Using virutal domain name service (dns) zones for enterprise content delivery

• US 20040194102A1
• Filed: 05/24/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Neerdaels, Charles J
• Granted Patent: US 7,478,148 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3025 Domain name generation or assignment
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5007 Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/59 using proxies for addressing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

According to the invention, a domain to be published to an enterprise ECDN is associated (either by static configuration or dynamically) with a set of one or more enterprise zones configurable in a hierarchy. When a DNS query arrives for a hostname known to be associated with given content within the control of the ECDN, a DNS server preferably responds in one of three (3) ways: (a) handing back an IP address, e.g., for an ECDN intelligent node that knows how to obtain the requested content from a surrogate or origin server; (b) executing a zone referral to a next (lower) level name server in a zone hierarchy, or (c) CNAMing to another hostname, thereby essentially restarting the lookup procedure. In the latter case, this new CNAME causes the resolution process to start back at the root and resolve a new path, probably along a different path in the hierarchy. At any particular level in the zone hierarchy, preferably there is an associated zone server. That server preferably executes logic that applies the requested hostname against a map, which, using known techniques, may be generated from given (static, dynamic, internally-generated or third party-sourced) performance metrics. Thus, a given name query to ECDN-managed content may be serviced in coordination with various sources of distributed network intelligence. As a result, the invention provides for a distributed, dynamic globally load balanced name service.

Claims

1. A content delivery method operative in an enterprise, comprising:

establishing an enterprise content delivery network within the enterprise, wherein the enterprise content delivery network has associated therewith a set of one or more zones organized into a hierarchy; and

in response to a name query for a hostname known to be associated with the given content being managed by the enterprise content delivery network, returning a response to the name query;

wherein the response selectively (a) identifies a given node in the enterprise content delivery network that can obtain the given content from a server within the enterprise, (b) causes a referral to a zone within the hierarchy, or (c) relays the name query to another path.

2. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 wherein, if the response identifies the given node, having the given node obtain the given content from the server.

3. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 wherein, if the response causes a zone referral, attempting to resolve the name query at a next level within the hierarchy.

4. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 wherein, if the response is relayed to another path, attempting to resolve the name query along that path.

5. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 further including the step

publishing the given content into the enterprise content delivery network.

6. The content delivery method as described in claim 5 wherein the step of publishing comprises:

identifying the hostname to be published to the enterprise content delivery network;

aliasing the hostname to a given zone in the hierarchy.

7. The content delivery method as described in claim 6 wherein the aliasing step CNAMEs the hostname to a domain in which the virtual zone is prepended to at least a portion of the hostname.

8. The content delivery method as described in claim 7 wherein the CNAME is generated statically.

9. The content delivery method as described in claim 7 wherein the CNAME is generated dynamically.

10. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 wherein the name query is resolved to the IP address of the given node as a function of given network or server metrics.

11. The content delivery method as described in claim 10 wherein the IP address of the given node is generated dynamically.

12. The content delivery method as described in claim 1 wherein the enterprise content delivery network is part of an Internet content delivery network (ICDN).

13. The content delivery method as described in claim 11 wherein the enterprise content delivery network is managed as part of the ICDN.