Hierarchical binding and lookup of addresses in inter-process communications systems

A method of looking up an address, comprising:

• receiving a lookup request from a client component for a target server component of an identified type at a hardware lookup server that manages a first database that identifies nodes that contain address resolution information regarding the identified type of server component;
• identifying a node associated with the identified type of server component;
• retrieving first metadata from the first database relating to the identified type of server component;
• appending the first metadata to the lookup request and forwarding the lookup request to a second hardware lookup server that manages a second database associated with the identified node that stores second metadata, the first and second metadata together comprising information that can be used to resolve an address associated with the target server component.

A method of binding an address of a publishing server component to a lookup key in an inter-process communication system, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a first hardware lookup server that manages a first database that contains data relating to a first plurality of server components that includes the publishing server component, a first publication request from the publishing server component, the first publication request including first and second metadata relating to an address of the publishing server component;
• storing the first metadata in the first database;
• and
• sending a second publication request including the second metadata to a second hardware lookup server that manages a second database that contains data relating to a second plurality of server components, wherein the second plurality of server components is a superset of the first plurality of server components and includes the publishing server component.

An interprocess communication system, comprising:

• a first hardware lookup server that is configured to manage a first database that contains data relating to a first plurality of server components, configured to receive a first lookup request from a client component, the first lookup request identifying a target server component from among the first plurality of server components, and configured to retrieve first metadata relating to the target server component from the first database;
• and
• a second hardware lookup server that is configured to manage a second database that contains data relating to a second plurality of server components, wherein the second plurality of server components is a subset of the first plurality of server components and includes the target server component;
• wherein the first hardware lookup server is configured to send a second lookup request including the first metadata to the second hardware lookup server, and wherein the second hardware lookup server is configured to retrieve second metadata relating to the target server component from the second database, the first and second metadata together comprising information that can be used to resolve an address associated with the target server component, and configured to transmit a response to the client component based on the first and second metadata.

An interprocess communication system, comprising:

• a first hardware lookup server that is configured to manage a first database that contains data relating to a first plurality of server components that includes a publishing server component, configured to receive a first publication request from the publishing server component, the first publication request including first and second metadata relating to an address of the publishing server component and a lookup key associated with the publishing server component, and configured to store the first metadata in the first database along with the lookup key;
• and
• a second hardware lookup server that is configured to manage a second database that contains data relating to a second plurality of server components, wherein the second plurality of server components is a superset of the first plurality of server components and includes the publishing server component;
• wherein the first hardware lookup server is further configured to send a second publication request including the second metadata and the lookup key to a second hardware lookup server, and wherein the second hardware lookup server is configured to store the second metadata in the second database together with the lookup key.