SE524309C2 - Data transfer method over peer-to-peer network involves information composed of type identity and name identity that is repeatedly and independently transmitted from server on two channels - Google Patents

Abstract

Method of sending information from server (8) to group of devices e.g. computers (1), connected over peer-to-peer network (3), where information composed of objects with type identity and name identity is sent repeatedly and independent on the information request of the devices by server on a channel and that an index of where to find which information is sent by server on second channel, and that second channel is listened to by devices.

Description

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, this object is achieved by providing a method and apparatus according to the independent claims 1, 5, 9 and 10.

The details of the preferred embodiment of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a communication system.

Fig. 2a shows a channel used in booting.

Fig. 2b shows a packet in an object transmitted on the boot channel.

Fig. 3 is a fate diagram showing the steps performed when computerized electronic equipment is booted over a network.

What in this context is called a server is a software component that delivers some added value, such as an email server, and has nothing to do with server hardware, which may be the same for your servers.

Client / server describes the relationship between two computer programs in which one program, the client, makes a request for a service from another program, the server, which completes the request. In a network, the client / server model provides a convenient way to connect programs that are efficiently distributed across different locations.

Figure 1 represents a computerized electronic equipment of 1, an operator side of 2 and an operator network of 3, which is also connected to the Internet. The electronic equipment 1 comprises a boot 4 downloader software, an operating system core 5 downloaded over a network of the boot downloader 4 to a Random Access memory (RAM) and a RAM disk 6. The downloader 4 is a modified version of a type well known to those skilled in the art, such as Ether boot, BOOTP or similar and are not discussed further here. The operating system used is also of a type well known to those skilled in the art, such as Linux or EPOC, and is not discussed further herein. 10 15 20 25 30 | - n Q i. - u Q n o o I n u. o. ø u u.

The operator side 2 comprises a router 7, a boot server 8, a server 9 that dynamically assigns IP addresses and a network system 10. The boot server 8 is the server component used to send the information needed to boot the operating system and a root system over the network 3. The server 9 is used to transmit the required information to perform the boot to the booting electronic equipment 1 and in the preferred embodiment is a Dynamically Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. The file system 10 distributes file systems over the network 3. In some cases, the operating system kernel 5 is configured to install the root file system over the network 3, but in other cases the kernel 5 is configured to use a downloaded RAM disk copy as the root system.

The operator network 3 comprises fl your routers 7. A router is a device that determines the next network point a packet is to be sent to its destination. A router creates or maintains a table of available routes and their conditions and uses this information along with distance and cost algorithms to determine the best route for a given package. A packet can typically travel through a number of network points with routers before reaching its destination.

In the present invention, the routers 7 are multicast routers. Each multicast router 7 is connected to elektron your electronic equipment l, either directly or via a switch (not shown). Multicast technology is based on the interest of sending information to a selected group, instead of to all (broadcast) or to only one recipient (unicast). To enable that functionality in a network, group addressing is used.

Group addressing is based on services in multicast possible routers, which allow servers and clients to join a specific group with a specific address. Together, the routers keep track of the members of the group, and when a member of the group sends a message to the group address, all members receive that message.

In general, multicast is a communication between a single transmitter and your selected receivers in a network. In the present invention, a protocol based on multicast, hereinafter referred to as the boot protocol, is used to repeatedly transfer boot information from the boot server 8, whether or not that information is requested. The boot information, specified by the operator, is transmitted over and over until it is stopped.

The boot protocol consists of two channels, a boot control channel and a boot file transfer channel. The boot server 8 sends information on the boot control channel over where, at what address, the boot information and 10 15 20 25 30 524 309 of ø ø ~ n f n - | ø n; ø n s e o. 4 RAM disk copies are sent and which versions are available for, for example, different client hardware revisions. The boot server 8 sends the boot information itself and the RAM disk images to the delivery channel. The boot server that sends the boot file transfer channel could be another server, ie a program component, other than the boot server that sends the boot control channel. There could also be your boot transfer channels that send the same boot information with a small time difference. Depending on the information the client knows, such as the version and type of hardware of the electronic equipment, different boot information is downloaded according to the information on the boot control channel.

In this context, an object is defined as the boot information needed to boot the electronic equipment 1. The boot protocol accepts streams of objects of almost any length and system capacity. The protocol is fairly general and based on objects consisting of packets including object types, ID, packet number, checksums, data and so on.

A boot channel 20, shown in Fig. 2a, contains a number of boot information objects. Two objects X and Y are shown in fi g 2a. The objects X, Y are divided into pak your packets 21 when they are transmitted on the channel, shown in fi g 2b. It is shown that the last packet 21 in an object X, Y can be smaller than the rest of the transmitted packets 21.

In a single packet 21, the first part is a header A and the second part, B, the payload, which is the data contained in the packet 21. The payload B contains a part of the data object to be assembled into a object. Some information in the header must be identical in all headers corresponding to the same object.

When the boot server 8 reads a list specified by the operator of the objects to be sent, it receives information about the object, including the object type, the name or process name of the object source, and the packet size to be used.

The boot server 8 then calculates the number of packets 21 needed to send the object and creates the first packet 21 to send. In the packet 21 it writes the correct data in the header A and fills the payload section B with object data before the object is sent. This is then repeated for each package 21 required.

The client receives one packet 21 at a time and must read the type and name fields for each packet 21 in order to be able to assemble the object. If the type and name are identical, the client must first ensure that packet 21 arrives correctly by checking the Internet Protocol (IP) and Unicast Datagram Protocol (UDP) / Multicast header checksums. If any checksum is incorrect, the package 21 is rejected and the client must act as if the package 21 never arrived.

After receiving all packets 21, the client must have connected all packets 21 to one object. If the package header A specified that encryption or object-wide checksums are used, the client should now decode data or calculate the checksums.

If it is discovered that the object is not complete, the object must be discarded.

The client can start downloading an object without having to wait for the object's first packet 21, since the object is sent over and over again and verified at an object level by the checksum in each packet.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 3 and the procedure for booting computerized electronic equipment 1 over the network 3 is as follows: 1. The downloader 4 calls the DHCP server 9 (step 31), which in return sends information on where to listen boot control channel (step 32). 2. The downloader 4 listens to the boot control channel and receives information on where to read the boot information on the boot override channel (step 33). 3. The downloader 4 selects which boot information to download, depending on information known by the client, such as the hardware of the electronic equipment 1, and downloads from the boot server 8 the operating system core and possibly a RAM disk file on the boot transfer channel (step 34). 4. The downloader 4 decodes the downloaded kernel and starts the core 5 (step 35) by executing the kernel. 5. The operating system core 5 starts the system in its own way and installs the root system (step 36) from the RAM disk 6 or the network system 10. 6. The operating system core 5 can install additional systems via 10 n - s v e o o »c | | o | o n oo 6 the network cell system 10, if the configurations in the root systems allow it.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the computerized electronic equipment is an advanced gateway between the operator network, which is an IP-based network, and household appliances. For example, to deliver broadband multimedia services to TVzn, such as music, video and e-commerce. In any case, there are no restrictions on the conceivable gateway to be connected to household equipment. It is very suitable for placement in hotels or companies, for example, and it can also be used in a telecommunications system.

Claims (1)

1. 0 15 20 25 30 35 524 309 | . Q n .u Patent method Method of booting from a first server (8) of a number of computerized electronic equipment (1), connected to the first server (8) over an IP-based network (3), characterized in that group-addressed booting information directed to a selected group of electronic equipment (1) is transmitted repeatedly and independently of the boot requirement of the electronic equipment (1) by the first server (8) on at least a first channel, that an index of where to find which boot information is sent by the first server (8) on at least one second channel, the second channel being listened to by the equipment (1). Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of: a second server (9) being called by a downloader (4) of boot software; information on where to listen to a boot control channel is retrieved by the other server (9); the boot control channel is listened to by the downloader (4), which receives information about the available boot information and where to read which boot information on a boot fi transfer channel; a selected operating system kernel (5) is downloaded by the downloader (4) from the first server (8) using the bootable delivery channel; and the operating system kernel (5) is decoded and started by the downloader (4). Method according to claim 2, characterized in that a RAM disk copy is downloaded by the downloader (4) using the bootable transfer liner channel. Method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that which boot information is to be read on the boot control channel is selected by the downloader (4) depending on the information known by the equipment (1), such as the hardware of the equipment (1). Device for booting from a first server (8) a number of computerized electronic equipment (1), connected to the first server (8) over an IP-based network (3) according to the method of claim 1, characterized in that the first server (8) is arranged to repeatedly and independently of the booting need of the electronic equipment (1) send group-addressed booting information to a selected group of electronic equipment (1) on at least a first channel, that it the first server (8) is further arranged to send an index of where to find which boot information on at least one second channel and that the equipment (1) is arranged to listen to the second channel. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that a downloader (4) of boot software is arranged to call a second server (9); that the second server (9) is arranged to retrieve information about where to listen to a boot control channel; that the downloader (4) is arranged to listen to the boot control channel and obtain information about available boot information and where to read what boot information is on a boot transfer channel; and that the downloader (4) is arranged to decode and start the operating system kernel (5). Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the downloader (4) is arranged to download a RAM disk copy using the boot transfer channel. Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that which boot information the downloader (4) is arranged to read on the boot control channel depends on which information is known by the equipment (1), such as the hardware of the electronic equipment (1). Method of booting from a first server (8) a computer computer (1) among a number of computerized devices (1), connected to the first server (8) over an IP-based network (3), characterized in that it is repeatedly transmitted and independent of the electronic booting needs of electronic equipment (1), group-addressed booting information, addressed to a selected group of electronic equipment (1), is received by the electronic equipment on a first channel, that an index of was 10 15 10. 524 309 u | . the o 9 can find which boot information is received by the electronic equipment (1) on at least a second channel, the second channel being listened to by the equipment (1), and the electronic equipment joining the first channel based on said index. Device when booting from a first server (8) of one of a number of computerized electronic equipment (1), connected to the first server (8) over an IP-based network (3) according to the method of claim 9, characterized in that it the electronic equipment (1) is arranged to receive repeatedly and independently of the booting needs of the electronic equipment (1) transmitted, to a selected group of electronic equipment (1) group-addressed boot information on at least a first channel, that the electronic equipment is further arranged to receive an index of where to find which boot information on at least a second channel and that the equipment (1) is arranged to listen to the second channel, and wherein the electronic equipment is arranged to connect to the first channel based on said index.