Distributed data caching in hybrid peer-to-peer systems

• US 7,394,817 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2004
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Yap, Sim Thong
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu; Huy D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIYAMI, ABDULLAH A
• Application Number:
  US10/901,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• Field of Search: 370/229, 370/232, 370/235, 370/252, 709/201, 711/117, 711/122, 711/147, 711/173
• US Class Current: 370/400
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1059 Inter-group management mechanisms, e.g. splitting, merging or interconnection of groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1076 Resource dissemination mechanisms or network resource keeping policies for optimal resource availability in the overlay network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method for caching data in a hybrid peer-to-peer system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of establishing (1702) a performance criterion, arranging (1703) the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers by assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion, and processing (1704) the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions. The method thereafter allocates (1705), as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups, and caches (1706) each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.

Claims

1. A method for caching data in a hybrid peer-to-peer system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) establishing a performance criterion;

(b) arranging the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers by (c) assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion;

(d) processing the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions;

(e) allocating, as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups; and

(f) caching each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the performance criterion includes optimization of one or more of:

data availability;

data survivability;

data throughput; and

data security.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the performance criterion is functionally dependent upon at least one factor; and

the arranging step is performed as a function of the at least one factor.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the performance criterion is maximum data availability, and the at least one factor is allocated bandwidth and availability.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the arranging step is performed at least at one of a network logical layer and a network physical layer.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the group at the top of the hierarchy comprises a central server with which each other one of said plurality of peers can communicate directly; and

wherein;

the assigning step, in relation to a current peer wishing to join said system, comprises the steps of;

(i) establishing a hierarchical rank for the current peer; and

(ii) assigning the current peer to a corresponding hierarchical group dependent upon said rank.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the hierarchical rank is dependent upon at least one of a relative availability and a relative throughput of the current peer.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein at least one peer having a particular hierarchical rank is assigned in the assigning step to a hierarchical group at a lower hierarchic level.

9. A method according to claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

(g) the central server amending the structure of the system as peer membership changes by performing at least one of;

(h) moving a peer from a currently assigned hierarchical group to another hierarchical group as the peer characteristics change beyond a deviation margin; and

(j) allocating a role of one peer to another peer when the one peer disconnects from the system.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the data partitions preserves semantic content of the data.

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said caching of said each data partition is performed one of (i) concurrently, (ii) distributed across a short time interval, and (iii) distributed across a long time interval.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the data comprises an image; and

the processing in 1(d) step forms partitions on a resolution basis.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the data comprises video information; and

the processing step forms clip-based partitions on the basis of at least one of time sequencing and clip content.

14. A method according to claim 1, wherein:

the data comprises audio information; and

the processing step forms partitions on the basis of at least one of frequency, range and bit rate.

15. A method by which a sharing peer shares images with a plurality of recipient peers in a hybrid peer-to-peer system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) caching, by the sharing peer, images for sharing according to the method in claim 1, the images being partitioned at a perceptual level; and

(b) notifying the recipient peers that the images are available, the notification providing information necessary to retrieve the images.

16. A distributed hybrid peer-to-peer system for distributed data caching, the system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers having been arranged by (a) establishing a performance criterion, (b) arranging the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers by (c) assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion, the system comprising:

(d) means for processing the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions;

(e) means for allocating, as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups; and

(f) means for caching each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.

17. A system according to claim 16, wherein the arrangement of the computer system is performed at least at one of a network logical layer and a network physical layer.

18. A computer readable storage medium having recorded thereon a computer program for directing a processor to execute procedures for caching data in a hybrid peer-to-peer system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers, the program comprising instructions to execute:

(a) establishing a performance criterion;

(b) arranging the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers, by (c) assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion;

(d) processing the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions;

(e) allocating, as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups; and

(f) caching each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.