Method and apparatus for distributed application context aware transaction processing

A method and apparatus for applying a uniform processing policy within a distributed computer network. A message is received at a termination point from an application used by a user. At the termination point tagging information is attached to the message, the tagging information indicating which processes the message should undergo, and with which parameters or configurations. The message is then processed in the distributed network according to the tagging information so that uniform processing is assured. If required, a response message is generated, and is assigned substantially the same tagging information as the original message.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to distributed applications in general, and to a method and apparatus for implementing multi-node multi-function processing of application transactions, in particular.

BACKGROUND

Distributed environments typically provide users with access to multiple applications, and should aim at enabling overall optimal performance. A distributed environment typically comprises one or more servers, residing in one or more data centers, one or more (typically in the hundreds or thousands) users, and a communication channel, typically a distributed landscape, such as a wide area network (WAN). Provisioning an application service in a distributed computing environment often requires multiple processing actions, which may be supplied by different entities, such as software units on different computers in multiple physical locations. Each processing action may require its own set of definitions or configuration settings or values, which is derived from the context of the processed transaction and the entity handling the transaction. The distribution generates a number of problems. Operators or integrators of the environment have to translate their view of each available application into one or more configuration setting for each processing action associated with the application. Second, the task of classifying the actions repeats for every action associated with every transaction, thus consuming access resources.

The above problems are amplified by common middleware infrastructure used: on one hand, middleware infrastructure such as a single application server provides multiple application services under what is traditionally observed as a single network or web service. On the other hand, a single application service may be comprised of an integrated set of different network services or web services potentially using different protocols. This raises further questions, such as how to utilize the application context for each single processing action; how to define a single end-to-end scheme for a specific application context; and how to monitor the performance or behavior of different processing actions under the application context.

Thus there is a need in the art for a method and apparatus that will enable context-aware transaction processing in distributed environments, so that different processing associated with transactions stemming from various applications can be performed in a uniform and efficient method throughout the distributed system, according to a uniform policy.

SUMMARY

A method and apparatus for providing service in a distributed network, in a uniform cross-organization manner. The method and apparatus enable for lower TOC and does not require skilled personnel in remote locations for installation and maintenance of client devices.

In a preferred embodiment, there is thus provided in a distributed computer network, a method for providing a service according to a predetermined policy, the method comprising the steps of: receiving a tagging scheme related to an application; receiving a request message from the application; attaching tagging information to the request message according to the tagging scheme; sending the request message with the tagging information to one or more processors; retrieving one or more parameters or configuration values from the tagging information; and processing the request message according to the parameters or configuration values. The method can further comprise the step of providing a tagging scheme definition component for defining the tagging scheme. The method can further comprise the step of creating a response message having substantially the same tagging information as the request message. The method can further comprise the steps of: retrieving one or more second parameters or configuration values from the tagging information attached to the response message; and processing the response message according to the second parameters or configuration values. Within the method, the tagging scheme optionally relates to a transaction type to which the application belongs, or to a parameter or a configuration value of one or more items selected from the group consisting of: compression; decompression; encryption; decryption; tunneling; security; monitoring; routing; optimization; and quality of service. Within the method, the tagging scheme optionally relates to one or more items selected from the group consisting of: a service type; a sub-service type; the application; a transaction type associated with the application; a user of the application; a role of the user; a location of the user; a regional office used by the user; a data center associated with the user or with the application; and context of the application. Within the method, the predetermined policy is optionally an organization-wide policy.

Another aspect of the disclosure relates to an apparatus for providing a service in a distributed computer network according to a uniform policy, the apparatus comprising a first computing platform for receiving a request message from an application and executing a client front end, the client front end comprising: a termination point for receiving a request message from an application: a classification component for assigning tagging information to the request message according to the uniform policy; and an application layer processing engine for producing processing instructions associated with the request messages, based on the tagging information. The apparatus can further comprise a second computing platform for processing the request message, the second computing platform executing a server front end, the server front end comprising an application layer processing engine for producing processing instructions associated with the request message or the response message, based on the tagging information. Within the apparatus, the client front end can further comprise: a content caching and delivery services engine for caching and delivering the request message or the response message according to the tagging information of the request message; and a tunnel for transferring the request message or the response message with the tagging information within the distributed computer network. Within the apparatus the server front end can further comprise: a content caching and delivery services engine for caching and delivering the request message or a response message according to the tagging information of the request message; a tunnel for transferring the request message or the response message with the tagging information within the distributed computer network; a connection component for connecting the termination point and the second computing platform; and a classification component for assigning tagging information to a response message associated with the request message, according to uniform policy. Within the apparatus, the tunnel executed by the first computing platform comprises a compression component for compressing the request message or the response message according to the tagging information, or an optimization and prioritization component for optimizing and prioritizing message transferring. Within the apparatus, the tunnel executed by the second computing platform optionally comprises a compression component for compressing the request message or the response message according to the tagging information, or an optimization and prioritization component for optimizing and prioritizing message transferring. Within the apparatus, the tagging scheme optionally relates to a transaction type to which the application belongs. Within the apparatus, the tagging scheme optionally relates to a parameter or a configuration value of one or more items selected from the group consisting of: compression; decompression; encryption; decryption; tunneling; security; monitoring; routing; optimization; and quality of service. Within the apparatus, the tagging scheme optionally relates to one or more items selected from the group consisting of: a service type; a sub-service type; the application; a transaction type associated with the application; a user of the application; a role of the user; a location of the user; a regional office used by the user; a data center associated with the user or with the application; and context of the application. Within the apparatus, the connection component optionally comprises a load balancing component for balancing message transfer and processing operations between computing platforms within the distributed computer network, or an optimization and multiplexing component. The apparatus can further comprise a tagging scheme definition component for defining the uniform policy, or an administration agents component for extracting processing information from the tagging information. Within the apparatus the administration agents component optionally comprises a delivery policy agent for extracting delivery policy parameters, a monitoring agent for extracting monitoring parameters; or an alert agent for extracting alert-related parameters. Within the apparatus, the predetermined policy is optionally an organization-wide policy.

Yet another aspect of the disclosure relates to a computer readable storage medium containing a set of instructions for a general purpose computer, the set of instructions comprising: receiving a tagging scheme related to an application executed in a distributed computer network; receiving a request message from the application; attaching tagging information to the request message according to the tagging scheme, the tagging information in accordance with a predetermined policy within the distributed computer network; sending the request message with the tagging information to at lest one processor; retrieving one or more parameters or configuration values from the tagging information; and processing the request message according to the parameters or configuration values.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure relates to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/498,409 filed on Dec. 6, 2004 (published as US 2005/0091376), which is a national phase of International patent application number PCT/IL02/00991 filed on Dec. 9, 2002,assigned to the assignee of the disclosed application, and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/389,890, filed on Mar. 27, 2006, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,323 and is assigned to the assignee of the disclosed application, the full contents of both applications are incorporated herein by reference.

The disclosed method and apparatus provide for using a single organization-wide, preferably uniform policy for handling transactions executed in a distributed computing system. The method and apparatus use a system-wide indexing or tagging mechanism for the different aspects associated with application transaction messages. The same tagging is used in all messages associated with a transaction, thus providing for efficient and uniform handling and for distributed processing within the system.

The disclosed method and apparatus are typically used in a distributed landscape executing one or more applications. Typically, a distributed landscape is employed by an organization, wherein multiple users in diverse geographic locations are using the applications. The infrastructure comprises one or more data centers, each data center being a geographical location in which multiple computing platforms are located, taken care of by skilled personnel, and providing services to multiple distributed remote locations and users. The services are preferably consumed by remote appliances, such as personal computers or network computers, residing at or connected to regional offices. Each regional office is connected to one or more data centers, from which it receives services. The data centers and regional offices are preferably connected through a distributed landscape, employing for example a wide area network.

At a preliminary step, a tagging system is designed, so that each transaction type is assigned a processing sequence to be performed on messages associated with the transaction type, and each processing is associated with relevant parameters or configuration settings. Parameters generally relate to characteristics of the processing to be performed, while configuration generally relate to characteristics of a computing platform, a component, a software component, an installation, or the like. Each request processing is preferably performed by a processor, preferably a software unit such as an executable, a web service, or any other unit. The processors may manipulate the request sequence and may also generate a “response sequence” of response processors and configuration for each response processor.

Then, when an application is used, and a service request is made by a user, tagging is performed at a termination point, i.e. at the computing platform at which the user's request is first introduced to the system. The tagging is performed for each message associated with a transaction, i.e., tags are attached to each message. The tags relate to data which may include the service type, application, transaction type, sub-service-type, session, user's identity, user's location, user's role, regional office, data center, and other factors. The overall set of tags describes the context of the transaction. The tags may also include information relevant to all parts of the life-cycle of the transaction, including for example compression; decompression; encryption; decryption; tunneling; security; monitoring; routing; optimization manipulations; and quality of service.

This scheme allows configuration settings or selection of relevant processing steps with any required parameters. Each processing step may represent a sequence of processors in predetermined order and configuration parameters.

Then, when the message is handled, each processor handling the message extracts the relevant processing instructions and parameters associated with the tags of the message, and performs the processing accordingly, thus providing for uniform handling. The tags assigned to a request message are applicable and may also be used as default for generated response messages.

For example, in a particular transaction type, such as transactions associated with a particular application, if each message should undergo compression and caching, then once a message such as an HTTP message is assigned the relevant tags, these processing stages will be performed, using the relevant instructions and parameters as defined for this application type, such as the required compression scheme and correct parameters, and required caching scheme. The tags are optionally implemented as integers, so extracting the relevant processing instructions and parameters is performed efficiently. The databases storing the processing instructions and parameters, and the component for extracting the same are identical throughout the system, to ensure uniform processing. Optionally, at any particular processing point, only a subset of the tags may be used. For example, the user's identity is not relevant for choosing a compression method, but it is relevant when choosing Quality of Service (QoS).

Referring now toFIG. 1, showing a schematic illustration of a distributed landscape executing one or more applications, typically a distributed landscape employed by a large organization, wherein multiple users in diverse geographic locations are using the application. The infrastructure comprises one or more data centers such as data center (DC)100. A data center is a geographical location in which multiple computing platform such as personal computers, mainframe computers or others are located, taken care of by skilled personnel, and providing services to multiple distributed remote locations and users. The services are preferably consumed from remote appliances, such as computing platform108used by a small office or a client. Additional consumers may be connected and consume the services via a regional office (RO), such as regional office104. Each regional office is connected to one or more data centers, from which it receives services. The data centers and regional offices are preferably connected through a distributed landscape such as Wide Area Network (WAN)102.

DC100typically comprises one or more severs such as server112, a storage device such as device116for storing among other things also system tagging policy, from which the relevant processors and parameters are retrieved according to the tags of a particular message, and a server front end (SFE) engine120, detailed in association withFIG. 3below. Device116also stores delivery policy with tags, including service type tags which include configuration settings for the application plug-ins, as described in. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/389,890, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,774,323, incorporated herein by reference.

RO104typically contains or is connected to one more user platforms such as128,132which consume services from a client front end (CFE)124, detailed in association withFIG. 2below. It will be appreciated that A single CFE can serve multiple ROs.

SFE engine120and CFE engine124are preferably implemented as software components executed on one or more computing platforms, such as a mainframe, a desktop computer, a laptop computer or others, and implemented in any programming language, such as Java, C++, C# or others, or a combination thereof.

Referring now toFIG. 2, showing a schematic block diagram of client front end (CFE)124ofFIG. 1. CFE engine124is preferably implemented as one or more interrelated collections of computer instructions executed by a computing platform constituting a termination point for the distributed landscape. CFE engine124comprises a termination component220, which is the component that first receives the user's request to perform an activity related to an executed application.

Termination component is a module optionally executed by the user's computing platform, if the platform comprises an agent or another component of the distributed system. Otherwise, the termination component is a part of CFE engine124. Termination component220comprises a classification component224for assigning tags and thus classifying messages generated as part of an application used by a user through platforms128,132or any other platform whose termination point is CFE Engine124. Classification component224assigns tags to each message according to the particular characteristics of the message and the context, for example the service type, the user, and others, in accordance with a system-wide policy. Termination component220further comprises SSL and client authentication component228or any another security-related component for secure transfer of the tagged messages between CFE124and the user.

CFE engine124further comprises application layer processing engine200for producing particular processing instructions associated with any of the messages, according to their service type, such as Learning Solution (LSO) application type202, Knowledge Management (KM) application type204, or Enterprise Portal (EP) application type206. Each platform in the environment comprises an application layer processing engine, for creating transactional objects according to the tags assigned to each message. The engines vary in the processing they supply. For some processing the engines in the data center and in the regional office complement each other, while other processing, such as load balancing between servers, is performed by only one engine.

Thus, application layer processing engine200performs translation of a particular classification to processing instructions, based on intimate knowledge of the relevant application. The processing instructions preferably comprise a sequence of processing through which the message will undergo. In some embodiments, application layer processing engine200can be generalized to also performing one or more of the particular processing associated with one or more transaction types, thus supplying distributed application service. For example, a particular application can be used for privilege-based caching, so that when a user requests a document, the engine first determined if the user's privileges are enough for receiving the document. If they are enough, and the document was earlier cached, the document is returned, otherwise a negative response is returned.

It will be appreciated that LSO, KM and EP are specific exemplary applications associated with an exemplary usage of the disclosed systems and method and are not intended to limit the disclosure.

CFE engine124further comprises content caching and delivery (CDN) services engine232, for caching and delivering the messages, optionally also according to the tags of each message. For example, caching options may depend on the particular user and his or her role, so different caching options will be used according to the global policy. Caching and delivery services232utilize central administration agents236which provide information related to the global policy. Central administration agents236optionally comprise delivery policy agent240for extracting delivery policy parameters, monitoring agent244for extracting monitoring parameters, and alerting agent248for extracting alert-related parameters. All parameters are extracted from the global policy of the system, according to the particular tags associated with each message, as assigned by classification component224. Central administration agents236can be managed and manipulated using administration service component310.

CFE engine124further comprises secure optimization tunnel208for transferring tagged messages within the computerized landscape, for example to a data center. The term tunnel generally refers to a communication component enabling communication in one scheme, wherein the communicated messages encapsulate another communication scheme. For example, in the context of the disclosure, the main communication channel is TCP with optional SSL, and the encapsulated scheme is the proprietary tag-based routing scheme, encapsulated within the TCP packets.

Secure optimization tunnel208comprises adaptive compression component212for compressing the messages according to the assigned tags, and tunnel optimization and prioritization component216for optimizing and prioritizing the message transferring.

Referring now toFIG. 3, showing a schematic block diagram of server front end (SFE)120ofFIG. 1. SFE engine120is preferably also implemented as one or more interrelated collections of computer instructions executed by a computing platform, such as one or more data centers. SFE engine120, implemented as part of data center100comprises a connection component320, for connecting through WAN102ofFIG. 1with other units of the computerized landscape. Connection component320comprises a load balancing component324for balancing the transfer and processing operations between various channels and various data centers within the landscape, optimization and multiplexing component328for optimizing and multiplexing messages, and in particular large buffers.

SSL and client authentication component330or any another security-related component for secure transfer of the tagged messages, and classification component331for extending classifications related to responses message for the request messages. SFE engine120further comprises application layer processing engine300similar to application layer processing engine200of CFE124, for producing particular processing instructions associated with any of the messages, according to their service type, such as Learning Solution (LSO) application type302, Knowledge Management (KM) application type304, or Enterprise Portal (EP) application type306. The engines are intended for creating a transactional object according to the tags assigned to a particular message. Thus, application layer processing engine300performs translation of a particular classification to processing instructions, based on intimate knowledge of the application to which the message relates. The processing instructions preferably comprise a sequence of processing through which the message will undergo. In some embodiments, application layer processing engine300can also be extended to perform one or more of the particular processing associated with one or more transaction types, thus supplying distributed application service. It will be appreciated that LSO, KM and EP are specific exemplary applications associated with an exemplary implementation of the disclosed systems and method and are not intended to limit the disclosure. One application,

SFE engine120further comprises content caching and central delivery services engine332, for caching and delivering the messages within the landscape, optionally also according to the tags of each message. Caching and delivery services332utilize central administration agents336which provide information related to the global policy. Central administration agents336optionally comprise delivery policy agent340for extracting delivery policy parameters, monitoring agent344for extracting monitoring parameters, and alerting agent348for extracting alert-related parameters. All parameters are extracted from the global policy of the system, according to the particular tags associated with each message, as received from a termination point.

SFE engine120further comprises secure optimization tunnel308for transferring messages to other destinations, for example to other data centers or back to a regional office. Secure optimization tunnel308comprises adaptive compression component312for compressing the messages according to the assigned tags, and tunnel optimization and prioritization component316for optimizing and prioritizing various message transferring.

The combination of SFE engine120and CFE engine124, operating according to a uniform tagging policy enable efficient end-to-end handling of messages within a distributed landscape. At each point within the landscape the relevant processing and parameters for the message are efficiently extracted from delivery policy agents240ofFIG. 2or340ofFIG. 3according to the tags assigned to the message, so that uniform handling is provided.

Referring now toFIGS. 4,5, and6, showing exemplary embodiments of a user interface for defining tags to be associated with transactions. Referring now toFIG. 4, showing a screen shot illustration of a user interface for editing the available transaction types. The left-hand side of the user interface comprises a hierarchical structure of processing instructions associated with various entities, while the right-hand side enables editing the selected level in the hierarchy. Thus, the exemplary displayed user interface, generally referenced400, comprises delivery policy404relating to the whole organization. Delivery policy404comprises entries for data center servers405, regional offices406, and service types407. Within service types407, service_type_1408comprises transaction types412, which comprises multiple transaction types, being LSO416, transaction type KM420detailed in items421and a default transaction type429detailed in items422. It will be appreciated that LSO and KM applications are specific exemplary applications and that any transaction-based application can be detailed. KM application420comprises a processing sequence transaction set424, which relates to application level processing, and is expanded to processing instructions as detailed below; request context transaction set425and response context transaction set426which preferably relate to the configuration of the applied compression engine; and classification rule transaction set427, which comprises classification rules such as a KM classification rule428, which provide the rules for classifying a message at the termination point. Default transaction type429comprises a request aggregation transaction set430, a response aggregation transaction set431, and a processing sequence transaction set432, which further comprises a zip item435and a cache item436. Default transaction type429further comprises request context transaction set433and response context transaction set434. The right hand side of the user interface, comprising list418, shows all items under the currently selected item of the left hand side, being transaction types412.

Referring now toFIG. 5, showing a screen shot illustration of a user interface for editing the processing sequence for messages associated with a particular transaction type. On the left hand side of the screen, processing sequence424associated with a KM transaction type420is selected. The current processing sequence is shown as gzip item546, KM_requestor item548and cache item550. Window540on the right hand side shows the items and enables the addition, deletion or updates of items.

Referring now toFIG. 6, showing a screen shot illustration of a user interface for editing a particular processing within the processing sequence for messages associated with a particular transaction type. InFIG. 6, cache item550is selected from the items under processing sequence424, and table553on the right hand side of the screen shows the caching rules. The rules comprise rules554which are specific to the caching within KM transactions, and rule558which is derived from the rules associated with default caching436. Each rule comprises conditions to be met for the rule to be applied, and parameters or configurations to be used when processing takes place.

It will be appreciated that when a KM message is to be tagged, the rules are preferably tested in the order they appear, and the first rule for which the conditions are met, is the one to be executed, i.e. processing is to be performed according to the parameters and configurations thereof.

It would be appreciated thatFIGS. 4,5and6show only parts of the hierarchy, for example the rules relating to data center services405, KSO transaction type416, request context transaction set425, or other entities are not displayed onFIG. 4although they may exist in the shown exemplary system. It will be further appreciated that selecting any item in the hierarchy on the left hand side ofFIG. 4,5or6will present on the right hand side the properties, options, or sub-items relevant to the selected item.

In some embodiments, each transaction type, such as KM412or LSO416, is initially assigned all items of the default transaction type, which can be overridden if the designer wishes. Thus, in the displayed example, KM transaction type comprises request aggregation transaction set430and response aggregation transaction set431of default transaction type429. If specific request aggregation transaction set or specific response aggregation transaction set are defined, the defaults will not come into effect. Alternatively, the defaults may be added to a list of items associated with the specific set. When only one out of a number of rules is to be applied, the rule to be applied may be the first rule whose conditions are met, an arbitrary rule or any other method of selecting one of the available rules.

It will be appreciated that the tags can be implemented as data structures, such as objects. If efficient real time processing is required, the tags can be implemented as a collection of integers arranged as Tag Type and Tag value sections. Such implementation enables efficient in memory resolving. Configuring the processing which relates to the delivered service type is consolidated in the Service Type repository116ofFIG. 1. For configuring application processing layer200ofFIG. 2or300ofFIG. 3, a tag set of sub service (also termed Transaction Type) may be resolved to obtain a collection of transaction sets, wherein each transaction set comprises or is linked to one or more sequences.

It will be further appreciated that by default, a response processing sequence is optionally automatically generated according to the corresponding request sequence and parameters thereof so no additional work is required.

Referring now toFIG. 7, showing a flowchart of the main steps in the method of the disclosure.

On step700, a tagging scheme definition component is provided to a user. The definition component comprises a user interface part, which may be similar in functionality or appearance to the user interface shown and detailed in association withFIG. 4,5or6above, and an engine which constructs a tagging hierarchy for transactions within the environment.

On step704, a tagging scheme is received, the tagging scheme being defined using the tagging scheme definition component provided on step700. The tagging scheme can be defined by an administrator of the system, or by another person having knowledge about the various applications and transaction types in the system, and which processing id required for any of them.

On step708, the system is operative and a request message is sent front an application and received at a termination point. The termination point can be the same computing platform the user is working with, or a server connected to the computing platform.

On step712the request message is tagged, i.e. tags are attached to the message according to various parameters, such as the application the message relates to, the service type, the user, the regional office, the data center, user privileges, required quality of service and others. Tagging includes the required processing instructions for the message and relevant parameters for each processing. The processing instructions are optionally consolidated into a service type data structure which may include transaction type data structures.

On step716the tagged message is sent to one or more processors, on step720each of the processors retrieves the relevant configuration and parameters from the tags, and on step720the processor processed the message according to the retrieved parameters and configuration. On optional step722a response message is created which corresponds to the request message. By default, the same tagging information attached to the request message is also attached to the response message, so that the response undergoes the same processing, for example compression, encryption, and caching, by the same processors. Processing may include any adaptive compression, tunneling, routing, caching, optimization manipulation, functionality optimization, or other processing.

On optional step724the response message, if created, is processed according to its tags, whether the tags were assigned by default according to the tags of the request, or by any other manner. On optional step528the response message, if created, is returned to the user via the termination point.

The disclosed method and apparatus enable the automatic uniform processing of messages throughout a distributed system, according to a single system-wide policy. Tags are attached to a message according to its characteristics, so that uniform processing is ensured for the messages throughout the system. For some request messages, corresponding response messages are constructed and processed accordingly to further ensure uniform processing.

The disclosed system and method are optionally enabled as part of the termination layer, also referred to as user layer or “Layer 8”. Layer 8 is considered to be a layer beyond the applicative layer in the OSI seven layer model.

Optionally, for each set of related transaction types, an application proxy may be provided which comprises the related request and response processors. Such proxy may be provided as a shared object to further ensure compatibility within the distributed system. In preferred embodiments of the disclosure, the tags set may be used to determine a context of resources to be used in adaptive compression components212ofFIG. 2or312ofFIG. 3, in controlling prioritization in optimization and prioritization components216ofFIG. 2or316ofFIG. 3, in security related application proxies, or the like.

It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that multiple variations and options can be designed along the guidelines of the disclosed method, without deviating from the guidelines of the disclosure. Such variations and options are considered to be covered by the disclosure.

While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation, material, step of component to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but only by the claims that follow.