WO1996017460A1 - Procede et systeme permettant d'eviter les transferts inutiles de fichiers entre un serveur et un noeud eloigne - Google Patents

Procede et systeme permettant d'eviter les transferts inutiles de fichiers entre un serveur et un noeud eloigne Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1996017460A1
WO1996017460A1 PCT/US1995/014490 US9514490W WO9617460A1 WO 1996017460 A1 WO1996017460 A1 WO 1996017460A1 US 9514490 W US9514490 W US 9514490W WO 9617460 A1 WO9617460 A1 WO 9617460A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
file
destination
server
remote
node
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US1995/014490
Other languages
English (en)
Other versions
WO1996017460A9 (fr
Inventor
Rodney M. Trugman
Joseph W. Owen
Shereef W. Nawar
Original Assignee
Xcellenet, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Xcellenet, Inc. filed Critical Xcellenet, Inc.
Priority to AU45940/96A priority Critical patent/AU4594096A/en
Publication of WO1996017460A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996017460A1/fr
Publication of WO1996017460A9 publication Critical patent/WO1996017460A9/fr

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
    • H04L67/01—Protocols
    • H04L67/06—Protocols specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
    • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
    • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
    • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
    • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
    • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Definitions

  • This invention relates to data processing systems and methods and more particularly to systems and methods for linking a plurality of data processing systems for communication therebetween.
  • LAN-based client/server networks and most other computer networks, assume a near-ideal operating environment.
  • LANs assume continuously connected users who are computer literate. Since the LAN connections between computers are hard wired, error-free reliable connections are assumed.
  • the LAN-based client/server environment allows knowledge-workers and PC professionals to operate in a near ideal environment .
  • remote/mobile users.
  • remote/mobile means “temporarily and intermittently linked”, wherein temporarily means “lasting for a limited time” and intermittently means “coming and going at intervals, not continuous, or occasional”.
  • An example of remote/mobile users is point-of-sale terminals in a chain of, for example, 5,000 retail stores, where each point-of-sale terminal needs to connect to the headquarters' central computer for short periods of time for communication therebetween, rather than continuously.
  • Another example of remote/mobile users is a mobile sales force which typically uses laptop computers and connects with the home office for short periods of time from various locations, such as hotels, customer sites or cars.
  • remote/mobile computers such as laptop and notebook computers, point-of-sale systems, personal computers, personal digital assistants and the like are typically "transactional" workers rather than knowledge workers, and are not typically PC literate. They need to link to a central office on a temporary and intermittent basis to obtain information from the central office or to transfer information to the central office.
  • the connections between the remote/mobile node and the data processing server may use switched wire or wireless connections . Accordingly, communications tend to be slow and unreliable .
  • the RemoteWare systems provided a communication model which was specifically geared to remote/mobile environments
  • One or more RemoteWare servers can be connected to a LAN to control the exchange of information between a central site and hundreds or thousands of remote/mobile computers and their users and applications.
  • the RemoteWare server provides information management, resource management, scheduling, communication services, information monitoring and control services needed by the remote/mobile network
  • Communications between the server and the remote/mobile nodes are designed to keep connect time at a minimum.
  • the connection cost is minimized and the time that the transactional worker needs to spend connected to the central system are minimized
  • the system is designed to support low bandwidth and unreliable connections.
  • the RemoteWare software architecture was designed specifically for remote/mobile user access to mission critical enterprise-wide transaction processing client/server systems.
  • the RemoteWare system there is a continued nee ⁇ to further reduce connection time m remote/mo____le networks .
  • the invention prevents unnecessary transfers between a server and a remote/mobile node by preventing file transfers if insufficient storage space is available at the destination, or by inhibiting transfer of an updated version if it is not newer than tne existing f le at the destination, or both
  • connection time between the server and remote/mobile no ⁇ e is furtner reduced.
  • unnecessary file transfers between a data processing server and a plurality of remote/mobile data processing nodes which are temporarily and intermittently linked to the server for communications therebetween are prevented.
  • a remote/mobile communications link is established to temporarily connect the server and the selected node for transferring a file therebetween.
  • the server and node will be referred to as the "source" of the file transfer and the other of the server and node will be referred to as the "destination" of the file transfer.
  • transfer of the file from the source to the destination is inhibited if insufficient storage space is available at the destination.
  • the destination is directed to indicate to the source, an indication of storage space which is available at the destination for storing the file.
  • transfer of the file to the destination is inhibited if insufficient storage space is available at the destination.
  • the existing file and the updated version will both have timestamps associated therewith.
  • the timestamp of the existing file will be referred to as the "existing timestamp”
  • the timestamp of the updated version will be referred to as the "updated timestamp” .
  • transfer of the file tc the destination is inhibited if the updated timestamp is the same as or earlier than the existing timestamp.
  • the transfer will not take place.
  • a determination is made as to whether other communications are required between the node and the server during the temporary connection. If not, the remote/mobile communications link is deactivated. Accordingly, transfers of new files or updated files are inhibited if there is insufficient space at the destination for the new file or if the updated file or a newer version thereof already exists at the destination. Unnecessary file transfers are thereby prevented and connection time of the remote/mobile network is further reduced.
  • Figure 1 is a block diagram of a known remote/mobile communications system with which the present invention may be used.
  • Figures 2A - 2B are a flowchart illustrating operations for preventing unnecessary file transfers between a server and a remote/mobile node according to the present invention.
  • remote/mobile communication system 100 includes a local area network (LAN) 102.
  • Mainframe computer 104, LAN workstations 106, a LAN file server 108 and a LAN database 112 are provided and interconnected in a manner well known to those having skill in the art.
  • one or more remote/mobile servers 110 are attached to the LAN 102.
  • Each remote/mobile server may be a personal computer running in the OS/2 operating environment and which runs RemoteWare Versions 1.0-1.4 marketed by the assignee of the present invention.
  • RemoteWare Versions 1.0-1.4 act as the control point for information management, providing the resource management, scheduling, communication services, information monitoring and control services needed by the remote/mobile network.
  • RemoteWare Version 1.4 is described in a manual entitled "i.e- ⁇ .otel-are SERVER Opera ti ons Guide, Sof tware Rel ease 1 . 4 " , Copyright 1992, XcelleNet, Inc. , the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
  • Remote/mobile servers 110 are linked to a remote/mobile communications network 120.
  • Remote/mobile communications network 120 includes various wire line connections such as switched analog, ISDN, and X.25 or wireless connections such as switched and digital cellular, satellite and radio frequency.
  • a large number (typically hundreds or thousands) of remote/mobile data processing nodes 116a- 116f are connected to remote/mobile communications network 120.
  • Each remote/mobile data processing node also referred to herein as a "node" includes a data processing unit which is temporarily and intermittently linked to server 110.
  • Nodes 116 may include laptop computers 116a, personal computers 116b, Macintosh computers 116c, point-of-sale systems 116d, pen-based systems 116e and other remote LANs 116f.
  • remote/mobile data processing nodes 116 may include any microprocessor driven units such as cellular telephones, personal digital assistants and other workstations and terminals.
  • Each node 116 preferably runs a node software program m oackground, and which operates m conjunction with the remote/mobile server 110.
  • the node software initiates or responds to communications sessions, supports interactive remote console sessions, relays node status information to the server 110, and relays command line level instructions to the node operating system.
  • An example of node software is RemoteWare Node Version 1.4, marketed by the assignee of the present application.
  • RemoteWare Node Version 1.4 is described m a publication entitled "__e-r.ote.Vare SERVER Setup Guide , Sof tware Rel ease 1 . 4 " , Copyright 1992, XcelleNet, Inc., the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
  • the remote/mobile communication system is designed to reduce connect time. By reducing connect time, the costs of the physical network, such as a cellular phone networ ⁇ or a long distance phone line network, are minimized.
  • the first aspect prevents unnecessary file transfer when insufficient storage space is available at the destination to store the file.
  • the first aspect prevents unnecessary file transfer when insufficient storage space is available at the destination to store the file.
  • the storage capacity such as the hard drive capacity
  • the user of the remote/mobile node will typically not be aware of the size of the file which is being transferred.
  • a transfer is typically initiated and then aborted in midstream if storage space capacity is exceeded.
  • an aborted transfer consumes valuable connection time.
  • a file transfer does not take place until it is first verified that sufficient storage space is available at the destination. If insufficient storage space is available at the destination, the transfer is inhibited.
  • the remote/mobile computing environment is often used to provide updates of reports, memoranda, software applications or other files from the server to a remote/mobile node.
  • the remote/mobile node may provide an updated report, memo, software application cr other files to the server Since the remote/mobile node is only temporarily and intermittently connected to the server, either the remote/mobile node or the server may obtain updated files from other sources. Accordingly, transfer of an updated version thereafter may be unnecessary. Moreover, transfer of the supposedly updated version may actually be harmful f the transferred file overwrites a version of the file which s even more recently updated. According to the invention, prior to transfer of a file which includes a timestamp associated therewith, the updated timestamp is compared to the existing timestamp Transfer of the file to the destination is inhibited if the updated timestamp is equal to (same as) or earlier than the existing timestamp.
  • the above-described storage space checking and timestamp checking operations may be used independently in order to prevent unnecessary file transfers between a server and a remote/mobile node.
  • a determination is first made as to whether a file transfer is required File transfers may be required m a remote/mobile communication system for various reasons, including but not limited to report distribution, electronic software distribution and database queries If a file transfer ⁇ s required, then at Block 204 a remote/mobile link between the node and server is established.
  • the establishment of remote/mobile link between the node and the server is known to those having skill m the art and need not be described further herein.
  • a preferred system for establishing a remote/mobile link is XcelleNet RemoteWare.
  • the remote/mobile link may be established for the sole purpose of file transfer, or file transfer operations may be combined with other communications.
  • the destination is directed to indicate to the source an amount of storage space which is available at the destination for storing the file. For example, a CHECKDISK command may be sent from the source to the destination.
  • the destination provides an indication as to whether sufficient storage space is available for storage of the file.
  • the CHECKDISK command issued from the source to the destination may command the destination to indicate the number of megabytes of disk space which are available at the destination.
  • a command may be issued to indicate the percentage of disk space which is unused.
  • a command may be issued to the destination for the destination to indicate whether the available storage space exceeds a particular threshold, for example if the storage space is more than 90% full .
  • the destination responds at Block 208 with an appropriate reply.
  • tne source applies a "CHECKDISK” command at Block 206 and the destination returns a "Node Disk Full” message at Block 208 if the node' s default drive is more than 90% full. If the "Node Disk Full” message s received, the transfer will be inhibited.
  • an alarm (Block 212 ⁇ may be set at either the source, destination, or both. The alarm may be a message to the user of the node, the administrator of the server, or both, in the form of an audible alarm or any other known alarm, such as an error message.
  • a dialog box may be provided at the server to allow entry of a server file name and path and the node file name and path for the files to be compared.
  • a CHECK IF NEWER command is issued by the server at Block 216.
  • a value of TRUE is returned by tne node f the node file is newer than the server file, at BIOCK 218. Similar operations may be performed for transfers from the node to the server.
  • a test is made as to whether other remote/mobile communication is required.
  • Other remote/mobile communication may be required to transfer other files or for other reasons having to do with the session which is taking place between the server and the remote/mobile node. If other communication is re ⁇ uired, then at EIOC 224 the other communication is performed. If other communication is not required, then at Block 226, the remote/mobile link is deactivated. Accordingly, unnecessary file transfers between the server and remote/mobile nodes are prevented.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
  • Signal Processing (AREA)
  • Computer And Data Communications (AREA)
  • Information Transfer Between Computers (AREA)

Abstract

Il est possible d'éviter les transferts de fichiers entre un serveur de traitement des données (104) et une pluralité de n÷uds mobiles/éloignés (116) reliés temporairement et de manière intermittente au serveur, lorsque la capacité de stockage disponible à la destination est insuffisante ou qu'une version mise à jour du fichier existant ne présente pas de nouveautés par rapport audit fichier existant. Le transfert des fichiers ne peut se faire si on découvre, en contrôlant la capacité de stockage disponible sur le disque ou toute autre capacité de stockage, que cette capacité est insuffisante. Le transfert d'une version mise à jour d'un fichier est empêché si la date de mise à jour n'est pas plus récente que celle existant à la destination. On évite ainsi les transferts inutiles de fichiers tout en réduisant le temps de connexion pour la liaison éloignée/mobile.
PCT/US1995/014490 1994-12-02 1995-11-21 Procede et systeme permettant d'eviter les transferts inutiles de fichiers entre un serveur et un noeud eloigne WO1996017460A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU45940/96A AU4594096A (en) 1994-12-02 1995-11-21 Methods and systems for preventing unnecessary file transfers between a server and a remote node

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US34859694A 1994-12-02 1994-12-02
US08/348,596 1994-12-02

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1996017460A1 true WO1996017460A1 (fr) 1996-06-06
WO1996017460A9 WO1996017460A9 (fr) 1996-08-08

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PCT/US1995/014490 WO1996017460A1 (fr) 1994-12-02 1995-11-21 Procede et systeme permettant d'eviter les transferts inutiles de fichiers entre un serveur et un noeud eloigne

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AU (1) AU4594096A (fr)
WO (1) WO1996017460A1 (fr)

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998042101A2 (fr) * 1997-03-14 1998-09-24 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Regulation de transfert de donnees et traitement de donnees reparti
WO2000045612A1 (fr) * 1999-01-29 2000-08-03 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Capacite de memoire requise pour terminaux mobiles
EP1402742A2 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2004-03-31 Nokia Corporation Systeme et procede de distribution et de mise a jour de donnees transmises a un terminal mobile
EP1578126A2 (fr) * 2004-03-19 2005-09-21 Microsoft Corporation Procédé et appareil de traitemente de métadonnées
GB2432088A (en) * 2005-11-03 2007-05-09 Hewlett Packard Development Co Controlling data transfer based on availability of storage
WO2008134454A3 (fr) * 2007-04-25 2009-03-12 Apple Inc Accès à des métadonnées avec un hôte externe
US7562157B2 (en) 1996-04-10 2009-07-14 Inpro Licensing Sarl Simplified-file hyper text protocol
US7702935B2 (en) 2006-01-25 2010-04-20 Apple Inc. Reporting flash memory operating voltages
US7861122B2 (en) 2006-01-27 2010-12-28 Apple Inc. Monitoring health of non-volatile memory
US8307356B2 (en) * 2002-08-28 2012-11-06 Pilz Gmbh & Co. Kg Safety controller and method for loading a new operating program onto the safety controller
US8972464B2 (en) 2005-05-25 2015-03-03 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc File handling for naming conflicts

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1991002313A1 (fr) * 1989-08-03 1991-02-21 International Business Machines Corporation Reseau de traitement de donnees
EP0433077A2 (fr) * 1989-12-15 1991-06-19 NCR International, Inc. Méthode de transmission de données
EP0512174A1 (fr) * 1991-05-08 1992-11-11 Semaphore, Inc. Appareil et méthode de transmission de données en parallèle et basée sur des règles

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1991002313A1 (fr) * 1989-08-03 1991-02-21 International Business Machines Corporation Reseau de traitement de donnees
EP0433077A2 (fr) * 1989-12-15 1991-06-19 NCR International, Inc. Méthode de transmission de données
EP0512174A1 (fr) * 1991-05-08 1992-11-11 Semaphore, Inc. Appareil et méthode de transmission de données en parallèle et basée sur des règles

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
B.DEPOMPA: "LETTING THE PCS CHECK IN, REMOTEWARE CUTS THE COST OF LINKING CENTRAL MAINFRAMES AND OFF-SITE COMPUTERS", INFORMATIONWEEK, no. 451, 15 November 1993 (1993-11-15), US, pages 43 - 45, XP000568592 *

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7562157B2 (en) 1996-04-10 2009-07-14 Inpro Licensing Sarl Simplified-file hyper text protocol
WO1998042101A3 (fr) * 1997-03-14 1998-12-03 British Telecomm Regulation de transfert de donnees et traitement de donnees reparti
US6088732A (en) * 1997-03-14 2000-07-11 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Control of data transfer and distributed data processing based on resource currently available at remote apparatus
AU732658B2 (en) * 1997-03-14 2001-04-26 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Control of data transfer and distributed data processing
WO1998042101A2 (fr) * 1997-03-14 1998-09-24 British Telecommunications Public Limited Company Regulation de transfert de donnees et traitement de donnees reparti
WO2000045612A1 (fr) * 1999-01-29 2000-08-03 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Capacite de memoire requise pour terminaux mobiles
US6728532B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2004-04-27 Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson (Publ) Memory requirements for mobile terminals
EP1402742A2 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2004-03-31 Nokia Corporation Systeme et procede de distribution et de mise a jour de donnees transmises a un terminal mobile
EP1402742A4 (fr) * 2001-05-30 2008-06-04 Nokia Corp Systeme et procede de distribution et de mise a jour de donnees transmises a un terminal mobile
US8307356B2 (en) * 2002-08-28 2012-11-06 Pilz Gmbh & Co. Kg Safety controller and method for loading a new operating program onto the safety controller
EP1578126A2 (fr) * 2004-03-19 2005-09-21 Microsoft Corporation Procédé et appareil de traitemente de métadonnées
US8972464B2 (en) 2005-05-25 2015-03-03 Microsoft Technology Licensing, Llc File handling for naming conflicts
GB2432088A (en) * 2005-11-03 2007-05-09 Hewlett Packard Development Co Controlling data transfer based on availability of storage
GB2432088B (en) * 2005-11-03 2010-06-09 Hewlett Packard Development Co Method for controlling data transfers through a computer system
US7903556B2 (en) 2005-11-03 2011-03-08 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. Method of controlling data transfers between nodes in a computer system
US7702935B2 (en) 2006-01-25 2010-04-20 Apple Inc. Reporting flash memory operating voltages
US7861122B2 (en) 2006-01-27 2010-12-28 Apple Inc. Monitoring health of non-volatile memory
WO2008134454A3 (fr) * 2007-04-25 2009-03-12 Apple Inc Accès à des métadonnées avec un hôte externe

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