Systems and methods for managing server resources

• US 8,463,909 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2010
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: F5 Networks, Inc. (F5 Incorporated)
• Inventors: Szabo, Paul I., Thirasuttakorn, Nat, Bollay, Benn
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Belur, Deepa
• Application Number:
  US12/882,836
• Time in Patent Office: 1,000 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 370/412, 370/413, 370/414, 370/415, 370/416, 370/417, 370/418
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13164 Traffic (registration, measurement,...)
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13349 Network management
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2213/13389 LAN, internet
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 3/0091 Congestion or overload control

Abstract

A method, computer readable medium, and apparatus for managing server resources includes receiving at a traffic management device one or more requests in a message based protocol. The traffic management device determines a difference between a level of utilization of resources maintained by a server that handles the one or more received requests and a threshold level of utilization of resources that can be maintained by the server; and randomly delays the one or more requests based upon the determined difference.

Claims

1. A method for managing server resources, comprising:

receiving at a traffic management device one or more requests in a message based protocol;

determining at the traffic management device a difference between a level of utilization of resources maintained by a server that handles the one or more received requests and a threshold level of utilization of resources that can be maintained by the server; and

randomly delaying at the traffic management device transmission of the received one or more requests based upon the determined difference between the level of utilization of resources and the threshold level of utilization of resources.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the message based protocol is a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

3. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the randomly delaying is performed proportionally to the difference.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein at least one of the one or more requests that is newer than at least one of a remaining one or more requests is prioritized for a delivery to the server.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the randomly delaying comprises queuing the one or more requests at the traffic management device.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the determining comprises determining a probability of delaying the one or more requests using a pseudo random number generator, and wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon the determined probability.

7. The method as set forth in claim 6, wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon a comparison of a target probability value for the one or more requests calculated based upon a pseudo random number generator and the determined probability value, such that the one or more requests are delayed only when the determined probability value exceeds the target probability value.

8. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the message based protocol is an application layer protocol.

9. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

forwarding the one or more requests to the server over one or more of the connections maintained by the server after the delaying is over.

10. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the level of utilization of resources is indicated by at least one of a number of connections maintained by the server or a number of pending transactions on at least one connection maintained by the server.

11. The method as set forth in claim 1, wherein the randomly delaying is performed partly based upon at least one of a number of requests per unit time from one or more client computers or information in the new request.

12. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions for managing server resources comprising machine executable code which when executed by at least one processor, causes the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving one or more requests in a message based protocol;

determining a difference between a level of utilization of resources maintained by a server that handles the one or more received requests and a threshold level of utilization of resources that can be maintained by the server; and

randomly delaying transmission of the received one or more requests based upon the determined difference between the level of utilization of resources and the threshold level of utilization of resources.

13. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the message based protocol is a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

14. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the randomly delaying is performed proportionally to the difference.

15. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein at least one of the one or more requests that is newer than at least one of a remaining one or more requests is prioritized for a delivery to the server.

16. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the randomly delaying comprises queuing the one or more requests.

17. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the determining comprises determining a probability of delaying the one or more requests using a pseudo random number generator, and wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon the determined probability.

18. The medium as set forth in claim 17, wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon a comparison of a target probability value for the one or more requests calculated based upon a pseudo random number generator and the determined probability value, such that the one or more requests are delayed only when the determined probability value exceeds the target probability value.

19. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the message based protocol is an application layer protocol.

20. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the machine executable code which when executed by the at least one processor, causes the processor to perform steps further comprising:

forwarding the one or more requests to the server over one or more of the connections maintained by the server after the delaying is over.

21. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the level of utilization of resources is indicated by at least one of a number of connections maintained by the server or a number of pending transactions on at least one connection maintained by the server.

22. The medium as set forth in claim 12, wherein the randomly delaying is performed partly based upon at least one of a number of requests per unit time from one or more client computers or information in the new request.

23. A traffic management device comprising:

A processor and a memory coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform steps comprising;

receiving one or more requests in a message based protocol;

determining a difference between a level of utilization of resources maintained by a server that handles the one or more received requests and a threshold level of utilization of resources that can be maintained by the server; and

randomly delaying transmission of the received one or more requests based upon the determined difference between the level of utilization of resources and the threshold level of utilization of resources.

24. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the message based protocol is a Hyper-Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP).

25. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the randomly delaying is performed proportionally to the difference.

26. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein at least one of the one or more requests that is newer than at least one of a remaining one or more requests is prioritized for a delivery to the server.

27. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the randomly delaying comprises queuing the one or more requests.

28. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the determining comprises determining a probability of delaying the one or more requests using a pseudo random number generator, and wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon the determined probability.

29. The device as set forth in claim 28 wherein the randomly delaying is performed based upon a comparison of a target probability value for the one or more requests calculated based upon a pseudo random number generator and the determined probability value, such that the one or more requests are delayed only when the determined probability value exceeds the target probability value.

30. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the message based protocol is an application layer protocol.

31. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the A processor and a memory coupled to the processor, and wherein the processor is configured to execute programmed instructions stored in the memory to perform steps comprising:

forwarding the one or more requests to the server over one or more of the connections maintained by the server after the delaying is over.

32. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the level of utilization of resources is indicated by at least one of a number of connections maintained by the server or a number of pending transactions on at least one connection maintained by the server.

33. The device as set forth in claim 23 wherein the randomly delaying is performed partly based upon at least one of a number of requests per unit time from one or more client computers or information in the new request.