System and method for bridging assets to network nodes on multi-tiered networks

• US 8,386,525 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2010
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OP40 Holding Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OP40 Holding Incorporated
• Inventors: Pace, Charles P., Pizzorni, Paolo R., Chen, Shuang
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Black, Linh
• Application Number:
  US12/803,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 970 Days
• Field of Search: 707/796, 707/803
• US Class Current: 707/796
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/954 Navigation, e.g. using categorised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/549 Remote execution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2216/15 Synchronised browsing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5088 involving task migration
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/102 applying security measure for e-commerce data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/168 above the transport layer
• 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 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 : Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5651 : Reducing the amount or size of exchanged application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 : Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 : in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 : for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 : Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

An exemplary method and/or exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a system and method for bridging an asset over a multi-tiered network. Generally, communications can be maintained between executable assets residing on different network nodes by bridging the execution context of the two nodes. In an embodiment, a mapping layer can be generated for assets that have run-time dependencies; the mapping layer uses a distribution system to bridge the execution context of a first environment with that of a second environment. The asset executing in the first environment can access another resource located in the second environment, even though the asset does not have local access to the resource in the second environment. A fault is detected when at least one asset deployed on a local node attempts to access at least one resource on a remote node through an application programming interface. The fault is then handled appropriately.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining communication between at least two executable system parts executing on at least two nodes of a multi-tiered network, comprising the steps of:

attempting to request at least one resource on a remote node by at least one asset deployed on a local node through an application programming interface over a Distributed Internet Services (DIS) system, said system including;

a component distribution server/asset distribution server system (CDS/ADS) comprising;

a package specification process that receives at least one package which is subparts of at least one application program from at least one enterprise information system (EIS), the package having at least one asset comprising the at least one resource, each asset having an asset type and at least two asset layers, a first asset layer being a logic/data layer and a second asset layer being an extended environment layer, the logic/data layer having information that includes a function of the pending asset and the extended environment layer being a subset of the EIS and having portions of the EIS system necessary to support the respective logic data layer;

a process adapter process that translates at least one asset layer comprising at least one asset in the package so that the asset performs the asset function on a base environment of the local node requesting the resource; and

a target process that changes the at least one layers of the requested resource to provide specific information for the local node, whereby a transformed asset is an asset that is translated by the process adapter process and changed by the target process;

an EIS deployment agent (EDA) to task creation of the at least one package; and

a client deployment agent (CDA) to communicate with the CDS/ADS;

detecting a fault after requesting the resource on the remote node;

determining whether the resource causing the fault is defined in a directory service that should be accessed on the remote node, and if so, providing a reference to the remote node via the CDS/ADS;

wherein,

(i) if the resource is not defined in the directory service, determining whether the fault is a database interface fault, and if so, distributing and/or synchronizing entity bean asset, an entity data asset, and a reference data asset between the nodes via the CDS/ADS;

(ii) if the fault is not a database interface fault, determining whether the fault is a server fault, and if so, connecting a proxy to the CDS/ADS to proxy the request for the resource for the server; and

(iii) if the fault is not a server fault, determining whether the fault is an object fault, and if so, performing a proxy request for the resource, said request accepted by a proxy object, said proxy object then calling the CDS/ADS to proxy the request, said CDS/ADS then calling the EIS deployment agent (EDA) on the remote node, said EDA performing the call within an environment of the remote node to access and package the requested resource as one or more assets and to return the same to the CDS/ADS; and

returning the requested resource, consecutively, to the CDA from the CDS/ADS, then to the proxy object from the CDA and then to the local node from the proxy object, thereby maintaining communication.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference includes a remote proxy object.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference includes at least one of a redirection, a server proxy, an object proxy, and an API proxy.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the reference includes a lookup mechanism, the lookup mechanism determining a source node associated with the asset.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the lookup mechanism includes a flat file, the flat file being edited when the asset is deployed to the local node over the DIS to indicate that the asset requires a reference to a remote object.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the lookup mechanism is stored in a persistent database in the source node.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the server fault is associated with an attempt to reference an object on the server and the server is registered as requiring the connection to the proxy.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the server resides on one of the CDS/ADS comprising the DIS system and a source node.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the application programming interface includes a J2EE API, the directory service includes a JDNI, and the database interface includes a JDBC.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the object fault is associated with a request for an object that is a stub/proxy of an actual object.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the actual object resides in at least one of a source node and an intermediate target node.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the local node is at least one of a personal computer, a workstation, a pervasive device, a local server, a local area network server, a proxy server, an edge server, a general network servers, and an enterprise information system.

13. A method for bridging assets residing on multi-tiered network nodes, comprising:

receiving, over a Distributed Internet Services (DIS) system, from a first asset in a target environment on a target node, a request to access a second asset;

said first and second assets each having an asset type and at least two asset layers, a first asset layer being a logic/data layer and a second asset layer being an extended environment layer, the logic/data layer having information that includes a function of the pending asset and the extended environment layer being a subset of an EIS and having portions of the EIS system necessary to support the respective logic data layer, each of said assets comprising a package which is subparts of at least one application program from at least one enterprise information system (EIS);

failing to access the second asset;

generating a fault;

creating a bridged computational environment associated with the second asset and an alternative environment; and

accessing the second asset in the alternative environment over the BCE via a component distribution server/asset distribution server system (CDS/ADS) in the DIS for delivery to the target environment, said CDS/ADS comprising;

a package specification process that receives the package comprising the second asset;

a process adapter process that translates at least one of the asset layers of the second asset so that the asset performs the asset function on a target base environment of the target node; and

a target process that changes the at least one layer of the second asset to provide specific information for the target node, whereby a transformed asset is an asset that is translated by the process adapter process and changed by the target process, thereby bridging the first and second assets, thereby bridging the assets.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the alternative environment is a source environment, a distribution tier environment, or an alternative target environment.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault is a J2EE API fault.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the second asset is a remote object defined in a JNDI.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said creating includes providing a reference associated with the remote object to the first asset.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said providing a reference is by redirection, server proxy, object proxy, or API proxy.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said providing a reference is by lookup into a flat file having associations between assets and remote objects.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said providing a reference is by lookup into a persistent database table having associations between assets and remote objects.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault is a JDBC fault.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second asset is an enterprise bean, an entity data, or a reference data type.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said creating includes distribution of the second asset over the DIS system.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said creating includes synchronization of the second asset over the DIS system.

25. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault is a server fault associated with a server.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second asset is a server object.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said creating includes connecting a proxy to the server over the DIS system.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the proxy is a component distribution server comprising the DIS system.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the proxy is in the source environment or the distribution environment.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein the bridged computational environment includes HTTP tunneling of IIOP traffic through a firewall associated with the server.

31. The method of claim 13, wherein the fault is an object fault.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the second asset is a stub object associated with an actual object in the alternative environment.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said creating includes connecting the stub object and the actual object.

34. The method of claim 13, wherein said accessing is transparent to the first asset.

35. A system for bridging assets residing on multi-tiered network nodes, comprising:

in a Distributed Internet Services system on the multi-tiered network, said network comprising at least one network connection to at least one computer having a memory and a processor;

a first asset;

a second asset;

said first and second assets each having an asset type and at least two asset layers, a first asset layer being a logic/data layer and a second asset layer being an extended environment layer, the logic/data layer having information that includes a function of the pending asset and the extended environment layer being a subset of an EIS and having portions of the EIS system necessary to support the respective logic data layer, each of said assets comprising a package which is subparts of at least one application program from at least one enterprise information system (EIS);

a target environment in a target node, including the first asset, an asset access adapter, and a fault handler;

an alternative environment, including the second asset;

a bridged computational environment (BCE) associated with the second asset and the alternative environment; and

a component distribution server/asset distribution server system (CDS/ADS), comprising;

a package specification process that receives the package comprising the second asset;

a process adapter process that translates at least one of the asset layers of the second asset so that the asset performs the asset function on a target base environment of the target node; and

a target process that changes the at least one layer of the second asset to provide specific information for the target node, whereby a transformed asset is an asset that is translated by the process adapter process and changed by the target process.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the alternative environment is a source environment, a distribution tier environment, or an alternative target environment.

37. The system of claim 35, further comprising a server proxy, an object proxy, or an API proxy.