Caching content and state data at a network element

• US 8,799,403 B2
• Filed: 12/15/2009
• Issued: 08/05/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Chan, Alex Yiu-Man, Haridas, Snehal, De Datta, Raj K.
• Primary Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US12/638,159
• Publication Number:
  US 20100094945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,694 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/202, 709/217, 709/232, 709/238, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element'"'"'s cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application.

In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.

Claims

1. A method of responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:

intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets with a destination address to a device other than the network element;

wherein an underlying network comprises a set of network elements, wherein a network cloud over the underlying network comprises a proper subset of the set of network elements, wherein the network element is a part of the network cloud;

determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from a server application on the device;

determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element;

sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache;

wherein the particular message is sent to the server application by forwarding the particular message through one or more other network elements in the network cloud over the underlying network, wherein the particular message is forwarded through the one or more other network elements in the network cloud in a specific message format of the network cloud different from a message format, of the underlying network, in which the particular message is delivered to the server application;

receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and

sending, toward a client application that sent the particular request, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first response does not contain the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein a portion of the specified data needs to be generated dynamically by the server application, and wherein the dynamically generated data is not contained in the cache.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the dynamically generated data is generated by the server application in response to receiving the particular message, and wherein the dynamically generated data is not generated before the server application receives the particular message.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second response is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the network element is a network switch or router.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the application layer message follows a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the application layer message.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the second response is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:

intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets with a destination address to a device other than the network element;

wherein an underlying network comprises a set of network elements, wherein a network cloud over the underlying network comprises a proper subset of the set of network elements, wherein the network element is a part of the network cloud;

determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from a server application on the device;

determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element;

sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache;

wherein the particular message is sent to the server application by forwarding the particular message through one or more other network elements in the network cloud over the underlying network, wherein the particular message is forwarded through the one or more other network elements in the network cloud in a specific message format of the network cloud different from a message format, of the underlying network, in which the particular message is delivered to the server application;

receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and

sending, toward a client application that sent the particular request, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the first response does not contain the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein a portion of the specified data needs to be generated dynamically by the server application, and wherein the dynamically generated data is not contained in the cache.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the dynamically generated data is generated by the server application in response to receiving the particular message, and wherein the dynamically generated data is not generated before the server application receives the particular message.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the second response is a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) response.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the network element is a network switch or router.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the application layer message follows a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) header that is separate from the application layer message.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the application layer message is not contained in a Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the application layer message is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium as recited in claim 11, wherein the second response is a Java Message Service (JMS) message.

21. An apparatus for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, the apparatus comprising:

means for intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets with a destination address to a device other than the network element;

wherein an underlying network comprises a set of network elements, wherein a network cloud over the underlying network comprises a proper subset of the set of network elements, wherein the network element is a part of the network cloud;

means for determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from a server application on the device;

means for determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element;

means for sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache;

wherein the particular message is sent to the server application by forwarding the particular message through one or more other network elements in the network cloud over the underlying network, wherein the particular message is forwarded through the one or more other network elements in the network cloud in a specific message format of the network cloud different from a message format, of the underlying network, in which the particular message is delivered to the server application;

means for receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and

means for sending, toward a client application that sent the particular request, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.

22. An apparatus for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, comprising:

a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom;

a processor;

one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of;

intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets with a destination address to a device other than the network element;

wherein an underlying network comprises a set of network elements, wherein a network cloud over the underlying network comprises a proper subset of the set of network elements, wherein the network element is a part of the network cloud;

determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from a server application on the device;

determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element;

sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache;

wherein the particular message is sent to the server application by forwarding the particular message through one or more other network elements in the network cloud over the underlying network, wherein the particular message is forwarded through the one or more other network elements in the network cloud in a specific message format of the network cloud different from a message format, of the underlying network, in which the particular message is delivered to the server application;

receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and

sending, toward a client application that sent the particular request, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.