System and method for load balancing multiple file transfer protocol (FTP) servers to service FTP connections for a cloud-based service

• US 8,719,445 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Box Incorporated
• Inventors: Ko, Yao
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hua
• Application Number:
  US13/649,784
• Publication Number:
  US 20140012990A1
• Time in Patent Office: 572 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226
• US Class Current: 709/236
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]

Abstract

System and method for load balancing multiple file transfer protocol (FTP) servers to service secure FTP sessions having encrypted signals are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the system include multiple FTP servers coupled to a load balancing agent. Each of the multiple FTP servers is associated with a unique port range and the load balancer receives an encrypted data signal in a secure FTP session on a given port and uses a port range within which the given port falls to identify which of the multiple FTP servers a corresponding control signal of the secure FTP session was previously sent.

Claims

1. A system for load balancing multiple file transfer protocol (FTP) servers to service FTP connections for a cloud-based service, the system, comprising:

a load balancing agent;

multiple FTP servers coupled to the load balancing agent, which identifies an FTP server from the multiple FTP servers to which to send a control signal of an FTP connection;

wherein, in response to the control signal, the FTP server, identifies a specific port within a port range and returns a port identifier to the specific port to the load balancing agent;

wherein, the load balancer receives the data signal of the FTP connection on the specific port and uses the port range within which the specific port falls to identify the FTP server on which the control signal was sent;

wherein, the load balancing agent is associated with a virtual IP address for use in load balancing requests from multiple FTP clients of the cloud-based service among the multiple FTP servers;

wherein, the multiple FTP clients are integrated with existing hardware infrastructure of a client site utilizing the cloud-based service.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein, the load balancer sends the data signal of the FTP connection to the FTP server.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein, the control signal and the data signal are already encrypted when the load balancing agent identifies the FTP server.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, the cloud-based service provides a cloud-based storage and file-sharing environment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein, the cloud-based service provides collaboration services and features for users at the client site.

6. A method for load balancing secure FTP connections among FTP servers, the method, comprising:

returning, by a first FTP server, a port within a port range uniquely associated with the first FTP server, in response to receiving a first connection of a secure FTP request;

wherein, the port range or the specific port is used to identify the first FTP server to send a second connection of the secure FTP request;

returning, by a second FTP server, another port within a second port range uniquely associated with the second FTP server, in response to receiving a first connection of another secure FTP request;

wherein, the second port range or the other specific port is used to identify the second FTP server to send a second connection of the other secure FTP request;

wherein, the FTP servers are integrated with infrastructure utilizing a cloud-based service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, the secure FTP request is received from a load balancing agent and the first FTP server to receive the secure FTP request is selected by the load balancing agent.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein, the first and second FTP servers are selected for load balancing considerations.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein, the secure FTP connections include encrypted control and data signals.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein, the FTP servers provide access to the cloud-based service or storage environment.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein, the FTP servers provide access to a web-accessible or web-based collaboration environment.