Peer-to-peer group management and method for maintaining peer-to-peer graphs

• US 7,493,363 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Zhang, Xiaohai, Huitema, Christian, Gavrilescu, Alexandru, Anderson, Noel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell; Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLAIR, DOUGLAS B
• Application Number:
  US09/955,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20030055892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,708 Days
• Field of Search: 709204-205, 709/237, 709/243, 709/230, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5069 for group communication, multicast communication or broadcast communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1044 Group management mechanisms management of multicast group membership H04L12/185; reconfiguring of node membership in a computing system to eliminate errors G06F11/1425
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1046 Joining mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1048 Departure or maintenance mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• 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 and method of serverless peer-to-peer group management and maintenance is presented. Group formation and discovery of private, public, and enumerated groups are provided, as is a method of joining such a peer-to-peer group. Group information management provided by the present invention ensures that each node maintains a current database from the initial joining of the group through the run phase of membership. Group graph maintenance utilizes a group signature to ensure that partitions in a graph may be detected and repaired. The utility of connections within the graph are also monitored so that non-productive connections may be dropped to increase the efficiency of the group. The diameter of the graph is also monitored and adjusted to ensure rapid information transfer throughout the group. A disconnect procedure is used to maintain the graph integrity and prevent partitions resulting from the departure of a group member.

Claims

1. A method of forming a peer-to-peer group within a peer-to-peer cloud, the group having a plurality of peer nodes, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting at least one friendly name for the group (NAME_G), wherein the friendly name collectively identifies the peer-to-peer group;

calculating a category identification (CID) for the group from the at least one friendly name;

providing the CID to at least one peer node within the peer-to-peer cloud, wherein the CID allows the at least one peer node within the peer-to-peer cloud to communicate directly to the peer-to-peer group; and

concatenating a peer ID with the CID to derive CID;

ID, and registering CID;

ID with a peer-to-peer name resolution protocol (PNRP) for discovery therethrough.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of calculating the CID comprises the step of hashing the NAME_G with a seed GROUP.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the peer-to-peer group is to be private, wherein the step of providing the CID to a peer comprises the step of sending the CID to the peer out of band.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the peer-to-peer group is to be public, wherein the step of providing the CID to a peer comprises the step of registering the CID with the peer-to-peer name resolution protocol (PNRP) for discovery therethrough.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving a connect message from the peer and returning a welcome message to the peer.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the steps of calculating a signature of a group object database, and sending the signature to the peer.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of calculating the signature of the group object database comprises the steps of combining a unique identification (UID), sequence number (SNUM), and age for each group object in the group object database, and sorting a list of the combined UIDs/SNUMs/ages for the group objects.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of receiving a request for specific group objects from the peer, and transmitting the specific group objects to the peer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of receiving a connect message from the peer and returning a refuse message to the peer along with a list of other members of the group.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions that perform the method of claim 1.