Printer Cloud Server Switching for Consistent Client Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to ensure seamless client-related data transfer between servers during server switching, leading to inconsistencies and disruption of cloud services for printers, particularly in scenarios where client apparatuses are unaware of the server change.
Innovation Solution
A network system and method that enables seamless data transfer between servers by using a device to transmit operation information to a connected server, requesting and receiving connection information for server switching, and updating the client apparatus with new connection details during a firmware update, ensuring continuous service availability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the client apparatus connects to the pre-change server before connection settings are received, then the client can access the server, but inconsistencies occur in client information transferred to the post-change server
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data transfer and synchronization between pre-change and post-change servers before the actual server switch occurs. Client information is pre-transferred and validated, ensuring consistency is established before the client apparatus needs to connect to the new server, thus preventing inconsistencies while maintaining service availability.
2Reliability
If connections from the client device are blocked during data transfer, then inconsistencies are prevented, but cloud services cease to be available
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the data transfer process into multiple phases: initial data transfer phase, validation phase, and switch execution phase. During the initial transfer, connections are temporarily managed to ensure consistency, but cloud services continue to operate during validation and switch execution, thus maintaining service continuity while preventing inconsistencies through structured segmentation of the switching process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary mechanism that manages the data transfer between servers without completely blocking client connections. This intermediary coordinates the transfer of client information while allowing cloud services to continue operating, thus maintaining service continuity while ensuring data consistency through controlled intermediary management of the transfer process.
3Reliability
If the client apparatus is notified of server change after data transfer, then data consistency is ensured, but the client experiences connection interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation and preparation of the post-change server environment before notifying the client apparatus of the server change. Connection settings are pre-configured and validated, so when the notification is sent, the client can immediately connect to the new server without experiencing connection interruption, thus eliminating downtime while ensuring data consistency.
Data Source
AI summary
A device transmits operation information to a connected server. A second server transmits, to a first server, a request for first connection information for the device to connect to the first server based on reception of a registration request accompanying a firmware update from the device. The first server, after a reception of the request for the first connection information, starts transferring, to the second server, data related to the device, and transmits to the second server the first connection information in response to the request. The second server transmits to the device the first connection information received from the first server. When the transferring of the data related to the device reaches a predetermined step, second connection information for connecting to the second server is transmitted from either the first server or the second server to the device.