Agent Software Caching to Reduce Management Server Access Concentration
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Solution Overview
Problem
In large-scale device management systems, access concentration on the management server occurs during application or firmware obtainment processing, leading to complexity and inefficiency, especially when using a relay server to distribute content.
Innovation Solution
A management system comprising a manager and an agent that caches software, where the manager provides location information for software obtainment and the agent determines if the software is cached, distributing it if available or fetching and caching it if not, to alleviate access concentration on the manager.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a relay server is used to avoid access concentration on the management server, then access distribution is improved, but system configuration and control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The agent performs self-service by autonomously determining whether software is cached in its own cache unit without requiring centralized control from the management server. When the device requests software, the agent independently checks its cache, retrieves cached software if available, or obtains and caches it from the specified address, eliminating the need for complex relay server coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the software caching and distribution function from the management server and places it in the agent. This separation allows the agent to handle software obtainment independently, reducing access concentration on the management server without requiring a complex relay server architecture.
2Device complexity
If software is obtained directly from the management server, then system complexity is reduced, but access concentration on the management server increases
Solution Approach 1:
The agent acts as an intermediary between the device and the management server for software obtainment. The device requests software from the agent, which then obtains it from the management server if not cached. This intermediary role distributes access load while maintaining relatively simple system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The agent performs preliminary action by caching software in advance in its cache unit. When a device requests software, the agent can immediately provide it from the cache without contacting the management server, thus preventing access concentration while keeping the system simple.
Data Source
AI summary
An agent comprises: a transmission unit configured to transmit location information to a device based on an instruction from a manager; a cache unit configured to cache software; and a determination unit configured to determine, when an obtainment request for software is received from a device, whether the software corresponding to the location information indicated in the obtainment request is cached. The agent further comprises: a first distribution unit configured to distribute, in a case where the software is cached, the software cached in the cache unit to the device; and a second distribution unit configured to obtain, in a case where the software is not cached, the software based on the location information indicated in the obtainment request, cause the cache unit to cache the software, and distribute the software to the device.