User specific request redirection in a content delivery network

• US 20060020684A1
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Published: 01/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia of America Corporation (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Rangarajan, Sampath, Mukherjee, Sarit, Rodriguez, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 7,921,226 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• 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 67/561 Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network includes parsing a page having embedded objects intended for redirection to at least one cache server, and transforming the embedded objects into relative uniform resource locators (URLs). A content-base token is inserted into an HTTP response header in response to a user request for the page. In an instance where the content-base token is not supported by the server and/or client devices, a base token is inserted into the page in response to a user request for the page. The content-base token and base token provide identification of a server or URL prefix where the embedded objects in the page are to be retrieved. The requested page is then sent to the user'"'"'s browser. The browser constructs absolute URLs from the embedded URLs using either the received content-base token or base token, to retrieve embedded objects from the server.

Claims

1. A method for providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network, comprising:

parsing a page having embedded objects intended for redirection to at least one cache server;

transforming said embedded objects into relative uniform resource locators (URLs);

inserting a content-base token into a HTTP response header in response to a user request for said page, said content-base token providing identification of one of a cache server and URL prefix from where said embedded objects in said page are to be retrieved; and

sending said requested page with said content-base token inserted in said HTTP response header to said user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming comprises:

determining whether a URL associated with an embedded object is an absolute URL; and

if so, transforming said absolute URL to a relative URL.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said transforming comprises:

identifying a relative URL;

determining whether said relative URL comprises a base command present in said page associated with the embedded objects;

if so, removing said base command from said page; and

prefixing a server identifier associated with said base command to said relative URL.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said server identifier comprises one of a domain name and IP address.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein in an instance where said base command is not present in said page, said transformation further comprises:

prefixing to said transformed URL, an expected content base value that points to one of a cache server and URL prefix containing said embedded object.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said content-base value comprises:

one of a domain name and IP address of a cache server associated with a requested object.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said inserting a content-base token into a HTTP response header further comprises:

inserting a URL prefix path into the HTTP response header.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a requested page with said inserted content-base token in the HTTP response header to a browser associated with a user making a request for said page.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

constructing an absolute URL from an embedded URL at said user browser; and

retrieving embedded objects from a server associated with said constructed absolute URL.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adjusting a maximum segment size (MSS) value received in a SYN packet that was sent by the user to establish a TCP connection.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said adjusting said MSS value comprises:

reducing said MSS value by 36 characters.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

modifying sequence numbers for all packets following a packet having said content-base token inserted into its HTTP response header.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network further comprises:

performing said user specific request redirection from one of a request deflection device and a switch.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein performing said user specific request redirection from said request deflection device comprises:

initiating a domain name server (DNS) request to a content delivery service provider domain name server (CDSP-DNS);

sending at least an IP address of a user making a request for content to said CDSP-DNS; and

receiving, from said CDSP-DNS, at least one of an IP address and domain name, and URL prefix of a content server; and

assigning said at least one of an IP address and domain name as a value of a content-base token in a HTTP response header.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein said sending at least an IP address of a user further comprises sending additional information associated with said user.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein:

said receiving, from said CDSP-DNS at least one of an IP address and domain name of a content server further comprises receiving a URL prefix associated with said content server; and

said assigning said URL prefix with said at least one of an IP address and domain name as a value of said content-base token in said HTTP response header.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein performing said user specific request redirection from said request deflection device comprises:

receiving a mapping table from a content delivery service provider domain name server (CDSP-DNS), said mapping table associating user related information including a user IP address, with a server IP address having said requested embedded objects.

18. A method for providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network, comprising:

parsing a page having embedded objects intended for redirection to at least one cache server;

transforming said embedded objects into relative uniform resource locators (URLs);

inserting a base token value into said page in response to a user request for said page, in an instance where a Content-Base token is not supported by a content server, where the base token provides identification of one of a cache server and URL prefix from where the embedded objects in the page are to be retrieved; and

sending said requested page with said inserted base token value to said user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said transforming comprises:

determining whether a URL associated with an embedded object is an absolute URL; and

if so, transforming said absolute URL to a relative URL.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said transforming comprises:

identifying a relative URL;

determining whether said relative URL comprises a base command present in said page associated with the embedded objects;

if so, removing said base command from said page; and

prefixing a server identifier associated with said base command to said relative URL.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said server identifier comprises one of a domain name and IP address.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein in an instance where said base command is not present in said page, said transformation further comprises:

prefixing to said transformed URL, a base token value that points to one of a cache server and URL prefix containing said embedded object.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said base token value comprises:

one of a domain name and IP address of a cache server associated with a requested object.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

sending a requested page with said inserted base token value to a browser associated with a user making a request for said page.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

constructing an absolute URL from an embedded URL at said user browser; and

retrieving embedded objects from a server associated with said constructed absolute URL.

26. The method of claim 18, wherein said providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network further comprises:

performing said user specific request redirection from one of a request deflection device and a switch.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein performing said user specific request redirection from said request deflection device comprises:

initiating a domain name server (DNS) request to a content delivery service provider domain name server (CDSP-DNS);

sending at least an IP address of a user making a request for content to said CDSP-DNS; and

receiving, from said CDSP-DNS, at least one of an IP address and domain name, and URL prefix of a content server; and

assigning said at least one of an IP address and domain name as a value of a base token in a html page.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said sending at least an IP address of a user further comprises sending additional information associated with said user.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein:

said receiving, from said CDSP-DNS at least one of an IP address and domain name of a content server further comprises receiving a URL prefix associated with said content server; and

said assigning said URL prefix with said at least one of an IP address and domain name as a value of said base token.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein performing said user specific request redirection from said request deflection device comprises:

receiving a mapping table from a content delivery service provider domain name server (CDSP-DNS), said mapping table associating user related information including a user IP address, with a server IP address having said requested embedded objects.

31. Apparatus for providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network, comprising:

means for parsing a page having embedded objects intended for redirection to at least one cache server;

means for transforming said embedded objects into relative uniform resource locators (URLs);

means for inserting a content-base token into a HTTP response header in response to a user request for said page, said content-base token providing identification of one of a cache server and URL prefix from where said embedded objects in said page are to be retrieved; and

means for sending said requested page with said content-base token inserted in said HTTP response header to said user.

32. Apparatus for providing user specific request redirection in a content delivery network, comprising:

means for parsing a page having embedded objects intended for redirection to at least one cache server;

means for transforming said embedded objects into relative uniform resource locators (URLs);

means for inserting a base token value into said page in response to a user request for said page in an instance where a Content-Base token is not supported by a content server, where the base token provides identification of one of a cache server and URL prefix from where the embedded objects in the page are to be retrieved; and

means for sending said requested page with said inserted base token value to said user.