Arrangement for selecting a server to provide distributed services from among multiple servers based on a location of a client device

• US 20060116988A1
• Filed: 04/21/2005
• Published: 06/01/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Toebes, John, Walker, Douglas Jay, Turner, Bryan C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,792,989 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations

Abstract

A selection resource executed within the network is configured for selecting from among a plurality of servers, distributed throughout the network at respective network-based server locations in each configured for providing a specified service, a selected server for providing the specified service for a client device at a network-based client location. The selection resource selects the selected server based on the corresponding server location relative to the client location, and causes a request having been generated by the client device to be sent to the selected server. Hence, the selection resource optimizes client-server interactions in a distributed computing network, based on the client location and the server location.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method in a client device, the method comprising:

identifying a network-based client location of the client device within a network relative to an identifiable network topology;

selecting by the client device one selected server from other servers, the one selected server and the other servers located at respective network-based server locations within the identifiable network topology and each configured for providing a client service, the selecting based on the server location of the one selected server relative to the client location; and

sending a request to the one selected server for the client service.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the identifying includes receiving the identifiable network topology from an access router in communication with the client device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the receiving includes receiving a network topology map, identifying the server locations and the client location within the identifiable network topology, for calculation of network distance in the identifiable network topology, the selecting of the one selected server based on the corresponding server location having a minimum network distance to the client location, relative to the respective server locations of others of the servers, and based on a determined availability of the one selected server.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the selecting includes selecting the one selected server based on the one selected server and the client device sharing a subnet prefix, the client location and the server location based on the subnet prefix.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, and a media stream service.

15-35. -35. (canceled)

36. A client device configured for connection with a network, the client device comprising:

a selection resource configured for;

(1) identifying a network-based client location of the client device within a network relative to an identifiable network topology, and

(2) selecting one selected server from other servers, the one selected server and the other servers located at respective network-based server locations within the identifiable network topology and each configured for providing a client service, the selection resource configured for selecting the one selected server based on the server location of the one selected server relative to the client location; and

a network interface configured for sending a request to the one selected server for the client service.

37. The client device of claim 36, wherein the selection resource is configured for identifying the client location based on receiving the identifiable network topology from an access router in communication with the client device.

38. The client device of claim 37, wherein the selection resource is configured for:

receiving the identifiable network topology as a network topology map, identifying the server locations and the client location, for calculation of network distance in the identifiable network topology, and

selecting the one selected server based on the corresponding server location having a minimum network distance to the client location, relative to the respective server locations of others of the servers, and based on a determined availability of the one selected server.

39. The client device of claim 37, wherein the selection resource is configured for selecting the one selected server based on the one selected server and the client device sharing a subnet prefix, the client location and the server location based on the subnet prefix.

40. The client device of claim 36, wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, and a media stream service.

41-49. -49. (canceled)

50. A client device configured for connection with a network, the client device comprising:

selection means for identifying a network-based client location of the client device within a network relative to an identifiable network topology, the selection means further configured for selecting one selected server from other servers, the one selected server and the other servers located at respective network-based server locations within the identifiable network topology and each configured for providing a client service, the selection means configured for selecting the one selected server based on the server location of the one selected server relative to the client location; and

means for sending a request to the one selected server for the client service.

51. The client device of claim 50, wherein the selection means is configured for identifying the client location based on receiving the identifiable network topology from an access router in communication with the client device.

52. The client device of claim 51, wherein the selection means is configured for:

receiving the identifiable network topology as a network topology map, identifying the server locations and the client location, for calculation of network distance in the identifiable network topology, and

selecting the one selected server based on the corresponding server location having a minimum network distance to the client location, relative to the respective server locations of others of the servers, and based on a determined availability of the one selected server.

53. The client device of claim 51, wherein the selection means is configured for selecting the one selected server based on the one selected server and the client device sharing a subnet prefix, the client location and the server location based on the subnet prefix.

54. The client device of claim 50, wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, and a media stream service.