Distributed Hyperlink Availability Monitoring System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for checking the availability of hyperlinks in client/server systems are inefficient, as they either rely solely on server-side checks that waste resources or client-side checks that fail to leverage collective testing benefits, and do not effectively notify users of faulty hyperlinks, leading to user frustration and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A distributed system where client stations receive and render content with hyperlinks, sending references to a central computer for checking against predefined criteria, allowing for collective testing and notification of faulty links, while caching previous check results to optimize resource use and user experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If server-side hyperlink checking is implemented, then hyperlink availability can be monitored, but system resources are wasted due to redundant checks across multiple client stations
Solution Approach 1:
The hyperlink checking function is segmented between client stations and central computer. Each client station checks hyperlinks locally for its specific content, while the central computer aggregates results and performs collective testing for common hyperlinks. This segmentation eliminates redundant server-side checks while maintaining comprehensive monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
Client stations perform preliminary hyperlink checks locally before submitting results to the central computer. This preliminary action filters out many checks that would otherwise be redundantly performed by the server, reducing overall system resource consumption while maintaining reliability.
2Reliability
If client-side hyperlink checking is implemented, then user-specific hyperlink accuracy is improved, but computational burden on individual client stations increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple client stations are merged into a distributed checking network where each station performs local checks and contributes to a collective checking effort. The central computer coordinates this network, allowing individual computational burdens to be shared across the distributed system while maintaining high hyperlink accuracy for each user.
Solution Approach 2:
The hyperlink checking logic is copied to each client station, enabling local execution of checks. This copying allows clients to perform checks independently without relying on centralized server processing, reducing individual computational burden through parallel distributed execution.
3Reliability
If all hyperlinks are checked systematically, then comprehensive coverage is achieved, but time consumption increases due to redundant checking of common hyperlinks
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary checks at the client level before centralized collective testing. This preliminary action identifies and caches results for common hyperlinks, so that when the central computer performs collective testing, it can reuse these results rather than re-checking the same hyperlinks multiple times, reducing total checking time while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where check results are aggregated and reused. When one client station checks a hyperlink, the result is fed back to the central computer and made available to other client stations, eliminating redundant checks and reducing overall checking time while maintaining comprehensive coverage.
4Reliability
If hyperlink checking is performed before user request, then proactive identification of broken links is achieved, but resource wastage occurs from checking hyperlinks that may not be accessed
Solution Approach 1:
Client stations perform self-service hyperlink checking for the specific content they access, rather than relying on preemptive server-side checking of all possible hyperlinks. This self-service approach ensures that checking resources are used only for hyperlinks that are actually accessed by users, eliminating wastage from checking unused hyperlinks while maintaining proactive identification of broken links.
Data Source
AI summary
A distributed system is disclosed in which one or more servers respond to requests for content including hyperlinks. Hyperlinks provide an interactive visual manifestation of an underlying reference to a resource. By using a graphical user interface provided by the device, a user is able to select a hyperlink, and thereby control the device to obtain the resource to which the underlying reference refers. However, if a user selects a hyperlink and the device is unable to follow the underlying reference to obtain the resource, user disappointment results. By arranging the server, on providing visual content including one or more hyperlinks, to attempt (212) to follow the references underlying the hyperlinks, and to alter (216) the appearance of any hyperlink for which the underlying reference could not be followed, users are alerted to the likelihood that selecting the hyperlink will not lead to them obtaining the resource. In this way, user disappointment is avoided. The technique is of particular utility to web-site administrators.