Accessing data in a data processing system
AssigneesKinetech, Inc., Level 3 Communications, LLC
InventorsDavid Farber, Ronald Lachman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, some of which may form a peer-to-peer network. A first computer receives a request for a data item from a requesting computer. The request includes a True Name of the data item. The first computer causes the requesting computer to obtain the data item from a second computer, distinct from the first computer. The first computer may not have a copy of the requested data item. The first computer may know the location of the data item. The first computer may forward the request for the data item to at least one other computer.
Claims18
In a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, a method comprising:
- at a first computer,
- (a) receiving from a requesting computer, a request for a data item, the request including a True Name of the data item;
- and
- (b) causing said requesting computer to obtain said data item from a second computer, distinct from said first computer.
In a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, a method comprising:
- at a first computer,
- (a) receiving from a requesting computer, a request for a data item, the request including a True Name of the data item;
- (b) identifying a second computer, distinct from the first computer, that should have a copy of the requested data item;
- and
- (c) forwarding the request to the second computer.
In a system in which a plurality of data items are distributed across a plurality of computers, at least some of the plurality of computers forming part of a peer-to-peer (P2P) network of computers, a method comprising:
- at a first computer,
- (a) receiving from a requesting computer in said peer-to-peer network, a request for a data item, the request including a True Name of the data item;
- (b) identifying a second computer in said P2P network that should have a copy of the requested data item, said second computer being distinct from the first computer;
- and
- (c) forwarding the request to the second computer,
- wherein the data item may comprise a file, a portion of a file, a page in memory, a digital message, a digital image, a video signal or an audio signal, and wherein the True Name is computed using an algorithm that applies a message digest function or a hash function to the contents of the data item.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.