Hierarchical Usage Tracking in Distributed Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tracking and enforcing global usage quotas across machines in distributed computing systems is challenging due to the need for low latency, fault-tolerance, and low computing overhead while maintaining reasonable accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A hierarchical system where globally distributed servers send incremental usage measurements to aggregation servers, which aggregate and synchronize data to enforce quotas, utilizing a modular architecture with AHEAD modules for tracking and quota enforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a hierarchical aggregation system is implemented to track usage across distributed servers, then measurement precision and reliability are improved, but device complexity and computing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the distributed server fleet into hierarchical groups with elected leader servers at each level. Each leader aggregates usage data from its member servers and propagates quotas downward. This segmentation reduces the coordination complexity that would arise from a fully centralized approach while maintaining global visibility for accurate quota enforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a hierarchical dimension to the otherwise flat distributed system. By organizing servers into multiple levels with leaders and members, the system achieves scalable aggregation without requiring all servers to communicate directly with a single central authority, thus reducing overall system complexity while improving measurement precision.
2Reliability
If centralized quota enforcement is used to ensure accurate tracking, then reliability is improved, but latency increases due to constant communication between client and central server
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by having leader servers pre-calculate and cache quota decisions based on aggregated usage data. When a server receives a request, it can quickly check against cached quota information rather than performing full aggregation calculations in real-time, significantly reducing latency while maintaining reliability through periodic synchronization with the hierarchical structure.
3Measurement precision
If all servers continuously report usage data to maintain accurate global tracking, then measurement precision is improved, but use of energy and computing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the aggregation function from every server and concentrates it only in leader servers. Member servers only need to report their local usage data to their leader, rather than participating in full aggregation calculations. This extraction dramatically reduces the computing overhead and energy consumption required for global usage tracking while preserving measurement precision through the hierarchical aggregation path.
4Device complexity
If a flat distributed architecture is used to reduce complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but reliability decreases due to difficulty in coordinating quota enforcement across all servers
Solution Approach 1:
The hierarchical leader-member structure segments the coordination function so that each leader is responsible for a specific subset of servers. This segmentation makes coordination reliable within each segment while the overall system remains relatively simple compared to fully centralized approaches. The segmented architecture ensures that quota enforcement decisions are made locally by knowledgeable leaders rather than requiring complex global coordination.
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AI summary
This patent document describes systems and methods for tracking the usage of a service provided by a distributed computing platform and for the enforcement of a global quota against such usage. In one embodiment, Servers in the platform are organized in a hierarchical manner. At the lowest tier resides a set of globally distributed servers, any one of which may receive and respond to client device requests. Multiple tiers of aggregation servers sit above the above the delivery tier. The first tier of aggregation servers receive usage measurements from the delivery tier. The second and higher tiers aggregate the usage measurements from lower tiers until a world level tier combines all usage measurements for a given service. Preferably, usage information is passed between servers in synchronization events. The systems and methods described herein are scalable, low latency, fault-tolerant, and incur relatively low computing overhead.