Embedded protocol objects
Embedded protocol objects. Dynamic and static protocol objects are mixed together at a server and included in a dynamic reply to a communication request made by a client application. In effect, static protocol objects can be embedded in dynamic replies, along with dynamic protocol objects. When a request is made by a client to receive a reply, such as a Web page using the HTTP application protocol, the server creates at least one dynamic protocol object to form at least a portion of the reply. The dynamic protocol object or objects are sent to the client application. Static protocol objects are then retrieved and sent to the client application to complete the reply to the application protocol request at the client application.
1. In a communication server, a method of responding to a client application of a computer, the method comprising:
receiving, from the client application, an application protocol request corresponding to a response that can be displayed as a combination of a dynamic portion and a static portion, wherein the dynamic portion comprises a portion of the response that changes, and wherein the static portion comprises a portion of the response that includes static protocol objects that are stored at a server prior to receiving the application protocol request;
establishing by the server a user space request structure corresponding to the application protocol request;
creating by the server a kernel request structure corresponding to the application protocol request, using data received from the client application in conjunction with the application protocol request;
updating by the server the user space request structure in accordance with the kernel request structure so that an operating system at the server can respond to the application protocol request without context switching;
creating, by the server, the dynamic portion of the response;
sending the dynamic portion of the response to the client application;
retrieving, at the server, the static portion of the response from a cache disposed in an operating system kernel of the server, wherein the server is separate from the computer, and wherein the static portion of the response is identified as static by the server; and
sending the static portion of the response that is static from the server to the client application of the computer so that the server sends the response to the request using previously-cached static protocol objects.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the cache disposed within the operating system kernel is a protocol object cache.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the application protocol request and the reply are formatted according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).
4. The method of claim 2 wherein the application protocol request and the reply are formatted according to a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP).