Automatically configuring network-name-services

Claim 2

In a network of digital computers that includes: A. a network; B. client workstations that connect to the network for exchanging network communications between the client workstations; and C. a name server ("NS") that: i. receives from the network network-name-resolution requests sent by client workstations for network-name resolution; and ii. responds to network-name-resolution requests by sending to the requesting client workstation, via the network, a network address; an automatic network-name-services configuration improvement comprising: D. a traffic-monitor module that receives, via the network, network communications which permits the traffic-monitor module to: i. identify specific network resources that are shared by client workstations connected to the network; and ii. collect data about network resources that are shared by the client workstations; E. a dynamic redirection service ("DRS") module that: i. receives data collected by the traffic-monitor module; and ii. extracts from the collected data: 1) identities of the client workstations and network resources that form client workstation/network resource pairs; 2) an order for client workstation/network resource pairs based upon a performance metric determined from data collected for each client workstation/network resource pair; and 3) a list of: A) proxy servers that can provide a proxy service for network resources; and B) based upon the performance metric determined for each client workstation/network resource pair, at least one client workstation for which the proxy server is assigned to provide the proxy service; and F. a name resolution filter ("NRF") module that: i. receives from the DRS module the list extracted by the DRS module from collected data; ii. receives network-name-resolution requests sent by client workstations for network-name resolution before the NS receives the network-name-resolution request; and iii. when enabled by data present in the list, responds to network-name-resolution requests by sending to the requesting client workstation, via the network, the network address of the proxy server specified by the list.

Claim 3

The network of digital computers of claim 1 wherein the network resource is a source file server which stores a file that is shared by the client workstations, the client workstations: i. sending, via the network, network-file-services-protocol requests to access the file; and ii. receiving, via the network, network-file-services-protocol responses to network-file-services-protocol requests to access the file; and wherein the network of digital computers further includes: G. a proxy file cache, also connected to the network, that, by storing a copy of at least a portion of the file stored at the source file server, is the proxy server for the network resource, the proxy file cache: i. receiving, via the network, network-file-services-protocol requests from client workstations for access to the file that is stored at the source file server; and ii. responding, via the network, to network-file-services-protocol requests from client workstations for access to the file by sending to the requesting client workstation a copy of at least a fraction of that portion of the file that is stored at the proxy file cache.

Claim 4

The automatic network-name-services configuration improvement of claim 2 wherein the traffic-monitor module, the DRS module, and the NRF module are all located at the source file server.

Claim 5

The automatic network-name-services configuration improvement of claim 2 wherein the performance metric determined by the DRS module depends upon time that elapses between a network-file-services-protocol request from the client workstation appearing on the network, and the network-file-services-protocol response from the source file server thereto appearing on the network.

Claim 6

The automatic network-name-services configuration improvement of claim 1 wherein the DRS module extracts tuples from data received from the traffic-monitor module.

Claim 7

The automatic network-name-services configuration improvement of claim 1 wherein the DRS module includes an administrative interface that permits an administrator to selectively modify assignment of network resources for which proxy servers are to provide proxy services.

Claim 8

The network of digital computers of claim 1 wherein the traffic-monitor module included in the automatic network-name-services configuration improvement receives network communications from a filter through which: network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution sent by the client workstation pass before such network-name-resolution requests are received by the NS; and network addresses from the NS sent in response to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution pass before such network addresses are received by the client workstation.

Claim 9

The network of digital computers of claim 1 wherein the network of digital computers further includes: G. a pre-established port: i. to which the client workstation addresses network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution; and ii. from which the client workstation receives network addresses sent in response to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution; and wherein before the NS receives from the pre-established port network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution, the automatic network-name-services configuration improvement causes the NS to be redirected to an other port from which the NS thereafter: i. receives network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution, and ii. sends network addresses in response to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution; and wherein the traffic-monitor module included in the automatic network-name-services configuration improvement receives from the pre-established port network communications that contain: network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution sent by the client workstation before such network-name-resolution requests are received by the NS; and network addresses from the NS sent in response to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution before such network addresses are received by the client workstation.

Claim 10

The automatic network-name-services configuration improvement of claim 1 wherein network communications received by the traffic-monitor module are copies of network communications obtained by promiscuously monitoring all network communications to inspect and collect pertinent data therefrom.

Claim 11

A network-infrastructure cache for providing proxy file caching for a client workstation requesting access to data stored in a file on a source file server; the client workstation and the source file server being interconnected by a network via which client workstation may transmit network-file-services-protocol requests to the source file server, and via which the source file server transmits network-file-services-protocol responses to the client workstation; the network-infrastructure cache comprising: A. a network interface that connects to the network for providing a hardware and software interface to the network through which the network-infrastructure cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching; B. a file-request service-module for receiving via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests transmitted by the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching, and for transmitting to the client workstation via said network interface network-file-services-protocol responses to the network-file-services-protocol requests; C. a cache from which said file-request service-module retrieves data that is included in the network-file-services-protocol responses that said file-request service-module transmits to the client workstation; D. a file-request generation-module for transmitting to the source file server via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests for data specified in network-file-services-protocol requests received by said file-request service-module that is missing from said cache, for receiving from the source file server network-file-services-protocol responses that include data missing from said cache, and for transmitting such missing data to said cache for storage therein; E. a traffic-monitor module that receives, via the network, network communications which permits the traffic-monitor module to: i. identify specific resources that the source file server shares, via the network, with the client workstation; and ii. collect data about specific resources that are shared between client workstation/network resource pairs; F. a DRS module that: i. receives data collected by the traffic-monitor module; ii. extracts from the collected data: 1) identities of the client workstation and the source file server that form each client workstation/network resource pair; 2) an order for client workstation/network resource pairs based upon a performance metric determined from data collected for each client workstation/network resource pair by the traffic-monitor module; and 3) a list of those: A) source file servers for which the proxy file cache stores a copy of at least portions of files that are stored at the source file servers; and B) based upon the performance metric determined for each client workstation/network resource pair, client workstation for which the proxy file cache is assigned to respond to network-file-services-protocol requests for access to the file; G. a NRF module that: i. receives from the DRS module the list extracted by the DRS module from data collected by the traffic-monitor module; ii. receives network-name-resolution requests sent by the client workstation for network-name resolution before the NS receives the network-name-resolution request; and iii. when enabled by data present in the list, responds to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution by sending to the client workstation, via the network, network addresses.

Claim 12

A network-infrastructure cache for providing proxy file caching for a client workstation requesting access to data stored in a file on a source file server; the client workstation and the source file server being interconnected by a network via which client workstation may transmit network-file-services-protocol requests to the source file server, and via which the source file server transmits network-file-services-protocol responses to the client workstation; the network-infrastructure cache comprising: A. a network interface that connects to the network for providing a hardware and software interface to the network through which the network-infrastructure cache receives and responds to network-file-services-protocol requests from the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching; B. a file-request service-module for receiving via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests transmitted by the client workstation for data for which the network-infrastructure cache provides proxy file caching, and for transmitting to the client workstation via said network interface network-file-services-protocol responses to the network-file-services-protocol requests; C. a cache from which said file-request service-module retrieves data that is included in the network-file-services-protocol responses that said file-request service-module transmits to the client workstation; D. a file-request generation-module for transmitting to the source file server via said network interface network-file-services-protocol requests for data specified in network-file-services-protocol requests received by said file-request service-module that is missing from said cache, for receiving from the source file server network-file-services-protocol responses that include data missing from said cache, and for transmitting such missing data to said cache for storage therein; E. a traffic-monitor module that receives, via the network, network communications which permits the traffic-monitor module to: i. identify specific resources that the source file server shares, via the network, with the client workstation; and ii. collect data about specific resources that are shared between client workstation/network resource pairs; F. a DRS module that: i. receives data collected by the traffic-monitor module; ii. extracts from the collected data: 1) identities of the client workstation and the source file server that form each client workstation/network resource pair; 2) an order for client workstation/network resource pairs based upon a performance metric determined from data collected for each client workstation/network resource pair by the traffic-monitor module; and 3) a list of those: A) source file servers for which the proxy file cache stores a copy of at least portions of files that are stored at the source file servers; and B) based upon the performance metric determined for each client workstation/network resource pair, client workstation for which the proxy file cache is assigned to respond to network-file-services-protocol requests for access to the file; G. a NRF module that: i. receives from the DRS module the list extracted by the DRS module from data collected by the traffic-monitor module; ii. receives network-name-resolution requests sent by the client workstation for network-name resolution before the NS receives the network-name-resolution request; and iii. when enabled by data present in the list, responds to network-name-resolution requests for network-name resolution by sending to the client workstation, via the network, network addresses.

Claim 13

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 10 wherein said network interface is included in a network router that interconnects two networks.

Claim 14

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 10 wherein said network interface is included in a network hub that interconnects two networks.

Claim 15

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 10 wherein said cache includes a memory cache.

Claim 16

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 13 wherein said cache includes a disk cache.

Claim 17

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 10 further comprising: H. a Performance-Monitor Module for keeping various statistics that record performance of the network-infrastructure cache; and I. an Administration-and-Control Module for accepting and responding to communications specifying an operating configuration for the network-infrastructure cache.

Claim 18

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 15 further comprising: J. a Name-Declaration Module for informing a NS that the network-infrastructure cache is to provide proxy file caching for the source file server.

Claim 19

The network-infrastructure cache of claim 15 further comprising: J. a Name-Declaration Module for advertising to client workstations on the network that the network-infrastructure cache is to provide proxy file caching for the source file server.