CACHING CONTENT AND STATE DATA AT A NETWORK ELEMENT
First Claim
1. A method of responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
- intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the network element;
determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application;
determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element;
sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache;
receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and
sending, toward the client application, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.
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Abstract
Methods are disclosed for caching content and state data at a network element. In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at a network element. An application layer message, which specifies a request for specified data from a server application, is determined from the data packets. A first portion of the specified data contained in the network element'"'"'s cache is determined. A message that requests a second portion of the data not contained in the cache is sent toward a server application. A first response that contains the second portion, but not the first portion, is received. A second response, which contains the first and second portions, is sent toward a client application.
In one embodiment, data packets are intercepted at the network element. An application layer message, which specifies session or database connection state information, is determined from the data packets. The state information is cached at the network element.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of:
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intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the network element; determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application; determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element; sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache; receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and sending, toward the client application, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, which instructions, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to carry out the steps of:
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intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the network element; determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application; determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element; sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache; receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and sending, toward the client application, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, the apparatus comprising:
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means for intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the network element; means for determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application; means for determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element; means for sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache; means for receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and means for sending, toward the client application, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.
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22. An apparatus for responding to a request using server response data that is cached at a network element, comprising:
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a network interface that is coupled to a data network for receiving one or more packet flows therefrom; a processor; one or more stored sequences of instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to carry out the steps of; intercepting, at the network element, one or more data packets that a client application addressed to a server application that is hosted on a device other than the network element; determining an application layer message that is contained in one or more payload portions of the one or more data packets, wherein the application layer message specifies a particular request for specified data from the server application; determining a portion of the specified data that is contained in a cache maintained at the network element; sending, toward the server application, a particular message that requests dynamically generated data that is not contained in the cache, wherein the particular message does not request the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache; receiving, from the server application, a first response that contains the dynamically generated data; and sending, toward the client application, a second response that contains both the dynamically generated data and the portion of the specified data that is contained in the cache.
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Specification