Global server load balancing

• US 8,504,721 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2009
• Issued: 08/06/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Brocade Communications Systems, Inc. (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hsu, Ivy Pei-Shan, Cheung, David Chun-Ying, Jalan, Rajkumar Ramniranjan
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US12/496,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20100011126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/226, 709/245
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations

Abstract

A global server load balancing (GSLB) switch serves as a proxy to an authoritative DNS communicates with numerous site switches which are coupled to host servers serving specific applications. The GSLB switch receives from site switches operational information regarding host servers within the site switches neighborhood. When a client program requests a resolution of a host name, the GSLB switch, acting as a proxy of an authoritative DNS, returns one or more ordered IP addresses for the host name. The IP addresses are ordered using metrics that include the information collected from the site switches. In one instance, the GSLB switch places the address that is deemed “best” at the top of the list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network device from an authoritative domain name server, a plurality of network addresses generated by the authoritative domain name server in response to a domain name query;

processing, by the network device, the plurality of network addresses based upon a first metric associated with a plurality of sites; and

determining, by the network device, that the processing based upon the first metric does not yield a single network address from the plurality of network addresses that is better than all other network addresses in the plurality of network addresses for responding to the domain name query;

responsive to the determining, processing, by the network device, one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using a second metric associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the second set metric is different from the first metric.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first metric is round trip times associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the round trip time associated with a site is indicative of time for exchanging a message between a switch at the site and a machine originating the domain name query.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first metric is one of:

available session capacity associated with the network addresses in the plurality of network addresses;

or

flashback speeds associated with the plurality of sites, wherein a flashback speed associated with a site is indicative of a time required for a switch at the site to respond to a health check performed by the network device.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining, by the network device, that the processing using the second metric does not yield a single network address as better than other network addresses in the plurality of network addresses for responding to the domain name query;

processing, by the network device, one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using a third metric associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the third metric is different from the first metric and the second metric.

5. The method of claim 1:

wherein processing the one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using the second metric comprises determining a single network address from the one or more network addresses; and

the method further comprising forwarding the single network address in response to the domain name query.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

causing, by the network device, a list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses to be forwarded to a client originating the domain name query.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein:

processing the one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using the second metric comprises generating an ordered list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses;

the causing comprises causing the ordered list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses to be forwarded to the client originating the domain name query.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the network device is a switch.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of network addresses comprises a first virtual IP address configured at a host server site switch at a first site from the plurality of sites, the host server site switch associated with one or more host servers at the first site, the one or more host servers being reachable via the host server site switch, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the network device, first metric information and second metric information for the first network address from the host server site switch; and

wherein processing the plurality of network addresses based upon the first metric comprises using the first metric information;

wherein processing the plurality of network addresses based upon the second metric comprises using the second metric information.

10. A load balancing switch comprising:

a memory; and

a processor;

wherein the load balancing switch is configurable to;

receive, from an authoritative domain name server, a plurality of network addresses generated by the authoritative domain name server in response to a domain name query;

process the plurality of network addresses based upon a first metric associated with a plurality of sites;

determine that the processing based upon the first metric does not yield a single network address from the plurality of network addresses as better than all other network addresses in the plurality of network addresses for responding to the domain name query; and

process one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using a second metric associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the second metric is different from the first metric.

11. The load balancing switch of claim 10 wherein the first metric is round trip times associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the round trip time associated with a site is indicative of time for exchanging a message between a switch at the site and a machine originating the domain name query.

12. The load balancing switch of claim 10 wherein the first metric is one of:

available session capacity associated with the network addresses in the plurality of network addresses;

or

flashback speeds associated with the plurality of sites, wherein a flashback speed associated with a site is indicative of a time required for a switch at the site to respond to a health check performed by the network device.

13. The load balancing switch of claim 10 further configurable to:

determine that the processing using the second metric does not yield a single network address as better than other network addresses in the plurality of network addresses for responding to the domain name query; and

process one or more network addresses from the plurality of network addresses using a third metric associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the third metric is different from the first metric and the second metric.

14. The load balancing switch of claim 10 further configurable to:

determine a single network address from the one or more network addresses from the processing using the second metric; and

forward the single network address in response to the domain name query.

22. The load balancing switch of claim 10, further configurable to:

cause a list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses to be forwarded to a client originating the domain name query.

23. The load balancing switch of claim 22 further configurable to:

generate an ordered list of the multiple network addresses as a result of processing performed using the second metric; and

cause the ordered list of multiple network addresses to be forwarded to the client originating the domain name query.

24. The load balancing switch of claim 10:

wherein the plurality of network addresses comprises a first virtual IP address configured at a host server site switch at a first site from the plurality of sites, the host server site switch associated with one or more host servers at the first site, the one or more host servers being reachable via the host server site switch;

wherein the load balancing switch is configurable to;

receive first metric information and second metric information for the first network address from the host server site switch;

use the first metric information for processing the plurality of network addresses based upon the first metric; and

use the second metric information for processing the plurality of network addresses based upon the second metric.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a network switch from an authoritative domain name server, a plurality of network addresses generated by the authoritative domain name server in response to a domain name query;

performing, by the network switch, a health check for each network address in a plurality of network addresses, the plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of sites;

determining, by the network switch, a first set of network addresses from the plurality of network addresses, wherein a network address in the plurality of network addresses is included in the first set of network addresses if the network address passes the health check; and

processing, by the network switch, the first set of network addresses based upon a first metric related to the plurality of sites, where the first metric is one of;

round trip times associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the round trip time associated with a site is indicative of time for exchanging a message between a switch at the site and a machine generating the domain name query;

or

geographical locations of the plurality of sites.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

determining, by the network switch, if a single network address from the first set of network addresses is better than all other network addresses in the first set of network addresses for responding to the domain name query based upon the first metric;

if a single network address from the first set of network addresses is not better than all other network addresses in the first set of network addresses for responding to the domain name query based upon the first metric, processing one or more network addresses from the first set of network addresses using a second metric related to the plurality of sites, wherein the second metric is different from the first metric.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein performing a health check for a network address comprises performing a health check for a server associated with the network address or performing a health check for an application executed by the server associated with the network address.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

causing, by the network switch, a list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses to be forwarded to a client originating the domain name query.

19. A network switch comprising:

a memory; and

a processor;

the network switch is configurable to;

receive, from an authoritative domain name server, a plurality of network addresses generated by the authoritative domain name server in response to a domain name query;

perform a health check for each network address in the plurality of network addresses, the plurality of network addresses associated with a plurality of sites;

determine a first set of network addresses from the plurality of network addresses, wherein a network address in the plurality of network addresses is included in the first set of network addresses if the network address passes the health check; and

process the first set of network addresses based upon a first metric related to the plurality of sites, where the first metric is one of;

round trip times associated with the plurality of sites, wherein the round trip time information associated with a site is indicative of time for exchanging a message between a switch at the site and a machine generating the domain name query;

or

geographical locations of the plurality of sites.

20. The network switch of claim 19 further configurable to:

determine if a single network address from the first set of network addresses is better than all other network addresses in the first set of network addresses for responding to the domain name query based upon the first metric;

if a single network address from the first set of network addresses is not better than all other network addresses in the first set of network addresses for responding to the domain name query based upon the first metric, process one or more network addresses from the first set of network addresses using a second metric related to the plurality of sites, wherein the second metric is different from the first metric.

21. The network switch of claim 19 further configurable to perform a health check for a network address by performing a health check for a server associated with the network address or performing a health check for an application executed by the server associated with the network address.

25. The network switch of claim 19 further configurable to cause a list of multiple network addresses from the plurality of network addresses to be forwarded to a client originating the domain name query.