Method and system for dynamic distributed data caching

• US 9,369,540 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2015
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Parallel Networks, LLC (epicRealm Licensing LP)
• Original Assignee: Parallel Networks, LLC (epicRealm Licensing LP)
• Inventors: Lowery, Keith A., Chin, Bryan S., Consolver, David A., DeMasters, Gregg A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elmore, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/659,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20150189037A1
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 711/130, 711/154, 711/158, 711/221, 709/214, 709/216, 709/223, 714/6.32
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1068 Discovery involving direct consultation or announcement among potential requesting and potential source peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/108 characterised by resources being split in blocks or fragments
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and system for dynamic distributed data caching is presented. The system includes one or more peer members and a master member. The master member and the one or more peer members form cache community for data storage. The master member is operable to select one of the one or more peer members to become a new master member. The master member is operable to update a peer list for the cache community by removing itself from the peer list. The master member is operable to send a nominate master message and an updated peer list to a peer member selected by the master member to become the new master member.

Claims

1. A method of sharing content amongst a group of peers comprising:

providing information associated with clients sharing content with one another as a group of peers, the information indicating a location of each peer in the group and content that each peer in the group is sharing, the sharing allowing a peer in the group to obtain content from one or more other peers in the group;

allowing a client to join the group as a new peer;

updating the information associated with the group to include the new peer; and

as peers in the group obtain content for sharing, updating the information to indicate which content a particular peer will share.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content being shared is portions of content obtained from an origin server, the sharing allowing a peer in the group to obtain content from one or more other peers in the group as opposed to the origin server.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from a remote server separate from the clients in the group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from one or more of the clients in the group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from a client in the group that serves as a master.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the information associated with the clients in the group is stored as a hashed value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the same content is contained on more than one peer in the group.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein

the information indicating a location of each peer in the group is stored in a list, and

the content that each peer in the group is sharing is stored in a table separate from the list.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the list is obtained separately from the table.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

a group shares a particular set of content, and

a peer may be part of more than one group.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium including code for sharing content amongst a group of peers, the code operable when executed to:

provide information associated with clients sharing content with one another as a group of peers, the information indicating a location of each peer in the group and content that each peer in the group is sharing, the sharing allowing a peer in the group to obtain content from one or more other peers in the group;

allow a client to join the group as a new peer;

update the information associated with the group to include the new peer; and

as peers in the group obtain content for sharing, updating the information to indicate which content a particular peer will share.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the content being shared is portions of content obtained from an origin server, the sharing allowing a peer in the group to obtain content from one or more other peers in the group as opposed to the origin server.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from a remote server separate from the clients in the group.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from one or more of the clients in the group.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the information associated with the clients in the group is at least partially obtained from a client in the group that serves as a master.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein at least a portion of the information associated with the clients in the group is stored as a hashed value.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the same content is contained on more than one peer in the group.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein

the information indicating a location of each peer in the group is stored in a list, and

the content that each peer in the group is sharing is stored in a table separate from the list.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the list is obtained separately from the table.

20. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein

a group shares a particular set of content, and

a peer may be part of more than one group.