Managing multiple proxy servers in a multi-tenant application system environment

A system and method for managing a plurality of proxy servers in a multi-tenant database system is provided. The method, for example, may include, but is not limited to, receiving, by a processor, a first command, generating, by the processor, a second command for each of the plurality of proxy servers based upon the first command, and transmitting each of the generated second commands to the respective proxy server.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The following relates to data processing systems and processes, and more particularly relates to systems and processes for managing proxy servers in a multi-tenant database system environment.

BACKGROUND

Modern software development is evolving away from the client-server model toward “cloud”-based processing systems that provide access to data and services via the Internet or other networks. In contrast to prior systems that hosted networked applications on dedicated server hardware, the cloud computing model allows applications to be provided over the network “as a service” supplied by an infrastructure provider. The infrastructure provider typically encapsulates the underlying hardware and other resources used to deliver a customer-developed application so that the customer no longer needs to operate and support dedicated server hardware. The cloud computing model can often provide substantial cost savings to the customer over the life of the application because the customer no longer needs to provide dedicated network infrastructure, electrical and temperature controls, physical security and other logistics in support of dedicated server hardware.

Although multi-tenant platforms can provide substantial benefits, they can be relatively difficult to design and develop. The often competing demands of integration and isolation between tenants, for example, can lead to any number of challenges in design and implementation. Furthermore, multi-tenant platforms often utilize many proxy servers to reduce the strain on application servers. However, managing the proxy servers can be difficult and time consuming.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to various exemplary embodiments, systems and methods are provided to allow a user to simultaneously manage multiple proxy servers in a system, such as a multi-tenant application system. In one embodiment, for example, a proxy management interface is provided by an application server in the multi-tenant application system. The application server, through the proxy management interface, is configured to receive a single command for all of the proxy servers in the multi-tenant application system, to generate a command for each of the proxy servers in the multi-tenant application system, and to transmit the generated commands to the respective proxy servers contemporaneously such that the generated commands are processed by the proxy servers at the same time.

Turning now toFIG. 1, an exemplary multi-tenant application system100suitably includes a server102(which may also be referred to as an application server) that dynamically creates virtual applications128A-B based upon data132from a common database130that is shared between multiple tenants. Data and services generated by the virtual applications128A-B are provided via network145to any number of client devices140A-B, as desired. Each virtual application128A-B is suitably generated at run-time using a common platform110that securely provides access to data132in database130for each of the various tenants subscribing to system100. Each virtual application128A-B may be accessible via a unique domain. For example, the virtual application128A may be accessible on a first domain (e.g., http://www.companyname1.salesforce.com) and the application128B may be accessible on a second domain (e.g., http://www.companyname2.com).

A “tenant” generally refers to a group of users that shares access to common data within database130. Tenants may represent customers, customer departments, business or legal organizations, and/or any other entities that maintain data for particular sets of users within system100. Although multiple tenants may share access to a common server102and database130, the particular data and services provided from server102to each tenant can be securely isolated from those provided to other tenants. The multi-tenant architecture allows different sets of users to share functionality without necessarily sharing each other's data132.

Database130is any sort of repository or other data storage system capable of storing and managing data132associated with any number of tenants. Database130may be implemented using any type of conventional database server hardware. In various embodiments, database130shares processing hardware104with server102. In other embodiments, database130is implemented using separate physical and/or virtual database server hardware that communicates with server102to perform the various functions described herein.

Server102is implemented using one or more actual and/or virtual computing systems that collectively provide a dynamic application platform110for generating virtual applications128A-B. Server102operates with any sort of conventional computing hardware104, such as any processor105, memory106, input/output features107and the like. Processor105may be implemented using one or more of microprocessors, microcontrollers, processing cores and/or other computing resources spread across any number of distributed or integrated systems, including any number of “cloud-based” or other virtual systems. Memory106represents any non-transitory short or long term storage capable of storing programming instructions for execution on processor105, including any sort of random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), flash memory, magnetic or optical mass storage, and/or the like. Input/output features107represent conventional interfaces to networks (e.g., to network145, or any other local area, wide area or other network), mass storage, display devices, data entry devices and/or the like. In a typical embodiment, application platform110gains access to processing resources, communications interfaces and other features of hardware104using any sort of conventional or proprietary operating system108. As noted above, server102may be implemented using a cluster of actual and/or virtual servers operating in conjunction with each other, typically in association with conventional network communications, cluster management, load balancing and other features as appropriate.

The server102may be one of many servers in the multi-tenant application system100. Each of the servers102in the multi-tenant application system100may be connected to one or more proxy servers (not shown inFIG. 1). The proxy servers are used to reduce the strain on the servers102by handling certain requests. When a proxy server receives a request for a resource, the proxy server determines if the resource is current stored in a memory of the proxy server. If the resource is stored in the memory of the proxy server, the proxy server directly returns the resource to the requestor. If the resource is not stored on the proxy server, the proxy server requests the resource from one of the application servers102. Accordingly, by at least some of the requests directly, the proxy servers reduce the strain on the application servers102. As discussed in further detail below, the server102includes a proxy management system150. The proxy management system150allows an administrator to manage all of the proxy servers in the multi-tenant application system100simultaneously.

FIG. 2illustrates another exemplary multi-tenant application system200in accordance with an embodiment. The multi-tenant application system200includes client devices140A-B and network145similar to those described above. The multi-tenant application system200further includes a server102that dynamically creates virtual applications128A-B based upon data132from a common database130that is shared between multiple tenants. As discussed above, each virtual application128A-B may be hosted on a separate domain. Further, each server has a proxy management system150. Data and services generated by the virtual applications128A-B are provided via network145to any number of client devices140A-B, as desired. Each virtual application128A-B is suitably generated at run-time using a common platform110that securely provides access to data132in database130for each of the various tenants subscribing to system100.

Data132may be organized and formatted in any manner to support multi-tenant application platform110. In various embodiments, data132is suitably organized into a relatively small number of large data tables to maintain a semi-amorphous “heap”-type format. Data132can then be organized as needed for a particular virtual application128A-B. In various embodiments, conventional data relationships are established using any number of pivot tables or flex schema234that establish indexing, uniqueness, relationships between entities, and/or other aspects of conventional database organization as desired.

Further data manipulation and report formatting is generally performed at run-time using a variety of meta-data constructs. Metadata within a universal data directory (UDD)236, for example, can be used to describe any number of forms, reports, workflows, user access privileges, business logic and other constructs that are common to multiple tenants. Tenant-specific formatting, functions and other constructs may be maintained as tenant-specific metadata238A-B for each tenant, as desired. Rather than forcing data132into an inflexible global structure that is common to all tenants and applications, then, database130is organized to be relatively amorphous, with tables234and metadata236-238providing additional structure on an as-needed basis. To that end, application platform110suitably uses tables234and/or metadata236,238to generate “virtual” components of applications128A-B to logically obtain, process, and present the relatively amorphous data132from database130.

Application platform110is any sort of software application or other data processing engine that generates virtual applications128A-B that provide data and/or services to client devices140A-B. Virtual applications128A-B are typically generated at run-time in response to queries received from client devices140A-B. In the example illustrated inFIG. 2, application platform110includes a bulk data processing engine212, a query generator214, a search engine216that provides text indexing and other search functionality, and a runtime application generator220. Each of these features may be implemented as a separate process or other module, and many equivalent embodiments could include different and/or additional features, components or other modules as desired.

Runtime application generator220dynamically builds and executes virtual applications128A-B in response to specific requests received from client devices140A-B. Virtual applications128A-B created by tenants are typically constructed in accordance with tenant-specific metadata238, which describes the particular tables, reports, interfaces and/or other features of the particular application. In various embodiments, each virtual application128A-B generates dynamic web content that can be served to a browser or other client program142A-B associated with client device140A-B, as appropriate.

Application generator220suitably interacts with query generator214to efficiently obtain multi-tenant data132from database130as needed. In a typical embodiment, query generator214considers the identity of the user requesting a particular function, and then builds and executes queries to database130using system-wide metadata236, tenant specific metadata238, pivot tables234and/or any other available resources. Query generator214in this example therefore maintains security of the multi-tenant database130by ensuring that queries are consistent with access privileges granted to the user that initiated the request.

Data processing engine212performs bulk processing operations on data132such as uploads or downloads, updates, online transaction processing and/or the like. In many embodiments, less urgent bulk processing of data132can be scheduled to occur as processing resources become available, thereby giving priority to more urgent data processing by query generator214, search engine216, virtual applications128A-B and/or the like. Again, the various components, modules and inter-relationships of other application platforms may vary from the particular examples described herein.

In operation, then, developers use application platform110to create data-driven virtual applications128A-B for the tenants that they support. Such applications128A-B may make use of interface features such as tenant-specific screens224, universal screens222or the like. Any number of tenant-specific and/or universal objects226may also be available for integration into tenant-developed applications128A-B. Data132associated with each application128A-B is provided to database130, as appropriate, and stored until requested, along with metadata138that describes the particular features (e.g., reports, tables, functions, etc.) of tenant-specific application128A-B until needed.

Data and services provided by server102can be retrieved using any sort of personal computer, mobile telephone, tablet or other network-enabled client device140on network145. Typically, the user operates a conventional browser or other client program242to contact server102via network145using, for example, the hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or the like. The user typically authenticates his or her identity to the server102to obtain a session identification (“SID”) that identifies the user in subsequent communications with server102. When the identified user requests access to a virtual application128A-B, application generator220suitably creates the application at run time based upon metadata236and238, as appropriate. Query generator214suitably obtains the requested data132from database130as needed to populate the tables, reports or other features of virtual application128A-B. As noted above, the virtual application128A-B may contain Java, ActiveX or other content that can be presented using conventional client software142A-B running on client device140A-B; other embodiments may simply provide dynamic web or other content that can be presented and viewed by the user, as desired.

FIG. 3is a block diagram of an exemplary multi-tenant application system300, in accordance with an embodiment. The multi-tenant application system300includes at least one application servers310. Each of the application servers310may have access to all of the data in the multi-tenant application system300, for example, the data132stored in the multi-tenant database130and all of the data for each of the tenant application128A-B, or a subset of all of the data in the multi-tenant application system300. Each of the application servers310are communicatively coupled to each of a series of proxy servers320. The proxy servers320act as an intermediary for requests received from clients140A-B for resources on the application servers310. In some instances, a proxy server320may have the requested resource stored in a memory325on the respective proxy server320. In this instance, the proxy server320can transmit the requested resource to the respective client device140A-B. When the respective proxy server320does not have the requested resource, the proxy server320requests the resource from one of the application servers310and then communicates the requested resource to the respective client device140A-B. The proxy server320may also store the requested resource in the memory325such that subsequent requests for the resource can be handled without having to make a request to one of the application servers310. Accordingly, when a requested resource is stored on the proxy server320, the proxy server320can handle the request without using any of the resources of the application servers310, reducing the load on the application servers320. In one embodiment, for example, each of the proxy servers320may be communicatively coupled to a load balancer330. The load balancer330may initially receive the request from a client device140A-B a determine which of the proxy servers320to send the request to. The load balancer330distributes requests amongst the proxy servers320to optimize resource utilization, maximize throughput, minimize response time, and avoid overload.

Because each of the proxy servers320handle different requests, the resources stored in the memory325of each of the proxy servers may differ. Furthermore, in some instances a resource may be updated on the application servers. However, the previous version of the resource may be stored in cache on one or more of the proxy servers320. Accordingly, unless the resource is purged from the proxy server, the proxy server may send an old version of the resource in response to a request. In traditional systems, an administrator would have to separately log into each proxy server to purge a resource or to collect statistics or other usage information specific to each proxy server. However, as discussed above, at least one of the application servers310includes a proxy management system150.

FIG. 4illustrates an exemplary interface400for the proxy management system150. The interface400can be accessed by authorized users (authorized by any type of authentication system) and allows the authorized user to contemporaneously purge resources from the proxy servers and collect statistics and other usage data from the proxy servers. In one embodiment, for example, the interface400may be a web browser based graphical user interface (GUI). The interface400includes a purging interface element410and a management interface element420. The purging interface element410allows an authorized user to purge resources stored in the proxy servers. An application server could determine whether a user has authorization to access the proxy management interface400via any type of security system. The management interface element420allows a user to collect usage statistics and manage certain features of the proxy servers. In one embodiment, for example, the interface400may include a command selection interface element430. The command selection interface element430may allow a user to enter or select a command to send to the proxy servers, as discussed in further detail below. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that there are many ways to present the interface400to a user while maintaining the same or similar functionality.

FIG. 5illustrates an exemplary purging interface500, in accordance with an embodiment. The purging interface500allows a user to enter an identifier associated with a resource in an identifier interface510. In one embodiment, for example, the resources may be identified by a uniform resource locator (URL). Resources may also be identified by an ETag or a combination of an ETag and a URL. The identifier interface510may accept entire identifiers, such as a complete URL, or a user may search using a partial identifier. For example, a user can search for one or more resources that starts, contains, or ends with a certain partial identifier. In some instances, multiple file types may be associated with a particular resource. The file types may include, but are not limited to a hypertext markup language (HTML) file, a graphics interchange format (GIF) file, a joint photographic experts group (JPEG) file, a portable network graphics (PNG) file, or a file in any other image format, a cascading style sheets (CSS) file, a JavaScript file, or the like. Accordingly, the purging interface500may also include a file type interface520which allows a user to optionally select or enter a certain file type to search for. The purging interface500then either allows a user to immediately send out the purge command to all of the proxy servers via a purge interface530or to send a command to all of the proxy servers to return a list of any resource matching the identifier or partial identifier via a preview interface540. By sending the commands to all of the proxy servers at the same time, the purging interface greatly increases the efficiency of managing the proxy servers.

FIG. 6is a flow chart illustrating a method600for sending a command to each proxy server in a system, in accordance with an embodiment. The method600can be executed by a processor in an application server, such as the processor105illustrated inFIG. 1. In one embodiment, for example, the processor may execute a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for executing the proxy management system. The method600begins when the processor receives a command to be sent to each of the proxy servers. (Step610). The command can be a command to purge contents of a cache where previously retrieved resources are stored or to return a list of resources that match an identifier. The command can also be a command to perform other management functions or to return performance statistics for the respective proxy server. Table 1 below is an exemplary list of commands and a brief description of commands that could be sent to the proxy servers.

The processor then generates a command for each of the proxy servers based upon the received command. (Step620). In one embodiment, for example, a unique address for each proxy server may be stored in a memory of the application server. Accordingly, the processor may create a command for each proxy server and address the command based upon the address of each proxy server stored in the memory. The created commands may be identical for each proxy server, for example, as command to return certain statistics and/or customized for each server. In one embodiment, for example, the commands may be customized for each server to purge certain resources stored on the respective proxy server, as illustrated inFIG. 7and discussed in further detail below. The processor then transmits the commands to each of the proxy servers. (Step630). In one embodiment, for example, the processor may utilize a thread pool executer to send the commands to the proxy servers such as the ThreadPoolExecutor of the Java programming language. In other embodiments, for example, a smart thread pool, such as the SmartThreadPool open source tool, may be utilized by the processor to manage the threads. In yet other embodiments, for example, a thread pool exector such as the Pyton ThreadPoolExector, may be utilized by the processor to manage the threads. The processor can submit tasks to the thread pool executor. In this instance, the tasks are commands that need to be transmitted to the proxy servers in the system. Multiple tasks can be executed simultaneously by the thread pool executor, however the thread pool executor tracks and manages each task separately. In one embodiment, for example, the commands will be sent by the thread pool executor to the proxy servers one at a time. However, the thread pool executor does not have to wait for a task to be complete before beginning the execution the next task since the thread pool executor tracks and manages each task separately. Accordingly, the thread pool executor parallelizes the tasks as each separate proxy server can process its own task independent of the other proxy servers in the system.

The processor then collects the responses from the proxy servers. (Step640). The response will vary depending upon the task. If the command was to purge a resource from the cache in each proxy server, the response may be a confirmation. If the command was the objects command, the response returns a list of all of the cached entries. The processor then organizes all of the data returned by the various proxy servers and displays the collected data to the user. (Step650).

FIG. 7is an illustration of a purge preview interface700, in accordance with an embodiment. As discussed above, the purge preview interface700may be created after the user interacts with the preview interface540and after the processor executes the method illustrated inFIG. 6. As seen inFIG. 7, the purge preview interface700includes a list710of the resources stored on the proxy servers in the system which match or partially match the identifier Identifier1. The user is then given the option of purging all of the resources of a subset of the resources via a purge interface720. In one embodiment, for example, the purge preview interface700may further include a selection interface730allowing a user to select which of the retrieved resources to purge. Once the user interacts with the purge interface720, the processor sends the purge commands via the method discussed inFIG. 6

Accordingly, the proxy management system discussed herein allows a user to manage multiple proxy server simultaneously, increasing the speed and efficiency of managing a system of proxy servers. While the system described herein describes a proxy management system in a multi-tenant database system, the proxy management system may be utilized in any other computer system configuration where multiple proxy servers are used.

The term “exemplary” is used herein to represent one example, instance or illustration that may have any number of alternates. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.

Although several exemplary embodiments have been presented in the foregoing description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of alternate but equivalent variations exist, and the examples presented herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. To the contrary, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of the various features described herein without departing from the scope of the claims and their legal equivalents.