System and method for prefetching uncacheable embedded objects
View Patent ↗A system and method for prefetching one or more embedded objects marked uncacheable using a buffer on a prefetch cache to temporarily store the uncacheable object. The buffer is allocated to a socket that is established between the prefetch cache and a server subsequent to the establishment of an initial connection. A prefetch caching process retrieves one or more embedded objects from the server using the socket based on the preconfigured set of rules. The prefetch caching process determines whether the embedded object is uncacheable, and if so loads the object into the buffer. The prefetch caching process waits a predetermined time period for client request for the object. If the request is received prior to expiration of the time period, the prefetch caching process sends the object to the client. Otherwise, the process “flushes” the buffer, thereby discarding the object, and then closes the socket.
1. A method for prefetching one or more embedded objects of a data set from a server, comprising:
intercepting a client request from a client for the data set at a prefetch cache;
prefetching the one or more embedded objects from the server in anticipation of subsequent client requests for the one or more embedded objects;
opening a socket on the prefetch cache to retrieve the one or more embedded objects from the server;
determining whether each embedded object is uncacheable;
based on the determination, loading a cacheable embedded object into one or more disks of the prefetch cache and loading an uncacheable embedded object into a buffer associated with the socket instead of in the one or more disks of the prefetch cache;
creating an entry in a cache table of the prefetch cache for the uncacheable embedded object and storing a timestamp in the entry of the cache table;
using the timestamp to determine whether the uncacheable embedded object has been stored in the buffer for longer than a threshold time period, and, if so, flushing the uncacheable embedded object from the buffer; otherwise
receiving a subsequent client request for the uncacheable embedded object; and
sending the uncacheable embedded object from the buffer to the client through the socket.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a network address in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising locating the socket using the network address stored in the entry of the cache table.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a flag in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing a file identifier in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising waiting for a client request from the client for the uncacheable embedded object.
7. An apparatus for prefetching one or more embedded objects of a data set from a server, comprising:
a processor operably coupled to a memory storing a computer-readable prefetch caching process that provides:
means for intercepting a client request from a client for the data set;
means for prefetching one or more embedded objects from the server in anticipation of subsequent client requests for the one or more embedded objects;
means for opening a socket on the apparatus to retrieve the one or more embedded objects from the server;
means for determining whether each embedded object is uncacheable;
means for loading, based on the determination, a cacheable embedded object into one or more disks of the apparatus and loading, based on the determination, an uncacheable embedded object into a buffer associated with the socket instead of in the one or more disks of the apparatus;
means for creating an entry in a cache table of the apparatus for the uncacheable embedded object;
means for storing a timestamp in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object;
means for using the timestamp to determine whether the uncacheable embedded object has been stored in the buffer for longer than a threshold time period;
means for flushing the uncacheable embedded object from the buffer if the uncacheable embedded object has been stored in the buffer for longer than the threshold time period;
means for receiving a subsequent client request for the uncacheable embedded object; and
means for sending the uncacheable embedded object to the client from the buffer through the socket.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising means for storing a network address in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising means for locating the socket using the network address stored in the entry of the cache table.
10. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising means for storing a flag in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
11. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising means for storing a file identifier in the entry of the cache table for the uncacheable embedded object.
12. The apparatus of claim 7 , further comprising means for waiting for a client request from the client for the uncacheable embedded object.
13. A system for prefetching one or more embedded objects of a dataset from a server, comprising:
a prefetch cache adapted to intercept a client request from a client directed to the server for the data set;
a prefetch caching process that executes on the prefetch cache, the prefetch caching process adapted to anticipate subsequent client requests based on a preconfigured set of rules, to open a socket on the prefetch cache to retrieve the one or more embedded objects from the server, to determine whether each embedded object is marked uncacheable to load, based on the determination, a cacheable embedded object into one or more disks of the prefetch cache and load, based on the determination, an uncacheable embedded object into a buffer associated with the socket;
a cache table organized to include an entry for the uncacheable embedded object, wherein the entry of the cache table further stores a timestamp for the uncacheable embedded object; and
wherein the prefetch caching process is further adapted to use the timestamp stored in the entry of the cache table to determine whether the uncacheable embedded object has been stored in the buffer for longer than a threshold time period and if so, to flush the uncacheable embedded object from the buffer, otherwise to receive a subsequent client request for the uncacheable embedded object and retrieve the uncacheable embedded object from the socket.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the entry of the cache table stores a network address for the uncacheable embedded object.
15. The system of claim 14 wherein the prefetch caching process is further adapted to locate the socket using the network address stored in the entry of the cache table.
16. The system of claim 13 wherein the entry of the cache table further stores a flag for the uncacheable embedded object.
17. The system of claim 13 wherein the entry of the cache table further stores a file identifier for the uncacheable embedded object.