Technique for Maintaining and Managing Dynamic Web Pages Stored in a System Cache and Referenced Objects Cached in Other Data Stores

Abstract

An apparatus for managing data stored in a data storage device connected to a computer. In accordance with the present invention, it is determined that a web page is to be cached. The web page references other objects. The referenced objects are stored in one or more data stores. The web page is cached. The cached web page and the referenced objects are managed in a coordinated fashion to ensure the display of a complete Web page.

1 . An apparatus for processing a request that requires the dynamic generation of a web page, the apparatus comprising:
 a computer; and   one or more programs, performed by the computer, for:
 determining whether to respond to a request for a web page by retrieving the web page from a cache or by constructing the web page; 
 if it is determined that the request is to be responded to by constructing the web page,
 retrieving data and placing data in the web page, wherein the data is linked to other objects, 
 determining that the web page is to be cached, wherein the web page references the other objects; 
 storing the referenced objects in one or more data stores; and 
 caching the web page in the cache; 
 
 if it is determined that the request is to be responded to by retrieving the web page from the cache, retrieving the web page from the cache; 
 automatically managing the cached web page and the referenced objects to ensure the display of a complete web page; and 
 when one or more of the referenced objects is deleted, deleting the web page from the cache, 
   wherein a system initialization file comprises at least one caching directive which is used in determining whether to cache the constructed web page.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising, when the web page is deleted from the cache, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to determining that a web page is to be cached, one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for retrieving data and placing the data in a dynamically generated web page, wherein the data is linked to other stored objects. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein managing the cached data comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for receiving a request from an administrator to delete the retrieved data based on an administrator-provided input, and deleting the retrieved data based on the administrator-provided input. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein managing the cached data comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for receiving a request from an administrator to delete the linked objects based on a second user provided input, and deleting the linked objects based on the administrator-provided input. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for processing a caching directive that specifies whether the web page should be cached. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for associating an expiration timestamp with the web page, wherein the expiration timestamp defines a time period in which the cached web page is valid. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein managing the cached web page and referenced objects further comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for automatically deleting the web page and the referenced objects when the expiration timestamp precedes a current timestamp. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein deleting further comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for first, deleting the web page and second, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein managing the web page and referenced objects comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for receiving a request from an administrator to delete all cached web pages according to some administrator-specified selection criteria, and deleting all cached web pages and referenced objects that satisfy the administrator-specified selection criteria. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein deleting further comprises one or more computer programs, performed by the computer, for first, deleting the web page and second, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the referenced objects is not stored in said cache. 
   
   
       13 . An article of manufacture comprising a computer program carrier readable by a computer and embodying one or more instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for responding to a request for a web page, comprising:
 determining whether to respond to a request for a web page by retrieving the web page from a cache or by constructing the web page;   if it is determined that the request is to be responded to by constructing the web page,
 retrieving data and placing data in the web page, wherein the data is linked to other objects, 
 determining that the web page is to be cached, wherein the web page references the other objects; 
 storing the referenced objects in one or more data stores; and 
 caching the web page in the cache; 
   if it is determined that the request is to be responded to by retrieving the web page from the cache, retrieving the web page from the cache;   automatically managing the cached web page and the referenced objects to ensure the display of a complete web page; and   when one or more of the referenced objects is deleted, deleting the web page from the cache,   wherein a system initialization file comprises at least one caching directive which is used in determining whether to cache the constructed web page.   
   
   
       14 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , further comprising, when the web page is deleted, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       15 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , further comprising, prior to determining that a web page is to be cached:
 retrieving data and placing the data in a dynamically generated web page, wherein the data is linked to other stored objects.   
   
   
       16 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein managing the cached web page and referenced objects comprises the steps of:
 receiving a request from an administrator to delete the retrieved data based on an administrator-provided input; and   deleting the retrieved data based on the administrator-provided input.   
   
   
       17 . The article of manufacture of  claim 15 , wherein managing the web page and referenced objects comprises the steps of:
 receiving a request from an administrator to delete the linked objects based on an administrator-provided input; and   deleting the linked objects based on the administrator-provided input.   
   
   
       18 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , further comprising processing a caching directive that specifies whether the web page should be cached. 
   
   
       19 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , further comprising associating an expiration timestamp with the web page, wherein the expiration timestamp defines a time period in which the cached web page is valid. 
   
   
       20 . The article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein managing the cached web page and referenced objects further comprises automatically deleting the web page and the referenced objects when the expiration timestamp precedes a current timestamp. 
   
   
       21 . The article of manufacture of  claim 20 , wherein deleting further comprises first, deleting the web page and second, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       22 . The article of manufacture of  claim 19 , wherein managing the cached web page and referenced objects comprises the steps of:
 receiving a request from an administrator to delete all cached web pages according to some administrator-specified selection criteria; and   deleting all cached web pages and referenced objects that satisfy the administrator-specified selection criteria.   
   
   
       23 . The article of manufacture of  claim 22 , wherein deleting further comprises first, deleting the web page and second, deleting the referenced objects. 
   
   
       24 . The article of manufacture of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the referenced objects is not stored in said cache.