System and method for workload-aware request distribution in cluster-based network servers

Abstract

A method and system for workload-aware request in cluster-based network servers. The present invention provides a web server cluster having a plurality of nodes wherein each node comprises a distributor component, a dispatcher component and a server component. In another embodiment, the present provides a method for managing request distribution to a set of files stored on a web server cluster. A request for a file is received at a first node of a plurality of nodes, each node comprising a distributor component, a dispatcher component and a server component. If the request is for a core file, the request is processed at the first node (e.g., processed locally). If the request is for a partitioned file, it is determined whether the request is assigned to be processed locally at the first node or at another node (e.g., processed remotely). If the request is for neither a core file nor a partitioned file, the request is processed at the first node. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for identifying a set of frequently accessed files on a server cluster comprising a number of nodes. Embodiments of the present invention operate to maximize the number of requests served from the total cluster memory of a web server cluster and to minimize the forwarding overhead and disk access overhead by identifying the subset of core files to be processed at any node and by identifying the subset of partitioned files to be processed by different nodes in the cluster.

1 - 7 . (canceled)  
   
   
       8 . A method for managing request distribution to a set of files stored on a server, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) receiving a request for a file at a first node of a plurality of nodes, each of said nodes comprising a distributor component for distributing a request to a specific node of said plurality of nodes, a dispatcher component comprising routing information for said plurality of nodes and replicated across said plurality of nodes, and a server component for processing said request;    b) provided said request is for a core file, serving said core file from said first node irrespective of which of the nodes is the first node that received the request;    c) provided said request is for a partitioned file, determining whether said request is assigned to be processed by said first node;    c1) provided said request is for a partitioned file assigned to be processed by said first node, serving said partitioned file from said first node; and    c2) provided said request is for a partitioned file assigned to be processed by another node of said plurality of nodes, forwarding said request to a specific node of said plurality of nodes as indicated by said dispatcher component of said first node and serving said partitioned file from said specific node.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said plurality of nodes form a web server cluster.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  further comprising a set of base files, wherein said base files are a set of frequently accessed files fitting into a cluster memory of said web server cluster.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said set of base files comprises a set of core files comprising said core file, a set of partitioned files comprising said partitioned file, and a set of on disk files.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein each of said plurality of nodes further comprises a set of core files comprising said core file and a set of partitioned files comprising said partitioned file.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said set of core files comprises a set of most frequently accessed files of said set of base files.  
   
   
       14 - 20 . (canceled)  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising: 
 d) provided said request is not for a said core file or a said partitioned file, serving the requested file from said first node.    
   
   
       22 . A method for managing request distribution to a set of files stored on a server, said method comprising the steps of: 
 a) storing a set of core files to each of a plurality of nodes;    b) assigning processing of each of a set of partitioned files to a respective one of said plurality of nodes;    c) receiving a request for a file at a first node of said plurality of nodes;    d) provided said request is for one of said core files, serving the requested core file from said first node irrespective of which of the nodes is the first node that received the request;    e) provided said request is for a partitioned file, determining whether said request is assigned to be processed by said first node;    f1) provided said request is for a partitioned file assigned to be processed by said first node, serving said partitioned file from said first node; and    f2) provided said request is for a partitioned file assigned to be processed by another node of said plurality of nodes, forwarding said request to said another node and serving said partitioned file from said another node.    
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising: 
 g) provided said request is not for a said core file or a said partitioned file, serving the requested file from said first node.    
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein said plurality of nodes form a web server cluster.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising a set of base files, wherein said base files are a set of frequently accessed files fitting into memory of said plurality of nodes.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said set of base files comprises said set of core files, said set of partitioned files, and a set of on disk files.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said set of core files comprises a set of most frequently accessed files of said set of base files.