Method and apparatus for content-based routing and filtering at routers using channels

• US 20030169749A1
• Filed: 07/19/2002
• Published: 09/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Precache Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Precache Incorporated
• Inventors: Yajnik, Shalini, Huang, Yennun, Wang, Chung-Yih, Lin, Chih-Mei
• Granted Patent: US 7,545,805 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/00 Routing or path finding of packets in data switching networks routing or path finding in wireless networks H04W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/306 Route determination based on the nature of the carried application
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0227 Filtering policies mail message filtering H04L51/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0263 Rule management

Abstract

Channels between routers for use in packet routing via payload inspection. The channels constitute logical connections between routers and include subjects and attributes. Publishers create channels for routing particular types of content as defined by the subjects and attributes. The publishers also create proxies and notifications on the channels. The channel definitions for routers identify packet or message structures so that the routers can locate attributes in the packets for content-based routing. The routers apply the packet attributes to filters encapsulating subscriptions in order to perform the content-based routing in the network core. The routers also locally cache content, providing distributed caching of content throughout the network core.

Claims

1. A method for configuring a channel to facilitate content-based routing, comprising:

establishing a channel providing a logical communication path between a plurality of nodes in a publish-subscribe network;

configuring the channel for use in content-based routing of information over the communication path; and

selecting a message format for transmission over the communication path based upon the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, further including mapping subjects to numbers in the message format, wherein the subjects correspond with content to be published over the channel.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the configuring step includes configuring the channel for performing filtering of packets based upon subscriptions.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes distributing the channel among a plurality of routers in the network.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the establishing step includes setting up the channel based upon content to be published over the channel.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the establishing step includes:

determining a message format for the channel;

setting-up a proxy for the channel;

creating a notification based upon the message format; and

publishing the notification.

7. The method of claim 1, further including receiving a subscription from a user for content published over the channel.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the receiving the subscription step includes:

receiving a selection of the channel; and

receiving parameters for the user'"'"'s subscription for the channel.

9. The method of claim 7, further including propagating the user'"'"'s subscription over the channel to a router in a network core.

10. The method of claim 1, further including:

receiving content via the channel;

locally caching the content at a router in the network; and

time marking the cached content.

11. The method of claim 10, further including indexing the cached content by an identification of the channel, an identification of subjects corresponding with the channel, and the time marking.

12. The method of claim 10, further including:

receiving at the router a request relating to the cached content; and

retrieving and transmitting at least a portion of the cached content based upon the request and the time marking.

13. A method for configuring a channel to facilitate content-based routing, comprising:

establishing a logical connection between routers in a network;

configuring the logical connection as a channel for transmission of content relating to at least one subject; and

providing attributes for use in content-based routing via the channel.

14. The method of claim 13, further including transmitting an identification of the channel and the attributes to routers in the network.

15. An apparatus for configuring a channel to facilitate content-based routing, comprising:

an establish module for establishing a channel providing a logical communication path between a plurality of nodes in a publish-subscribe network;

a configure module for configuring the channel for use in content-based routing of information over the communication path; and

a select module for selecting a message format for transmission over the communication path based upon the channel.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a module for mapping subjects to numbers in the message format, wherein the subjects correspond with content to be published over the channel.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the configure module includes a module for configuring the channel for performing filtering of packets based upon subscriptions.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the establish module includes a module for distributing the channel among a plurality of routers in the network.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the establish module includes a module for setting up the channel based upon content to be published over the channel.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the establish module includes:

a module for determining a message format for the channel;

a module for setting-up a proxy for the channel;

a module for creating a notification based upon the message format; and

a module for publishing the notification.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, further including a receive module for receiving a subscription from a user for content published over the channel.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the receive module includes:

a module for receiving a selection of the channel; and

a module for receiving parameters for the user'"'"'s subscription for the channel.

23. The apparatus of claim 21, further including a module for propagating the user'"'"'s subscription over the channel to a router in a network core.

24. The apparatus of claim 15, further including:

a module for receiving content via the channel;

a cache module for locally caching the content at a router in the network; and

a time module for time marking the cached content.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further including a module for indexing the cached content by an identification of the channel, an identification of subjects corresponding with the channel, and the time marking.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, further including:

a module for receiving at the router a request relating to the cached content; and

a module for retrieving and transmitting at least a portion of the cached content based upon the request and the time marking.

27. An apparatus for configuring a channel to facilitate content-based routing, comprising:

an establish module for establishing a logical connection between routers in a network;

a configure module for configuring the logical connection as a channel for transmission of content relating to at least one subject; and

a provide module for providing attributes for use in content-based routing via the channel.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further including a module for transmitting an identification of the channel and the attributes to routers in the network.