Technique for Handling Initiation Requests

• US 20080028081A1
• Filed: 05/19/2004
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Bruss, Jorg
• Granted Patent: US 8,589,473 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• 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 67/1017 based on a round robin mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

A technique is described for handling initiation requests directed to a contact host from a plurality of clients that enables the handling of large number of requests and provides design stage flexibility. A contact host receives the requests from the clients. Thereafter, an acknowledgment is sent to each requesting client so that direct data transfer may commence between the client and server bypassing the contact host. This acknowledgment may be generated and sent by either the contact host or by the associated server In some variations, each request is authenticated prior to the association of each request.

Claims

1. A method for handling initiation requests directed to a contact host from a plurality of clients, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the contact host, the initiation requests;

associating, by the contact host, each initiation request from the plurality of clients with a server; and

acknowledging the receipt of each request to initiate data transfer directly between the plurality of clients and each of the plurality of clients'"'"' associated server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the each of the plurality of clients'"'"' associated server acknowledges the request to each associated server'"'"'s corresponding client.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving, by the each associated server from the each associated server'"'"'s corresponding client, a confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

routing, by the contact host each of the initiation requests to the associated servers so that the associated servers may acknowledge each request.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the contact host acknowledges the initiation requests to the plurality of clients.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

receiving, by the contact host from the plurality of clients confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

forwarding any messages from each of the plurality of clients, by the contact host to the associated servers, after the data transfer has commenced.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

discarding any messages received by the contact host from a client after the data transfer has commenced.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein each acknowledgment includes at least one IP address for the associated server.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein each associated server is multi-homed.

11. The method of claim 5, wherein the association step selects the associated server according to a round robin scheme.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the association step determines the loads on the associated servers and selects the associated server according to a load balancing scheme.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

dynamically assigning, by the contact host, addresses to the servers.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the transport protocol is Streaming Control Transmission Protocol.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

authenticating, by the contact host, each initiation request.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising the initial step of:

providing the contact host with a single address to accept requests to initially prevent direct access to the servers by the clients.

17-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A contact host for handling initiation requests received from a plurality of clients, the contact host comprising:

a receiving unit for receiving the requests;

an association unit for associating each request with a server; and

an acknowledgment unit for initiating an acknowledgment to each requesting client.

21. A system, comprising:

a plurality of clients for generating data transfer initiation requests;

a plurality of servers for handling the data transfer requested by said plurality of clients; and

a contact host for handling initiation requests received from said plurality of clients having;

a receiving unit for receiving the requests;

an association unit for associating each request with a server; and

an acknowledgment unit for initiating an acknowledgment to each requesting client.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein each of the plurality of clients'"'"' associated server acknowledges the request to each associated server'"'"'s corresponding client.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising each of the plurality of servers having means for receiving from each associated server'"'"'s corresponding client, a confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for routing, by the contact host, each of the initiation requests to the associated servers so that the associated servers may acknowledge each request.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for receiving, by the contact host from the plurality of clients, confirmation that data transfer is to commence.

26. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for forwarding any messages from each of the plurality of clients, by the contact host to the associated servers, after the data transfer has commenced.

27. The system of claim 25, further comprising means for discarding any messages received by the contact host from a client after the data transfer has commenced.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein each acknowledgment includes at least one IP address for the associated server.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein each associated server is multi-homed.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the association unit selects the associated server according to a round robin scheme.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein the association unit determines the loads on the associated servers and selects the associated server according to a load balancing scheme.

32. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for dynamically assigning, by the contact host, addresses to the servers.

33. The system of claim 21, wherein the transport protocol is Streaming Control Transmission Protocol.

34. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for authenticating, by the contact host, each initiation request.

35. The system of claim 21, further comprising means for providing the contact host with a single address to accept requests to initially prevent direct access to the servers by the clients.