Shadow IPserver: Scalable Architecture

IPserver's scalable network architecture
Shadow IPserver supports from 256 to over 64,000 entries per server depending on the specific model purchased. In addition to deploying replicated pairs of servers for reliability, IPservers support a co-server architecture for building very large and/or distributed systems. Instead of copying all information to all servers, or requiring extended hierarchical searches, co-servers operate as peers creating a flat, fast, and bandwidth efficient name space. As a result, a system of 16 Shadow co-servers will support well over a million clients within a single intranet.

Graphical analysis and database reporting are useful capabilities included in the Shadow IP Services solution. However, these off-line management tasks should not be confused with those of real-time automated management. Shadow IPservers implement an architecture specifically developed to support a new class of network services. Similar to a router, switch, or other network device, IPserver is implemented as a network "appliance" especially suited for offering high-performance, scalable, reliable, and remotely managed services. Benefits from this approach include:

• Memory-resident database model delivers real-time network services
• High-capacity, distributed, scalable architecture
• Efficient use of low-cost hardware
• System restart and recovery in seconds
• Ability to change configuration and service parameters on-line
• No downtime from OS or database faults
• Strong transaction logging and problem analysis tools