An automated communications system operates to transfer data, metadata and methods from a provider computer to a consumer computer through a communications network. The transferred information controls the communications relationship, including responses by the consumer computer, updating of information, and processes for future communications. Information which changes in the provider computer is automatically updated in the consumer computer through the communications system in order to maintain continuity of the relationship. Transfer of metadata and methods permits intelligent processing of information by the consumer computer and combined control by the provider and consumer of the types and content of information subsequently transferred. Object oriented processing is used for storage and transfer of information. The use of metadata and methods further allows for automating may of the actions underlying the communications, including communication acknowledgements and archiving of information. Service objects and partner servers provide specialized data, metadata, and methods to providers and consumers to automate many common communications services and transactions useful to both providers and consumers. A combination of the provider and consumer programs and databases allows for additional functionality, including coordination of multiple users for a single database.

Computer-based communication system and method using metadata defining a control-structure

According to one aspect of the present invention, a system is provided for implementing view caching in a framework to support web-based applications. The system comprising a set of server-side objects managed by an object manager (OM) running on a server. The system further comprises a set of browser-side objects running on a browser running on a client. The system also comprises a remote procedure call (RPC) mechanism and a notification mechanism to facilitate communication and synchronization between the browser-side objects and the server-side objects. The system additionally comprises a cache on the client to store layouts of views, wherein each view is a display panel consisting of a particular arrangement of applets.

Method, apparatus, and system for implementing view caching in a framework to support web-based applications

In one embodiment, the invention of a computing system comprising a World Wide Web application (200, 210) with a user interactive record field is described. The record field receives a record field entry. The application receives a context change request. Responsive to the context change request, the application dynamically transmits the record field entry to a server (255) for storage in a database (290).

Computing system and method to implicity commit unsaved data for a world wide web application

A data transmission system is disclosed which optimizes transfer and updates of information between systems by providing difference information between the systems. The system transmits data packages having instructions for manipulating user data. The data packages include a header identifying the respective packages, as well as transaction objects for effecting a change to user data on a device having object instructions.

Data transfer and synchronization system

Methods for load rebalancing by clients in a network are disclosed. Client load rebalancing allows the clients to optimize throughput between themselves and the resources accessed by the nodes. A network which implements this embodiment of the invention can dynamically rebalance itself to optimize throughput by migrating client I/O requests from overutilized pathways to underutilized pathways. Client load rebalancing refers to the ability of a client enabled with processes in accordance with the current invention to remap a path through a plurality of nodes to a resource. The remapping may take place in response to a redirection command emanating from an overloaded node, e.g. server. These embodiments disclosed allow more efficient, robust communication between a plurality of clients and a plurality of resources via a plurality of nodes. In an embodiment of the invention a method for load balancing on a network is disclosed. The network includes at least one client node coupled to a plurality of server nodes, and at least one resource coupled to at least a first and a second server node of the plurality of server nodes. The method comprises the acts of: receiving at a first server node among the plurality of server nodes a request for the at least one resource; determining a utilization condition of the first server node; and re-directing subsequent requests for the at least one resource to a second server node among the plurality of server nodes in response to the determining act. In another embodiment of the invention the method comprises the acts of: sending an I/O request from the at least one client to the first server node for the at least one resource; determining an I/O failure of the first server node; and re-directing subsequent requests from the at least one client for the at least one resource to an other among the plurality of server nodes in response to the determining act.

Dynamic load balancing of a network of client and server computer

A file allocation and management system for a multi-user network environment is disclosed. At least one server and two or more clients are disposed along the network in communicating via a request/response transfer protocol. Files directed for shared usage among the clients along the network are stored at the server. Each client is adapted to communicate with the server through a plurality of identifier sockets, wherein a first identifier socket is configured for bi-directional communication and a second identifier socket is configured for uni-directional communications initiated by the server. Files normally stored at the server, under appropriate circumstances may be temporarily stored in an internal cache or other memory at each client location, when the file is in use.

System and method for providing opportunistic file access in a network environment

A method, computer program product, and system for directly accessing URL data object requests in a proxy server array. A URL data object request is generated by an enabled client to request a URL data object that resides in the local cache of proxy server in an array of proxy servers configured as a distributed cache. The enabled client will deterministically identify the residing proxy server based on information residing thereon without resorting to expensive query-response transactions, such as those that occur in proxy server arrays using ICP, or routing the URL data object request through different proxy servers of the array. An array membership list containing array membership information is available at each and every proxy server as well as all enabled clients. This list is used in conjunction with the URL as the information for identifying the correct proxy server where the URL data object resides. First, a deterministic hash value is computed for each proxy server name and the URL. Next, a combined hash value is computed that combines the URL hash value with each proxy server hash value. Finally, the proxy server with the highest “score” or combined hash value is identified as the proxy server where the desired URL data object should reside in local cache storage. Since the array membership list, the URL, and the hashing algorithm are the same at all enabled clients, the same proxy server will be identified as having the URL data object regardless of which enabled client generated the URL data object request.

Method, computer program product, and system for client-side deterministic routing and URL lookup into a distributed cache of URLS

A method, computer program product, and system for migrating URL data objects in a proxy server array when an array member is removed, added, or temporarily unavailable. An array membership list containing array membership information is available at each proxy server in the array and at all enabled client that is used in conjunction with the URL as the information for identifying the correct proxy server where the URL data object resides. First, a deterministic hash value is computed for each proxy server name and the URL. Next, a combined hash value is computed that combines the URL hash value with each proxy server hash value. Finally, the proxy server with the highest “score” or combined hash value is identified as the proxy server where the desired URL data object should reside in local cache storage. Since the array membership list, the URL, and the hashing algorithm is the same at each proxy server or enabled client, the same proxy server will be identified as having the URL data object regardless of which proxy server originally receives or enabled client generates the URL data object request. The hashing algorithm is designed to automatically compensate for changes in the array membership list so that only the fewest amount of URL data objects will migrate from the local cache of one proxy server to another proxy server as a result of array membership changes.

Method, computer program product, and system for migrating URLs within a dynamically changing distributed cache of URLs

A method, computer program product, and system for routing URL data object requests in a proxy server array. A URL data object request is received at one proxy server of the array while the desired URL data object resides in the local cache of another proxy server in the array. The receiving proxy server will deterministically identify the residing proxy server based on information residing thereon without resorting to expensive query-response transactions, such as those that occur in proxy server arrays using ICP. An array membership list containing array membership information is available at each and every proxy server and is used in conjunction with the URL as the information for identifying the correct proxy server where the URL data object resides. First, a deterministic hash value is computed for each proxy server name and the URL. Next, a combined hash value is computed that combines the URL hash value with each proxy server hash value. Finally, the proxy server with the highest “score” or combined hash value is identified as the proxy server where the desired URL data object should reside in local cache storage. Since the array membership list, the URL, and the hashing algorithm are the same at each proxy server, the same proxy server will be identified as having the URL data object regardless of which proxy server originally receives the URL data object request.

Directing data object access requests in a distributed cache

An apparatus and method are disclosed for supporting a plurality of outstanding requests between a client and server in a network. If the server completes computation of a later request from a client before an earlier request, then the network protocol supports transmission of responses in an out-of-order manner to the client, thereby allowing a high degree of parallelism on the client and the server. The server buffers responses until receiving an implicit acknowledgement from the client.

Hans Hurvig

Papers

System and method for providing opportunistic file access in a network environment

Method, computer program product, and system for client-side deterministic routing and URL lookup into a distributed cache of URLS

Method, computer program product, and system for migrating URLs within a dynamically changing distributed cache of URLs

Directing data object access requests in a distributed cache

Method and apparatus for supporting multiple outstanding network requests on a single connection