Method and apparatus for selecting cache and proxy policy

• US 20020198953A1
• Filed: 06/26/2001
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Van Antwerp, Mark D., Dean, Dawson F., Wang, Chih-Kan, Knowlton, Chadd B., Roth, David J., OʼRourke, Bret P.
• Granted Patent: US 6,986,018 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A cache server includes a media serving engine that is capable of distributing media content. A cache engine is coupled to the media serving engine and capable of caching media content. A set of cache policies is accessible by the cache engine to define the operation of the cache engine. The cache server can be configured to operate as either a cache server or an origin server. The cache server also includes a data communication interface coupled to the cache engine and the media serving engine to allow the cache engine to receive media content across a network and to allow the media serving engine to distribute media content across the network. The cache policies include policies for distributing media content from the media server, policies for handling cache misses, and policies for prefetching media content.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a media serving engine to distribute media content;

a cache engine coupled to the media serving engine, the cache engine to cache media content; and

a set of cache policies accessible by the cache engine to define operation of the cache engine.

2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the apparatus can be configured to operate as a cache server and an origin server.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cache engine is configured to distribute cached media content to a plurality of clients.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including a data communication interface coupled to the cache engine and the media serving engine.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including a data communication interface coupled to allow the cache engine to retrieve media content from an origin server across a network.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 further including a data communication interface coupled to allow the media serving engine to distribute media content across a network.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the apparatus is a Windows Media Server.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cache policies include policies for distributing media content from the apparatus.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cache policies include policies for handling cache misses.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein the cache policies include policies for prefetching media content.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a request for media content from a client, wherein the request is received by a cache server containing a plurality of cache policies;

determining whether the requested media content is stored by the cache server;

providing the requested media content to the client if the requested media content is stored by the cache server; and

redirecting the client to an origin server containing the requested media content if the requested media content is not stored by the cache server.

12. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein handling of the received request for media content includes accessing a set of cache policies.

13. A method as recited in claim 11 further including determining whether the media server receiving the request for media content is functioning as a cache server or an origin server.

14. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 11.

16. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the set of cache policies includes policies for distributing media content from the cache server.

17. A method as recited in claim 15 wherein the set of cache policies includes policies for storing media content on the cache server.

18. A method as recited in claim 15 further including redirecting the client to an origin server if the cache server is functioning as an origin server and the cache server does not contain the requested media content.

19. A method as recited in claim 15 further including downloading the requested media content from an origin server if the cache server is functioning as an origin server and the cache server does not contain the requested media content.

20. One or more computer-readable memories containing a computer program that is executable by a processor to perform the method recited in claim 15.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a request for media content from a client, wherein the request is received by a cache server capable of functioning as an origin server and a cache server;

processing the request for media content according to a set of cache policies in the cache server if the cache server is functioning as a cache server; and

providing the requested media content to the client if the cache server is functioning as an origin server and the cache server contains the requested media content.

21. One or more computer-readable media having stored thereon a computer program that, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to:

receive a request for media content from a client, wherein the request for media content is received by a cache server;

determine whether the cache server is operating as a cache server or an origin server;

process the request for media content based on a set of cache policies if the cache server is operating as a cache server; and

provide the requested media content to the client if the cache server is operating as an origin server and the cache server contains the requested media content.

22. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the set of cache policies includes policies for media content distribution.

23. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 wherein the set of cache policies includes policies for storing media content on the cache server.

24. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 further causing the one or more processors to redirect the client to an origin server if the cache server is operating as an origin server and the cache server does not contain the requested media content.

25. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 21 further causing the one or more processors to download the requested media content from an origin server if the cache server is operating as an origin server and the cache server does not contain the requested media content.