Method and system for community data caching

• US 8,135,812 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2011
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Original Assignee: Parallel Networks, LLC (epicRealm Licensing LP)
• Inventors: Lowery, Keith A., Chin, Bryan S., Consolver, David A., DeMasters, Gregg A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WON, MICHAEL YOUNG
• Application Number:
  US13/176,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20110302266A1
• Time in Patent Office: 252 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/209, 709/214, 709/215, 709/221, 709/226, 709/248, 711/118, 711/119, 711/130, 711/132
• US Class Current: 709/221
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1051 Group master selection mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1063 Discovery through centralising entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99932 Access augmentation or optimizing

Abstract

A cache module (26) at a client computer (12) controls a cache portion (28) on a storage device (24). The cache module communicates with other cache modules at other clients to form a cache community (15). The cache modules store World Wide Web or other content in the cache portions for retrieval in response to requests (32) for content from browsers (30) in the cache community. When the requested content is not available in the cache community, the requested content may be retrieved from an origin server (19) using the Internet.

Claims

1. A method for changing a master member of a cache community, comprising:

determining an amount of time since receiving a member status request from a master member;

determining whether the amount of time exceeds a threshold;

generating an election request to initiate election of a new master member;

communicating the election request to members of the cache community;

receiving an election response from each of one or more members;

generating a peer list based on the received election responses.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting a member as the new master member from the received election responses;

informing the new master member of the received election responses.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining whether a nomination response has been received from the member selected to be the new master member.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

terminating election for the new master member in response to receiving the nomination response from the member selected to be the new master member.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

updating the cache community with the new master member.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

generating and communicating a new election request in response to not receiving a nomination response from the member selected to be the new master member.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a response from the master member;

aborting election of the new master member.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining members of the cache community in a peer list;

updating the peer list in response to receipt of election responses.

9. A system for changing a master member of a cache community, comprising:

means for determining an amount of time since receiving a member status request from a master member;

means for determining whether the amount of time exceeds a threshold;

means for generating an election request to initiate election of a new master member;

means for communicating the election request to members of the cache community;

means for receiving an election response from each of one or more members;

means for generating a peer list based on the received election responses.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for selecting a member as the new master member from the received election responses;

means for informing the new master member of the received election responses.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for determining whether a nomination response has been received from the member selected to be the new master member.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for terminating election for the new master member in response to receiving the nomination response from the member selected to be the new master member.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for generating and communicating a new election request in response to not receiving a nomination response from the member selected to be the new master member.

14. The system of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving a response from the master member;

means for aborting election of the new master member.

15. A computer readable storage medium including code for changing a master member of a cache community, the code operable to:

determine an amount of time since receiving a member status request from a master member;

determine whether the amount of time exceeds a threshold;

generate an election request to initiate election of a new master member;

communicate the election request to members of the cache community;

receive an election response from each of one or more members;

generate a peer list based on the received election responses.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting a member as the new master member from the received election responses;

informing the new master member of the received election responses.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, further comprising:

determining whether a nomination response has been received from the member selected to be the new master member.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 17, further comprising:

terminating election for the new master member in response to receiving the nomination response from the member selected to be the new master member.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, the code further operable to:

update the cache community with the new master member.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 16, the code further operable to:

receive a response from the master member;

abort election of the new master member.