Service Gateway Session Continuity During Server Updates

Solution Overview

Problem

Traditional stateless packet processing methods disrupt ongoing service sessions when adding or removing servers or applications, leading to service interruptions and data packet misrouting.

Innovation Solution

A method for managing services over a service gateway involves creating a service table entry association with a marker value and timer, allowing seamless addition or removal of servers or applications without interrupting existing sessions by modifying data packets and session entries accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If traditional stateless packet processing is used to scale up services, then computation and memory efficiency are improved, but service session continuity deteriorates when servers or applications are updated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice scaling efficiencyVSAvoidservice session continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating a preliminary service entry before replacing the existing service entry in the hash table. The new service entry is added with a reference to the old service entry, and a timer is set to allow ongoing sessions to complete before the old entry is fully replaced. This preliminary setup ensures that when replacement occurs, there is no disruption to active service sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by setting a timer when adding a new service entry that references an old service entry. This timer creates a cushion period during which both old and new service entries remain valid, allowing ongoing service sessions to complete without interruption. The timer acts as a protective buffer that prevents premature replacement of service entries that are still being used by active sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

2Adaptability or versatility

If table entry content is replaced to activate new servers or applications, then service activation is achieved, but ongoing service sessions are disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice activation capabilityVSAvoidservice session stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating a preliminary service entry before replacing the existing service entry in the hash table. The new service entry is added with a reference to the old service entry, and a timer is set to allow ongoing sessions to complete before the old entry is fully replaced. This preliminary setup ensures that when replacement occurs, there is no disruption to active service sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the old service entry as an intermediary between the new service entry and ongoing service sessions. The new service entry contains a reference to the old service entry, creating an intermediary link that allows sessions to be gradually transitioned from the old entry to the new entry without abrupt disruption. This intermediary mechanism smooths the transition process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If servers are taken offline for maintenance, then maintenance activities can be performed, but service availability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance accessibilityVSAvoidservice availability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by creating a preliminary service entry before replacing the existing service entry in the hash table. The new service entry is added with a reference to the old service entry, and a timer is set to allow ongoing sessions to complete before the old entry is fully replaced. This preliminary setup ensures that when replacement occurs, there is no disruption to active service sessions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamics by making the service entry replacement process dynamic rather than static. The timer associated with the service entry allows the system to adaptively manage the transition period, automatically adjusting the availability of service entries based on ongoing sessions. This dynamic approach allows maintenance to proceed without fixed service unavailability periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS9979801B2Methods to manage services over a service gateway

Publication Date: 2018.05.22 A10 NETWORKS INC

AI summary

In activating a service, a service gateway retrieves a service table entry using a service or server address of the service entry, where the service table entry has an association with another service entry. An association to the service entry is added and a marker value is set to indicate associations with two service entries. After a time duration, the association with the other service entry is removed, and the marker value is changed accordingly. In deactivating a service entry, the service gateway calculates a hash value for the service or server address of the service entry. After matching the hash value to a hash value of another service entry, an association with the other service entry is added. A marker value is set to indicate associations with two service entries. After a time duration, the association with the service entry is removed, and the marker value is changed accordingly.