IP Flow-Based Application Server Notification System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack effective methods to selectively notify users about the availability and unavailability of application services hosted by servers, especially in network environments where real-time monitoring and communication protocols are complex.
Innovation Solution
The use of IP flow information, combined with presence servers and reverse camp-on functionality, to monitor and notify users of application service availability and unavailability, employing presence information and selective notification channels based on user presence and communication methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If NetFlow records are exported from routers using UDP or SCTP packets, then network traffic information can be collected and analyzed, but the router does not store NetFlow records once exported which may cause data loss if export fails
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a buffering mechanism where NetFlow records are stored temporarily in a buffer before being exported to the collector. This cushioning approach ensures that if an export fails, the data is not lost but retained in the buffer for subsequent export attempts, thereby maintaining data reliability while preventing data loss.
2Ease of operation
If presence information is used to notify users of service availability, then user experience is improved, but notification delivery may fail if users are unavailable or blocking signals are issued
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a camp-on mechanism where the notifying party proactively inquires about the availability of the target user before sending notifications. This preliminary action allows the system to determine the optimal time for notification delivery, ensuring that notifications are sent when users are available and ready to receive them, thereby improving both user experience and notification delivery reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a feedback mechanism where the system continuously monitors user availability status and uses this information to determine whether to deliver notifications. The feedback loop ensures that notification delivery decisions are based on real-time user status, improving reliability by avoiding delivery to unavailable users while maintaining good user experience through timely notifications.
3Measurement precision
If flow records are output at fixed intervals, then monitoring coverage is improved, but network overhead and processing load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic flow record output mechanism that adjusts the monitoring interval based on flow activity characteristics. Instead of using fixed intervals for all flows, the system dynamically determines when to output records based on actual flow changes and patterns. This dynamic approach maintains comprehensive monitoring coverage for active flows while reducing unnecessary record generation for stable or inactive flows, thereby lowering network overhead and processing load.
Data Source
AI summary
An example embodiment of the present invention provides a process that uses IP flow information to selectively notify users of an application server of the server's unavailability. In the example embodiment, the process, which might run on a system comprising a router, monitors IP flow records as to dropped packets and learns that an application server has become unavailable. The process then uses the IP flow records to identify active users of the application server, for example, by passing a source IP address to a presence service. Once the process has identified an active user, the process determines a means of notification for the user, which might be through the presence service, and transmits a notification to the user as to the unavailability of the application server. In the example embodiment, the process transmits a later notification as to the availability of the application server, using reverse camp-on functionality.