Method and system for efficiently storing web pages for quick downloading at a remote device

Abstract

A web server for efficiently storing web pages for quick downloading at a remote device comprises a fast memory, a disk memory and a storage device. The fast memory stores a first plurality of web pages and receives a first signal from the remote device indicating selection of one of the first plurality of web pages. The disk memory stores a second plurality of web pages linked to the first plurality of web pages and transfers all of the second plurality of web pages that are linked to the selected one of the first plurality of web pages to the fast memory in response to the first signal. The disk memory also transmits a second signal to the storage device in response to the first signal. The storage device stores a third plurality of web pages linked to the first plurality of web pages and transfers all of the third plurality of web pages that are linked to the selected ones of the second plurality of web pages to the disk memory in response to the second signal. In addition, the fast memory deletes each of the non-selected first plurality of web pages in response to the first signal so as to allow for memory reuse and to aid in quickly downloading selected web pages to the remote device.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to methods and systems for efficiently storing web pages at a server for quick downloading at a remote device in communication with the server. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Traditional web servers depend on sequential access to HTML (HyperText Markup Language) pages by loading hyperlinked pages as the client requests them while navigating through the current page. Each client initiated hit involves a random access to the memory, even if multiple clients access the same page. Thus, overall latency is high even when there is an overlap in the access. Latency refers to the amount of time it takes a web server to respond to a client beginning from the time the request was sent by the client to the server. To reduce latency in the network, some proposals have been made to have local machines, mostly proxy servers, to prefetch the pages linked to the current page before the client actually “hits” them. However, since all web pages may not be requeste...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0014] A schematic diagram of the storage-efficient web server is shown in FIG. 1, denoted generally by reference numeral 10. The server 10 includes a computer 12 such as, for example, a workstation or a high-end personal computer. The server 10 hosts a plurality of web sites, wherein each web site includes a plurality of HTML documents, or web pages.

[0015] The computer 12 of the server 10 includes a fast memory 14, such as cache or RAM (random access memory), and a disk memory 16. Although shown externally, the disk memory 16 may be either an internal disk drive or an externally attached disk or disk farm, such as a RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks). Both the fast memory 14 and the disk memory 16 store a portion of the web pages for quick downloading as will be described in greater detail below.

[0016] The computer 12 is also connected to an external storage device 18, such as tape or removable media, which stores even more data relating to the web pages. The storage dev...

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] This invention relates to methods and systems for efficiently storing web pages at a server for quick downloading at a remote device in communication with the server. BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Traditional web servers depend on sequential access to HTML (HyperText Markup Language) pages by loading hyperlinked pages as the client requests them while navigating through the current page. Each client initiated hit involves a random access to the memory, even if multiple clients access the same page. Thus, overall latency is high even when there is an overlap in the access. Latency refers to the amount of time it takes a web server to respond to a client beginning from the time the request was sent by the client to the server. To reduce latency in the network, some proposals have been made to have local machines, mostly proxy servers, to prefetch the pages linked to the current page before the client actually “hits” them. However, since all web pages may not be requeste...

Examples

Embodiment Construction

[0014] A schematic diagram of the storage-efficient web server is shown in FIG. 1, denoted generally by reference numeral 10. The server 10 includes a computer 12 such as, for example, a workstation or a high-end personal computer. The server 10 hosts a plurality of web sites, wherein each web site includes a plurality of HTML documents, or web pages.

[0015] The computer 12 of the server 10 includes a fast memory 14, such as cache or RAM (random access memory), and a disk memory 16. Although shown externally, the disk memory 16 may be either an internal disk drive or an externally attached disk or disk farm, such as a RAID (redundant array of inexpensive disks). Both the fast memory 14 and the disk memory 16 store a portion of the web pages for quick downloading as will be described in greater detail below.

[0016] The computer 12 is also connected to an external storage device 18, such as tape or removable media, which stores even more data relating to the web pages. The storage dev...

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