Patent Application
20070055768
1. Field of Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate in general to the field of computer networks. More specifically, the embodiments of this invention relate to methods and systems for monitoring the availability of servers in computer networks.
2. Description of the Background Art
The known computer networks comprise a plurality of servers, which contain a variety of resources. A client requiring a resource connects to a server, including the resource using a front end, which may be a web browser. This enables effective real-time communication between the server and the client in a typical server-client model.
In such a server-client model, a server may malfunction and may be unable to serve a client, and continue to do so indefinitely. Therefore, the availability of servers in a computer network is monitored, in order to send an alert if the server has become unavailable.
The current state of the art offers various systems and methods as a solution to this problem. One of them is scripted health check, which performs a single-step probe to determine the condition of a server in a network. Another one is a hypertext transfer protocol-get (HTTP-get) method, which conducts a two-step probe. The first step of the HTTP-get is an initialization step. This includes the calculation of a reference hash value, using the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) of the server and storing the reference hash value in a load-balancing switch for future reference. After a fixed interval, a monitoring step is performed, wherein the hash value of the server is compared with the previously stored reference hash value. The server is declared to be functioning, if the hash value is the same as the reference hash value. However, if the hash value is different from the reference hash value, the server is declared to be malfunctioning.
If the server is malfunctioning, the HTTP-get method may store a false reference hash value at the initialization step. As a result, at the monitoring step, a comparison is made with the false reference hash value and the condition of the server is wrongly determined. This affects the functioning of the network, because no corrective measures are taken if it is declared that a malfunctioning server is functioning.
Embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium for monitoring a server in a network. The server may be a web server or an application server. In accordance with various embodiments of the invention, the method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium are implemented to update at least one reference value for monitoring a target server in a network. The method includes determining whether a reference value is to be updated, based on a predefined condition. If the reference value is to be updated, a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol-get (HTTP-get) operation is performed on a reference Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The reference URL is provided by the target server or a reference server in the network. Hashing is a mathematical function, to calculate a numerical value from a URL. The numerical value calculated is unique for each URL. Hashing the result of the HTTP-get operation updates the reference value. According to various embodiments of the invention, the method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium enable comparison between a test URL and a reference URL. This is achieved by a comparison between a test value, corresponding to the test URL, and the reference value corresponding to the reference URL.
Data-processing unit 108 is hereinafter referred to as target server 108, which may be prone to errors and may therefore malfunction. Hence, the state of target server 108 is monitored, so that corrective action can be taken if target server 108 malfunctions.
If the predefined condition is true, it is determined that at least one reference value is to be updated. If the reference value is to be updated, then, after a fixed interval, the reference URL of target server 108 is retrieved from a configurator at step 204. An exemplary fixed interval may be defined by the system administrator. In an embodiment of the invention, the configurator may be a part of a load-balancing switch. Data processing unit 106 is hereinafter referred to as load-balancing switch 106, which has been described in subsequent figures. The configurator is an application that enables users to add data-processing units, or modify or delete existing ones. The configurator provides descriptor information, URL, the data-processing unit name, and IP address information for the data-processing units in network 100.
In an embodiment of the invention, the reference URL may be retrieved from a reference server. Data-processing unit 110 is hereinafter referred as reference server 110. The state of reference server 110 may be functioning or malfunctioning, and is fixed at the beginning. Reference server 110 is used primarily as a reference to a plurality of target servers, all of which may be tested and monitored in the same way as target server 108. Reference server 110 comprises dedicated hardware, which permits limited communication between reference server 110 and network 100. Limited communication includes receiving a notification, if there are content changes in target server 108 in network 100. Further, reference server 110 includes a server state-monitoring software, which is designed to force reference server 110 to fail-stop, in the event reference server 110 is unable to provide a valid reference URL. This ensures that reference server 110 does not provide an invalid reference URL, and a valid reference URL is retrieved consistently.
At step 206, a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol-get (HTTP-get) operation is performed on the reference URL, to obtain a result. In an embodiment of the invention, the reference URL may be directing to target 108. In another embodiment of the invention, the reference URL may be directing to reference server 110. At step 208, the validity of the result of the HTTP-get operation is determined on the basis of a predetermined condition. The predetermined condition is false if the headers are invalid, the length of the URL is invalid, the connectivity is improper, the Transfer Control Protocol (TCP) has been reset, or an HTTP error code has been returned. If the predetermined condition is false, then after a predetermined time interval, the reference URL is again retrieved at step 204. According to an embodiment of the invention, the predetermined time interval may be a configurable parameter ranging from 1 second to at least 100,000 seconds. Subsequently, the HTTP-get operation is again performed on the reference URL at step 206. Thereafter, the predetermined condition is again checked at step 208. In this manner, the reference URL is periodically retrieved until a valid reference URL is received. However, if the predetermined condition is true, the result of the HTTP-get operation is hashed and a unique numerical value of the reference URL is provided. This numerical value is the updated reference value. For example, a value generated by hashing may be ‘3f80f-1b6-3e1cb03b’, and after application of md5 hashing algorithm, the result may be ‘2c4ffdf59938e8d13dc0e0f3e33a0f05’. According to an embodiment of the invention, a comparison of the first N characters of the reference results and the test results may be done using a hash function such as md5 or, a computationally cheaper hash function. The reference value is stored in a load-balancing switch 106, which makes a request for the test URL at user-specified intervals, and compares the test URL with the reference URL. This is achieved by the comparison between the test value corresponding to the test URL, and the reference value corresponding to the reference URL. Based on this comparison, the load-balancing switch determines the state of target server 108. Further, the load balancing switch stores statistics of the number of servers that are malfunctioning, and the current and cumulative downtime of each server in network 100. According to the various embodiments of the invention, the information configured for monitoring target server 108 may be applicable for a ‘group’ of target servers. Each group of target servers is then tested and monitored individually.
According to various embodiments of the invention, it is determined that target server 108 is in the functioning, if the test value is equal to a reference good value. The reference good value is retrieved from target server 108 or reference server 110. The reference good value indicates that one of target server 108 or reference server 110 is in the functioning state.
According to various other embodiments, target server 108 is determined to be in the malfunctioning state, if the test value is not equal to the reference good value.
In another embodiment of the invention, target server 108 is determined to be in the malfunctioning state, if the test value is equal to a reference bad value. The reference bad value is retrieved from reference server 110 and indicates that reference server 110 is in the malfunctioning state.
In various embodiments of the invention, if target server 108 is identified in a malfunctioning state, then target server 108 is removed from active service.
In another embodiment of the invention, if the test value is neither equal to the reference good value nor equal to the reference bad value, then target server 108 is in the ambiguous state.
Embodiments of the present invention have the advantage that target server 108 in network 100 can be reliably monitored. Further, the embodiments of the invention provide a method, system, apparatus and machine-readable medium to identify and remove target server 108 in the malfunctioning state from active service. Furthermore, the various embodiments of the invention can identify and ignore the static content of target server 108 in the malfunctioning state. This ensures that the retrieved reference value is correct. Additionally, the use of reference server 110 removes a boot or power-failure-reset reliability problem, which develops due to race conditions. Race conditions develop when target server 108 and the corresponding load balancing switch initialize concurrently. Further, the embodiments of the invention operate at a low cost and a high frequency of monitoring target server 108.
Although the invention has been discussed with respect to specific embodiments thereof, these embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive, of the invention. For example, a ‘method for updating at least one reference value for monitoring a target server in a network’ can include any type of analysis, manual or automatic, to anticipate the needs of monitoring a server system.
Although specific protocols have been used to describe embodiments, other embodiments can use other transmission protocols or standards. Use of the terms ‘peer’, ‘client’, and ‘server’ can include any type of device, operation, or other process. The present invention can operate between any two processes or entities including users, devices, functional systems, or combinations of hardware and software. Peer-to-peer networks and any other networks or systems where the roles of client and server are switched, change dynamically, or are not even present, are within the scope of the invention.
Any suitable programming language can be used to implement the routines of the present invention including C, C++, Java, assembly language, etc. Different programming techniques such as procedural or object oriented can be employed. The routines can execute on a single processing device or multiple processors. Although the steps, operations, or computations may be presented in a specific order, this order may be changed in different embodiments. In some embodiments, multiple steps shown sequentially in this specification can be performed at the same time. The sequence of operations described herein can be interrupted, suspended, or otherwise controlled by another process, such as an operating system, kernel, etc. The routines can operate in an operating system environment or as stand-alone routines occupying all, or a substantial part, of the system processing.
In the description herein for embodiments of the present invention, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and/or methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that an embodiment of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other apparatus, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, and/or the like. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.
Also in the description herein for embodiments of the present invention, a portion of the disclosure recited in the specification contains material, which is subject to copyright protection. Computer program source code, object code, instructions, text or other functional information that is executable by a machine may be included in an appendix, tables, figures or in other forms. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction of the specification as filed in the Patent and Trademark Office. Otherwise all copyright rights are reserved.
A ‘computer’ for purposes of embodiments of the present invention may include any processor-containing device, such as a mainframe computer, personal computer, laptop, notebook, microcomputer, server, personal data manager or ‘PIM’ (also referred to as a personal information manager), smart cellular or other phone, so-called smart card, set-top box, or any of the like. A ‘computer program’ may include any suitable locally or remotely executable program or sequence of coded instructions, which are to be inserted into a computer, well known to those skilled in the art. Stated more specifically, a computer program includes an organized list of instructions that, when executed, causes the computer to behave in a predetermined manner. A computer program contains a list of ingredients (called variables) and a list of directions (called statements) that tell the computer what to do with the variables. The variables may represent numeric data, text, audio or graphical images. If a computer is employed for presenting media via a suitable directly or indirectly coupled input/output (I/O) device, the computer would have suitable instructions for allowing a user to input or output (e.g., present) program code and/or data information respectively in accordance with the embodiments of the present invention.
A ‘computer readable medium’ for purposes of embodiments of the present invention may be any medium that can contain, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the computer program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system apparatus, system or device. The computer readable medium can be, by way of example only but not by limitation, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, system, device, propagation medium, or computer memory.
Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, or “a specific embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, respective appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment”, “in an embodiment”, or “in a specific embodiment” in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the present invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are to be considered as part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, at least some of the components of an embodiment of the invention may be implemented by using a programmed general-purpose digital computer, by using application specific integrated circuits, programmable logic devices, or field programmable gate arrays, or by using a network of interconnected components and circuits. Connections may be wired, wireless, by modem, and the like.
It will also be appreciated that one or more of the elements depicted in the drawings/figures can also be implemented in a more separated or integrated manner, or even removed or rendered as inoperable in certain cases, as is useful in accordance with a particular application.
Additionally, any signal arrows in the drawings/Figures should be considered only as exemplary, and not limiting, unless otherwise specifically noted. Combinations of components or steps will also be considered as being noted, where terminology is foreseen as rendering the ability to separate or combine is unclear.
As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
The foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention, including what is described in the abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of, and examples for, the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention, as those skilled in the relevant art will recognize and appreciate. As indicated, these modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the foregoing description of illustrated embodiments of the present invention and are to be included within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Thus, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosures, and it will be appreciated that in some instances some features of embodiments of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth. Therefore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the present invention. It is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular terms used in following claims and/or to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims.
