What is claimed is:
1. A method for providing dynamic determination of an optimum path from a remote client terminal to one of a plurality of mirrored content servers in a network, comprising:
monitoring the network to determine parameters representative of network performance;
receiving a request for content residing in said mirrored content servers from the remote client terminal;
resolving said request to a first returned content server IP address based on a default parameter;
analyzing said first returned address for compliance with a predetermined control logic based on predetermined parameters including said parameters representative of network performance, and hops between said servers and the remote client terminal;
repeating said resolving and analyzing with subsequently returned IP addresses as necessary to comply with said control logic; and
returning to said router a content server IP address complying with said control logic.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein said parameters representative of network performance comprise server load, network pipe load and server status.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein said predetermined parameters further include non-network performance parameters.
4. The method of claim 2, wherein said predetermined control logic comprises selecting one said parameter as the default parameter for identifying the first returned IP address and examining other parameters associated with said first returned IP address for compliance with threshold values.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein said default parameter is hops between the client terminal and a content server.
6. The method of claim 4, wherein said default parameter is server load.
7. The method of claim 4, wherein said default parameter is network pipe load.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving comprises:
monitoring a port for incoming requests containing IP addresses using a client request handler memory module; and
responding to the presence of an IP address request at the port by calling a best server locator memory module.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein said resolving comprises:
receiving in the best server locator module an anycast address from the client request handler module;
comparing said received anycast address from said client request handler module to a list of mirrored content server sites assigned to said received anycast address;
determining within the best server locator module if addresses stored therein match the anycast address received from a client request handler; and
selecting, upon finding a match, a mirrored content server having the least hops to the remote client terminal.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing comprises:
determining within a best server locator module if the IP address for a mirrored content server returned by said best server locator module requires a static IP redirect, and if required, returning a corresponding static redirect IP address to the remote client terminal, otherwise;
performing a server load limit check of said mirrored content server represented by said returned IP address, returning said actual IP address of said mirrored content server to said remote client terminal unless said server load limit check requires selection of an alternate mirrored content server;
selecting said alternate mirrored content server if required by said server load limit check; and
returning the IP address of said alternate mirrored content server to said remote client terminal.
11. An apparatus for determining a path from a remote client to one of a plurality of mirrored content servers in a network, said apparatus comprising a processor communicating with a memory, wherein said memory comprises modules executable by the processor, including:
a best server locator module reading predetermined parameters including at least parameters indicative of network performance and hops between content servers and client terminal, and returning a server IP address complying with a predetermined control logic based on said predetermined parameters in response to a client content request; and
a client request handler module receiving requests from and forwarding responses to remote client terminals, said client request handler module communicating with the best server locator module.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said memory further includes modules receiving network performance parameter updates and modifying data structures read by said best server locator module based on said updates.
13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said modules receiving network performance updates comprise:
a server load detector module detecting server load at said mirrored content sites;
a pipe load detector module detecting pipe load at network routers; and
a server status monitor module detecting operational status of said mirrored content servers.
14. A method for providing dynamic determination of an optimum path from a remote client terminal to one of a plurality of mirrored content servers, comprising:
monitoring the status of a plurality of mirrored content servers sharing a same anycast address;
receiving a request from a remote client terminal, said request containing said anycast address;
comparing said received anycast address to a plurality of stored anycast addresses;
matching said received anycast address to one of the said plurality of stored anycast addresses wherein said matched anycast address is associated to a physical IP address representing a least hops path from said remote client terminal to one of the plurality of said mirrored content sites;
analyzing the current status of said matched mirrored content site; and
returning said physical IP address of said matched mirrored content site to said remote client terminal.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said receiving comprises:
monitoring port 80 of a receiving device for incoming requests containing anycast addresses using a client request handler module, and;
responding to the presence of an anycast address on said port 80 by calling a best server locator module.
16. The method of claim 1, wherein said comparing comprises:
receiving in a best server locator module an anycast address from a client request handler module; and
comparing said received anycast address from said client request handler module to a list of mirrored content server sites assigned to said received anycast address.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein said matching comprises:
determining within a best server locator module if one of the said plurality of anycast addresses stored therein matches an anycast address received from a client request handler; and
selecting, upon finding a match, a mirrored content server having the least hops to the remote client terminal;
18. The method of claim 1, wherein said analyzing comprises:
determining if said physical IP address for a mirrored content server returned by a best server locator module requires a static IP redirect and, if required, returning a corresponding redirect static IP address to the remote client terminal, otherwise;
performing a server load limit check of said mirrored content server represented by said returned physical IP address, returning said actual IP address of said mirrored content server to said remote client terminal unless said server load limit check requires selection of an alternate mirrored content server; and
selecting said alternate mirrored content server if required by said server load limit check.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said server load limit check further comprises:
checking the status of the mirrored content server;
determining the data load on said mirrored content server;
determining the data load on the data pipe used by said mirrored content server; and
returning a check OK status unless an error is detected causing the client request handler module to execute an error handling routine.
20. The method of claim 14, wherein said monitoring comprises:
checking for occurrence of errors on a continuous basis;
analyzing said occurrence of said errors;
placing said errors into one of a plurality of error categories;
responding to said categorized errors in one of a plurality of ways depending upon the severity of said categorized errors; and
reporting said errors to a log.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope, which comprises:
a base,
a preliminary approach unit, movably mounted on the base,
a piezo-scanner, disposed on the preliminary approach unit,
an object holder, disposed on the piezo-scanner,
a sample, comprising a measuring area and fastened to the piezo-scanner with the aid of the object holder,
a platform, fastened to the base opposite the sample,
an analyzer, mounted on the platform and comprising a first measuring head, oriented toward the sample and adapted for probing the measuring area of the sample, and
first and second guides, fastened to the platform,
wherein the analyzer comprises a second measuring head, oriented toward the sample and adapted for probing the measuring area of the sample,
and wherein first and second measuring heads are movably mounted, respectively, on the first and second guides.
2. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, which comprises an optical unit, fastened to the base and including:
a laser module,
first two-coordinate guides, oriented toward the sample and fastened to the laser module,
a laser, movably mounted on the first two-coordinate guides and that can be optically linked with the measuring area of the sample,
a receiving module,
second two-coordinate guides, oriented toward the sample and fastened to the receiving module,
a photoreceiver, movably mounted on the second two-coordinate guides and that can be optically linked with the measuring area of the sample.
3. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, which comprises:
a first two-coordinate table, connecting the preliminary approach unit with the base,
a second two-coordinate table, and
an optical microscope, fastened to the second two-coordinate table.
4. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein the platform comprises stops with mobile screws, and wherein the first and second measuring heads are adapted to:
linearly move along the first and second guides, respectively, to stops, andor
radially move relative to the first and second guides, respectively.
5. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, which comprises:
a fluid module,
a fluid reservoir, and
a catch,
wherein the catch is mounted on the platform, the fluid module is orientedly mounted on the catch, and the fluid reservoir is fastened to the object holder and linked with the analyzer.
6. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, which comprises a hardness measurement module, orientedly mounted on a catch.
7. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein the first and second measuring heads, simultaneously mounted on the first and second guides, respectively, are heads of at least one of the types mentioned below: (a) tunnel head, in which the probe is made in the form of a needle, and the probe holder is made in the form of a hold of the needle; (b) atomic power head, in which the probe is made in the form of a cantilever, and the probe holder in the form of a hold of the cantilever.
8. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, which comprises:
a warming unit,
a thermocouple, and
a noncontact temperature gauge,
wherein the warming unit is mounted on the object holder, the thermocouple is fastened to the warming unit, and the noncontact temperature gauge is optically linked with the sample.
9. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, in which is introduced a precise hold of a needle comprising:
a bracket with a V-shaped groove, extended along a central guide of the V-shaped groove and having microroughness of a predetermined first size,
a screw, extended along a longitudinal axis of the screw, mounted in the bracket and linked with the V-shaped groove.
10. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 9, wherein the screw has a right-handed thread and the longitudinal axis of the screw is offset relative to the central guide of the V-shaped groove.
11. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 9, wherein the screw has a left-handed thread and the longitudinal axis of the screw is offset relative to the central guide of the V-shaped groove.
12. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 9, wherein the screw comprises an end, whose marginal surface has a microroughness of a predetermined second size greater in comparison with a first size of a microroughnesses of the V-shaped groove.
13. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, in which is introduced a first precise hold of a cantilever, that comprises:
a first support,
a second support with a bevel,
a first plate, and
a spring element,
wherein
the first support, the second support with the bevel and the spring element are fastened to the first plate and are adapted to interact with the cantilever, and
the spring element is mounted opposite the first support.
14. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, in which is introduced a second precise hold of a cantilever comprising:
a third support,
a fourth support with a bevel,
a second plate,
a cam with an elastic element, and
wherein
the third support, the fourth support with the bevel and the cam with the elastic element are fastened to the second plate and are adapted to interact with the cantilever, and
the cam is mounted on the second plate opposite the fourth support with the bevel.
15. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 1, wherein the first and second measuring heads comprise mechanized drives.
16. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 4, which comprises a hardness measurement module, orientedly mounted on the catch.
17. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 4, which comprises:
a warming unit,
a thermocouple, and
a noncontact temperature gauge,
wherein the warming unit is mounted on the object holder, the thermocouple is fastened to the warming unit, and the noncontact temperature gauge is optically linked with the sample.
18. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 11, wherein the screw comprises an end, whose marginal surface has a microroughness of a predetermined second size greater in comparison with a first size of a microroughnesses of the V-shaped groove.
19. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 9, in which is introduced a first precise hold of a cantilever, that comprises:
a first support,
a second support with a bevel,
a first plate, and
a spring element,
wherein
the first support, the second support with the bevel and the spring element are fastened to the first plate and are adapted to interact with the cantilever, and
the spring element is mounted opposite the first support.
20. Multifunctional scanning probe microscope according to claim 9, in which is introduced a second precise hold of a cantilever comprising:
a third support,
a fourth support with a bevel,
a second plate,
a cam with an elastic element, and
wherein
the third support, the fourth support with the bevel and the cam with the elastic element are fastened to the second plate and are adapted to interact with the cantilever, and
the cam is mounted on the second plate opposite the fourth support with the bevel.