enables a client to negotiate services of a resource and via which resource multiple clients can rendezvous for communications. The continuous hash minimizes the disruption to clients already accessing network resources. A resource is brought online or taken offline without dramatically impacting ongoing use of currently operational resources. In the event a hosting resource fails, the clients repeat the lookup process and re-converge on a new server.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented multi-client management system, comprising:

a processor;

a web component for receiving a request from a client for multiple client intercommunications; and

a resource component for dynamically assigning by the processor a communications resource using a continuous hash, the resource assigned based on identifying information in association with the request, wherein the identifying information is hashed to a value of a hash continuum and the assigned resource is associated with a next higher resource value relative to the hashed identifying information of a client, wherein the resource component automatically manages loading of the resource by adjusting a total number of resource values on the hash continuum.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the web component is accessed arbitrarily by the client.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hash continuum and associated resource values assigned to the continuum are replicated to other web services of the web component.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the resource component automatically balances load between a plurality of the resources based on the continuous hash.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the continuous hash maps the identifying information to the resource.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the web component parks the request at the resource and redirects a second client to the resource for client intercommunications.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a machine learning and reasoning component that employs a probabilistic and/or statistical-based analysis to prognose or infer an action that is desired to be automatically performed.

8. A computer-implemented method of managing client communications, comprising:

receiving a client request for a multi-client session via a web service, the request associated with a session name;

selecting by a processor a network resource based on numerical proximity of a hash of the name to a resource value on a hash continuum;

adjusting a total number of resource values on the hash continuum to manage loading of network resources with which the resource values are associated;

storing the request at the selected network resource; and

routing other clients to the network resource based on the name.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising dynamically selecting a new resource and establishing the session on the new resource based on failure of the network resource.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the network resource directs the other clients to the network resource.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the web service is hosted on the selected network resource.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising broadcasting information from the client to the other clients based on access by the other clients to the network resource.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising parking the client request on the selected resource until at least one of the other client accesses a session associated with the session name.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising maintaining a session associated with the session name based on changing information sent to the session by the client or the other clients.

15. A computer-implemented system, comprising:

computer-implemented means for receiving a client request for a multi-client session via a web service, the request associated with a session name;

computer-implemented means for selecting a network resource by a processor based on numerical proximity of a hash of the name to a resource value on a hash continuum;

computer-implemented means for adjusting a total number of resource values on the hash continuum to manage loading of network resources with which the resource values are associated;

computer-implemented means for storing the request at the selected network resource; and

computer-implemented means for routing other clients to the network resource based on the name.