Arrangement for selecting a server to provide distributed services from among multiple servers based on a location of a client device

Abstract

A selection resource executed within the network is configured for selecting from among a plurality of servers, distributed throughout the network at respective network-based server locations and each configured for providing a specified service, a selected server for providing the specified service for a client device at a network-based client location. The selection resource selects the selected server based on the corresponding server location relative to the client location, and causes a request having been generated by the client device to be sent to the selected server. Hence, the selection resource optimizes client-server interactions in a distributed computing network, based on the client location and the server location.

1 . A method comprising:
 providing access to a client machine over a network having an identifiable network topology, the client machine being located within the network, the network including a plurality of server machines each configured to provide a prescribed network service; and   providing a resource to the client machine over the network, wherein providing the resource to the client machine enables the client machine to select a first server machine from the plurality of server machines to provide the prescribed network service, based on the client machine determining the first server machine has a minimum network distance relative to a location of the client machine.   
     
     
         2 - 54 . (canceled) 
     
     
         55 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the resource is an executable resource that enables the client machine to calculate the minimum network distance. 
     
     
         56 . The method of  claim 55 , wherein the executable resource enables the client machine to calculate a network distance for each server machine of the plurality of server machines relative to the location of the client, and to identify the minimum network distance using the network distance calculated for each server machine. 
     
     
         57 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the resource includes providing the locations of the plurality of server machines. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, or a media stream service. 
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the client machine, or an authentication of the client machine. 
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the first server, a congestion attribute of the first server, or a load balancing policy associated with the first server. 
     
     
         61 . An apparatus comprising:
 a storage arrangement, the storage arrangement being arranged to store information that identifies a plurality of server machines located throughout a network having an identifiable network topology, wherein the plurality of server machines are each configured to provide a specified service at the request of a client machine located within the identifiable network topology in the network; and   a network interface circuit arranged to provide a resource to the client machine, the resource being configured to enable the client machine to select a first server machine from among the plurality of server machines to provide the specified service to the client machine, based on the client machine determining the first server machine is at a server location having a minimum distance relative to a client location associated with the client machine.   
     
     
         62 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the resource is an executable resource that enables the client machine to calculate the minimum network distance. 
     
     
         63 . The apparatus of  claim 62 , wherein the executable resource enables the client machine to calculate a network distance for each server machine of the plurality of server machines relative to the location of the client, and to identify the minimum network distance using the network distance calculated for each server machine. 
     
     
         64 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein providing the resource includes providing the locations of the plurality of server machines. 
     
     
         65 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, or a media stream service. 
     
     
         66 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the client machine, or an authentication of the client machine. 
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 61 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the first server, a congestion attribute of the first server, or a load balancing policy associated with the first server. 
     
     
         68 . An apparatus comprising:
 a storage arrangement, the storage arrangement being arranged to store information that identifies a plurality of server machines located throughout a network having an identifiable network topology, wherein the plurality of server machines are each configured to provide a specified service at the request of a client machine located within the identifiable network topology in the network; and   a network interface circuit arranged to provide a resource to the client machine, the resource being configured to enable the client machine to select a first server machine from among the plurality of server machines to provide the specified service to the client machine, based on the client machine determining the first server machine has the same subnet prefix as the client machine in respective IP addresses used by the first server machine and the client machine.   
     
     
         69 . The apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein providing the resource includes providing the IP addresses of the plurality of server machines. 
     
     
         70 . The apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein the specified service is for any one of a file service, a web service, a message transfer service, or a media stream service. 
     
     
         71 . The apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the client machine, or an authentication of the client machine. 
     
     
         72 . The apparatus of  claim 68 , wherein providing the resource to the client machine further enables the client machine to select the first server further based on any one of a service level agreement associated with the first server, a congestion attribute of the first server, or a load balancing policy associated with the first server.