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WO2002011392A2 - Propagation d'etats et de contenus dans un reseau electronique reparti - Google Patents

Propagation d'etats et de contenus dans un reseau electronique reparti Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2002011392A2
WO2002011392A2 PCT/US2001/023570 US0123570W WO0211392A2 WO 2002011392 A2 WO2002011392 A2 WO 2002011392A2 US 0123570 W US0123570 W US 0123570W WO 0211392 A2 WO0211392 A2 WO 0211392A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
state
server
content
data
superior
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
PCT/US2001/023570
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO2002011392A3 (fr
Inventor
Stephen Russell
David Bukhan
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
eScene Networks Inc
Original Assignee
eScene Networks Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by eScene Networks Inc filed Critical eScene Networks Inc
Priority to AU2001279030A priority Critical patent/AU2001279030A1/en
Publication of WO2002011392A2 publication Critical patent/WO2002011392A2/fr
Publication of WO2002011392A3 publication Critical patent/WO2002011392A3/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/06—Protocols specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/10—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network
    • H04L67/1001—Protocols in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/50—Network services
    • H04L67/56—Provisioning of proxy services
    • H04L67/568—Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to propagation of state and content of a data distribution session, and more particularly to propagation of state and content of a data distribution session over a distributed electronic network that employs a stateless connection protocol.
  • Distributed electronic networks are digital networks that interconnect multiple computers and computer networks.
  • a distributed electronic network may therefore interconnect large numbers of computers or computer devices.
  • One example of a distributed electronic network is the Internet.
  • a distributed electronic network may be used to transfer data and convey information between persons and between locations.
  • Distributed electronic networks are enjoying increased use and popularity for information transfer. This may include text, graphics, video, audio, etc., that may be transferred and distributed from a single site or computer (generally termed a server) to a large number of receiving computers. This is commonly referred to as a client/server network, wherein a file server computer is used for file storage and many users can access the file server computer simultaneously.
  • File servers are widely used in environments such as corporations and other institutions where a large number of individuals access and share data. A file server therefore economizes the use of the computer and storage hardware and allows data to be commonly available and commonly updated.
  • the server may easily store and recall the history of accesses that a client has made during the course of the interaction.
  • a stateless connection protocol such as those used on the Internet
  • each time the client interacts with the server the information regarding the interaction is lost at the end of the transaction. Therefore, each subsequent transaction needs state information data in order to avoid repeating previous actions and to know the correct application context.
  • One example of such content and state propagation is in a live or real-time slide show presentation delivered over a network.
  • Multiple recipients receive and view a series of slides (the content), hi order to maintain an approximate synchronization among the recipients, it is desirable that each recipient download a new slide as soon as the broadcaster or presenter indicates that it should be viewed.
  • the participant or recipient therefore requests the state of the current content from the server, h this example the state may be a slide number or a time during which the slide is valid.
  • the state may allow a next slide in a sequence to be provided to the user.
  • Each participant or participant's computer
  • the stateless connection data protocol may be any type of protocol used on a distributed electronic network, such as, for example, the http protocol.
  • FIG. 1 shows a prior art client/server network 100 wherein a server 103 maybe accessed by a plurality of clients or users 105 or data distribution session participants.
  • the distributed electronic network utilizes a stateless connection protocol.
  • the server 103 may generate data, including files, text, graphics, etc., which may include audio, video and animations.
  • the server 103 may also contain a content state.
  • the users 105 may receive the state in order to determine whether each individual user has the current content. Therefore, in the prior art arrangement, in order to ascertain whether it has the most current data a user 105 must request the state from the server 103.
  • the state requests are typically very small in size, on the order of a couple of bytes, when a large number of users access the server 103 simultaneously, the state requests can overwhelm the server. i current client/server technology, the server 103 can accommodate about 2,000 to 2,500 concurrent users before the server 103 reaches a point of saturation. Saturation occurs when so many state requests are being propagated to the server 103 that the server 103 can do nothing other than service the state requests. At that point, the server 103 becomes very slow or completely unresponsive.
  • FIG. 2 shows a prior art client/server network 200 in which the server 203 is a central server that propagates the content and state.
  • the client/server network 200 also includes a plurality of subservers 208 that are used to cache content for distribution to the users 105. Therefore, users 105 receive content from the subservers 208 faster than if the central server 203 had to process each request.
  • An apparatus for propagation of state and content information of a data distribution session over a distributed electronic network employing a stateless connection protocol.
  • the apparatus comprises a superior server that propagates content and state data, the state information reflecting a current state of the content being presented.
  • the apparatus also comprises a plurality of intermediate servers capable of communicating with the superior server, caching the content received from the superior server, and requesting and caching a current state from the superior server.
  • An intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers provides the cached content to a data distribution session participant and provides a cached current state to the data distribution session participant.
  • the intermediate server requests a current state from the superior server if the current state is not available on the intermediate server.
  • the plurality of intermediate servers regulate an access load on the superior server due to state requests.
  • a method for propagating content and state of a data distribution session over a distributed electronic network that employs a stateless connection protocol and that includes a plurality of intermediate servers communicating with a central server that generates the content and the state.
  • the method comprises the steps of receiving in an intermediate server of the plurality of intermediate servers a state request from a data distribution session participant.
  • the method checks to see if a requested state in the state request is available on the intermediate server.
  • the intermediate server transmits the requested state to a superior server and receives the requested state therefrom if the requested state is not available on the intermediate server.
  • the method sends the requested state from the intermediate server to the data distribution session participant.
  • the plurality of intermediate servers regulate an access load on the central server due to state requests.
  • FIG. 1 shows a prior art client/server network wherein a server may be accessed by a plurality of users
  • FIG. 2 shows a prior art client/server network in which the server is a central server that propagates the content and state;
  • FIG. 3 shows a client/server network according to one embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 4 shows a transaction flow according to the invention when a user requests a state that is not currently cached by a corresponding intermediate server
  • FIG. 5 shows another client/server network embodiment according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 6 shows a flow chart of a method according to the present invention.
  • FIG. 3 shows a client/server network 300 according to one embodiment of the present invention.
  • the client/server network 300 includes a central server 303, a plurality of intermediate servers 310, and a plurality of users 105.
  • the central server 303 generates a data distribution session that comprises content and state data.
  • the content and state data ultimately are provided to the users 105.
  • each user 105 may request the state of such content in order to ensure that the latest received content is current.
  • a state request it is meant that either a client generates a state request automatically or a person, using an associated computer device, generates a state request.
  • the central server 303 propagates the content and the state, and transmits both the content and the state to the plurality of intermediate servers 310.
  • a user 105 may request a state from an intermediate server 310.
  • the intermediate server 310 supplies the state to the user 105, who may then use the state to determine whether the user 105 has the most current content. If the received content is not current, the user 105 may request and obtain new content from the intermediate server 310.
  • the central server 303 Due to the upper limit of transactions that may be conducted with the central server 303, there is an upper limit to the number of intermediate servers 310. As in the number of users, the number of intermediate servers 310 is approximately 2,000 to 2,500. In the client/server network 300 of the present invention, however, the plurality of intermediate servers 310 provide both the content and the state data to the users 105. The state requests therefore travel from a user 105 to an associated intermediate server 310 which contains the state (received from the central server 303). Therefore, the central server 303 still has an access limit, but the state requests can be regulated and the access limit can be avoided through the employment of the present invention, as will be discussed further below.
  • the intermediate servers may be sited in an area local to the central server 303, but may also be geographically sited so as to be located near groups of users or anticipated locations of users in order to make the intermediate servers 310 more quickly and easily accessible to the users 105.
  • FIG. 4 shows a transaction flow when a user 105 requests a state that is not currently cached by a corresponding intermediate server 310.
  • the user 105 sends a state request to the intermediate server 310.
  • the intermediate server 310 determines that the requested state is not on the intermediate server 310 and generates a state request to the central server 303.
  • the central server 303 generates a state response to the intermediate server 310 and the intermediate server 310 then transmits a state response to the user 105.
  • a plurality of users 105 may all request the same state.
  • the intermediate server 310 may accumulate state requests for a period of time and then service them all at once, hi addition, the client/server network 300 may only need to send a single state request to the central server 303 in response to multiple user requests.
  • the other users may benefit when they later request the same state and the intermediate server 310 already has the state.
  • FIG. 5 shows a client/server network 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention.
  • the client/server network 500 contains a plurality of tiers with a superior tier 310 serving an inferior tier 321.
  • the inferior tier 321 serves the plurality of users 105, while the superior tier 310 transmits content, state, and state requests between the central server 303 and the inferior tier 321.
  • the superior tier of intermediate servers 310 can therefore be further scaled by one or more inferior tiers of servers 321. For example, if a superior tier intermediate server 310 is reaching the upper limit of state request accesses, an inferior tier of intermediate servers 321 maybe added below the superior tier intermediate server 310 in order to distribute the load on the superior tier intermediate server 310.
  • a superior intermediate server 310 may have up to about 2,000 to 2,500 inferior intermediate servers below it, and the inferior intermediate servers regulate the status request load on the superior intermediate server.
  • the term superior server refers to any server above the current server in the figures.
  • a superior server may therefore be the central server or may be any intermediate server that acquires the content and state before the current intermediate server does, and passes it on to the current intermediate server.
  • an inferior server is any intermediate server that receives the content or state from the current intermediate server.
  • the discussion above also applies to the central server 303, with the central server 303 being the ultimate superior server. Therefore, the client/server network 500 may be easily and economically scaled while maintaining efficiency and a reasonable access load on the central server and on each intermediate server.
  • the tiers may be uneven. Some intermediate servers in a tier may have respective inferior intermediate servers and some may not. Inferior intermediate servers may therefore be added as needed, and a tier may be filled out gradually.
  • the networks have been shown as tree-like structures for simplicity of explanation, it should be understood that the intermediate servers and users may be geographically dispersed. The relative positions of each component may therefore be non-uniform.
  • FIG. 6 shows a flow chart 600 of a method of propagating state and content data according to the present invention.
  • the method 600 describes actions performed by a typical intermediate server according to the present invention.
  • the typical intermediate server regulates the state request load on a superior server while providing accessibility and efficiency to requesting users or to an inferior server.
  • the intermediate server receives a current state request.
  • the state request may be from a user or from an inferior server.
  • the intermediate server determines whether the requested state is available for transmission to the requester (i.e., whether the intermediate server contains the requested state). This is generally applicable to a current state but, of course, a user may be requesting a non-current state such as a previous state, for example. This may be done through the use of a key included in the state request.
  • a key may be, for example, a time stamp, a frame number, or some other reference number.
  • the user may generate a state request and include a time stamp with it.
  • the time stamp may be a record of the time of creation of the state request.
  • the intermediate server that receives the state request may look at the time stamp and determine whether the user is requesting the current state, for example, when the time stamp is still within a current state time limit or time frame, or whether the key represents a previous state.
  • the frame number may be a number representing a data frame of a data series, such as, for example, a slide number of a slide show.
  • step 610 if the state is not available, the intermediate server generates a state request to a superior server.
  • the superior server may supply the state (or may first generate its own state request to a server superior to it).
  • step 615 the intermediate server supplies the requested state to the requesting user or to the requesting inferior server. This, of course, assumes that the requested state was received from the superior server.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Abstract

Cette invention se rapporte à un procédé et à un appareil pour la propagation de l'état et du contenu d'une session de répartition de données dans un réseau électronique réparti utilisant un protocole de connexion sans état. Cet appareil comprend un serveur supérieur qui propage les données de contenu et d'état, l'état reflétant l'état courant du contenu. Cet appareil comprend également des serveurs intermédiaires qui sont capables de communiquer avec le serveur supérieur, qui sont capables de mettre en mémoire tampon le contenu reçu en provenance du serveur supérieur et qui sont capables de demander et de mettre en mémoire tampon un état courant provenant du serveur supérieur. Un serveur intermédiaire fournit le contenu mis en mémoire tampon à un participant à la session de répartition de données et fournit l'état courant mis en mémoire tampon aux participants à la session de répartition de données. Le serveur intermédiaire demande un état courant au serveur supérieur, lorsque l'état courant n'est pas disponible sur le serveur intermédiaire. Les serveurs intermédiaires assurent ainsi la régulation de la charge d'accès affectant le serveur supérieur en raison des demandes d'état.
PCT/US2001/023570 2000-07-27 2001-07-26 Propagation d'etats et de contenus dans un reseau electronique reparti Ceased WO2002011392A2 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001279030A AU2001279030A1 (en) 2000-07-27 2001-07-26 Propagation of state and content over a distributed electronic network

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US62686100A 2000-07-27 2000-07-27
US09/626,861 2000-07-27

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002011392A2 true WO2002011392A2 (fr) 2002-02-07
WO2002011392A3 WO2002011392A3 (fr) 2003-01-23

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Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1624641A1 (fr) * 2004-08-06 2006-02-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Système pour le téléchargement de contenus, et terminal client pour télécharger des contenus depuis un serveur de contenus

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5787470A (en) * 1996-10-18 1998-07-28 At&T Corp Inter-cache protocol for improved WEB performance

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1624641A1 (fr) * 2004-08-06 2006-02-08 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba Système pour le téléchargement de contenus, et terminal client pour télécharger des contenus depuis un serveur de contenus
US7401065B2 (en) 2004-08-06 2008-07-15 Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba System for downloading contents, and client terminal for downloading contents from contents server

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Publication number Publication date
WO2002011392A3 (fr) 2003-01-23
AU2001279030A1 (en) 2002-02-13

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