Self-managed mediated information flow

• US 9,525,566 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cloudsoft Corp. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Cloudsoft Corp. Ltd.
• Inventors: Johnston-Watt, Duncan, West, Andrew Martin, Dearle, Alan, Connor, Richard, Sheehan, Dean Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Bengzon, Greg C
• Application Number:
  US10/903,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,526 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-204, 709224-229, 709238-244, 709/200, 370/254, 370/334, 370229-231, 370236-2381, 370400-407, 370428-429, 370/546, 707/200, 707705-735, 707781-785, 707/899, 718100-105
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0668 by dynamic selection of recovery network elements, e.g. replacement by the most appropriate element after failure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/08 Configuration management of networks or network elements address allocation H04L61/50
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0803 Configuration setting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0811 by checking connectivity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/063 Content adaptation, e.g. replacement of unsuitable content
• 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 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context

Abstract

There is provided a method for mediating the flow of messages in a computer network having a mediation architecture that includes a plurality of logical nodes arranged in a logical mediation cycle. The method provides algorithms for: handing mediation tasks over between mediator nodes; reconfiguring the logical topology of the mediation architecture in response to a change request while maintaining system invariants; and refining the structure of the mediation architecture by adding whole subnetworks in place of single nodes.

The method also addresses failure detection and recovery.

Claims

1. A method for performing distributed mediation tasks on messages in a computer network, wherein the computer network has a mediation network configured for transmission of messages between source nodes registered to provide messages to the mediation network and sink nodes registered to receive the messages from the mediation network, based on message classification, the mediation network comprising:

at least one local point of presence (LPP) module for interfacing between the mediation network and the source and sink nodes;

two or more mediator (M) modules for hosting one or more mediation tasks;

at least one mediator router (MR) module for analyzing the content of incoming messages, each MR module routing the incoming messages received by the mediation network to a predetermined M module in dependence upon said content; and

at least one transmission proxy (TP) module for forwarding mediated messages to at least one of said LPP modules for sending on to the sink nodes registered to receive the messages,

wherein the at least one LPP module interfaces over connections of the computer network between the at least one MR module of the mediation network and the source nodes external to said mediation network when receiving said incoming messages to said mediation network, and over connections of the computer network between the at least one TP module of said mediation network and said sink nodes external to said mediation network when transmitting mediated messages from said mediation network,

wherein each of the LPP, MR, M and TP modules are embodied by, and their respective functions implemented by, separate and distinct software entities, and wherein all message paths between each of said MR, M, and TP modules are unidirectional and non-reciprocal, so that, in the method, incoming messages to the mediation network are propagated from said source nodes to said sink nodes over connections of the mediation network via said MR, M, and TP modules without introducing a mediation bottleneck to said computer network along a mediation cycle that comprises the steps of;

an LPP module addressing messages incoming to the mediation network from a source node to a respective one of said at least one MR module;

at said addressed MR module, analyzing the content of said incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content;

at said predetermined mediator module;

applying the mediation task to said incoming messages, the mediation task being one or more of logging said incoming messages and modifying said incoming messages; and

directing said mediated messages to a respective one of said TP modules; and

at said TP module that receives said mediated messages, forwarding said mediated messages to at least one of said LPP modules for forwarding to a sink node,

wherein the messages incoming to the mediation network belong to one of the group of message types including client messages, control messages, or management messages, and

wherein the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content comprises a processor executing the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said client messages belong to one of the group of message types including:

new information, which emanates from a process acting as an information source;

queries about state of nodes in the mediation network, which require a reply; and

expressions of interest, which require ongoing replies whenever pertinent new information is received by the mediation network.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising inducing a change in internal operation of the mediation network by directing a control message as an incoming message along the mediation cycle.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising generating a message log of all incoming messages received by said predetermined mediator module.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the mediation task applied to said analyzed messages at said predetermined mediator module includes generating the message log.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the computer network further includes an external application, the method further comprising:

generating the message log in said external application.

20. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mediation cycle is cyclical.

7. A mediation network for performing distributed mediation tasks on messages in a computer network, wherein the mediation network is configured for transmission of messages between source nodes registered to provide messages to the mediation network and sink nodes registered to receive the messages from the mediation network, based on message classification, and wherein the mediation network includes:

at least one local point of presence (LPP) module for interfacing between the mediation network and the source and sink nodes;

two or more mediator (M) modules for hosting one or more mediation tasks;

at least one mediator router (MR) module for analyzing the content of incoming messages, each MR module routing the incoming messages received by the mediation network to an associated, predetermined M module in dependence upon said content; and

at least one transmission proxy (TP) module for forwarding mediated messages to at least one of said LPP modules for sending on to the sink nodes registered to receive the messages,

wherein the at least one LPP modules interfaces over connections of the computer network between the at least one MR modules of the mediation network and the source nodes external to said mediation network when receiving said incoming messages to said mediation network, and over connections of the computer network between the at least one TP module of said mediation network and said sink nodes external to said mediation network when transmitting mediated messages from said mediation network after a mediation task has been performed on said incoming messages, the mediation task being one or more of logging said incoming messages and modifying said incoming messages,

wherein each of the LPP, MR, M and TP modules are embodied by, and their respective functions implemented by, separate and distinct software entities, and wherein all message paths between each of said MR, M, and TP modules are unidirectional and non-reciprocal, so that the mediation network couples messages from said source nodes to said sink nodes over connections of the mediation network via said MR, M, and TP modules without introducing a mediation bottleneck to said computer network along a unidirectional mediation cycle in which;

LPP modules address incoming messages from source nodes to MR modules;

MR modules in turn address M modules;

M modules in turn address TP modules; and

TP modules in turn address LPP modules for forwarding said mediated messages to sink nodes, wherein the messages incoming to the mediation network belong to one of the group of message types including client messages, control messages, or management messages,

wherein the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content comprises a processor executing the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content.

8. The mediation network as claimed in claim 7, wherein the clientmessages belong to one of the group of message types including:

new information, which emanates from a process acting as an information source;

queries about state of nodes in the mediation network, which require a reply; and

expressions of interest, which require ongoing replies whenever pertinent new information is received by the mediation network.

9. The mediation network as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a control mechanism that induces a change in internal operation of the mediation network by directing a control message as an incoming message along the mediation cycle.

10. The mediation network as claimed in claim 7, further comprising means for generating a message log of all incoming messages received by said predetermined mediator module.

11. The mediation network as claimed in claim 10, wherein the mediation task applied to said analyzed messages at said predetermined mediator module includes generating the message log.

12. The mediation network as claimed in claim 10, wherein the computer network further includes an external application that generates the message log, the mediation network further comprising:

means for receiving the message log generated in said external application.

21. The network as claimed in claim 7, wherein the message path is cyclical.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon executable instructions for performing distributed mediation tasks on messages in a computer network, the executable instructions, which when executed by a computer, cause the computer to provide a mediation network configured for transmission of messages between source nodes registered to provide messages to the mediation network and sink nodes registered to receive the messages from the mediation network, based on message classification, the mediation network having:

at least one local point of presence (LPP) module for interfacing between the mediation network and the source and sink nodes;

two or more mediator (M) modules for hosting one or more mediation tasks;

at least one mediator router (MR) module for analyzing the content of incoming messages, each MR module routing the incoming messages received by the mediation network to a predetermined M module in dependence upon said content; and

at least one transmission proxy (TP) module for forwarding mediated messages to at least one of said LPP modules for sending on to the sink nodes registered to receive the messages,

wherein the at least one LPP module interfaces over connections of the computer network between the at least one MR module of the mediation network and the source nodes external to said mediation network when receiving said incoming messages to said mediation network, and over connections of the computer network between the at least one TP module of said mediation network and said sink nodes external to said mediation network when transmitting mediated messages from said mediation network,

wherein each of the LPP, MR, M and TP modules are embodied by, and their respective functions implemented by, separate and distinct software entities, and wherein all message paths between each of said MR, M, and TP modules are unidirectional and non-reciprocal, so that when the instructions are executed, incoming messages to the mediation network are propagated from said source nodes to said sink nodes over connections of the mediation network via said MR, M, and TP modules without introducing a mediation bottleneck to said computer network along a mediation cycle that comprises the steps of;

an LPP module addressing messages incoming to the mediation network from a source node to a respective one of said at least one mediator router (MR) module;

at said addressed MR module, analyzing the content of said incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content;

at said predetermined mediator module;

applying the mediation task to said incoming messages, the mediation task being one or more of logging said incoming messages and modifying said incoming messages; and

directing said mediated messages to a respective one of said TP modules; and

at said TP module that receives said mediated messages, forwarding said mediated messages to at least one of said LPP modules for forwarding to a sink node,

wherein the messages incoming to the mediation network belong to one of the group of message types including client messages, control messages, or management messages, and

wherein the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content comprises a processor executing the analyzing the content of incoming messages and routing said incoming messages to a predetermined mediator module in dependence upon said analyzed content.

14. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the client messages belong to one of the group of message types including:

new information, which emanates from a process acting as an information source;

queries about state of nodes in the mediation network, which require a reply; and

expressions of interest, which require ongoing replies whenever pertinent new information is received by the mediation network.

15. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, further comprising inducing a change in internal operation of the mediation network by directing a control message as an incoming message along the mediation cycle.

16. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, further comprising generating a message log of all incoming messages received by said predetermined mediator module.

17. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the mediation task applied to said analyzed messages at said predetermined mediator module includes generating the message log.

18. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the computer network further includes an external application, the computer program product further comprising:

generating the message log in said external application.

19. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, the computer-readable storage medium including instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to provide a datastore for storing information about the logical and physical structure of the mediated network.

22. The non transitory computer-readable storage medium as claimed in claim 13, wherein the mediation cycle is cyclical.