System, method and apparatus for data processing and storage to provide continuous e-mail operations independent of device failure or disaster

• US 8,688,787 B1
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ZeroNines Technology, Inc.
• Original Assignee: ZeroNines Technology, Inc.
• Inventors: Fukuhara, Keith T., Gin, Alan S., Sareli, Shane I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meky, Moustafa M
• Application Number:
  US11/177,192
• Time in Patent Office: 3,189 Days
• Field of Search: 709/229, 709/230, 709200-203, 709205-206, 709217-227, 709/228, 714 1- 4, 714/4.1
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/02 using automatic reactions or user delegation, e.g. automatic replies or chatbot-generated messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for providing continuous operations of a user e-mail application at a user computing device. At least two application servers, such as e-mail servers, are provided with each application server running the user e-mail application concurrently and independently. Each application server may have a persistent storage device associated with it for storing data. In response to a user request for data processing within the user application, the user request is transmitted to the at least two application servers for processing therein. A return result—responsive to the user request as processed by the one of the at least two application servers—is passed to the user computing device from one of the at least two application servers. In this manner, if one of the application servers fails or becomes unavailable due to a disaster or otherwise, the user e-mail requests can be continuously processed by at least the other application server without any delays.

Claims

1. A method for providing continuous operations of a user e-mail application at a user computing device, the method comprising:

providing at least two application servers, each application server concurrently running state-accurate redundant versions of the user e-mail application, wherein a first server of the at least two application servers is located at a first location and a second server of the at least two application servers is located at a second location, wherein the first location is geographically remote from the second location;

in response to a user request for an operation of the e-mail application, transmitting the user request to the at least two application servers for processing therein; and

passing a return result to the user computing device from one of the at least two application servers, said return result corresponding to the user request as processed by the one of the at least two application servers.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing at least two persistent storage devices, wherein a first persistent storage device is associated with a first server of the at least two application servers, and wherein a second persistent storage device is associated with a second server of the at least two application servers.

3. A system for providing continuous operations of an email application at a user computing device, the system comprising:

at least two servers, each server having a persistent storage device associated therewith, each server adapted to concurrently run state-accurate redundant versions of the email application; and

a multicasting device for processing communications between the user computing device and the at least two servers;

wherein in response to a user request for data processing within the email application, the multicasting device transmits the user request to the at least two servers for processing therein;

wherein the multicasting device passes a return result to the user computing device from one of the at least two servers, said return result corresponding to the user request as processed by the one of the at least two servers;

wherein a first server of the at least two servers is located at a first location, and a second server of the at least two servers is located at a second location;

wherein the first location is geographically remote from the second location.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the multicasting device is a server.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein a first server of the at least two servers operates using a first operating system, and a second server of the at least two servers operates using a second operating system.

6. A method for processing communications between a user device and at least two servers, comprising:

configuring the at least two servers to each concurrently run state-accurate redundant versions of an email application program;

receiving a user request relating to the email application program;

transmitting the user request to the at least two servers for processing therein; and

forwarding to the user device a result received from one of the at least two servers, wherein the result is responsive to the user request;

wherein a first server of the at least two servers is located at a first location, and a second server of the at least two servers is located at a second location;

wherein the first location is geographically remote from the second location.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a plurality of requests received from the user device;

storing a plurality of results received from at least one of the at least two servers; and

associating the plurality of results to a corresponding one of the plurality of requests.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

creating a record associated with the user request.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the record has a unique identifier associated with the record.

10. A method for providing a continuously operating computing system for an email application service provider having a plurality of servers servicing a plurality of user devices, each user device having a user session including user requests relating to at least one email application program, the method comprising:

configuring at least two servers to each concurrently run state-accurate redundant versions of said email application program;

providing a multicasting server for receiving a user request relating to said email application program, said multicasting server transmitting the user request to the at least two servers for processing therein; and

upon receiving a first result from one of the at least two servers, forwarding the first result to the user device;

wherein a first server of the at least two servers is located at a first location, and a second server of the at least two servers is located at a second location;

wherein the first location is geographically remote from the second location.