US 8,433,749 B2 · Method and system for client-side scaling of web server farm architectures in a cloud data center

Abstract

A novel web server farm architecture is provided that combines various cloud components and innovatively maximizes their strengths to achieve a scalable, adaptable, load balanced computing architecture. In one embodiment, this architecture includes a storage host for static content hosting, a cluster of virtual machines (operating as web servers) for dynamic content hosting, and a dedicated application engine for monitoring the load of the virtual machines. A browser or end-application user of a web application is first routed to a static anchor page hosted on the storage host. The browser is subsequently presented with a list of virtual machines and data corresponding to their respective current loads. To access dynamic content, the browser is able to select from the virtual machines based in large part on the reported current loads of the virtual machines. Once a virtual machine is selected, the browser may communicate directly with the selected web server.

Claims21

Dependent claims

A system for load-balancing a web server farm, the system comprising:

an application executing on a plurality of cloud infrastructure components, the plurality of cloud infrastructure components comprising:
a static host comprising a plurality of static anchor pages and configured to host static content corresponding to the application;
a plurality of web servers comprising a plurality of dynamic pages corresponding to the plurality of static anchor pages, the plurality of web servers being communicatively coupled to the static host and configured to host dynamic content corresponding to the application;
and
an application engine communicatively coupled to the plurality of web servers and configured to collect load information corresponding to the plurality of web servers,
wherein, based on the load information, a client browser selects an available web server from the plurality of web servers to access dynamic content corresponding to the application,
further wherein, a static anchor page of the plurality of static anchor pages comprises a server file and a load balance file.

4 more elements

A method for hosting an application in a cloud data center to facilitate client-side scaling, the method comprising:

hosting static content comprising a plurality of static anchor pages, for an application in a storage host;
hosting dynamic content comprising a plurality of dynamic pages corresponding to the plurality of static anchor pages for the application in a plurality of web servers;
collecting load information corresponding to the plurality of web servers in a load balance file, the load information being collected by a dedicated application engine;
receiving an initial contact request from a client browser;
presenting load information for the plurality of web servers to the client browser;
receiving, based on the load information, a selection from a client browser of a selected web server of the plurality of web servers comprised in a server file to access the dynamic content;
and
facilitating a communication between the client browser and the selected web server,
wherein the storage host, the plurality of web servers and the dedicated application engine comprise components in a cloud computing infrastructure,
further wherein the server file and the load balance file are comprised in at least one static anchor page of the plurality of static anchor pages.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and system for client-side scaling of web server farm architectures in a cloud data center

Life of this patent

Method and system for client-side scaling of web server farm architectures in a cloud data center

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims21