Content Replication Workflow in Content Delivery Networks

• US 20120198070A1
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Published: 08/02/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Limelight Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Black, Bryan, Roersma, Jacob S., Boelens, Jared, Dunbar, Neil, Lange, Sig, Swanson, Wylie
• Granted Patent: US 8,521,813 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34

Abstract

A method for populating edge servers within a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of points of presence (POPs) is disclosed. A first function is performed that gathers popularity information for a content object. Popularity trends for the popularity information are determined through analysis with historical popularity information. A number of copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs is determined. The number is passed as a variable to a second function. The second function is performed that adds or deletes copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs as a function of the popularity trend and the number.

Claims

1. A content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of points of presence (POPs) for populating content on edge servers, the CDN comprising:

a mapper configured to determine a popularity trend for each of a plurality of content objects based on historical request information, the popularity trend for each of the plurality of content objects characterizing a difference between a value of a popularity variable of the respective content object at a first time period and a value of the popularity variable of the respective content object at a second time period;

a policy reconciliation service (PRS) configured to maintain and process policies, the PRS comprising a policy store storing one or more policies for;

identifying a content object of the plurality of content objects for storage reevaluation based on the identified content object'"'"'s determined popularity trend;

determining a number of copies of the content object based on the determined popularity trend; and

identifying one or more storage devices for adding or deleting a copy of the identified content object; and

one or more processing resources coupled to the PRS, the mapper, and the one or more storage devices, the one or more processing resources being configured to process the one or more policies and to add or delete copies of the identified content object on the one or more storage devices.

2. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the number of copies is determined based on a projected popularity of the identified content object.

3. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the popularity trend is based on request information across all of the POPs.

4. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, further comprising a metadata directory coupled to the mapper, the metadata directory storing the determined popularity trends associated with each of the plurality of content objects.

5. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the content mapper comprises a counter to count requests for the identified content object.

6. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the content object is identified based on a change in the identified content object'"'"'s request velocity.

7. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the content object is identified based on a change in the identified content object'"'"'s request acceleration.

8. The CDN having a POPs for populating content on edge servers as recited in claim 1, wherein the mapper comprises one or more mapper cabinets storing storage-device names or addresses for each of a plurality of paths or filenames.

9. A method for populating edge servers within a content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of points of presence (POPs), the method comprising:

performing a first function that gathers popularity information for a content object;

determining a popularity trend for the popularity information through analysis of historical popularity information, the popularity trend characterizing a difference between a value of popularity variable of the content object at a first time period and value of the popularity variable of the content object at a second time period;

determining a number of copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs;

passing the number as a variable to a second function; and

performing the second function that adds or deletes copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs as a function of the popularity trend and the number.

10. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

determining that a customer has subscribed to the first function and the second function;

determining the content object is controlled by the customer; and

only performing the first and second functions for content objects of subscribing customers.

11. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, further comprising selecting the content object from a plurality of content objects based upon prioritizing content objects with the biggest change in popularity information.

12. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, wherein the content object is prioritized based upon acceleration in the popularity trend.

13. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, wherein the determined number of copies is based on the popularity trend and a size of the content object.

14. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, wherein the popularity information comprises a scaled popularity score based on a number of requests for the content object.

15. The method for populating edge servers within a CDN having the plurality of POPs as recited in claim 9, further comprising repeatedly performing the first function that gathers popularity information for the content object.

16. A content delivery network (CDN) having a plurality of points of presence (POPs) for populating content on edge servers, the CDN comprising two or more hardware servers programmed for:

performing a first function that gathers popularity information for a content object;

determining a popularity trend for the popularity information through analysis of historical popularity information, the popularity trend for each of the plurality of content objects characterizing a difference between a value of the popularity variable of the content object at a first time period and a value of the popularity variable of the content object at a second time period;

determining a number of copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs;

passing the number as a variable to a second function; and

performing the second function that adds or deletes copies of the content object for each of the plurality of POPs as a function of the popularity trend and the number.

17. The CDN having the plurality of POPs for populating content on edge server as recited in claim 16, wherein the determined number of copies is based on the popularity trend and a quality of service desired for delivery of the content object.

18. The CDN having the plurality of POPs for populating content on edge server as recited in claim 16, wherein the popularity information comprises local popularity of the content object.

19. The CDN having the plurality of POPs for populating content on edge server as recited in claim 16, wherein the determined number of copies is based on a projected popularity of the content object.

20. The CDN having the plurality of POPs for populating content on edge server as recited in claim 16, wherein the two or more hardware servers programmed are further configured for effecting storing the popularity information.