Automatic selection of content-delivery provider using link mapping database
First Claim
1. A link-modifying web server comprising:
- a network connection for receiving a request from a client for a web page file;
a file server for generating web page files;
a link modifier, receiving a web page file from the file server in response to a request from the client, for extracting an extracted link from the web page file, the extracted link for enabling fetching of a linked web file;
a link mapping database, coupled to receive the extracted link from the link modifier, for outputting a plurality of replacement fields for the extracted link, each of the replacement fields for generating a link to a different content delivery provider for serving the linked web file; and
a provider selector, receiving the replacement fields from the link mapping database, for selecting a selected replacement field for a selected content delivery provider;
wherein the link modifier receives the selected replacement field from the provider selector, the link modifier using the selected replacement field to generate a modified link in the web page file to generate a modified-link web page file;
wherein the network connection sends the modified-link web page file to the client;
wherein the client fetches the linked web file from the selected content delivery provider rather than from the link-modifying web server when the modified link is activated, whereby links are modified to fetch the linked web file from the selected content delivery provider.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A link-modifying web server automatically modifies links in each web page as it is served to a client browser. The web page is parsed for links, and the links are looked up in a link mapping database. A replacement field is read from the database. A link modifier alters the link using the replacement field to point to a different server at one of several content delivery providers. One of several replacement links can be selected from the link mapping database depending on network conditions and user account data. A replacement link to one content delivery provider can be chosen rather than another replacement link to a different content delivery provider when one provider'"'"'s network is responding more quickly or has a lower cost. A provider monitor continuously checks provider performance at each of the content delivery providers. When one provider'"'"'s network is slow or fails, the provider monitor instructs a delivery rule processor to choose link replacements at other content delivery providers. Thus the links in the web page served to the client are modified to point away from slow or failed providers.
-
Citations
38 Claims
-
1. A link-modifying web server comprising:
-
a network connection for receiving a request from a client for a web page file;
a file server for generating web page files;
a link modifier, receiving a web page file from the file server in response to a request from the client, for extracting an extracted link from the web page file, the extracted link for enabling fetching of a linked web file;
a link mapping database, coupled to receive the extracted link from the link modifier, for outputting a plurality of replacement fields for the extracted link, each of the replacement fields for generating a link to a different content delivery provider for serving the linked web file; and
a provider selector, receiving the replacement fields from the link mapping database, for selecting a selected replacement field for a selected content delivery provider;
wherein the link modifier receives the selected replacement field from the provider selector, the link modifier using the selected replacement field to generate a modified link in the web page file to generate a modified-link web page file;
wherein the network connection sends the modified-link web page file to the client;
wherein the client fetches the linked web file from the selected content delivery provider rather than from the link-modifying web server when the modified link is activated, whereby links are modified to fetch the linked web file from the selected content delivery provider. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A computer-implemented method for directing traffic from a web-site server to a content delivery provider by link modification comprising:
-
at the web-site server, receiving a request over a network from a user at a remote client, the request specifying a requested file;
retrieving the requested file;
finding a link in the requested file, the link being a link to a linked file;
selecting a selected content delivery provider from a plurality of content delivery providers able to serve the linked file;
at the web-site server, altering the link to a modified link that points to the selected content delivery provider and not to other content delivery providers in the plurality of content delivery providers; and
transmitting the requested file with the modified link over the network to the remote client;
wherein the remote client reads the linked file from the selected content delivery provider, whereby link modification re-directs the user from the web-site server to the selected content delivery provider. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A computer-program product comprising:
-
a computer-usable medium having computer-readable program code means embodied therein for modifying links in a web page served to a client, the computer-readable program code means in the computer-program product comprising;
network connection means for transmitting and receiving packets from the client;
server application means for receiving requests from the client and generating an original web page requested by the client;
parser means, receiving the original web page, for locating links to other web files within the original web page, the parser means outputting a first link string;
link mapping means, receiving the first link string, for outputting a replacement;
provider selection means for selecting a content delivery provider from among a plurality of content delivery providers that serve web files; and
link modifying means, receiving the replacement from the link mapping means, for modifying links in the original web page using the replacement to generate new links, the new links pointing to a selected content delivery provider selected by the provider selection means;
wherein the original web page with the new links is transmitted by the network connection means to the client, whereby links are modified as web pages are served using a modified link to direct requests for the other web files from the selected content delivery provider. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
Specification