Apparatus and method for managing internet resource requests

• US 20030009591A1
• Filed: 06/25/2001
• Published: 01/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradley, Gordon, Davis, Philip, Hayball, Clive, Bragg, Nigel, Biddiscombe, Martin, Cable, Julian
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/245
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1038 Load balancing arrangements to avoid a single path through a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

DNS in its native form cannot identify a good or best server. Traditional Service Providers deploy a centralised approach to global traffic management based on enhancements to DNS, but do have the capability to augment this with edge-based server selection because they do not own/operate an edge network. Their resolution of DNS requests is typically restricted to identifying candidate servers within an edge domain rather than selecting the “best” server. The invention proposes a method of handling Internet resource requests whereby a local lookup server receiving a request searches for a best server able to satisfy the resource request. The local lookup server finds the best server by searching a database for a resource record associated with the best server, and then uses the resource record to retrieve an identifier of a series of executable instructions that are executed to locate the best server. The resource requests and responses may hold additional information relating to operational characteristics which may used to determine the best server. The invention proposes a DNS record type comprising a user-defined field for conveying this additional information in the resource request and in the response. The invention also proposes architecture for handling the resource request comprising a network server that provides the requested resource using the best server, as well as a communications network comprising this architecture.

Claims

1. A method of handling a resource request, comprising:

receiving a resource request at a network server from a client, the resource request comprising a first identity of a network entity;

searching a database for a resource record associated with a best instance of the network entity;

the best instance of the network entity being defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the resource request;

retrieving an identifier of a series of executable instructions from the resource record; and

executing the series of instructions to facilitate providing the requested resource to the client by the best instance of the network entity.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the resource request further comprises information relating to an operational characteristic, and the best instance of the network entity is defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the operational characteristic.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein executing the series of instructions further comprises:

analysing a set of network entities;

determining the network entities compatible with the resource request on the basis of the operational characteristic; and

returning a response comprising an ordered list of compatible network entities, with the best instance of network entity first.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the response further comprises information relating to the operational characteristics of the network entities.

5. A method according to claim 2 further comprising:

adding the information relating to the operational characteristic to the resource request after receiving said resource request at the network server from the client.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of receiving and searching take place at a global network server.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the network server is a DNS server and the step of receiving a resource request comprises receiving a request concerning access to the network entity.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:

converting the resource request at the DNS server into a form operable by the global network server; and

transmitting the converted resource request to the global network server prior to the steps of searching and retrieving.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the step of retrieving an identifier is implemented at the global network server.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the requested resource is provided to the client by the best instance of the network entity via the network server.

11. A method according to claim 8, wherein the steps of searching a database and retrieving an identifier are implemented on a content server associated with the global server.

12. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network entity is an application.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the network entity is a server operating an application.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the step of executing the series of instructions to facilitate providing the requested resource further comprises:

finding compatible network entities able to provide the requested resource;

comparing the information relating to the operational characteristic with corresponding operational characteristics of compatible network entities; and

returning a response comprising an ordered list of network entities together with their corresponding operational characteristics, the best instance of network entity being placed first.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein the steps of receiving and searching take place at a global network server.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the network server is a DNS server and the step of receiving a resource request comprises receiving a request concerning access to the network entity.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

converting the resource request at the DNS server in to a form operable by the global network server; and

transmitting the converted resource request to the global network server prior to the steps of searching and retrieving.

19. A method according to claim 15, wherein the resource request is a DNS record and the operational characteristic is contained within an additional DNS text field forming part of the DNS record.

20. A method according to claim 15, wherein the response is a DNS record and the operational characteristics of the compatible network entities are contained within an additional DNS text field forming part of the DNS record.

21. A method according to claim 14, further comprising identifying a lookup means for accessing said network entity.

22. A method according to claim 21 wherein the look up means comprises an address.

23. A method according to claim 21 wherein the identifying comprises retrieving a second identity of the network entity.

24. A method according to claim 23 wherein the first identity comprises a name and the second identity comprises an address.

28. An architecture according to claim 22, wherein the resource request further comprises information relating to an operational characteristic and the best instance of the network entity is defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the operational characteristic;

the architecture further comprising;

a global network server for returning a set of network entities in response to receiving a converted resource request form the network server;

the network server further comprising a comparator for comparing the returned network entities with information relating to the operational characteristic to produce an ordered list of network entities with the best instance of the network entity first.

29. An architecture according to claim 28, further comprising a content manager associated with the global network server and holding information on networks entities, said content manager configured for providing information on all known network entities able to supply the requested resource on receiving a query corresponding to the conventional resource request from the global network manager.

31. A method according to claim 2, wherein the operational characteristic is one of:

a response time of said network entity, a load on said network entity, a distance to the network entity, and a throughput of the network entity.

32. A method according to claim 1, wherein the requested resource is available on the network entity but is not available on the network server.

14. A method of handling a resource request, comprising:

receiving a resource request concerning access to a network entity from a client, said resource request comprising a first identity of the network entity and information relating to an operational characteristic;

searching a database for a resource record associated with a best instance of the network entity, the best instance of the network entity being defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible With the operational characteristic;

retrieving an identifier of a series of executable instructions from the resource record; and

executing the series of instructions to facilitate providing the requested resource to the client by the best instance of the network entity.

25. A DNS record for conveying a response, comprising a user-defined text-field for specifying Content Selection Criteria for finding a best instance of a network entity for providing a requested resource;

the best instance of the network entity being defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the requested resource.

26. A DNS record for conveying a resource request, comprising an user-defined text-field for specifying at least one operational characteristic of a client for finding network entities compatible with the requested resource on the basis of operational characteristics.

27. A scaleable architecture for handling a resource request from a client, the resource request comprising a first identity of a network entity, the architecture comprising:

a network server for providing the requested resource to the client by a best instance of the network entity in response to receiving the resource request from the client, said best instance of the network entity being defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the resource request with respect to Content Selection Criteria.

33. A communications network comprising the scaleable architecture as claimed in claim 27.

30. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for handling a resource request, the method comprising;

receiving a resource request at a network server from a client, said resource request comprising a first identity of a network entity;

searching a database for a resource record associated with a best instance of said network entity;

said best instance of the network entity being defined by the instance of the network entity that is most compatible with the resource request;

retrieving an identifier of a series of executable instructions from said resource record; and

executing said series of instructions to facilitate providing the requested resource to said client by said best instance of the network entity,