United States
`(19)
`a2) Patent Application Publication 0) Pub. No.: US 2009/0187654 Al
`Raja et al.
`(43) Pub. Date:
`Jul. 23, 2009
`
`
`US 20090187654A1
`
`Related U.S. Application Data
`
`(60) Provisional application No. 60/977,996,filed on Oct.
`5, 2007.
`
`Publication Classification
`
`(51)
`
`Int. Cl.
`(2006.01)
`GO6F 15/173
`(52) US. C1. cece ese cneeneeneeneeeesessesecsseaeaecneees 709/224
`67)
`ABSTRACT
`The present application is related methods to monitora state
`of one or more components of a remote access server farm by
`an intermediary to distinguish between operating and func-
`tional components and improve farm availability for user
`application requests. The intermediary may be deployed
`between a client and the remote access server farm and for-
`wards client requests to functional components of the remote
`access server farm.
`
`
`
`(54) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
`MONITORING COMPONENTSOF A
`REMOTE ACCESS SERVER FARM
`
`(75)
`
`Inventors:
`
`Murali Raja, Bangalore (IN);
`Sandeep Kamath,Bangalore (IN)
`
`Correspondence Address:
`CHOATE, HALL & STEWART/ CITRIX SYS-
`TEMS,INC.
`TWO INTERNATIONAL PLACE
`BOSTON, MA 02110 (US)
`
`(73) Assignee:
`
`Citrix Systems, Inc. Silicon Valley,
`Santa Clara, CA (US)
`
`(21) Appl. No.:
`
`12/236,016
`
`(22)
`
`Filed:
`
`Sep. 23, 2008
`
`
`
`ee
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`195
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`
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`
`106
`
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`
`Server
`
`106A
`
`Data Co Exhibit 1034
`Data Co Exhibit 1034
`Data Co v. Bright Data
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`Data Cov. Bright Data
`
`

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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 23, 2009 Sheet 23 of 26
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`US 2009/0187654 Al
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`Presentation
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`

`

`Patent Application Publication
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`Jul. 23, 2009 Sheet 24 of 26
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`US 2009/0187654 Al
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`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 23, 2009 Sheet 25 of 26
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`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`840
`
`establishing monitor(s) for one or more interface services
`
`Step 850
`
`transmitting by one or more monitors a request
`for a predetermined published application from the one
`or more interface services;indicating no load bias
`
`Step 852
`
`receiving responsesby the monitors from the one or more
`interface services
`
`Step 854
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`
`
`
`
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`If do not receive response
`interface service not operational
`Step 855
`
`
`
`Step 856
`Does response
`identify hostid
`from remote access
`server farm?
`
`No
`
`
`
`determine interface serviceis
`operational and functional
`
`determine interface service is
`operational but not functional
`
`Step 858
`
`Step 860
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`include in load balancing rotation
`for interface services; forward requests
`to functional interface services
`Step 862
`
`exclude in load balancing rotation for
`interface services: do not forward
`requests to non-functional interface
`services
`
`Step 864
`
`Fig. SB
`
`

`

`Patent Application Publication
`
`Jul. 23, 2009 Sheet 26 of 26
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`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`875
`2 —>
`
`establishing monitor(s) for one or more webinterfaces
`
`transmitting by one or more monitors a request
`for a default wage page from the one
`or more web interfaces; indicating no load bias
`
`
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`Step 880
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`Step 882
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`Step 864
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`receiving responses by the monitors from the one or more
`webinterfaces
`
`
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`If do not receive response
`webinterface not operational
`Step 885
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`No
`
`
`Step 886
`Hoes response
`
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`have predetermined
`
`
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`responsestring or
`
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`code (e.g. set
`
`cookie header
`
`
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`Yes
`
`determine webinterface is
`operational and functional
`
`determine web interfaceis
`operational but not functional
`
`Step 888
`
`Step 890
`
`
`
`
`
`
`Fig. &C
`
`include in load balancing rotation
`for webinterfaces; forward requests
`to functional web interfaces
`
`Step 892
`
`Step 894
`
`exclude in load balancing rotation for
`web interfaces; do not forward
`requests to non-functional web
`
`
`

`

`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`Jul. 23, 2009
`
`functioning. The appliance may determinea componentis not
`functional based on the monitored response and remove the
`non-functional componentfrom consideration in traffic man-
`agement decisions. In this manner, the appliance avoidsfor-
`warding requests to non-functional components ofthe remote
`access server farm.
`
`SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR
`MONITORING COMPONENTSOF A
`REMOTE ACCESS SERVER FARM
`
`RELATED APPLICATIONS
`
`[0001] This application is related and claimspriority to the
`following provisional US Application: “Systems and Meth-
`ods for Distributing Remote Technical Support via a Central-
`ized Service,” U.S. Application No. 60/977,996, filed Oct. 5,
`2007, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
`
`FIELD OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0002] The present application generally relates to data
`communication networks. In particular, the present applica-
`tion relates to systems and methods for monitoring the opera-
`tional and functional state of components of a remote access
`server farm.
`
`BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION
`
`In one aspect, the present invention is related to a
`[0006]
`method to monitor a state of one or more components of a
`remote access server farm by an intermediary to distinguish
`between operating and functional components and improve
`farm availability for user application requests. The interme-
`diary may be deployed between a client and the remote access
`server farm and forwards client requests to functional com-
`ponents of the remote access server farm. The method
`includes transmitting, by one or more monitoring agents of
`the intermediary, a request for availability of a predetermined
`application to each ofa plurality of interface services provid-
`ing an enumeratedlist of published applications available via
`a server in the remote access server farm. A monitoring agent
`ofthe one or more monitoring agents receivesa first response
`to the request fromafirst interface service. The first response
`[0003] Users may access one or more applications via a
`includes a host identifier of a server of the remote access
`remote access server farm. For example, a corporate network
`server farm available for providing the predetermined appli-
`may include one or more data centers each with a remote
`cation. From thefirst response, the intermediary identifies the
`access server farm. The remote access server farm may
`first interface service as operational and functional. A moni-
`include multiple access or infrastructure components for
`toring agent ofthe intermediary receives a second response to
`managing access to the server farm. The corporate entity may
`the request from a second interface service. The second
`deploy these components via one or more servers. As such,
`response doesnotidentify a host of the remote access server
`the user mayaccessthese applications via one or more servers
`farm for providing the predeterminedapplication. In response
`deploying multiple components to gain access to the server
`to the second response, the intermediary determines, the sec-
`farm ofthe data center. To complicate matters, these compo-
`ond interface service is operational and not functional. The
`nents, servers and server farms may belocated in different
`interface service may include an XMLservice providing the
`locations and managedbydifferent internal and external per-
`sonnel.
`enumerated list of published applications available from a
`presentation server farm.
`the method includes not
`[0007]
`In some embodiments,
`receiving by the intermediary the second response from the
`second interface service and determining the secondinterface
`service is not operational. In another embodiment, the inter-
`mediary excluded operations and not functional interface
`servers in a load balancing rotation of interface services. In
`other embodiments, the intermediary includes operational
`and functional interface services in a load balancing rotation
`of interface services. In one embodiment, the monitoring
`agent receivesthe first response providing the hostidentifier
`of the least loaded server in the remote access server farm.
`
`[0004] Any oneof these multiple components may have an
`error. In some cases, these errors may not be trapped or
`otherwise readily apparent to any of the administration per-
`sonnel. For example, a component may be running or execut-
`ing or a server but providing invalid responses. These types of
`untrapped errors may be challenging for the administration
`personnel to find. Furthermore, to resolve these errors the
`administration personnel may need to coordinate multiple
`other personnel to diagnose and repair the condition. With
`any of these components having anerror, the user’s access to
`the remote access server farm may be hindered or perfor-
`mance degraded.
`
`BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`[0005] The presentsolution is directed towards monitoring
`and determining a state of one or more components of a
`remote access server farm by an intermediary to distinguish
`between operating and functional components and improve
`farm availability for user application requests. The interme-
`diary may be deployed between a client and the remote access
`server farm and forwards client requests to functional com-
`ponents ofthe remote access server farm. For example, one or
`more appliances may be deployed between a client and a Web
`Interface broker to a Citrix Presentation Server farm, and
`between the Web Interface Broker and XMLinterface service
`
`to the Citrix Presentation Server Farm. The appliances may
`monitor these components of the server farm to determine
`whether or not the Web Interface and XMLInterfaces ser-
`
`vices are operation and functional. These services may be
`considered functional based on responses from the services
`having certain expected content that indicate the service is
`
`In another embodiment, the intermediary receives a
`[0008]
`request from a client for an enumerated list of published
`applications available from the remote access server farm,
`and determinesto distribute the client request to a functional
`and operational interface service of the plurality of interface
`services. In some embodiments, the intermediary receives a
`third response from the second interface service. The third
`response includes the host identifier of the server from the
`remote host server farm for providing the predetermined
`application. The intermediary determines from the third
`response that the second interface service is operational and
`functional. In some embodiments, the monitoring agents fur-
`ther transmit the request to include an indication to not adjust
`a load of a serverin the remote access server farmer based on
`the request.
`[0009]
`In one embodiment, the intermediary determines
`from thefirst response a host cache on the serverproviding the
`first interface service is valid. The intermediary may also
`determine from the first response one of a service or a
`
`

`

`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`Jul. 23, 2009
`
`dynamic store of a zone data collector of the remote access
`server farm is one of functional or valid. In another embodi-
`
`and better understood by referring to the following descrip-
`tion taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in
`which:
`
`ment, the intermediary determines from the first response a
`presentation server of the remote access server farm is avail-
`able with the requested application.
`[0010]
`In another aspect, the present inventionis related to
`a method to monitora state of one or more components of a
`remote access server farm by an intermediary to distinguish
`between operating and functional components and improve
`farm availability for user application requests. The interme-
`diary may be deployed between a client and the remote access
`server farm and forwarding client requests to functional com-
`ponents of the remote access server farm. The method
`includes transmitting by one or more monitoring agentsofthe
`intermediary a predetermined default web interface page to
`each of a plurality of web interfaces providing a browser
`based depiction of the remote access server farm. A monitor-
`FIGS. 1E and 1F are block diagrams of embodi-
`[0019]
`ing agent ofthe one or more monitoring agentsreceivesa first
`ments of a computing device;
`response to the request from a first web interface. Thefirst
`[0020]
`FIG. 2A isa block diagram of an embodimentof an
`response includesa header identifying a setting of a cookie.
`appliance for processing communications between a client
`The intermediary identifies from the first response thefirst
`and a server;
`webinterface as operational and functional. The intermediary
`[0021]
`FIG. 2B is a block diagram of another embodiment
`via received a second responseto the request from a second
`of an appliance for optimizing, accelerating, load-balancing
`web interface. The second response does not include the
`and routing communications between a client and a server;
`headeridentifying the setting of the cookie. The intermediary
`[0022]
`FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodimentof a
`determines from the second response the second web inter-
`client for communicating with a server via the appliance;
`face is operational and not functional. The intermediary trans-
`[0023]
`FIG. 4A is a block diagram of an embodiment of
`mits a request from the clientto an operational and functional
`client nodes in communication with a group of server nodes
`webinterface ofthe plurality of web interfaces.
`via a network;
`[0011]
`In some embodiments, the intermediary does not
`[0024]
`FIG.4Bis a block diagram illustrating an embodi-
`receive the second response from the second webservice, and
`ment of a process by which one of the server nodes may
`determining the second webserviceis not operational. In one
`initiate execution of an application program for determining
`embodiment, the intermediary excludes operational but not
`the program neighborhoodofa client node;
`functional web interfaces in a load balancingrotation of web
`[0025]
`FIG. 4C is a block diagram illustrating an embodi-
`interface services. In another embodiment, the intermediary
`mentof a process by which a client node mayinitiate execu-
`includes operational and functional web interfaces in a load
`tion of an application program for determining the program
`balancing rotation.
`neighborhoodofthat client node;
`[0012]
`In other embodiments, the intermediary receives a
`[0026]
`FIG. 4D is a block diagram illustrating an embodi-
`third response from the second web interface. The third
`ment of a process by which a client node uses a web browser
`response includes the header identifying the setting of the
`application to determineits program neighborhood;
`cookie. The intermediary determines from the third response
`[0027]
`FIGS. 4E, 4F and 4G are block diagramsillustrating
`the second web interface is operational and functional. In
`an embodiment of a process by which a client node may
`various embodiments, the first web interface or the second
`launch an application program from a Program Neighbor-
`webinterface transmits a requestto an interfaceservice for an
`hood window displayedat that client node;
`enumeratedlist of published applications available from the
`[0028]
`FIG. 4H is a block diagram illustrating an embodi-
`remote access server farm. In one embodiment, a second
`ment of a process by which a client node may launch an
`intermediary receives the request for the interface service,
`application program from a Program Neighborhood web
`and distributes the request to one ofa plurality of interface
`page displayedat that client node;
`services identified by the second intermediary as functional
`[0029]
`FIG. 4J is a block diagram ofa client-based com-
`and operational. The intermediary via one or more monitor-
`puting embodimentin which a client node havinganinstalled
`ing agents may monitor responses to the request from the
`program neighborhoodapplication is in communication with
`plurality of web services to determine the responses com-
`one of the server nodes;
`prises a predetermined response codeindicating the web ser-
`vice is functional. In some embodiments, the intermediary
`[0030]
`FIG. 5A is a block diagram ofa server-based com-
`determines the responses include a predetermined response
`puting embodimentin whichaclient node is in communica-
`string indicating the web service is functional.
`tion with a server node having an installed program neigh-
`[0013] The details ofvarious embodimentsof the invention
`borhoodapplication program;
`are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the descrip-
`[0031]
`FIG. 5B is a screen shot of an embodimentof a
`tion below.
`display on the screen of a client node after the program
`neighborhood application program is executed;
`[0032]
`FIG. 6 is a flow chart depicting an embodimentof
`steps ofa process by which a client nodeis informedas to the
`availability for use ofapplication programson the application
`servers;
`
`FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an embodimentof a
`[0015]
`network environment for a client to access a server via an
`
`appliance;
`[0016]
`FIG. 1B isa block diagram of an embodimentof an
`environmentfor delivering a computing environmentfrom a
`server to a client via an appliance;
`[0017]
`FIG. 1C isa block diagram of an embodimentof an
`environmentfor delivering a computing environmentfrom a
`server to a client via a plurality of appliances;
`[0018]
`FIG. 1D isa block diagram of an embodimentof an
`environment for delivering a computing environment froma
`server to a client and having a performance monitoring ser-
`vice;
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
`
`[0014] The foregoing and other objects, aspects, features,
`and advantages of the invention will become more apparent
`
`

`

`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`Jul. 23, 2009
`
`FIG. 7A is a diagram depicting an embodiment of a
`[0033]
`data flow traversing an appliance and components ofa remote
`access server farm;
`[0034]
`FIG. 7Bisadiagram depicting another embodiment
`of a data flow traversing one or more appliance sand compo-
`nents of a remote access server farm;
`[0035]
`FIG. 7C is a block diagram depicting an embodi-
`ment of appliances load balancing components providing
`access to a remote access server farm;
`[0036]
`FIG. 8A is a block diagram depicting an embodi-
`ment of an appliance monitoring functional and operational
`state of one or more components of a remote access server
`farm;
`FIG. 8B isa flow diagram depicting an embodiment
`[0037]
`of steps of a method for determining the functional state of
`interface service components of a remote access server farm;
`and
`
`via one or more networks 104, 104' (generally referred to as
`network 104). In some embodiments, a client 102 communi-
`cates with a server 106 via an appliance 200.
`[0048] Although FIG. 1A shows a network 104 anda net-
`work 104' between the clients 102 and the servers 106, the
`clients 102 and the servers 106 may be on the same network
`104. The networks 104 and 104' can be the sametype of
`network or different types of networks. The network 104
`and/or the network 104' can be a local-area network (LAN),
`such as a company Intranet, a metropolitan area network
`(MAN), or a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet
`or the World Wide Web. In one embodiment, network 104'
`may bea private network and network 104 may be a public
`network. In some embodiments, network 104 may bea pri-
`vate network and network 104' a public network. In another
`embodiment, networks 104 and 104' may both beprivate
`networks. In some embodiments, clients 102 may be located
`at a branchoffice ofa corporate enterprise communicating via
`a WANconnection over the network 104 to the servers 106
`
`FIG. 8Cis a flow diagram depicting an embodiment
`[0038]
`of steps of a method for determining the functional state of
`webinterface components of a remote access server farm.
`located at a corporate data center.
`[0039] The features and advantagesofthe present invention
`[0049] The network 104 and/or 104' be any type and/or
`will become more apparent from the detailed description set
`form ofnetwork and mayincludeanyofthe following: a point
`forth below whentaken in conjunction with the drawings, in
`to point network, a broadcast network, a wide area network, a
`which like reference characters identify corresponding ele-
`local area network, a telecommunications network, a data
`ments throughout. In the drawings, like reference numbers
`communication network, a computer network, an ATM
`generally indicate identical,
`functionally similar, and/or
`(Asynchronous Transfer Mode) network, a SONET (Syn-
`structurally similar elements.
`chronous Optical Network) network, a SDH (Synchronous
`Digital Hierarchy) network, a wireless network andawireline
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
`network. In some embodiments, the network 104 may com-
`prise a wireless link, such as an infrared channelorsatellite
`band. The topology of the network 104 and/or 104' may be a
`bus, star, or ring network topology. The network 104 and/or
`104' and network topology may be of any such network or
`network topology as knownto those ordinarily skilled in the
`art capable of supporting the operations described herein.
`[0050] As shown in FIG. 1A,the appliance 200, which also
`maybereferred to as an interface unit 200 or gateway 200, is
`shown between the networks 104 and 104". In some embodi-
`
`For purposes of reading the description ofthe vari-
`[0040]
`ous embodimentsof the present invention below,the follow-
`ing descriptions of the sections of the specification and their
`respective contents may be helpful:
`[0041]
`Section A describes a network environment and
`computing environment useful
`for practicing an
`embodimentof the present invention;
`[0042]
`Section B describes embodiments ofa system and
`appliance architecture for acceleraling delivery of a
`computing environmentto a remote user;
`[0043]
`Section C describes embodiments of a client
`agent for accelerating communications between a client
`anda server;
`[0044]
`Section D describes embodiments of systems and
`methods for providing a Program Neighborhood and
`Access to Remote Access Server Farm;
`[0045]
`Section E describes embodiments of systems and
`methods for load balancing components of a remote
`Access Server farm; and
`[0046]
`Section F describes embodiments of systems and
`methods for monitoring operational and functionalstate
`of components of the remote access server farm.
`
`A. Network and Computing Environment
`
`Prior to discussing the specifics of embodiments of
`[0047]
`the systems and methodsof an appliance and/orclient, it may
`be helpful to discuss the network and computing environ-
`ments in which such embodiments may be deployed. Refer-
`ring now to FIG. 1A, an embodimentof a network environ-
`mentis depicted. In brief overview, the network environment
`comprises one or more clients 102a-102n (also generally
`referred to as local machine(s) 102, or client(s) 102) in com-
`munication with one or more servers 106a-1067 (also gener-
`ally referred to as server(s) 106, or remote machine(s) 106)
`
`ments, the appliance 200 maybe located on network 104. For
`example, a branchoffice of a corporate enterprise may deploy
`an appliance 200 at the branch office. In other embodiments,
`the appliance 200 may be located on network 104’. For
`example, an appliance 200 may be located at a corporate data
`center. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of appliances
`200 may be deployed on network 104. In some embodiments,
`a plurality of appliances 200 may be deployed on network
`104’. In one embodiment,a first appliance 200 communicates
`with a second appliance 200'. In other embodiments, the
`appliance 200 could be a part of any client 102 or server 106
`on the sameordifferent network 104, 104' as the client 102.
`One or more appliances 200 maybe located at any point in the
`network or network communications path between a client
`102 and a server 106.
`
`Insome embodiments, the appliance 200 comprises
`[0051]
`any of the network devices manufactured by Citrix Systems,
`Inc. of Ft. Lauderdale Fla., referred to as Citrix NetScaler
`devices. In other embodiments, the appliance 200 includes
`any of the product embodimentsreferred to as WebAccelera-
`tor and BigIP manufactured by F5 Networks, Inc. of Seattle,
`Wash. In another embodiment, the appliance 205 includes
`any of the DX acceleration device platforms and/or the SSL
`VPNseries of devices, such as SA 700, SA 2000, SA 4000,
`and SA 6000 devices manufactured by Juniper Networks, Inc.
`of Sunnyvale, Calif. In yet another embodiment, the appli-
`
`

`

`US 2009/0187654 Al
`
`Jul. 23, 20