JPH11232235A - Method for retrieving cooperated trader and mapping trader information - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attain efficient trading, to eliminate the need for a human operator and to shorten the searching time of a server to be required for a client. SOLUTION: A 3rd trader GT acquires (103) the external evaluation information of a trader ST from a client side trader CT in addition to self-evaluation information acquired by an export (101) from a server side trader ST, sets up the received external evaluation information as the attribute information of the trader and provides (104) trader retrieval service using the attribute as a condition to a client side trader CT2. Since the trader GT executes retrieval using the self-evaluation information of the trader ST and the external evaluation information of the trader CT1 as conditions in addition to a service type, the client side trader CT2 can reduce overhead for retrieving the server providing necessary service under preferable conditions.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a method for searching for a server that provides a service required by a client to a client, and a method for mapping trader information capable of shortening the time for finding a server.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is conventionally known that one form of a client / server system is a multi-client / multi-server form. In this mode, the server accepts a service request from an arbitrary client, but before that, the client selects an arbitrary server from a plurality of servers that provide the service required by itself, and sends the selected server to the selected server. A service request has been made to this. In order to construct an environment enabling services to be distributed as described above, a common communication procedure and the like are being studied between clients / servers connected via a network, and are known as a distributed processing environment or simply a distributed environment. Have been. In a distributed processing environment, it is important to provide a service for searching a server that provides a service required by a client to a client. As one of such search services, a service type (service type)
And a trading service that provides a search service on the condition of various attributes (for example, price, quality, etc.) attached to the service. Further, an operation of searching for a service by specifying conditions for a service type and an attribute is called trading, and a server that provides a trading service is called a trader. In this connection, there is a specification and a drawing (service search method of a distributed processing system) of Japanese Patent Application No. 8-279096, which is a technique proposed by the present inventors prior to the present application.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional trading procedure. The server 30 registers in the trader 10 reference information indicating its own location (pointer), a service type to be provided, and its provision conditions. This procedure is called export (1). Client 20
Notifies the trader 10 of the service type and the required conditions required by the trader 10, and the trader 10 searches for the server 30 that satisfies these, and returns the reference to the client 20. Import this procedure (2)
Call. Then, the client 20 sets a communication path to the position indicated by the reference information (this is called binding (3)), and makes a service request to the server 30 (operation request). If the processing capacity of the trader 10 is infinite and the trader 10 is the only one in the network, the client can use the server 3 that is most suitable for the condition in the network in one import process.
0 can be searched.

However, since the processing capacity of the trader 10 is actually limited, it is necessary to distribute the load by some method. In general, clients / servers on a network often belong to a specific company, school, or small group of businesses that provide services. These groups will be represented by the term domain. When the server 10 intends to distribute the service, there are a case where the service is to be distributed widely throughout the network and a case where the service is to be distributed only within the domain. Generally, in the latter case, the frequency is higher and the domain is often handled by a uniform management policy. Therefore, it is more efficient to arrange local traders in domain units. In this case, when trading needs to be performed across domains, it becomes necessary to transfer a search request between traders. This operation is called a trader cooperation operation. At the time of trader cooperation, it is necessary to obtain information as to which trader should be linked to perform an efficient search, and a management method of trader information is required for that.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional method for managing trader information. Conventionally, as a management method of trader information, a method of managing by traders themselves has been proposed. Here, it is assumed that the trader CT of the client side domain CD cooperates with the trader ST of the server side domain SD. In addition, domain CD and domain S
Assume that there is a third trader GT available from both of D. In implementation, trader GT is trader S
It may also degenerate to T or trader CT. The operator SO managing the trader ST registers the reference ST-R of the trader ST in the trader GT in order to provide services provided in the domain SD even outside the domain SD. On the other hand, the trader CT
It is assumed that it becomes necessary to access an external trader by receiving a search request of a server that does not exist in D from a client or the like. At this time, the trader CT issues a search request for the service type 'trader' to the trader GT. The trader GT searches for the trader ST,
The reference ST-R is returned to the trader CT. The trader CT transfers a search request to the trader ST, and sends a reference SR of the server managed in the trader ST.
To get.

[0006]

As described above, in the conventional method, the parameters for searching for the trader ST are:
Only the service type of the server stored in the trader ST. For this reason, even if the trader CT transfers the search request to the trader ST that has established the cooperative operation, but cannot find a server that satisfies the client's requirements,
It is necessary to start again from issuing a search request to the trader GT (specifically, service type 'trader'). There is a problem that overhead for this occurs.
In addition, since the determination of the trigger for the operator SO to register the trader ST and the procedure thereof require sophisticated determination, the operator who performs this processing must be eventually performed by a human. In addition, the conditions for providing each server to the outside in the server-side domain SD can be frequently changed due to inspection / failure, policy change, and the like, but human operators cannot respond quickly. There were also problems. Further, due to these restrictions, it is necessary to take measures such as limiting the attribute information of the server-side trader to be registered in the trader GT to a fixed one, which causes a reduction in search efficiency from the client side. In addition, Trader C
In T, there are also problems such as the necessity of human operator intervention in the trader CT in order to intentionally exclude traders having problems other than search conditions (for example, traders who are always busy). there were. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to solve the conventional problems as described above and to reduce the time required for searching for a server required by a client without the intervention of a human operator. And a trader information mapping method.

[0007]

In order to achieve the above object, in the method of searching for a partner partner trader according to the present invention, in the trader GT, in addition to the self-evaluation information obtained by exporting from the trader ST, the client-side trader CT From the trader ST, and a procedure for searching for a trader based on the attribute information of the trader ST. Further, in the trader information mapping method of the present invention, the number of servers providing the service type is counted for each service type of the server stored in the trader ST, and this value is set as one attribute related to the trader ST, For the service types provided by all the servers stored in the trader ST, the calculated attributes are used as the self-evaluation information of the trader ST, and the self-evaluation information is periodically counted by the trader ST.
A process of registering (exporting) the result in the trader GT is performed, and the sum of the number of servers obtained in all search requests transferred to the trader ST in the client-side trader CT1 already linked with the trader ST is calculated. The usage divided by the total number of requested servers is defined as the usage of the trader ST, and the usage for each service type is defined by the trader S.
As one attribute of T, for all service types stored in the trader ST, this attribute is calculated and defined as external evaluation information of the trader ST. The trader GT storing the trader ST has the trader CT1 When the client-side trader CT1 receives the collection request, the client-side trader CT1 receives the request for collection of the external evaluation information of the trader ST, obtains the number of requested servers of all search requests transferred to the trader ST, and obtains Count the number of servers,
From these, external evaluation information of the trader ST is created and reported to the trader GT. Further, the trader GT has just registered a new trader ST and has no use record.
Define a new registration flag to indicate that no external evaluation information exists, and use this as one attribute of trader ST,
In addition to the self-evaluation information and the external evaluation information, a search process based on the new registration flag is provided to the trader CT.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sequence (flow) chart of a cooperation partner trader search method according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the server-side trader ST,
It comprises client-side traders CT1 and CT2 and a trader GT that can be commonly accessed by all traders. The trader ST exports a list of server information stored therein to the trader GT as self-evaluation information (step 101). Next, it is assumed that the client-side trader CT1 has imported the trader ST (Step 102). After a certain period, Trader G
T requests the trader CT1 for the evaluation information of the trader ST and collects external evaluation information on the trader ST (steps 103 and 104). By storing the external evaluation information, the trader GT can execute the server-side trader ST.
In addition to the self-evaluation information obtained by the first trader, an external evaluation by a third party (trader CT1) already using the trader can be used as a condition for trading (step 105). That is, next, when the client-side trader CT2 imports the trader ST, the trader GT searches the trader CT2 for a result obtained by using the self-evaluation information + external evaluation information as a condition.
Send to

In the present invention, the client-side trader CT performs a search process based on the self-evaluation information of the trader ST and the external evaluation information of the trader CT1 in addition to the service type in the trader GT. Can be specified directly, and a trader with a good track record of use can be directly specified.
Search overhead can be reduced. Also,
By simplifying the self-evaluation information of the trader ST into an attribute group based on a combination of the service type name and the number of servers, the trader ST automatically (periodically) totals the self-evaluation information and registers the self-evaluation information in the trader GT. As a result, the trader GT does not require the intervention of a human operator, and can always obtain the latest server self-evaluation information in the domain ST. Further, by simplifying the external evaluation information of the trader ST into a group of attributes based on a combination of the service type name and the degree of use, automatic collection of the external evaluation information inside the trader CT1 becomes possible, and the trader CT1 receives the trader CT1. For periodically requesting external evaluation information from a computer, and a trader CT
By providing a procedure for totalizing and reporting external evaluation information in response to the request in 1, the client-side trader CT2 that has made a search request for the server-side trader to the trader GT next is registered by the trader ST. In addition to the latest self-evaluation information, objective external evaluation information by a third party can be designated as an attribute. Also,
By specifying the external evaluation information as an attribute, if the server provided in the domain ST has a problem that does not appear in the self-evaluation, for example, if the server is always busy, avoid the domain. Becomes possible.

Further, since the external evaluation information is periodically updated and rewritten, even if the same search conditions are mechanically designated in the client-side trader, the server-side trader acquired may always fluctuate. Therefore, even if a search is performed with exactly the same parameters without performing complicated processing such as changing search conditions, a deadlock such as reimporting a server-side trader that has been imported but discarded as useless is rejected. It is possible to obtain the most suitable trader at the time of the request without falling into a bad state. Conversely, even if the problem is improved in the server-side trader discarded once because it cannot be used, the external evaluation information is automatically updated and can be imported again. Thus, it is possible to eliminate the need for a human operator in the trader cooperation operation. Thus, by combining self-evaluation information and external evaluation information that are simple enough to be simply aggregated mechanically, it is possible to respond to changes in various conditions without the need for human operator intervention. Can be. On the other hand, a server-side trader for which no external evaluation information exists because it has not been exported anywhere yet is indicated by being a newly registered trader, and is imported by a client who has an active policy to develop a new server. It is expected. The trader GT can also search for a client having a policy reluctant to cultivate a new server after collecting usage results by the client as external evaluation information.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are sequence (flow) charts showing a case where the method of FIG. 1 is detailed using the information mapping method in the cooperating partner trader search method of the present invention. In this embodiment, as in FIG. 1, the role of a trader is constituted by a server-side trader ST, a client-side trader CT, and a trader GT that can be commonly accessed by all traders. In addition, among the client-side traders, the trader in the case of having a client who is active in cultivating a new service is CT1, and the trader in the case of having a passive client is CT2.
These traders ST, CT, and GT have three independent sequences, an export sequence (see FIG. 2).
And an import sequence (see FIG. 3) and an evaluation sequence (see FIG. 4). First, in the export sequence, as shown in FIG. 2, the trader ST totals the number of providing servers for each supported service type from information exported from servers in the own domain (step 1101). Then, self-evaluation information is created (step 1102), and its reference is exported to the trader GT as a trader-type server having this as an attribute (step 1103). It should be noted that the self-evaluation information includes a service type name stored in the server-side trader ST and the number of servers providing the service type as one set of attributes. This is defined as self-evaluation information. Upon receiving the export request from trader ST, trader GT registers this as a trader-type server (step 1104).
At this time, in addition to the essential information (step 1104-1) indicating that the trader ST is a trader-type server,
Self-evaluation information (1104-2) and external evaluation information (1104-) as parameters representing the attributes of the trader ST.
3) The status flag (1104-4) is used as registration information.
The self-evaluation information (1104-2) is configured by the number of servers provided for each service type supported by the trader ST acquired in step 1103, and the external evaluation information (1104-3) is supported by the trader ST. It is composed of an external evaluation value for each service type, and here 0 is inserted as an initial value. The status flag (1104-4) is a flag indicating that the information on the trader ST is newly added information.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the import sequence is started by an import request from the client (step 1201). When the import request from the client is received by the client-side trader CT1, if the server that satisfies the request cannot be searched by searching the trader CT1 and the trader with which the trader CT1 is currently linked (step 1202), the trader CT1 issues a search request for a trader server to the trader GT to search for a new cooperating partner (step 1203). As the import conditions at this time, the conditions regarding the self-evaluation information / external evaluation information on the server side and the conditions such as whether to actively introduce or avoid newly registered data are specified. It is assumed that the client of the trader CT1 has designated to actively introduce a new entrant. The trader GT searches for new entrants that meet the conditions for self-evaluation specified by the trader CT1 (step 1204), and as a result, returns the reference of the trader ST (step 1205). The trader CT1 issues a cooperation request to the trader ST (step 1206). After the trader ST agrees with the request (step 1207), the trader CT1 transfers a search request from the client to the trader ST (step 1208). The trader ST searches for a server that satisfies the transferred search conditions (step 120).
9) Return the search result to trader CT1 (step 1210). The trader CT1 transfers this to the client (step 1211).

Finally, as shown in FIG. 4, the evaluation sequence periodically starts each of the trader-type servers managed by the trader GT. That is, the trader GT stores history information indicating which server-side trader introduced information to which client-side trader in the above-described import sequence.
When detecting that the evaluation cycle for the trader ST has come, the trader GT starts an evaluation sequence for the trader ST (step 1301). Trader GT
The trader CT1 is arbitrarily selected from among the traders currently cooperating with the trader ST, and a request for evaluation of the trader ST is requested (step 1302). The trader CT1 receives an import request from the client (step 1303-
In 1), for the search request transferred to the trader ST (step 1303-3), the ratio of the total number of acquired servers to the total number of requests is totaled (step 130).
3-2). Here, the total number of servers obtained by all search requests transferred to the server-side trader ST within a certain period by a trader other than the server-side trader ST (here, CT1) is calculated by the number of requested servers. Is defined as the usage rate of the server-side trader ST, the usage rate is totaled for each service type stored in the server-side trader ST, the service type name and the usage of the service type are calculated. The ratio is a set of attributes, and these are defined as external evaluation information of the server-side trader. Trader GT
After a certain period, the counting result is collected from the trader CT1 (Step 1304), and the external evaluation information on the trader ST managed by itself is updated (Step 1305).
1), the status flag is updated to a track record (step 13)
05-2). Next, when an import sequence is started from a client (a client of the trader CT1) who is reluctant to introduce a new registered business operator, the trader GT
In addition, in addition to the self-evaluation information from the trader ST1, newly collected external evaluation information can be used as a trading condition. As described above, in addition to the self-evaluation information and the external evaluation information, the trader GT has a status flag for identifying a trader CT1 that has just been newly registered and has not yet been used and has no external evaluation information related to the trader ST. Then, when the external evaluation information is received from the trader CT1, after the attribute group of the server-side trader ST is received, the status flag is updated to “recorded”.

[0014]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Efficient trading based on periodically updated self-evaluation and objective evaluation information by a third party, reducing the time required for clients to find the server they need without human operator intervention It becomes possible.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sequence chart of a cooperation partner trader search method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed sequence chart of the export sequence of FIG. 1 using the trader information mapping method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed sequence chart of the import sequence of FIG. 1 using the trader information mapping method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing a detailed evaluation sequence of FIG. 1 using the trader information mapping method of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a trading service.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a related art partner trader search method at the time of trader cooperation.

[Description of Signs] 10: Trader, 20: Client, 30: Server,
(1) Export, (2) Import, (3) Binding, GT, ST, CT Trader, SO Operator, SD, CD Domain, ST-R Trader S
T reference.

Claims (2)

[Claims] When a client-side trader and a server-side trader cooperate with each other, the third trader searches for a partner trader using both third traders to search for a partner trader. Receiving self-evaluation information, which is an export parameter including a server position, a service type to be provided, a condition, etc., transmitted from the server-side trader; and A method for searching for a partner partner trader, comprising: collecting external evaluation information on a side trader; and trading on condition that a combination of the self-evaluation information and the external evaluation information is combined. 2. The trader information mapping method according to claim 1, wherein a service type name stored in the server-side trader and the number of servers provided by the service type are registered. As a set of attributes, an attribute group relating to all service types stored in the server-side trader is defined as self-evaluation information of the server-side trader, and within a predetermined period by a trader other than the server-side trader. The total number of servers acquired in all search requests transferred to the server-side trader divided by the total number of requested servers is defined as the utilization rate of the server-side trader, and the utilization rate is defined as Aggregated for each service type stored by the server-side trader, the service type name and the usage rate of the service type are set as a set of attributes. The attribute group relating to all service types stored in the server-side trader is defined as external evaluation information of the server-side trader.The third trader, in addition to the self-evaluation information and the external evaluation information, A trader information mapping method, characterized in that a status flag for identifying a trader that has just been newly registered, has not used yet, and has no external evaluation information on the trader is used as an attribute group of the server-side trader.