US 6,167,446 AGranted

Automatically configuring network-name-services

AssigneeINCA Technology, Inc.

InventorsRobert Lister, Joel R. Rigler, William M. Pitts, Walter A. Wallach

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Abstract

Generally a computer network includes a file server (22), a network (26), and several client workstations (24). Specific network software provides a name server ("NS") (122) to resolve network-name requests. The computer network can also include a proxy for a network service, e.g. a network infrastructure cache (72) that stores files copied from the server (22). Automatic network-name-services configuration adds to this: 1. a traffic-monitor module (132) that identifies shared network services, and collects service use data; 2. a dynamic redirection service ("DRS") module (126) that receives the collected data, extracts therefrom pairs of client workstations (24) and services, employs a performance metric to order those pairs, and compiles a list (138) of workstations (24) and services that are assigned to the proxy; and 3. a name resolution filter ("NRF") module (136) that, receives the list (138) and network-name-resolution requests, and, when enabled by the list, resolves requests by sending network addresses for the proxy to client workstations (24). cm 1

Claims17

Dependent claims

In a network of digital computers that includes:

A. a network;
B. client workstations that connect to the network for exchanging network communications between the client workstations;
and
C. a name server ("NS") that:
i. receives from the network network-name-resolution requests sent by client workstations for network-name resolution;
and
ii. responds to network-name-resolution requests by sending to the requesting client workstation, via the network, a network address;
an automatic network-name-services configuration improvement comprising:
D. a traffic-monitor module that receives, via the network, network communications which permits the traffic-monitor module to:
i. identify specific network resources that are shared by client workstations connected to the network;
and
ii. collect data about network resources that are shared by the client workstations;
E. a dynamic redirection service ("DRS") module that:
i. receives data collected by the traffic-monitor module;
and
ii. extracts from the collected data:
1) identities of the client workstations and network resources that form client workstation/network resource pairs;
2) an order for client workstation/network resource pairs based upon a performance metric determined from data collected for each client workstation/network resource pair;
and
3) a list of:
A) proxy servers that can provide a proxy service for network resources;
and
B) based upon the performance metric determined for each client workstation/network resource pair, at least one client workstation for which the proxy server is assigned to provide the proxy service;
and
F. a name resolution filter ("NRF") module that:
i. receives from the DRS module the list extracted by the DRS module from collected data;
ii. receives network-name-resolution requests sent by client workstations for network-name resolution before the NS receives the network-name-resolution request;
and
iii. when enabled by data present in the list, responds to network-name-resolution requests by sending to the requesting client workstation, via the network, the network address of the proxy server specified by the list.

26 more elements

A network-infrastructure cache for providing proxy file caching for a client workstation requesting access to data stored in a file on a source file server;

the client workstation and the source file server being interconnected by a network via which client workstation may transmit network-file-services-protocol requests to the source file server, and via which the source file server transmits network-file-services-protocol responses to the client workstation;
the network-infrastructure cache comprising:
A. a network interface that connects to the network for providing a hardware and software interface to the network through which the network-infrastructure cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching;
B. a file-request service-module for receiving via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests transmitted by the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching, and for transmitting to the client workstation via said network interface network-file-services-protocol responses to the network-file-services-protocol requests;
C. a cache from which said file-request service-module retrieves data that is included in the network-file-services-protocol responses that said file-request service-module transmits to the client workstation;
D. a file-request generation-module for transmitting to the source file server via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests for data specified in network-file-services-protocol requests received by said file-request service-module that is missing from said cache, for receiving from the source file server network-file-services-protocol responses that include data missing from said cache, and for transmitting such missing data to said cache for storage therein;
E. a traffic-monitor module that receives, via the network, network communications which permits the traffic-monitor module to:
i. identify specific resources that the source file server shares, via the network, with the client workstation;
and
ii. collect data about specific resources that are shared between client workstation/network resource pairs;
F. a DRS module that:
i. receives data collected by the traffic-monitor module;
ii. extracts from the collected data:
1) identities of the client workstation and the source file server that form each client workstation/network resource pair;
2) an order for client workstation/network resource pairs based upon a performance metric determined from data collected for each client workstation/network resource pair by the traffic-monitor module;
and
3) a list of those:
A) source file servers for which the proxy file cache stores a copy of at least portions of files that are stored at the source file servers;
and
B) based upon the performance metric determined for each client workstation/network resource pair, client workstation for which the proxy file cache is assigned to respond to network-file-services-protocol requests for access to the file;
G. a NRF module that:
i. receives from the DRS module the list extracted by the DRS module from data collected by the traffic-monitor module;
ii. receives network-name-resolution requests sent by the client workstation for network-name resolution before the NS receives the network-name-resolution request;
and
iii. when enabled by data present in the list, responds to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution by sending to the client workstation, via the network, network addresses.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/185,177Filed 3 Nov 1998
Granted: 26 Dec 2000
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification19 codes

G06F 9/50
Multiprogramming arrangements: allocation of resources, e.g. of the central processing unit [CPU]
H04L 41/0853
Retrieval of network configuration; Tracking network configuration history: by actively collecting configuration information or by backing up…
H04L 41/0886
Aspects of the degree of configuration automation: fully automatic configuration
H04L 41/0889
Configuration management of networks or network elements: techniques to speed-up the configuration process