Method and apparatus for selecting cache and proxy policy

• US 20060095532A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 05/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: O'Rourke, Bret P., Van Antwerp, Mark D., Dean, Dawson F., Wang, Chih-Kan, Knowlton, Chadd B., Roth, David J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,912,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/213
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A cache server includes a media serving engine that is capable of distributing media content. A cache engine is coupled to the media serving engine and capable of caching media content. A set of cache policies is accessible by the cache engine to define the operation of the cache engine. The cache server can be configured to operate as either a cache server or an origin server. The cache server also includes a data communication interface coupled to the cache engine and the media serving engine to allow the cache engine to receive media content across a network and to allow the media serving engine to distribute media content across the network. The cache policies include policies for distributing media content from the media server, policies for handling cache misses, and policies for prefetching media content.

Claims

1. A server comprising:

a storage device to store a plurality of server policies, wherein each server policy defines operating characteristics of the server, and wherein one of the plurality of server policies is a currently active server policy; and

a processor coupled to the storage device, wherein the processor controls operation of the server based on the currently active server policy.

2. A server as recited in claim 1 wherein one of the plurality of server policies causes the server to operate as a cache server and another of the plurality of server policies causes the server to operate as an origin server.

3. A server as recited in claim 1 further comprising a data communication interface coupled to the storage device and the processor, wherein instructions to change the currently active server policy are received via the data communication interface.

4. A server as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of server policies defines a manner in which the server handles media content received from at least one media content source.

5. A server as recited in claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of server policies defines a manner in which the server distributes media content to a plurality of clients.

6. A server as recited in claim 1 further comprising a media serving engine coupled to the storage device and the processor, wherein the media serving engine provides media content to at least one client device coupled to the server.

7. A server as recited in claim 1 wherein the server policies include policies for caching media content.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a storage device to store a first cache policy and a second cache policy, wherein the first cache policy causes the apparatus to operate as a cache server and the second cache policy causes the apparatus to operate as an origin server, and wherein the first cache policy or the second cache policy is a currently active cache policy;

a media serving engine to distribute media content; and

a cache engine coupled to the media serving engine and the storage device, the cache engine to process media based on the currently active cache policy.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the cache engine is configured to cache media content from a plurality of media content sources based on the currently active cache policy.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising a data communication interface coupled to the cache engine and the media serving engine, wherein instructions to change the currently active cache policy are received via the data communication interface.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 further comprising a data communication interface coupled to allow the cache engine to retrieve media content via a network.

12. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 further including a data communication interface coupled to allow the media serving engine to distribute media content across a network.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein each of the cache policies defines a manner in which media content is distributed to a plurality of clients.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the first and second cache policies include policies for handling cache misses.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein the first and second cache policies include policies for prefetching media content.

16. A method comprising:

configuring a server based on a currently active server policy, wherein the currently active server policy defines operating characteristics of the server;

operating the server according to the operating characteristics of the currently active server policy;

receiving a new server policy, wherein the new server policy defines new operating characteristics for the server; and

establishing the new server policy as the currently active server policy such that the server functions according to the operating characteristics of the new server policy.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the new server policy causes the server to operate as a cache server.

18. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the new server policy causes the server to operate as an origin server.

19. A method as recited in claim 16 further comprising:

receiving a third server policy, wherein the third server policy defines a set of operating characteristics for the server; and

establishing the third server policy as the currently active server policy such that the server functions according to the operating characteristics of the third server policy.

20. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the new server policy further defines a manner in which the server handles media content received from a plurality of media content sources.