Method for assigning a priority to a data transfer in a network, and network node using the method

Abstract

A data transfer in a network comprises a first node sending out a request for a particular data unit, a second node receiving and analysing the request, detecting that it may provide the requested data unit and sending to the first node a message indicating that it may provide the requested data unit, the first node receiving and selecting the message and sending a second request to the second node to request transfer of the particular data unit, and the second node transferring the particular data unit upon reception of the second request. A method for assigning a priority to such data transfer in a network comprises the first node assigning an identifier corresponding to a first priority to the request, the second node evaluating the identifier and, based on the identifier, calculating a second priority and assigning the calculated second priority to said transfer.

Description

technical field

[0001] The present invention relates generally to network communications. In particular, the invention relates to a method for assigning priorities to data transfers in a network and a network node using said method. Background technique

[0002] In a network such as a Distributed Storage System (DSS), data transfer can be understood as a task to be performed. Data transfers are typically in response to requests or tasks. For example, a task may be a search task or a data transfer task, and a characteristic flow of messages occurs between the nodes involved in the task. Often, several (data transfer) tasks may occur simultaneously and in parallel. Due to limited capacity in terms of bandwidth, storage space or other parameters, this will lead to conflicts or bottleneck situations.

[0003] Different nodes in a peer-to-peer based network (for example owner domain as described in European patent application EP 1 427 141) may try to allocate another node's r...

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