Technique for handling initiation requests

• US 8,589,473 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bruss, Jorg
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): KHAN, AFTAB N
• Application Number:
  US11/569,158
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,471 Days
• Field of Search: 709/202, 709/203, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227, 709/229
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A technique is described for handling initiation requests directed to a contact host from a plurality of clients that enables the handling of large number of requests and provides design stage flexibility. A contact host receives the requests from the clients. Thereafter, an acknowledgment is sent to each requesting client so that direct data transfer may commence between the client and server bypassing the contact host. This acknowledgment may be generated and sent by either the contact host or by the associated server In some variations, each request is authenticated prior to the association of each request.

Claims

1. A method for handling initiation requests directed to a multi-homed contact host from a plurality of multi-homed clients, the initiation requests requesting initiation of data transfers between the plurality of multi-homed clients and a plurality of multi-homed servers, the method comprising the steps of:

providing the contact host with a single IP address to accept requests from the plurality of multi-homed clients, allowing direct access to one of a plurality of multi-homed servers;

receiving, by the contact host, a first initiation request using a streaming control transport protocol from a first one of the plurality of multi-homed clients;

associating, by the contact host, the first initiation request with one of the multi-homed servers according to a round robin scheme;

authenticating, by the contact host, the first initiation request;

acknowledging, by the contact host, the first initiation request to initiate a data transfer directly between the first multi-homed client and the associated multi-homed server, the data transfer bypassing the contact host, wherein the contact host acknowledges the first initiation request directly to the corresponding first multi-homed client rather than the associated multi-homed server acknowledging the first initiation request;

limiting request messaging transactions, handled by the contact host, to initiation of data transfer by sending a message to the client specifying the multi-homed server as recipient of further messages; and

the contact host discarding any subsequent messages received by the contact host after commencing data transfer between the first multi-homed client and the associated multi-homed server, causing the first multi-homed client to classify the contact host as non-responsive and thereby prevent network overload.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, by the associated multi-homed server from the first multi-homed client, a confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, by the contact host from the first multi-homed client confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each acknowledgment includes at least one IP address for the associated multi-homed server.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent messages from the first multi-homed client are discarded by the contact host without notifying the first multi-homed client.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of acknowledging further comprises acknowledging said streaming control transport protocol, wherein the acknowledgement is adapted to comprise a plurality of IP addresses of the associated multi-homed server.

7. A contact host for handling initiation requests received from a plurality of multi-homed clients, the initiation requests requesting initiation of data transfers between the plurality of multi-homed clients and a plurality of multi-homed servers, the contact host having a single IP address to accept requests to initially prevent direct access to the plurality of multi-homed servers by the clients, the contact host comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving a first initiation request using a streaming control transport protocol from a first one of the plurality of multi-homed clients and for receiving an error message from the first multi-homed client whereupon the contact host discards further messages from the first multi-homed client without notifying the first multi-homed client, causing the first multi-homed client to classify the contact host as non-responsive and thereby prevent network overload;

an association unit for associating the first initiation request with one of the multi-homed servers according to a round robin scheme; and

an acknowledgment unit for acknowledging the first initiation request to initiate a data transfer directly between the first multi-homed client and the associated multi-homed server, the data transfer bypassing the contact host, wherein the contact host acknowledges the first initiation request directly to the corresponding first multi-homed client rather than the associated multi-homed server acknowledging the first initiation request.

8. A system, comprising:

a plurality of multi-homed clients for generating data transfer initiation requests;

a plurality of multi-homed servers for handling the data transfer requested by said plurality of multi-homed clients; and

a contact host for handling initiation requests received from said plurality of multi-homed clients, wherein request messaging transactions are limited to initiation of the data transfer, the contact host having a single IP address to accept requests to initially prevent direct access to the plurality of multi-homed servers by the clients, the contact host comprising;

a receiving unit for receiving a first initiation request using a streaming control transport protocol from a first one of the plurality of multi-homed clients and for receiving an error message from the first multi-homed client whereupon the contact host discards further messages from the first multi-homed client without notifying the first multi-homed client, causing the first multi-homed client to classify the contact host as non-responsive and thereby prevent network overload;

an association unit for associating the first initiation request with one of the multi-homed servers according to a round robin scheme; and

an acknowledgment unit for acknowledging the first initiation request to initiate a data transfer directly between the first multi-homed client and the associated multi-homed server, the data transfer bypassing the contact host, wherein the contact host acknowledges the first initiation request directly to the corresponding first multi-homed client rather than the associated multi-homed server acknowledging the first initiation request.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising the first multi-homed client'"'"'s associated multi-homed server having means for receiving from the first multi-homed client, a confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

10. The system of claim 8, further comprising means for receiving, by the contact host from the first multi-homed client, confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein each acknowledgment includes at least one IP address for the associated multi-homed server.