Method and apparatus for representing and applying network topological data

In a network comprising a set of linked sites, a naming service comprising a directory of resources, and replicated resources existing within multiple locations within the network, a method for configuring network directories to facilitate identification of resources by logical and topological relation to requesters of the resources comprising the steps of:

• registering an identification associated with an instance of a replicated resource;
• registering a logical group with which the instance of a replicated resource is associated;
• and
• registering a site with which the instance of a replicated resource is associated.

A network facilitating identification of resources by logical and topological relation to requesters of the resources comprising:

• a set of locally linked computer networks;
• a set of remote links interconnecting the set of locally linked computer networks;
• replicated resources residing on the set of locally linked computer networks;
• client computers residing on the locally linked computer and communicatively coupled to the replicated resources;
• and
• a naming service communicatively connected to the client computers and comprising a directory of replicated resources, said directory of replicated resources comprising for instances of the replicated resources:
• a first field identifying a logical group with which an instance of a resource is associated and a second field identifying a site within which the resource resides.

In a network comprising a set of linked sites, replicated resources residing within multiple sites on the network, and a naming service comprising a directory of resources including directory tables facilitating identification of requested resources by logical and topological designation, a method for informing a requesting client of the existence of a closest server relationship between a server and the requesting client comprising the steps of:

• identifying an actual network site within which the requesting client resides;
• comparing the actual network site to a list of sites to which the server is considered closest;
• and
• notifying the requesting client in the event that a match is identified during the comparing step.

A computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for a computer to perform, in a network comprising a set of linked sites, replicated resources residing within multiple sites on the network, and a naming service comprising a directory of resources including directory tables facilitating identification of requested resources by logical and topological designation, a method for informing a requesting client of the existence of a closest server relationship between a server and the requesting client, the method including the steps of:

• identifying an actual network site within which the requesting client resides;
• comparing the actual network site to a list of sites to which the server is considered closest, wherein the list of sites includes a set of sites which are considered closely linked to the site within which the server resides;
• and
• notifying the requesting client in the event that a match is identified during the comparing step.

Computer readable medium having computer-executable instructions for selecting and initiating access to replicated resources, in a network comprising a set of linked sites, a naming service comprising a list of resources and their associated sites and logical group, and replicated resources existing within multiple sites within the network registered with the naming service, by performing in the network the steps of:

• receiving, by the naming service, a request to identify a replica of a resource to which a requesting client wishes to obtain access, the request identifying a site and logical group, and in response consulting a directory comprising the list of resources and associated sites;
• providing a response specifying at least one replica of the resource within the specified site and logical group;
• and
• attempting to access a replica specified in the response.