Method for determining metrics of a content delivery and global traffic management network

• US 20030065763A1
• Filed: 07/19/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Speedera Networks Incorporated (Akamai Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Ajit K., Swildens, Eric Sven-Johan, Day, Richard David
• Granted Patent: US 7,523,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5029 Service quality level-based billing, e.g. dependent on measured service level customer is charged more or less
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5064 Customer relationship management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5083 wherein the managed service relates to web hosting
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4541 Directories for service discovery
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• 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 67/1006 with static server selection, e.g. the same server being selected for a specific client
• 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 67/1027 Persistence of sessions during load balancing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1034 Reaction to server failures 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 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• 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]

Abstract

A method for determining metrics of a content delivery and global traffic management network provides service metric probes that determine the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine. Latency probes are also provided for determining the latency of various servers within a network. Service metric probes consult a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services. Each server in the network has a metric test associated with each service supported by the server which the service metric probes periodically performs metric tests on and records the metric test results which are periodically sent to all of the DNS servers in the network. DNS servers use the test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name. The latency probe calculates the latency from its location to a client'"'"'s location using the round trip time for sending a packet to the client to obtain the latency value for that client. The latency probe updates the DNS servers with the clients'"'"' latency data. The DNS server uses the latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.

Claims

1. A process for a determining server performance metrics in a network, comprising the steps of:

providing service metric probe means resident on a server for determining the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine;

providing latency probe means resident on a server for determining the latency of various servers within said network;

wherein said service metric probe means consults a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services associated with each DNS name;

wherein said services include, but are not limited to;

HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, streaming media, and/or generic SNMP; and

wherein said latency probe means calculates the latency from its location to a client'"'"'s location.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein each server in said network has a metric test associated with each service supported by said server.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said service metric probe means periodically performs metric tests on the servers within its area, and wherein said service metric probe means records the metric results from said periodic tests.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said latency probe means calculates the round trip time for sending a packet to a client to obtain the latency value, and wherein the round trip time tests that said latency probe means performs, includes, but are not limited to:

PING, UDP Reverse Name lookup, and/or UDP Packets to high number ports.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein when said latency probe means sends a UDP Packet probe to high number ports that fails, said latency probe means resends said UDP Packet probe with a low TTL number and increments the TTL until failure occurs, the last successful TTL value will indicate the partial latency data.

6. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one DNS server.

7. The process of claim 6, wherein said service metric probe means sends an update to all of said DNS servers in said network that consists of all tests since the last update.

8. The process of claim 6, wherein said latency probe means updates said DNS servers with the clients'"'"' latency data.

9. The process of claim 6, wherein a DNS server uses said latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.

10. The process of claim 6, wherein a DNS server uses said test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name.

11. The process of claim 6, wherein said service metric probe means sends a packet request to a server and receives, in response, a packet containing the various metrics of the server, and wherein said service metric probe means combines the server metrics to arrive at a load metric which is sent to said DNS servers.

12. A process for a determining server performance metrics in a network, comprising the steps of:

providing service metric probe means resident on a server for determining the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine;

providing latency probe means resident on a server for determining the latency of various servers within said network;

providing at least one DNS server;

wherein said service metric probe means sends an update to all of said DNS servers in said network that consists of all service availability and metric measurements since the last update; and

wherein said latency probe means updates said DNS servers with clients'"'"' latency data.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein said service metric probe means consults a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services associated with each DNS name, and wherein said services include, but are not limited to:

HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, streaming media, and/or generic SNMP.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein said latency probe means calculates the latency from its location to a client'"'"'s location.

15. The process of claim 12, wherein each server in said network has a metric test associated with each service supported by said server.

16. The process of claim 12, wherein said service metric probe means periodically performs metric tests on the servers within its area, and wherein said service metric probe means records the metric results from said periodic tests.

17. The process of claim 12, wherein said latency probe means calculates the round trip time for sending a packet to a client to obtain the latency value, and wherein the round trip time tests that said latency probe means performs, includes, but are not limited to:

PING, UDP Reverse Name lookup, and/or UDP Packets to high number ports.

18. The process of claim 12, wherein when said latency probe means sends a UDP Packet probe to high number ports that fails, said latency probe means resends said UDP Packet probe with a low TTL number and increments the TTL until failure occurs, the last successful TTL value will indicate the partial latency data.

19. The process of claim 12, wherein a DNS server uses said latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.

20. The process of claim 12, wherein a DNS server uses said test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name.

21. The process of claim 12, wherein said service metric probe means sends a packet request to a server and receives, in response, a packet containing the various metrics of the server, and wherein said service metric probe means combines the server metrics to arrive at a load metric which is sent to said DNS servers.

22. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for a determining server performance metrics in a network, comprising the steps of:

providing service metric probe means resident on a server for determining the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine;

providing latency probe means resident on a server for determining the latency of various servers within said network;

wherein said service metric probe means consults a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services associated with each DNS name;

wherein said services include, but are not limited to;

HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, streaming media, and/or generic SNMP; and

wherein said latency probe means calculates the latency from its location to a client'"'"'s location.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each server in said network has a metric test associated with each service supported by said server.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said service metric probe means periodically performs metric tests on the servers within its area, and wherein said service metric probe means records the metric results from said periodic tests.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said latency probe means calculates the round trip time for sending a packet to a client to obtain the latency value, and wherein the round trip time tests that said latency probe means performs, includes, but are not limited to:

PING, UDP Reverse Name lookup, and/or UDP Packets to high number ports.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein when said latency probe means sends a UDP Packet probe to high number ports that fails, said latency probe means resends said UDP Packet probe with a low TTL number and increments the TTL until failure occurs, the last successful TTL value will indicate the partial latency data.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of:

providing at least one DNS server.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said service metric probe means sends an update to all of said DNS servers in said network that consists of all tests since the last update.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said latency probe means updates said DNS servers with the clients'"'"' latency data.

30. The method of claim 27, wherein a DNS server uses said latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.

31. The method of claim 27, wherein a DNS server uses said test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name.

32. The method of claim 27, wherein said service metric probe means sends a packet request to a server and receives, in response, a packet containing the various metrics of the server, and wherein said service metric probe means combines the server metrics to arrive at a load metric which is sent to said DNS servers.

33. A program storage medium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to perform method steps for a determining server performance metrics in a network, comprising the steps of:

providing service metric probe means resident on a server for determining the service availability and metric measurements of types of services provided by a content delivery machine;

providing latency probe means resident on a server for determining the latency of various servers within said network;

providing at least one DNS server;

wherein said service metric probe means sends an update to all of said DNS servers in said network that consists of all service availability and metric measurements since the last update; and

wherein said latency probe means updates said DNS servers with clients'"'"' latency data.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said service metric probe means consults a configuration file containing each DNS name in its area and the set of services associated with each DNS name, and wherein said services include, but are not limited to:

HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, streaming media, and/or generic SNMP.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein said latency probe means calculates the latency from its location to a client'"'"'s location.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein each server in said network has a metric test associated with each service supported by said server.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein said service metric probe means periodically performs metric tests on the servers within its area, and wherein said service metric probe means records the metric results from said periodic tests.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein said latency probe means calculates the round trip time for sending a packet to a client to obtain the latency value, and wherein the round trip time tests that said latency probe means performs, includes, but are not limited to:

PING, UDP Reverse Name lookup, and/or UDP Packets to high number ports.

39. The method of claim 33, wherein when said latency probe means sends a UDP Packet probe to high number ports that fails, said latency probe means resends said UDP Packet probe with a low TTL number and increments the TTL until failure occurs, the last successful TTL value will indicate the partial latency data.

40. The method of claim 33, wherein a DNS server uses said latency test data updates to determine the closest server to a client.

41. The method of claim 33, wherein a DNS server uses said test result updates to determine the best server to return for a given DNS name.

42. The method of claim 33, wherein said service metric probe means sends a packet request to a server and receives, in response, a packet containing the various metrics of the server, and wherein said service metric probe means combines the server metrics to arrive at a load metric which is sent to said DNS servers.