Method and apparatus for measurement, analysis, and optimization of content delivery

• US 20060168055A1
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Quest Software, Inc.
• Inventors: Whitehouse, Mark, Pabari, Vipul, Willis, Robert, Wixted, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,539,655 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/142 using statistical or mathematical methods
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/028 by filtering
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/63 Routing a service request depending on the request content or context
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/16 Implementation or adaptation of Internet protocol [IP], of transmission control protocol [TCP] or of user datagram protocol [UDP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/161 Implementation details of TCP/IP or UDP/IP stack architecture; Specification of modified or new header fields
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]

Abstract

An apparatus and method for measurement, analysis, and optimization of content delivery over a communications network is presented. In one embodiment, the apparatus detects data packets en route over a communications network. The detected data packets are read by the apparatus, combined into application messages, and further combined into user centric events. The events are analyzed to identify metrics and statistics relating to the delivery of content over a communications network and the experience of the end user. The metrics and statistics are saved in a data storage area. When the metrics exceed a configurable threshold, the apparatus provides real-time notification of content delivery problems or end user experience problems. Alternatively, the system can take action to proactively prevent anticipated content delivery problems or end user experience problems.

Claims

1. A method for identifying a complete web page from a stream of web content messages, wherein each message comprises a referrer uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), the method comprising the steps of;

obtaining a first web content message having a first referrer URL;

parsing the first web content message to obtain the first referrer URL;

comparing the first referrer URL to the NULL value; and

identifying the first web content message as the start of a web page if the first referrer URL is equal to the NULL value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first referrer URL is not equal to the NULL value, further comprising the steps of:

analyzing the first referrer URL to determine if the first referrer URL is a local URL; and

identifying the first web content message as the start of a web page if the first referrer URL is not a local URL.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the analyzing step further comprises comparing the first referrer URL to a previous referrer URL of a previous web content message.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the comparison comprises comparing the domain portion of the first referrer URL to the domain portion of the previous referrer URL.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the first referrer URL is a local URL, further comprising holding the first web content message and the associated first referrer URL as a previous web content message and a previous referrer URL.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first referrer URL is not equal to the NULL value, further comprising the steps of:

holding the first web content message and the first referrer URL;

obtaining a second web content message having a second referrer URL;

parsing the second web content message to obtain the second referrer URL;

comparing the second referrer URL to the first referrer URL; and

identifying the second web content message as the start of a web page if the second referrer URL is not equal to the first referrer URL.

7. A method for identifying a complete web page from a stream of web content messages, wherein each message comprises a referrer uniform resource locator (“

URL”

), the method comprising the steps of;

obtaining a first web content message having a first referrer URL;

parsing the first web content message to obtain the first referrer URL;

comparing the first referrer URL to one or more local URL values; and

identifying the first current web content message as the start of a web page if the first referrer URL is equal to a local URL value.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first referrer URL is not equal to a local URL value, further comprising the steps of:

holding the first web content message and the first referrer URL;

obtaining a second web content message having a second referrer URL;

parsing the second web content message to obtain the second referrer URL;

comparing the second referrer URL to the first referrer URL; and

identifying the first web content message as the start of a web page if the second referrer URL is equal to the first referrer URL.