Communication system, information processing system, connection server, processing server, information processing apparatus, information processing method and program

• US 8,544,018 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2006
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Gobara, Kunio, Maekawa, Hajime
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lu, Kevin X
• Application Number:
  US11/908,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20090013324A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,771 Days
• Field of Search: 718/105
• US Class Current: 718/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1017 based on a round robin mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations

Abstract

A connection server (3) has a receiving part (31) for receiving request information regarding a request for load sharing, which is sent from a first information processing apparatus (1) to a load sharing port of the connection server (3), a load sharing part (32) for allocating the first information processing apparatus (1) that is a source of the request information to any processing server, a sending part (33) for sending port position information indicating the position of the connection port corresponding to the allocated processing server to the first information processing apparatus (1), and a connection part (34) for establishing a connection between the connection port and the processing server corresponding to the connection port. The first information processing apparatus (1) sends the received port position information to a second information processing apparatus (2). With this configuration, in a communication system for load sharing, two or more information processing apparatuses have access to one processing server.

Claims

1. An information processing system having N processing servers (N is an integer of 2 or greater) and a connection server for connecting an information processing apparatus and any one of said N processing servers, said connection server comprising a plurality of connection ports that are available to receive a processing request transmitted from said information processing apparatus to be transmitted by said connection server and delivered to one or more of said N processing servers;

wherein said connection server comprises;

a first receiving part comprising a load sharing port dedicated for receiving request information that is information regarding a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus to said load sharing port of said connection server;

a load sharing part for allocating a destination processing server selected from among the N processing servers as a destination of a processing request from the information processing apparatus that is a source of the request information received by said first receiving part;

a storage part for storing pre-determined relationships between a plurality of said connection ports of the connection server available to receive the processing request for each of said N processing servers, and the corresponding plurality of ports of each of the N processing servers;

a first sending part that stores a network address for each of the N processing servers that are available to receive said processing request, selects a destination address corresponding to the destination processing server allocated by the load sharing part, and sends said request information to the destination processing server allocated by said load sharing part as a request for the destination processing server to select a connection port of the connection server from two or more available connection ports corresponding to the destination processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server, where said processing request from the information process apparatus is to be received to be submitted to the destination processing server;

a second receiving part for receiving port position information transmitted from said destination processing server in response to said request, said port position information comprising the selected connection port of the connection server selected by the destination processing server as a destination port at which the processing request from the information processing apparatus is to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server;

a second sending part for sending the port position information received by said second receiving part to the information processing apparatus that is the source of said request information; and

a connection part for establishing a connection between said selected connection port of the connection server and the destination processing server corresponding to said selected connection port; and

wherein each of said N processing servers comprises;

a port position information storage part for storing the port position information indicating the plurality of available connection ports corresponding to said processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server, wherein, the port position information is obtained from the storage part of the connection server;

a request information receiving part for receiving said request information; and

a port position information sending part for reading the port position information stored in the port position information storage part, selecting a connection port from the plurality of available connection s orts and sending the selected connection port'"'"'s position information when said request information receiving part receives the request information.

2. A communication system comprising the information processing system according to claim 1 and a first information processing apparatus;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

a request information sending part for sending the request information to said load sharing port;

a port position information receiving part for receiving said port position information; and

a communication part for communicating with one processing server via said selected connection port indicated by the port position information received by said port position information receiving part.

3. A communication system comprising the information processing system according to claim 1, a first information processing apparatus and a second information processing apparatus;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

a request information sending part for sending the request information to said load sharing port;

a first port position information receiving part for receiving said port position information;

a first communication part for communicating with one processing server via a connection port indicated by the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

a first port position information sending part for sending the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

a second port position information receiving part for receiving the port position information sent from said first information processing apparatus; and

a second communication part for communicating with said destination processing server via said selected connection port indicated by the port position information received by said second port position information receiving part.

4. The communication system according to claim 3, wherein said first port position information sending part sends said port position information via a predetermined server to said second information processing apparatus.

8. A first information processing apparatus connected to the information processing system according to claim 1, wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises:

a request information sending part for sending the request information to said load sharing port;

a port position information receiving part for receiving said port position information; and

a communication part for communicating with one processing server via a connection port indicated by the port position information received by said port position information receiving part.

9. A second information processing apparatus for use in the information processing system according to claim 1 to which a first information processing apparatus is connected;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

a request information sending part for sending the request information to said load sharing port;

a first port position information receiving part for receiving said port position information;

a first communication part for communicating with one processing server via a connection port indicated by the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

a first port position information sending part for sending the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

a second port position information receiving part for receiving the port position information sent from said first information processing apparatus; and

a second communication part for communicating with said destination processing server via said selected connection port indicated by the port position information received by said second port position information receiving part.

10. A first information processing apparatus for use in the information processing system according to claim 1 to which a second information processing apparatus is connected;

wherein said first information processing apparatus comprises;

a request information sending part for sending the request information to said load sharing port;

a first port position information receiving part for receiving said port position information;

a first communication part for communicating with one processing server via a connection port indicated by the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

a first port position information sending part for sending the port position information received by said first port position information receiving part; and

wherein said second information processing apparatus comprises;

a second port position information receiving part for receiving the port position information sent from said first information processing apparatus; and

a second communication part for communicating with said destination processing server via said selected connection port indicated by the port position information received by said second port position information receiving part.

5. An information processing method for use in a connection server making up an information processing system having N processing servers (N is an integer of 2 or greater) and the connection server for connecting an information processing apparatus and any one of said N processing servers, said connection server utilizing a plurality of connection ports corresponding to each of said N processing servers, said method comprising:

a first reception step of receiving request information comprising a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus to a load sharing port of said connection server;

a load sharing step of allocating, at the connection server, a destination processing server selected from among the N processing servers as a destination of a processing request from the information processing apparatus that is a source of the request information received at said first reception step;

storing, in a storage part provided to the connection server, pre-determined relationships between a plurality of said connection ports of the connection server available to receive the processing request for each of said N processing servers, and a corresponding plurality of ports of each of the N processing servers;

a first sending step of retrieving a destination network address for said destination processing server allocated during said load sharing step, and sending said request information to the destination network address of said destination processing server allocated at said load sharing step as a request for the destination processing server to select a connection port of the connection server from two or more available connection ports corresponding to the destination processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server where said processing request from the information process apparatus is to be received to be submitted to the destination processing server;

a second reception step of receiving port position information transmitted from said destination processing server in response to said request, said port position information comprising the selected connection port of the connection server selected by, and sent from said destination processing server as a destination port at which the processing request from the information processing apparatus is to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server;

a second sending step of sending the port position information received at said second reception step to the information processing apparatus that is the source of said request information; and

a connection step of establishing a connection between said selected connection port of the connection server and the destination processing server corresponding to said selected connection port;

storing, in a port position information storage part of the processing server, the port position information indicating the plurality of available connection ports corresponding to said processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server, wherein, the port position information is obtained from the storage part of the connection server;

a request information reception step of receiving, with the processing server, the request information comprising a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus via said connection server that allocated the processing server as a destination processing server;

selecting, with the processing server, a selected connection port of the connection server by reading the port position information stored in the port position information storage part, selecting the connection port from the plurality of available connection ports that are assigned to receive a processing request to be conveyed by the connection server to the destination processing server to be executed by the destination processing server for producing a processing result; and

a port position information sending step of sending port position information comprising the selected connection port corresponding to the destination processing server in response to receiving the request information for receipt by the connection server to be used by the connection server to direct the processing request from the information processing apparatus to the destination processing server that is to receive the processing request.

6. A connection server for connecting an information processing apparatus and any one of N processing servers (N is an integer of 2 or greater) comprising:

a plurality of connection ports corresponding to a corresponding plurality of ports of each of said N processing servers, said plurality of connection ports being available to receive a processing request transmitted from said information processing apparatus to be delivered to a destination processing server selected from among one or more of said N processing servers;

a first receiving part comprising a load sharing port dedicated for receiving request information that is information regarding a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus to said load sharing port of said connection server;

a load sharing part for allocating a destination processing server selected from among the N processing servers as a destination of said processing request from the information processing apparatus that is a source of the request information received by said first receiving part;

a storage part for storing pre-determined relationships between the plurality of said connection ports of the connection server available to receive the processing request for each of said N processing servers, and the corresponding plurality of ports of each of the N processing servers;

a first sending part that stores a network address for each of the N processing servers, selects a destination address corresponding to the destination processing server allocated by the load sharing part, and sends said request information to the destination processing server allocated by said load sharing part as a request for the destination processing server to select a connection port of the connection server from the plurality of available connection ports corresponding to the destination processing server that can be selected as a selected connection port of the connection server, where said processing request from the information process apparatus is to be received to be submitted to the destination processing server;

a second receiving part for receiving port position information transmitted from said destination processing server in response to said request, said port position information comprising selected connection port of the connection server selected by the destination processing server as a destination port at which the processing request from the information processing apparatus is to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server;

a second sending part for sending the port position information received by said second receiving part to the information processing apparatus that is the source of said request information; and

a connection part for establishing a connection between said selected connection port of the connection server and the destination processing server corresponding to said selected connection port; and

wherein each of said N processing servers comprises;

a port position information storage part for storing the port position information indicating the plurality of available connection ports corresponding to said processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server wherein, the port position information is obtained from the storage part of the connection server;

a request information receiving part for receiving said request information; and

a port position information sending part for reading the port position information stored in the port position information storage part, selecting a connection port from the plurality of available connection ports, and sending the selected connection port'"'"'s position information when said request information receiving part receives the request information.

7. A processing server that is any one of N processing servers (N is an integer of 2 or greater) connected to an information processing apparatus by a connection server, said connection server comprising:

a plurality of connection ports corresponding to each of said N processing servers, said plurality of connection ports being available to receive a processing request transmitted from said information processing apparatus to be delivered to a destination processing server selected from among one or more of said N processing servers;

a first receiving part for receiving request information that is information regarding a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus to a load sharing port of said connection server;

a load sharing part for allocating a destination processing server selected from among the N processing servers as a destination of said processing request from the information processing apparatus that is a source of the request information received by said first receiving part;

a storage part for storing pre-determined relationships between a plurality of said connection ports of the connection server available to receive the processing request for each of said N processing servers, and the corresponding plurality of ports of each of the N processing servers;

a first sending part that stores a network address for each of the N processing servers, selects a destination address corresponding to the destination processing server allocated by the load sharing part, and sends said request information to the processing server allocated by said load sharing part as a request for the destination processing server to select a connection port of the connection server from two or more available connection ports corresponding to the destination processing server that can be selected as a selected connection port of the connection server where said processing request from the information process apparatus is to be received to be submitted to the destination processing server;

a second receiving part for receiving port position information transmitted from said destination processing server, said port position information comprising a selected connection port of the connection server selected by the destination processing server as a destination port at which the processing request from the information processing apparatus is to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server;

a second sending part for sending the port position information received by said second receiving part to the information processing apparatus that is the source of said request information; and

a connection part for establishing a connection between said selected connection port and the destination processing server corresponding to said selected connection port; and

wherein each of said processing servers comprises;

a port position information storage part for storing the port position information indicating a plurality of available connection ports of the connection server corresponding to said processing server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server, wherein the port position information is obtained from the storage part of the connection server;

a request information receiving part for receiving said request information transmitted by said first sending part of the connection server as said request; and

a port position information sending part for reading the port position information stored in the port position information storage part, selecting a connection port from the plurality of available connection s orts and sending the selected connection port'"'"'s information corresponding to the selected connection port of the connection server when said request information receiving part receives the request information.

11. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a connection server included in an information processing system that also comprises N processing servers (N is an integer of 2 or greater) performs a process that connects an information processing apparatus to any one of said N processing servers, said connection server utilizing a plurality of connection ports that correspond to each of said N processing servers , said process comprising:

a first reception step of receiving, at a dedicated load sharing port of the connection server, request information comprising a request for load sharing, which is sent from said information processing apparatus to the load sharing port of said connection server;

a load sharing step of allocating a destination processing server selected from among the N processing servers as a destination of a processing request to be transmitted from the information processing apparatus that is a source of the request information received at said first reception step;

storing, in a storage part provided to the connection server, pre-determined relationships between a plurality of said connection ports of the connection server available to receive the processing request for each of said N processing servers, and a corresponding plurality of ports of each of the N processing servers;

a first sending step of retrieving a destination network address for said destination processing server allocated during said load sharing step, and sending said request information to the destination network address of said destination processing server allocated at said load sharing step as a request for the destination processing server to select a connection port of the connection server from among of the plurality of connection ports of the connection server corresponding to the destination processer server, where said processing request from the information process apparatus is to be received to be submitted to the destination processing server;

a second reception step of receiving port position information transmitted from said destination processing server, said port position information comprising a selected connection port of the connection server selected by the destination processing server from among the plurality of connection ports stored by the connection server as corresponding to the destination processer server, and sent from said destination processing server as a destination port of the connection server at which the processing request from the information processing apparatus is to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server;

a second sending step of sending the port position information received at said second reception step to the information processing apparatus that is the source of said request information; and

a connection step of establishing a connection between said selected connection port and the destination processing server corresponding to said selected connection port;

storing, in a port position information storage part of the destination processing server, the port position information indicating the plurality of available connection ports corresponding to said destination server that can be selected as the selected connection port of the connection server, wherein, the port position information is obtained from the storage part of the connection server;

a request information reception step of receiving, with said destination server allocated by the connection server to receive the processing request from the information processing device, the request information comprising a request for load sharing, wherein the request information is sent via said connection server from said information processing apparatus that is to subsequently transmit the processing request;

selecting, with said destination processing server, a connection port of the connection server by reading the port position information stored in the port position information storage part, selecting the connection port from the plurality of available connection ports that are allocated to the destination processing server as available destination ports at which processing requests are to be received by the connection server to be delivered to the destination processing server; and

a port position information sending step of sending port position information comprising the selected connection port corresponding to the destination processing server in response to receiving the request information for receipt by the connection server to be used by the connection server to direct the processing request from the information processing apparatus to the destination processing server that is to receive the processing request.