System and method for providing network services using redundant resources

• US 6,957,251 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Issued: 10/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Genworth Holdings, Inc. (Genworth Financial Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Genworth Financial Incorporated
• Inventors: Campbell, James A., Wisner, Steven P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Fritz
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farooq, Mohammad O.
• Application Number:
  US09/681,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20020165944A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• Field of Search: 709/201, 709/209, 709/223, 709/226, 709/238, 709/220
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2035 without idle spare hardware
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2046 where the redundant components share persistent storage G06F11/2043 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2056 by mirroring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A system for providing a network service includes at least first and second data centers containing the same functionality and data content. The first data center designates a first group of resources as active, and another group of resources as standby resources. In a similar, but reciprocal, manner, the second data center designates a first group of resources as active, and another group of resources as standby resources. Users coupled to the first and second data centers may access active resources located in both the first and second data centers. In the event of a partial or complete failure of data center resources, the standby resources are activated and used to service user requests. In one embodiment, the data centers include a three-tier structure including a web access tier, an application logic tier, and a database management tier.

Claims

1. A system for providing a network service to users, comprising:

a first data center for providing the network service at a first geographic location, including;

first active resources configured for active use;

first standby resources configured for standby use in the event that active resources cannot be obtained from another source;

first logic for managing access to resources;

a second data center for providing the network service at a second geographic location, including;

second active resources configured for active use;

second standby resources configured for standby use in the event that active resources cannot be obtained from another source;

second logic for managing access to resources;

wherein the first active resources include the same resources as the second standby resources, and wherein the first standby resources include the same resources as the second active resources, and wherein, the first logic is configured to;

assess a needed resource for use by a user coupled to the first data center;

determine whether the needed resource is contained within the first active resources or the first standby resources of the first data center;

provide the needed resource from the first active resources if the needed resource is contained therein;

provide the needed resource from the second active resources of the second data center if the needed resource is contained within the standby resources of the first data center;

wherein, the second logic is configured to;

assess a needed resource for use by a user coupled to the second data center;

determine whether the needed resource is contained with the second active resources or the second standby resources of the second data center;

provide the needed resource from the second active resources if the needed resource is contained therein; and

provide the needed resource from the first active resources of the first data center if the needed resource is contained within the second standby resources of the second data center;

wherein the first active resources and the first standby resources comprise first database content maintained in a first database; and

wherein the second active resources and the second standby resources comprise second database content maintained in a second database.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first logic is further configured to;

assess whether the first active resources have become disabled; and

, in response thereto, route a request for a needed resource to the second data center, and

the second logic is further configured to;

assess whether the second active resources have become disabled; and

, in response thereto, route a request for a needed resource to the first data center.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes a distributor module for distributing a user'"'"'s request for network services to at least the first or second data centers.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the distributor module further includes:

logic for receiving information regarding a failure of the first data center, and for transferring subsequent requests for resources to the second data center, and

logic for receiving information regarding a failure of the second data center, and for transferring subsequent requests for resources to the first data center.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first data center includes;

a first database;

a first network access tier including logic for managing a user'"'"'s access to the first data center;

a first application tier including application logic for administering the network service; and

a first data access tier for managing access to the first database;

the second data center includes;

a second database;

a second network access tier including logic for managing a user'"'"'s access to the second data center;

a second application tier including application logic for administering the network service; and

a second database tier including logic for managing access to the second database.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first logic maintains instances corresponding to the first database content, wherein the states of the instances define whether the resources in the first database form part of the first active resources or the first standby resources; and

the second logic maintains instances corresponding to the second database content, wherein the states of the instances define whether the resources in the second database form part of the second active resources or the second standby resources.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein a wide area network couples at least one user to the first data center or the second data center.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further includes an inter-center routing network that couples the first and second data centers.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein:

the first logic is configured to route requests to the second active resources of the second data center via the inter-center routing network, and

the second logic is configured to route requests to the first active resources of the first data center via the inter-center routing network.

10. A method system for providing a network service to users, comprising:

in a system including first and second data centers located and first and second geographic locations, respectively, coupling a user to the first data center, wherein;

the first data center includes first active resources configured for active use; and

first standby resources configured for standby use in the event that active resources cannot be obtained from another source;

the second data center includes second active resources configured for active use; and

second standby resources configured for standby use in the event that active resources cannot be obtained from another source;

assessing a resource needed by the user, defining a needed resource;

determining whether the needed resource is contained with the first active resources or the first standby resources of the first data center;

providing the needed resource from the first active resources if the needed resource is contained therein; and

providing the needed resource from the second active resources of the second data center if the needed resource is contained within the standby resources of the first data center,

wherein the first active resources include the same resources as the second standby resources, and wherein the first standby resources include the same resources as the second active resources;

wherein the first active resources and the first standby resources comprise first database content maintained in a first database; and

wherein the second active resources and the second standby resources comprise second database content maintained in a second database.

11. The method of claim 10, further including the steps of:

assessing whether the first active resources have become disabled; and

in response thereto, routing a request for a needed resource to the second data center.

12. The method of claim 10, further including the steps of:

receiving information regarding a failure of the first data center; and

in response thereto, transferring subsequent requests for resources to the second data center.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein;

the first data center maintains instances corresponding to the first database content, wherein the states of the instances define whether the resources in the first database form part of the first active resources or the first standby resources; and

the second data center maintains instances corresponding to the second database content, wherein the states of the instances define whether the resources in the second database form part of the second active resources or the second standby resources.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein a wide area network couples at least one user to the first data center or the second data center.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein an inter-center routing network couples the first and second data centers.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the first data center routes a request for a needed resource in the second active resources via the inter-center routing network, and

the second data center routes a request for a needed resource in the first active resources via the inter-center routing network.