Distributed scalable device for selecting a server from a server cluster and a switched path to the selected server
US6253230A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 22, 1998 |
| Grant date | Jun 26, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 22, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2012/5667
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A method and system for building scaleable TCP/IP services such as a cluster web server out of a switch or switched network such as an ATM switch or ATM switched network. For example, a distributed large scale TCP router can be built using an ATM switch network. The scaled services can be presented as a single service to clients. The scaleable services can balance the load on the individual servers in the cluster. The clients can be directly or indirectly connected to the switch or switched network. One version includes two separate components: a Control Engine (CE); and a Forwarding Engine (FE). The Control Engine is in charge of assigning a connection to a server and forwarding information about the assigned server and connection to the Forwarding Engine. The Forwarding Engine applies the assignments received from the Control Engine to map a TCP connection onto a switched ATM connection. At the end, the Forwarding Engine communicates the connection termination event back to the Control Engine. A preferred embodiment takes advantage of the switched nature of ATM networks to shortcut paths from clients to servers, wherever possible. Using ATM shortcuts can increase performance by s…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.