Cloud data persistence engine

• US 8,280,987 B2
• Filed: 01/31/2011
• Issued: 10/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brightcove Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Unicorn Media, Inc. (Brightcove Incorporated)
• Inventors: McGowan, Albert J., Carls, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US13/017,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20120030313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

Various cloud data persistence systems and methods are described. In some embodiments, a client may request a data object from a server. This data object may contain a link to a media asset and other information linked to the video file, such as a title and duration. This media asset may be stored in a different location. If this first server does not have the data object stored locally, it may contact a second server to determine if it has the data object stored. If the second server does not have the data object stored, it may contact a data object origin server, which may have all existing data objects stored. This data object origin server may then send the data object to the second server, which may in turn transmit the data object to the first server. The first server may then transmit the data object to the client.

Claims

1. A cloud data persistence system for distribution of data, the cloud data persistence system comprising:

a first server which stores a first plurality of data objects and is communicatively coupled with a plurality of cache servers, wherein;

the first server is located at a first location;

each of the first plurality of data objects comprise a link to one of a plurality of media assets; and

the plurality of media assets are stored at a second location separate from the first location;

a second server that stores a second plurality of data objects and is configured to request a data object from the first server if the data object is not present in the second plurality of data objects, wherein;

the second server is one of the plurality of cache servers; and

the second server is communicatively coupled with a first plurality of application servers;

a third server that stores a third plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the first server if the data object is not present in the third plurality of data objects, wherein;

the third server is one of the plurality of cache servers; and

the third server is communicatively coupled with a second plurality of application servers; and

a fourth server that stores a fourth plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the second server if the data object is not present in the fourth plurality of data objects, wherein;

the fourth server is one of the first plurality of application server; and

the fourth server is configured to receive a request from a first client for the data object;

a fifth server that stores a fifth plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the second server if the data object is not present in the fifth plurality of data objects, wherein;

the fifth server is one of the first plurality of application servers; and

the fifth server is configured to receive a request from a second client for the data object;

a sixth server that stores a sixth plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the third server if the data object is not present in the sixth plurality of data objects, wherein;

the sixth server is one of the second plurality of application servers; and

the sixth server is configured to receive a request from a third client for the data object; and

a seventh server that stores a seventh plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the third server if the data object is not present in the seventh plurality of data objects, wherein;

the seventh server is one of the second plurality of application servers; and

the seventh server is configured to receive a request from a fourth client for the data object.

2. The cloud data persistence system of claim 1, wherein the second location comprises a content delivery network.

3. The cloud data persistence system of claim 1, wherein:

data objects in the second plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the second server;

data objects in the third plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the third server;

data objects in the fourth plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the fourth server;

data objects in the fifth plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the fifth server;

data objects in the sixth plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the sixth server; and

data objects in the seventh plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received at the seventh server.

4. The cloud data persistence system of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of data objects comprises all data objects in the second plurality of data objects, the third plurality of data objects, the fourth plurality of data objects, the fifth plurality of data objects, the sixth plurality of data objects, and the seventh plurality of data objects.

5. A cloud data persistence system for distribution of data, the cloud data persistence system comprising:

a first server which stores a first plurality of data objects and is communicatively coupled with a second server and a third server, wherein;

the first server is located at a first location;

each of the first plurality of data objects comprises a link to a media asset of a plurality of media assets;

the plurality of media assets is located at a second location; and

the second location is distinct from the first location;

the second server stores a second plurality of data objects and is configured to request a data object from the first server if the data object is not present in the second plurality of data objects, wherein the second server is communicatively coupled with a fourth server and fifth server; and

the fourth server stores a third plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the second server if the data object is not present in the third plurality of data objects, wherein the fourth server is configured to receive a request from a first client for the data object.

6. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5 wherein the first plurality of data objects comprises all data objects present in the second plurality of data objects and the third plurality of data objects.

7. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein the third server stores a fourth plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the first server if the data object is not present in the fourth plurality of data objects, wherein:

the third server and the second server are data persistence cache servers; and

the third server is communicatively coupled with a sixth and seventh server.

8. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein the fifth server stores a fifth plurality of data objects and is configured to request the data object from the second server if the data object is not present in the fifth plurality of data objects, wherein:

the fifth server and the fourth servers are application servers; and

the fifth server is configured to receive requests from a second client for the data object; and

the fifth server is geographically separated from the fourth server.

9. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein the request from the first client for the data object comprises a universal resource indicator.

10. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5 wherein each of the first plurality of data objects comprise a universal resource locator and a title linked to a media asset of the plurality of media assets.

11. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein data objects in the second plurality of data objects and the third plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on a frequency of requests for those data objects received from clients.

12. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein data objects in the second plurality of data objects and the third plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received from clients.

13. The cloud data persistence system of claim 5, wherein the first plurality of data objects comprises all data objects in the second plurality of data objects, the third plurality of data objects, the fourth plurality of data objects, and the fifth plurality of data objects.

14. A method for retrieving data objects using a cloud data persistence system configured for distribution of data, the method comprising:

receiving, by an application center, a first request from a client for a data object, wherein;

the application center is one of a plurality of application centers that communicate with a plurality of clients;

the application center is located at a first location;

the data object comprises a link to a media asset; and

the media asset is stored at a second location separate from the first location;

determining, by the application center, the data object is not stored among a first plurality of data objects stored at the application center;

transmitting, by the application center, a second request for the data object to a first cache server, wherein;

the first cache server is communicatively coupled with the plurality of application centers; and

the first cache server is one of a plurality of cache servers;

receiving, by the cache server, the second request for the data object;

determining, by the cache server, the data object is not stored among a second plurality of data objects stored at the cache server;

transmitting, by the cache server, a third request for the data object to an origin server, wherein the origin server is communicatively coupled with the plurality of cache servers;

receiving, by the origin server, the third request for the data object;

locating, by the origin server, the data object among a third plurality of data objects;

transmitting, by the origin server, the data object linked to the third request to the cache server;

receiving, by the cache server, the data object linked to the third request;

transmitting, by the cache server, the data object linked to the second request;

receiving, by the application center, the data object linked to the second request; and

transmitting, by the application center, the data object linked to the first request to the client.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising, after receiving the first data object from the origin server, storing, by the cache server, the first data object.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising, after receiving the first data object from the cache server, storing, by the application center, the first data object.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the cache server is located at a third location.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the first request for the data object comprises a universal resource indicator.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein data objects in the first plurality of data objects and the second plurality of data objects are at least partially determined based on when requests for those data objects were last received from clients.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the third plurality of data objects comprises all data objects in the first and the second pluralities of data objects.