Simplified method for processing multiple connections from the same client

• US 9,077,554 B1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Szabo, Paul I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coulter, Kenneth R
• Application Number:
  US12/110,115
• Time in Patent Office: 2,629 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/223, 709227-229, 718102-105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• 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 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request

Abstract

An apparatus is related to connection management for a communications network. A control component receives a data flow requesting a resource from a client, identifies the client, and determines when the data flow is unassociated with a connection to a requested resource. The control component selects a new content server for an unassociated resource request when either the identified client was previously unknown or the identified client has exceeded a maximum number of connections with a previously selected content server. The control component selects the previously selected content server when the identified client has not exceeded the maximum number of connections. A switch component is employed to maintain a connection between the client and the selected content server such that the client receives the requested resource. Utilizing cached connection information for up to “N” connections enhances the speed of connections between the client and the selected content server.

Claims

1. A method for directing communications over a network between a client and at least one content server, the method comprising:

receiving a data flow by a server array controller device, the data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identifying the client that is associated with the resource request by the server array controller device;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, by the server array controller device, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests;

caching connection information that is associated with the original content server and the identified client by the server array controller device;

initializing, by the server array controller device, a connection count that is associated with the identified client when the connection information is cached;

updating by the server array controller device, the connection count when the original content server is selected from the cached connection information; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client by the server array controller device while data flow between the identified content server and the identified client is maintained by the server array controller device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining, b the server array controller device, a table for the cached connection information, wherein the table includes at least one entry that is associated with the identified client when a connection between the identified client and the requested resource is alive, and

removing, by the server array controller device, an entry from the table when the connection between the identified client and the requested resource is dead or when a time stamp that is associated with the table entry exceeds a time limit.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring, by the server array controller device, a connection time that is associated with the connection between the identified client and the original content server, and selecting the content server with a load-balancing algorithm to provide the original content server to handle the resource request when the connection time exceeds a maximum connection time limit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the original content server further comprises selecting a content server with a load-balancing algorithm when the identified client is unassociated with another content server, and when the identified client is associated with another content server that is maintaining the maximum number of resource requests.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the client further comprises identifying at least a portion of a source address or a source port for the client that is associated with the resource request.

6. A method for directing communications over a network, the method comprising:

receiving a data flow by a server array controller device, the data flow including a resource request;

identifying a client that is associated with the resource request by the server array controller device;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, by the server array controller device, when the resource request is directed to an identified content server with which the identified client already has reached a maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client, wherein the maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client is less than a total maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client and one or more other clients; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client by the server array controller device while maintaining data flow between the identified content server and the identified client for the allowed collections.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising updating, by the server array controller device, cached connection information when the identified client that is associated with the resource request is associated with a previously selected content server.

8. A method for directing communications over a network between a client and at least one content server, the method comprising:

receiving a data flow by a server array controller device, the data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identifying the client that is associated with the resource request by the server array controller device;

performing by the server array controller device a load balancing decision based on the identified client;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, by the server array controller device, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests, wherein the original content server is selected based on the load balancing decision;

caching by the server array controller device the load balancing decision, wherein the cached load balancing decision is reused by the server array controller up to a maximum number of resource requests for the original content server for the identified client; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client using the server array controller.

9. A server array controller device, comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor which is configured to be capable of executing programmed instructions comprising and stored in the memory to:

receive a data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identify the client that is associated with the resource request;

select an original content server to handle the resource request, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests;

cache connection information that is associated with the original content server and the identified client;

initialize a connection count that is associated with the identified client when the connection information is cached;

update the connection count when the original content server is selected from the cached connection information; and

direct the data flow between the original content server and the identified client while data flow between the identified content server and the identified client is maintained.

10. The server array controller device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing additional programmed instructions comprising and stored in the memory to:

maintain a table for the cached connection information, wherein the table includes at least one entry that is associated with the identified client when a connection between the identified client and the requested resource is alive, and

remove an entry from the table when the connection between the identified client and the requested resource is dead or when a time stamp that is associated with the table entry exceeds a time limit.

11. The server array controller device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing additional programmed instructions comprising and stored in the memory to:

monitor a connection time that is associated with the connection between the identified client and the original content server; and

select the content server with a load-balancing algorithm to provide the original content server to handle the resource request when the connection time exceeds a maximum connection time limit.

12. The server array controller device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing at least one additional programmed instruction comprising and stored in the memory to select a content server with a load-balancing algorithm when the identified client is unassociated with another content server, and when the identified client is associated with another content server that is maintaining the maximum number of resource requests.

13. The server array controller device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing at least one additional programmed instruction comprising and stored in the memory to identify at least a portion of a source address or a source port for the client that is associated with the resource request.

14. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for directing communications over a network, comprising executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identifying the client that is associated with the resource request;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests;

caching connection information that is associated with the original content server and the identified client;

initializing a connection count that is associated with the identified client when the connection information is cached;

updating the connection count when the original content server is selected from the cached connection information; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client while data flow between the identified content server and the identified client is maintained.

15. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform additional steps comprising:

maintaining a table for the cached connection information, wherein the table includes at least one entry that is associated with the identified client when a connection between the identified client and the requested resource is alive, and

removing an entry from the table when the connection between the identified client and the requested resource is dead or when a time stamp that is associated with the table entry exceeds a time limit.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform additional steps comprising:

monitoring a connection time that is associated with the connection between the identified client and the original content server; and

selecting the content server with a load-balancing algorithm to provide the original content server to handle the resource request when the connection time exceeds a maximum connection time limit.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform at least one additional step comprising selecting a content server with a load-balancing algorithm when the identified client is unassociated with another content server, and when the identified client is associated with another content server that is maintaining the maximum number of resource requests.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 14, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform at least one additional step comprising identifying at least a portion of a source address or a source port for the client that is associated with the resource request.

19. A server array controller device, comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor which is configured to be capable of executing programmed instructions comprising and stored in the memory to:

receive a data flow including a resource request;

identify a client that is associated with the resource request;

select an original content server to handle the resource request, when the resource request is directed to an identified content server with which the identified client already has reached a maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client, wherein the maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client is less than a total maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client and one or more other clients; and

direct the data flow between the original content server and the identified client while maintaining data flow between the identified content server and the identified client for the allowed collections.

20. The server array controller device of claim 19, wherein the processor is further configured to be capable of executing at least one additional programmed instruction comprising and stored in the memory to update cached connection information when the identified client that is associated with the resource request is associated with a previously selected content server.

21. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for directing communications over a network, comprising executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a data flow including a resource request;

identifying a client that is associated with the resource request;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, when the resource request is directed to an identified content server with which the identified client already has reached a maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client, wherein the maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client is less than a total maximum number of allowed connections for the identified client and one or more other clients; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client while maintaining data flow between the identified content server and the identified client for the allowed collections.

22. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 21, wherein the executable code, when executed by the processor, further causes the processor to perform at least one additional step comprising updating cached connection information when the identified client that is associated with the resource request is associated with a previously selected content server.

23. A server array controller device, comprising a processor and a memory coupled to the processor which is configured to be capable of executing programmed instructions comprising and stored in the memory to:

receive a data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identify the client that is associated with the resource request;

perform a load balancing decision based on the identified client;

select an original content server to handle the resource request, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests, wherein the original content server is selected based on the load balancing decision;

cache the load balancing decision in a memory, wherein the cached load balancing decision is reused up to a maximum number of resource requests for the original content server for the identified client; and

direct the data flow between the original content server and the identified client.

24. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for directing communications over a network, comprising executable code which when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving a data flow including a resource request specifying an identified content server;

identifying the client that is associated with the resource request;

performing a load balancing decision based on the identified client;

selecting an original content server to handle the resource request, when the identified content server is maintaining a maximum number of resource requests allowed between the identified content server and the identified client regardless of a capacity of the identified content server to accommodate one or more additional resource requests, wherein the original content server is selected based on the load balancing decision;

caching the load balancing decision in a memory, wherein the cached load balancing decision is reused up to a maximum number of resource requests for the original content server for the identified client; and

directing the data flow between the original content server and the identified client.