Network Traffic Manager Persistence Engine for Data Consistency

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current traffic management systems in computer networks face challenges in efficiently distributing client requests across multiple servers while maintaining persistence, especially in scenarios like e-commerce transactions where data consistency is crucial, leading to potential loss of transaction data.

Innovation Solution

A traffic manager that employs load-balancing algorithms and persistence engines to generate and manage persistence keys, ensuring that client requests are directed to the same server for subsequent requests, thereby maintaining data consistency and preventing loss of transaction data.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If load-balancing algorithms are used to distribute client requests across multiple servers, then network efficiency and resource utilization are improved, but data consistency and transaction reliability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork efficiencyVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a persistence engine as an intermediary component between the load balancer and servers. This persistence engine generates and manages persistence keys that are inserted into data packets, enabling the load balancer to identify and direct subsequent requests from the same client to the same server, thereby maintaining data consistency while preserving load-balancing efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The persistence engine performs preliminary actions by generating persistence keys before client requests are distributed. These keys are inserted into packets in advance, allowing the load-balancing system to proactively route subsequent requests to the correct server based on pre-established client-server associations, preventing data inconsistency before it occurs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If persistence keys are generated and managed to maintain client-server association, then transaction reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetransaction reliabilityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The persistence engine is designed as a multi-functional component that simultaneously generates persistence keys, inserts them into packets, and manages the associated client-server mapping tables. This consolidation of multiple functions into a single engine reduces overall system complexity compared to having separate components for each function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The persistence engine automatically manages persistence key generation and client-server association without requiring manual intervention. The system self-maintains the mapping tables and autonomously routes requests based on persistence keys, reducing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7774484B1Method and system for managing network traffic

Publication Date: 2010.08.10 F5 NETWORKS INC

AI summary

A system and method for directing network connections. The invention enables a network device to direct subsequent connections from a client to a server for accessing resources. A process extracts a persistence key from a received message, and employs the persistence key to identify the appropriate server. An interface is provided, enabling a user program to direct the process of extracting the persistence key. The invention also provides a way for multiple clients to persist to a common server.