EP0479660A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Distributed configuration profile for computing system
Assignee: Digital Equipment Corp
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Filing: 1991-09-30
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-09-30
Abstract
Abstract A distributed computing system using a data communications network may have a number of service providers for a given service or remote procedure call. A client on the network makes reference to a name service to obtain the network address of one of these service providers. The name service maintains for each client or group of clients a configuration profile of the service providers in order to resolve the issue of selecting one of the several service providers when a request is made. A single configuration profile is a priority-ordered search list that maps from a service identifier (e.g., remote procedure call interface specification) into service provider (e.g., remote procedure call server) names. A configuration profile may include names for individual service providers, and/or named groups of service providers, and/or other configuration profiles. Configuration profiles are stored in a manner that makes them accessible throughout the distributed system, e.g., in the name service. Configuration profiles may be chained together by referencing other configuration profiles to provide a hierarchy of configuration profiles.
Inventors
- 👤 Steven P. Miller
- 👤 W. Lampson Butler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 14:51
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F9/00; G06F9/06; G06F9/46; G06F9/54; G06F9/547; H; H04; H04L; H04L61/00; H04L61/45; H04L61/4541; H04L61/4552; H04L67/00; H04L67/01; H04L67/10; H04L67/1001; H04L67/1004; H04L67/1006; H04L67/2866; H04L67/30; H04L67/50; H04L67/51; H04L67/1023; H04L67/133; H04L69/00; H04L69/30; H04L69/32; H04L69/322; H04L69/329
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of operating a distributed computing system, comprising the steps of: connecting a number of clients and a number of service providers to a communications network, each service provider supplying a service having a service name, where each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network; maintaining a name service as one of said service providers, said name service containing at least one configuration profile associated with at least one of said clients, each configuration profile including a priority-ordered search list mapping service names to service providers; defining for at least one of said clients a selected one of said configuration profiles for use by said client; making a request from one of said clients to said name service using one of said service names, and returning to said client information from said selected one of said configuration profiles for selecting from said search list one of said service providers and thereby providing to said one client a network address of said selected service provider; making a request from said client to said selected service provider for said service.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
191 words
A method of operating a distributed computing system, comprising the steps of: connecting a number of clients and a number of service providers to a communications network, each service provider supplying a service having a service name, where each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network; maintaining a name service as one of said service providers, said name service containing at least one configuration profile associated with at least one of said clients, each configuration profile including a priority-ordered search list mapping service names to service providers; defining for at least one of said clients a selected one of said configuration profiles for use by said client; making a request from one of said clients to said name service using one of said service names, and returning to said client information from said selected one of said configuration profiles for selecting from said search list one of said service providers and thereby providing to said one client a network address of said selected service provider; making a request from said client to said selected service provider for said service.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said services include remote procedure calls and said service providers for remote procedure calls are mapped as interface specifications in said configuration profile.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said configuration profiles comprises a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said service names include alphabetical names and numeric names.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein said communications network includes a local area network and a wide area network, and wherein at least some of said services are duplicated on said local area network and/or on said wide area network.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
235 words
A distributed computing system, comprising: a communications network having a number of clients and a number of service providers connected thereto, each service provider supplying one or more services, wherein each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network using a unique network address; one of said service providers providing a name service, said name service being a database service containing entries for each of said service providers and receiving inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information identifying said service providers by network address; said name service including in said database a configuration profile for at least one client or group of clients, each configuration profile comprising a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; each of said entries of each said configuration profile of said name service containing priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client after receipt of said inquiries by said name service; and means for identifying for said client a selected one or more of said configuration profiles for reference upon making said inquiries.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
235 words
A distributed computing system, comprising: a communications network having a number of clients and a number of service providers connected thereto, each service provider supplying one or more services, wherein each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network using a unique network address; one of said service providers providing a name service, said name service being a database service containing entries for each of said service providers and receiving inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information identifying said service providers by network address; said name service including in said database a configuration profile for at least one client or group of clients, each configuration profile comprising a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; each of said entries of each said configuration profile of said name service containing priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client after receipt of said inquiries by said name service; and means for identifying for said client a selected one or more of said configuration profiles for reference upon making said inquiries.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein said communications network includes a local area network and a wide area network, and wherein at least some of said services are duplicated on said local area network and/or on said wide area network.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein said services include remote procedure calls, and said server entries include interface names for said remote procedure calls.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A system according to claim 6 wherein said entries of each said configuration profile make up a priority-ordered search list.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
215 words
A name service for use in a distributed computing system, the system including a communications network having a number of clients and a number of service providers connected thereto, each of said service providers supplying a service identified by a service name, said name service comprising: a database service containing entries for each of a plurality of services supplied by said service providers; means for receiving inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information identifying said service providers by network address; said means including a configuration profile included in said database for one of said clients or for a group of said clients, each said configuration profile comprising a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; each of said entries of each said configuration profile of said name service containing priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client; and means for identifying for said client a selected one or more of said configuration profiles for reference upon making said inquiries.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
215 words
A name service for use in a distributed computing system, the system including a communications network having a number of clients and a number of service providers connected thereto, each of said service providers supplying a service identified by a service name, said name service comprising: a database service containing entries for each of a plurality of services supplied by said service providers; means for receiving inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information identifying said service providers by network address; said means including a configuration profile included in said database for one of said clients or for a group of said clients, each said configuration profile comprising a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; each of said entries of each said configuration profile of said name service containing priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client; and means for identifying for said client a selected one or more of said configuration profiles for reference upon making said inquiries.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
A name service according to claim 10 in combination with a communications network including a local area network and a wide area network, and wherein at least some of said services are duplicated on said local area network and/or on said wide area network.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
A name service according to claim 10 wherein said services include remote procedure calls, and said server entries include interface names for said remote procedure calls.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A name service according to claim 10 wherein said entries of each said configuration profile make up a priority-ordered search list.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of operating a distributed computing system, comprising the steps of: connecting a number of clients and a number of service providers to a communications network, each service provider supplying one or more services identified by a service name, wherein each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network using a unique network address; providing a name service as one of said service providers, and storing in said name service entries for each of said service providers; receiving by said name service inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information from said name service to said clients identifying said service providers by network address in response to said inquiries; said name service maintaining a configuration profile for at least one client or group of clients, each configuration profile storing a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; and storing in each of said entries of said configuration profile of said name service priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
227 words
A method of operating a distributed computing system, comprising the steps of: connecting a number of clients and a number of service providers to a communications network, each service provider supplying one or more services identified by a service name, wherein each client is able to send data to and receive data from each of said service providers via said network using a unique network address; providing a name service as one of said service providers, and storing in said name service entries for each of said service providers; receiving by said name service inquiries from said clients for the identity of said service providers referenced by service name and returning information from said name service to said clients identifying said service providers by network address in response to said inquiries; said name service maintaining a configuration profile for at least one client or group of clients, each configuration profile storing a plurality of entries including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of one of said service providers; optionally, one or more service groups, each service group defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other configuration profiles; and storing in each of said entries of said configuration profile of said name service priority information to determine the order of use of said network addresses by said client.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein said communications network includes a local area network and a wide area network, and wherein at least some of said services are duplicated on said local area network and/or on said wide area network.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein said services includes remote procedure calls, and said server entries include interface names for said remote procedure calls.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 14 wherein said entries of said configuration profile make up a priority-ordered search list.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
330 words
A communications network comprising: a) a communications link; b) a plurality of clients coupled to said communications link; c) a plurality of service providers coupled to said communications network; d) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers including processing means executing a separate instruction stream, and each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having a unique network address on said network; e) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having means for making remote procedure calls to said service providers via said communications link, when executing said instruction stream; f) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having means for sending and receiving messages to other clients and service providers via said communications link using said network addresses, said messages being employed in making said remote procedure calls; g) one of said service providers being a name service functioning to return a message containing the network address of a particular one of said service providers in reply to a message from one of said clients giving the name of said service; h) and means included in said name service to maintain a configuration profile for at least one of said clients or group of clients, each configuration profile comprising a priority-ordered search list mapping service names into service providers, each configuration profile including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of a service provider for a given service name; optionally, one or more named service groups each defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other said configuration profiles; i) means for associating one of said configuration profiles with a given client; j) and means in said name service to return said network addresses to said given client upon receipt of inquiries by said name service from said given client, for use by said client according to priority order of said list.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
330 words
A communications network comprising: a) a communications link; b) a plurality of clients coupled to said communications link; c) a plurality of service providers coupled to said communications network; d) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers including processing means executing a separate instruction stream, and each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having a unique network address on said network; e) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having means for making remote procedure calls to said service providers via said communications link, when executing said instruction stream; f) each one of said clients and each one of said service providers having means for sending and receiving messages to other clients and service providers via said communications link using said network addresses, said messages being employed in making said remote procedure calls; g) one of said service providers being a name service functioning to return a message containing the network address of a particular one of said service providers in reply to a message from one of said clients giving the name of said service; h) and means included in said name service to maintain a configuration profile for at least one of said clients or group of clients, each configuration profile comprising a priority-ordered search list mapping service names into service providers, each configuration profile including: optionally, one or more server entries each defining a network address of a service provider for a given service name; optionally, one or more named service groups each defining a plurality of said server entries; and optionally, one or more other said configuration profiles; i) means for associating one of said configuration profiles with a given client; j) and means in said name service to return said network addresses to said given client upon receipt of inquiries by said name service from said given client, for use by said client according to priority order of said list.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
23 words
A network according to claim 18 wherein said service provider is identified in said service entry as a remote procedure call interface specification.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
41 words
A network according to claim 18 wherein said communications network includes a local area network and a wide area network, and wherein at least some of said services are duplicated on said local area network and/or on said wide area network.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
A network according to claim 18 wherein said service names include alphabetical names and numeric names.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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