Method and System to Determine an Application Delivery Server Based on Geo-Location Information

• US 20110093522A1
• Filed: 10/21/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: A10 Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: A10 Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Chiong, John, Chen, Lee
• Granted Patent: US 9,960,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers

Abstract

A method and system to determine a web server based on geo-location information is disclosed. The system includes: a local DNS server coupled to a web client; a plurality of web servers; and a global load balancer coupled to the local DNS server. The global load balancer: receives a request for a web service sent by the web client, the request comprising local DNS server information; determines a geographic location for the local DNS server based on the local DNS server information; determines a web server from the plurality of web servers based on the requested web service; determines a geographic location for the determined web server; determines that the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server; selects the determined web server; and sends a response comprising information on the selected web server to the local DNS server.

Claims

1. A method for determining a web server, comprising:

(a) receiving a request for a web service sent by a web client, the web client being coupled to a local domain name system (DNS) server, the request comprising local DNS server information;

(b) determining a geographic location for the local DNS server based on the local DNS server information;

(c) determining a web server from a plurality of web servers based on the requested web service;

(d) determining a geographic location for the determined web server;

(e) determining that the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server;

(f) selecting the determined web server; and

(g) sending a response comprising information on the selected web server to the local DNS server.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises:

(a1) receiving the request for the web service from the local DNS server, the request comprising the local DNS server information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a) comprises:

(a1) receiving the request for the web service from a global DNS server coupled to the local DNS server, the request comprising the local DNS server information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location for the local DNS server comprises one of the following:

a geographic location for the web client;

a geographic location at which the local DNS server resides;

or

a geographic location of an IP gateway connected to the web client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location for the determined web server comprises one of the following:

a geographic location at which the determined web server resides;

a local DNS server geographic location serviced by the determined web server;

or

a web client geographic location serviced by the determined web server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the local DNS server information comprises an IP address for the local DNS server, wherein the determining (b) comprises:

(b1) querying a server location database using the IP address for the local DNS server, wherein the server location database comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an IP address and a corresponding geographic location, wherein the server location database identifies one or more entries comprising an IP address matching the IP address for the local DNS server; and

(b2) receiving from the server location database a corresponding geographic location from the identified entry as the geographic location of the local DNS server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the IP address in the identified entry matches the IP address for the local DNS server when:

the IP address in the identified entry is an exact match to the IP address for the local DNS server;

or

the IP address for the local DNS server is within a range of IP addresses in the identified entry.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the request further comprises a domain name, wherein the determining (c) and the determining (d) comprises:

(c1) querying a web server location database using the domain name, wherein the web server location database comprises a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a domain name, a corresponding web server, and a corresponding geographic location, wherein the web server location database identifies one or more entries comprising a domain name matching the domain name from the request; and

(d1) receiving from the web server location database a corresponding geographic location from the identified entry as the geographic location for the determined web server.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the domain name in the identified entry matches the domain name from the request when:

the domain name in the identified entry is an exact match to the domain name from the request;

the domain name from the request is within a range of domain names in the identified entry;

the identified entry contains a domain name prefix and the domain name from the request contains the prefix;

or

the domain name from the request is a sub-domain of the domain name in the identified entry.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server when:

the geographic location for the local DNS server is an exact match to the geographic location for the determined web server;

the geographic location for the local DNS server is a sub-area of the geographic location for the determined web server;

the geographic location for the local DNS server is within the geographic location for the determined web server;

or

the geographic location for the local DNS server is within a predetermine distance from the geographic location for the determined web server.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of web servers comprises a plurality of server computers servicing the requested web service.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein each entry further comprises a performance factor, wherein the web server location database identifies a plurality of entries comprising the domain name matching the domain name from the request, wherein the receiving (d1), the determining (e), and the selecting (f) comprises:

(d1i) receiving from the web server location database the corresponding web servers, the corresponding geographic locations, and the performance factors from the identified entries;

(e1) determining if any of the corresponding geographic locations match the geographic location for the local DNS server;

(e2) comparing the performance factors for the corresponding geographic locations that match the geographic location for the local DNS server;

(f1) determining one of the corresponding web servers based on the comparison in (e2); and

(f2) selecting the determined web server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance factor comprises a latency, wherein the determining (f1) comprises:

(f1i) determining the corresponding web server with a smallest latency.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance factor comprises a network capacity, wherein the determining (f1) comprises:

(f1i) determining the corresponding web server with a largest network capacity.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the performance factor comprise a processing capability, wherein the determining (f1) comprises:

(f1i) determining the corresponding web server with a best processing capability.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving (a), the selecting (f), and the sending (g) comprises:

(a1) intercepting a response to the request sent by a global DNS server to the local DNS server;

(f1) modifying the response to indicate the selected web server; and

(g1) sending the modified response comprising information on the selected web server to the local DNS server.

17. A system, comprising:

a plurality of web servers; and

a global load balancer coupled to a local domain name system (DNS) server, the local DNS server coupled to a web client, wherein the global load balancer;

receives a request for a web service sent by the web client, the request comprising local DNS server information;

determines a geographic location for the local DNS server based on the local DNS server information;

determines a web server from the plurality of web servers based on the requested web service;

determines a geographic location for the determined web server;

determines that the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server;

selects the determined web server; and

sends a response comprising information on the selected web server to the local DNS server.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a global DNS server coupled to the local DNS server and the global load balancer, wherein the global load balancer receives the request for the web service from the global DNS server, the request comprising the local DNS server information.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the global load balancer:

intercepts a response to the request sent by the global DNS serve to the local DNS server;

modifies the response to indicate the selected web server; and

sends the modified response comprising information for the selected web server to the local DNS server.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the geographic location for the local DNS server comprises one of the following:

a geographic location for the web client;

a geographic location at which the local DNS server resides;

or

a geographic location of an IP gateway connected to the web client.

21. The system of claim 17, wherein the geographic location for the determined web server comprises one of the following:

a geographic location at which the determined web server resides;

a local DNS server geographic location serviced by the determined web server;

or

a web client geographic location serviced by the determined web server.

22. The system of claim 17, further comprising a server location database comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising an IP address and a corresponding geographic location, wherein the local DNS server information comprises an IP address for the local DNS server,

wherein the global load balancer queries the server location database using the IP address for the local DNS server,

wherein the server location database identifies one or more entries comprising an IP address matching the IP address for the local DNS server,

wherein the global load balancer receives from the server location database a corresponding geographic location from the identified entry as the geographic location of the local DNS server.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the IP address in the identified entry matches the IP address for the local DNS server when:

the IP address in the identified entry is an exact match to the IP address for the local DNS server;

or

the IP address for the local DNS server is within a range of IP addresses in the identified entry.

24. The system of claim 17, further comprising a web server location database comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a domain name, a corresponding web server, and a corresponding geographic location, wherein the request further comprises a domain name,

wherein the web server location database identifies one or more entries comprising a domain name matching the domain name from the request,

wherein the global load balancer receives from the web server location database a corresponding geographic location from the identified entry as the geographic location for the determined web server.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the domain name in the identified entry matches the domain name from the request when:

the domain name in the identified entry is an exact match to the domain name from the request;

the domain name from the request is within a range of domain names in the identified entry;

the identified entry contains a domain name prefix and the domain name from the request contains the prefix;

or

the domain name from the request is a sub-domain of the domain name in the identified entry.

26. The system of claim 17, wherein the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server when:

the geographic location for the local DNS server is an exact match to the geographic location for the determined web server;

the geographic location for the local DNS server is a sub-area of the geographic location for the determined web server;

the geographic location for the local DNS server is within the geographic location for the determined web server;

or

the geographic location for the local DNS server is within a predetermine distance from the geographic location for the determined web server.

27. The system of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of web servers comprises a plurality of server computers servicing the requested web service.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein each entry further comprises a performance factor, wherein the web server location database identifies a plurality of entries comprising the domain name matching the domain name from the request, wherein the global load balancer:

receives from the web server location database the corresponding web servers, the corresponding geographic locations, and the performance factors from the identified entries;

determines if any of the corresponding geographic locations match the geographic location for the local DNS server;

compares the performance factors for the corresponding geographic locations that match the geographic location for the local DNS server;

determines one of the corresponding web servers based on the comparison; and

selects the determined web server.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the performance factor comprises a latency, wherein the global load balancer determines the corresponding web server with a smallest latency.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the performance factor comprises a network capacity, wherein the global load balancer determines the corresponding web server with a largest network capacity.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the performance factor comprise a processing capability, wherein the global load balancer determines the corresponding web server with a best processing capability.

32. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

(a) receive a request for a web service sent by a web client, the web client being coupled to a local domain name system (DNS) server, the request comprising local DNS server information;

(b) determine a geographic location for the local DNS server based on the local DNS server information;

(c) determine a web server from a plurality of web servers based on the requested web service;

(d) determine a geographic location for the determined web server;

(e) determine that the geographic location for the local DNS server matches the geographic location for the determined web server;

(f) select the determined web server; and

(g) send a response comprising information on the selected web server to the local DNS server.