Team processing using dynamic licenses
View Patent ↗Devices may be grouped into teams by a team identifier configured for each device. Within the team, one device may be selected as a control device for handling requests made to the team. A team address is assigned to the team for directing communications from the client. The control device parses messages addressed to the team address and forwards requests to slave devices in the team. The control device may perform load balancing of the slave devices when directed messages to the slave devices. Device teams may be used to assign dynamic licenses to the clients.
1. A method, comprising:
initializing, by a device with an assigned team identifier, communication on a network;
searching, by the device, for at least one other team device on the network with the shared team identifier;
assuming control, by the device, as the team's control device if the device has the highest assigned priority, wherein the control device is configured to be the only device within the team that communicates with a client, the control device is configured not to provide any dynamic license itself, the control device is further configured to:
receive, at a team address, at least one message from the client, in which the at least one message includes a request for a dynamic license, wherein the dynamic license allows a number of requested licenses to be adjusted by the client,
parse the at least one message received from the client,
assign a team device, using the team device's device address, to provide the dynamic license, and
pass on the dynamic license provided by the team device;
wherein the team identifier comprises a team identifier portion and an intra team identifier portion; the team identifier portion being utilized to identify devices that are members of a same team, and the intra-team identifier portion being utilized to identify itself separate from other device in the team.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a heartbeat to the team having a license capacity of the device.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the device is the control device, determining a license capacity of the team.
4. The method of claim 3 , in which the license capacity is determined by calculating a license capacity of the team when one device of the team fails.
5. The method of claim 1 , in which the step of assign a team device comprises load balancing by distributing the messages received at the team address to team devices.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, when the device is the control device, administering other team devices from a user interface of the control device.
7. A computer program product, comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising:
code to initialize, by a device with an assigned team identifier, communication on a network;
code to search, by the device, for at least one other device on the network with the shared team identifier;
code to, assume control, by the device, as the team's control device if the device has the highest assigned priority, wherein the device is configured to be the only device within the team that communicates with a client, the device is configured not to provide any dynamic license itself, the device is further configured to:
receive, at a team address, at least one message from the client, in which the at least one message includes a request for a dynamic license, wherein the dynamic license allows a number of requested licenses to be adjusted by the client,
parse the at least one message received from the client,
assign a team device, using the team device's device address, to provide the dynamic license, and
pass on the dynamic license provided by the team device;
wherein the team identifier comprises a team identifier portion and an intra-team identifier portion; the team identifier portion being utilized, to identify devices that are members of a same team, and the intra-team identifier portion being utilized to identify itself separate from other device in the team.
8. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the medium further comprises code to transmit a heartbeat to the team having a license capacity of the device.
9. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the medium further comprises code to, when the device is the control device, determine a license capacity of the team.
10. The computer program product of claim 9 , in which the medium further comprises code to calculate a license capacity of the team when one device of the team fails.
11. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the medium further comprises code to load balance by distributing the messages received at the team address to team members.
12. The computer program product of claim 7 , in which the medium further comprises code to when the device is the control device, administer other team devices from a user interface of the control device.
13. An apparatus, comprising:
a memory configured to store a team identifier for assigning the apparatus to a team;
a network interface; and
a processor coupled to the memory and to the network interface, in which the processor is configured:
to initialize communication on a network through the network interface;
to search for at least one other device on the network having the team identifier;
to assume control such that the apparatus is the team's control device if the processor has the highest assigned priority, wherein the control device is configured to be the only device within the team that communicates with a client, the control device is configured not to provide license itself, the control device is further configured to:
receive, at a team address, at least one message from the client, in which the at least one message includes a request for a dynamic license, wherein the dynamic license allows a number of requested licenses to be adjusted by the client,
parse the at least one message received from the client,
assign a team device, using the team device's device address, to provide the dynamic license, and
pass on the dynamic license provided by the team device;
wherein the team identifier comprises a team identifier portion and an intra-team identifier portion; the team identifier portion being utilized to identify devices that are members of a same team, and the intra-team identifier portion being utilized to identify itself separate from other device in the team.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is further configured to transmit a heartbeat through the network interface to the team having a license capacity of the device.
15. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is further configured to, when the device is the control device, determine a license capacity of the team.
16. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is further configured to load balance by distributing the messages received at the team address to team devices.
17. The apparatus of claim 13 , in which the processor is further configured to present a user interface to configure team devices.
18. The method of claim 1 , in which the team's control device is further configured to: receive dynamic license requests from the at least one other team device if the at least one other team device does not have an available dynamic license.