Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer data routing – Least weight routing
Reexamination Certificate
1997-06-09
2001-02-13
Geckil, Mehmet B. (Department: 2756)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer data routing
Least weight routing
C709S241000, C709S202000, C709S223000, C709S224000, C709S238000, C709S239000, C709S240000, C709S242000, C370S254000, C370S255000, C370S256000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189043
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to telecommunications, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for optimizing the distribution of replica caches of information among diverse regions of a network.
BACKGROUND
There is an inherent redundancy in message traffic on the internet, that generates an excessive load on the backbone network. The caching of certain applications and the provision of web proxies on the internet, eases some of the unnecessary replication in data transfer. The practice of multicasting is another technique to improve the efficiency of distribution. In multicasting, a sender distributes the same document, data, or message to a large number of receivers who are usually dispersed over a wide area.
To improve efficiency, it is beneficial to adopt a scheme in which a copy of the multicast document is delivered in each region to a predetermined server with the local distribution delegated to the server. This replicated cache mechanism may need an efficient tree building algorithm. Several examples of this are already used in internet protocols for static distributions of replica caches.
There are significant problems that are not solved by existing practices in the replication of caches on the internet. The main problem is the dynamic nature of internet traffic, both over time and location. There are locations which are active at certain times of the day and at other times they are inactive. What is needed is a dynamic technique for assigning and reassigning servers in the network that will perform the role of replicated caches.
SUMMARY
In one application of the invention, a network includes a plurality of regions, with each region including a router, a server, and a plurality of user terminals. The router in each region couples the server and the plurality of user terminals to the network. In accordance with the invention, the distribution of replica caches of information is dynamically optimized among the regions of the network, based upon the changing usage patterns. This operation of the invention is referred to herein as reverse tree generation. Initially, a single server in a first region stores the primary copy of information. A router in the first region receives service request messages from the plurality of users throughout network, directed to the server storing the primary copy.
A processor, which can be in the router or associated with the router, transmits a monitor request message to other routers in other regions of the network, requesting them to monitor all service requests in their respective regions, which are directed to the primary copy in the first server. In response to this, the processor receives monitor response messages from the other routers, providing a count of service requests being directed to the first server.
The processor then computes an optimum assignment of a replica copy of the information, for storage in at least one newly assigned server in the network. The processor transmits a replication message to the newly assigned server, to enable it to store the replica copy of the information and provide service to user terminals in a newly assigned set of regions of the network. The processor also transmits an assignment message to the other routers in the network, to enable them to redirect traffic from their respective regions to either the newly assigned server or to the first server.
The discussion in this Summary and the following Brief Description of the Drawings, Detailed Description, and drawings only deal with examples of this invention and are not to be considered in any way a limitation on the scope of the exclusionary rights conferred by a patent which may issue from this application. The scope of such exclusionary rights is set forth in the claims at the end of this application.
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Buyukkoc Cagatay
Eckberg, Jr. Adrian Emmanuel
Johri Pravin Kumar
Liu Danielle
AT&T Corp
Geckil Mehmet B.
Vaughn, Jr. William C.
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