Systems and methods for synchronizing data between communication devices in a networked environment

• US 7,693,997 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intercall Incorporated (West Corporation)
• Inventors: Kriese, Jeffrey, Jones, Dan, Vernon, Todd
• Primary Examiner(s): Vaughn, Jr.; William C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Serrao; Ranodhi N
• Application Number:
  US12/189,267
• Publication Number:
  US 20080301278A1
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/228, 370/412, 711/100
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1004 Server selection for load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols

Abstract

A source communication device comprises a cluster manager to group destination device connections into a plurality of performance clusters. The cluster manager then causes a synchronization mechanism to be generated for each performance cluster. Each synchronization cluster can then allow data to be optimally shared between the source device and destination devices within a given cluster.

Claims

1. A source device operable to send data to a plurality of destination devices, the source device comprising:

a processor and a memory unit;

a plurality of connection interfaces; and

a cluster manager, the cluster manager structured to;

determine at least one of client service and resource priorities, determine performance similarities for a plurality of connections made via the plurality of connection interfaces, and group the plurality of connections into performance clusters based on the determined performance similarities and the determined client service and resource priorities,

wherein one or more of the destination devices that do not respond within a timeout threshold are removed from their performance clusters, but when the removed one or more destination devices respond to the timeout threshold, the one or more destination devices receive full-buffer updates until such point as a recent average latency performance of a responding destination device is at a level that merits insertion back into one of the performance clusters.

2. The source device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of synchronization mechanisms coupled with the plurality of connection interfaces, wherein the cluster manager is configured to assign a synchronization mechanism to each of the performance clusters.

3. The source device of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of synchronization mechanisms is configured to provide computations and protocols needed to communicate data over the plurality of connections.

4. The source device of claim 3, further comprising a source data buffer configured to store data, and wherein the source device is structured to share the data stored in the source data buffer with the plurality of destination devices interfaced with the source device via the plurality of connection interfaces.

5. The source device of claim 1, wherein the cluster manager is configured to create fewer performance clusters when it is determined that resource priorities are a priority.

6. The source device of claim 1, wherein the cluster manager is configured to create more performance clusters, when it is determined that client service is a priority.

7. The source device of claim 1, wherein the cluster manager is further configured to detect a change in performance capabilities for one of the plurality of connections and to assign a connection for the one of the plurality of connections to another performance cluster based on the change in performance capabilities.

8. The source device of claim 1, wherein the cluster manager is further configured to detect a new connection, determine a performance of the new connection, and add the new connection to a performance cluster based on the performance of the new connection.

9. A network communication system for sending data from an original source device to a plurality of destination devices comprising:

a processer and a memory unit;

an intermediate source device, wherein the intermediate source device comprises;

a cluster manager configured to;

determine subsets of connections from a set of connections, wherein each connection in each subset has similar performance capabilities with the other connections in the same subset, and group each of the subsets in a distinct performance cluster, and

wherein one or more of the destination devices that do not respond within a timeout threshold are removed from their distinct performance clusters, but when the removed one or more destination devices respond to the timeout threshold, the one or more destination devices receive full-buffer updates until such point as a recent average latency performance of a responding destination device is at a level that merits insertion back into one of the distinct performance clusters.

10. The network communication system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of synchronization mechanisms, wherein the cluster manager is configured to assign a synchronization mechanism to each of the performance clusters.

11. The network communication system of claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of synchronization mechanisms is configured to provide computations and protocols needed to communicate data over the set of connections.

12. The network communication system of claim 9, further comprising an intermediate source data buffer configured to store data, and wherein the intermediate source device is configured to share the data stored in the source data buffer with the plurality of destination devices.

13. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein the performance clusters include a high performance cluster.

14. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein the performance clusters include an intermediate performance cluster.

15. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein the performance clusters include a low performance cluster.

16. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein similarity in the performance capabilities for each subset of connections is determined by a similarity in connection bandwidth.

17. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein similarity in the performance capabilities for each subset of connections is determined by similarity in connection security.

18. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein similarity in the performance capabilities for each subset of connections is determined by similarity in connection error rate.

19. The network communication system of claim 9, wherein the cluster manager is further configured to detect a change in performance capabilities for a connection in one performance cluster and to assign the connection to another performance cluster based on the change in performance capabilities.

20. A source device structured to send data to a plurality of destination devices comprising:

a processor and a memory unit;

a cluster manager configured to;

determine subsets of connections from a set of connections, wherein each connection in each subset has similar performance capabilities with the other connections in the same subset, and group each of the subsets in a distinct performance cluster, and

wherein one or more of the destination devices that do not respond within a timeout threshold are removed from their distinct performance clusters, but when the removed one or more destination devices respond to the timeout threshold, the one or more destination devices receive full-buffer updates until such point as a recent average latency performance of a responding destination device is at a level that merits insertion back into one of the distinct performance clusters.