Network with shared caching
AssigneeAT&T Corp.
InventorsJeffrey Scott Chase, Syam Gadde, Michael Rabinovich
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a computer network system, the caches at individual stations are available to other stations. A central cache directory is maintained at a network server. Each time a station caches a data object received from a remote network, it informs the central cache directory. When a station comes online, it is asked to send a list of the contents of its cache. Whenever a station seeks an object from the remote network, the local network server first checks the central directory cache to see if the request can be satisfied at one of the local stations. Only if it cannot is the requested object retrieved from the remote network.
Claims15
A computer system comprising:
- a plurality of local stations;
- a communications channel interconnecting said plurality of local stations;
- and
- a communications link connecting said communication channel to an external database;
- wherein:
- each respective one of at least a first subset of said local stations comprises respective cache memory for caching data retrieved by said respective local station from said external database;
- said computer system further comprising:
- a central directory unit for maintaining a directory of data cached in said cache memories of respective ones of said first subset of local stations;
- a cache query unit in each respective one of at least a second subset of said local stations for, when said respective one of said second subset of local stations requires data from said external database, querying said directory to determine whether said required data are cached in a respective cache memory of said first subset of local stations;
- and
- a cache access unit in each respective one of said first subset of said local stations for allowing access to said respective cache memories by respective ones of said second subset of local stations.
A method of operating a computer system, said computer system comprising:
- a plurality of local stations,
- a communications channel interconnecting said plurality of local stations, and
- a communications link connecting said plurality of local channels to an external database, said method comprising the steps of:
- maintaining at each respective one of at least a first subset of said local stations a respective cache memory for caching data retrieved by said respective local station from said external database;
- maintaining a central directory of data cached in said cache memories of respective ones of said first subset of local stations;
- when said a respective one of at least a second subset of local stations requires data from said external database, querying said directory to determine whether said required data is cached in a respective cache memory of said first subset of local stations;
- and
- at each respective one of said first subset of said local stations, allowing access to said respective cache memories by respective ones of said second subset of local stations.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.