Multi-domain configuration handling in an edge network server

• US 20130191499A1
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Published: 07/25/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Ludin, Stephen L., Laghate, Prasanna, Stevens, Matthew J., Shotton, Frederick R., Hatala, Jozef
• Granted Patent: US 9,769,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30

Abstract

An Internet infrastructure delivery platform operated by a provider enables HTTP-based service to identified third parties at large scale. The platform provides this service to one or more cloud providers. The approach enables the CDN platform provider (the first party) to service third party traffic on behalf of the cloud provider (the second party). In operation, an edge server handling mechanism leverages DNS to determine if a request with an unknown host header should be serviced. Before serving a response, and assuming the host header includes an unrecognized name, the edge server resolves the host header and obtains an intermediate response, typically a list of aliases (e.g., DNS CNAMEs). The edge server checks the returned CNAME list to determine how to respond to the original request. Using just a single edge configuration, the CDN service provider can support instant provisioning of a cloud provider'"'"'s identified third party traffic.

Claims

1. Apparatus, comprising:

a processor;

computer memory holding computer program instructions adapted to be executed by the processor, the computer program instructions comprising;

code to receive a request having a host header associated therewith, the host header including a value;

code to determine whether the value in the host header is recognized;

code to perform a DNS query on the value if the value in the host header is not recognized;

code to receive a CNAME chain in response to the DNS query;

code to analyze the CNAME chain to determine whether a predetermined pattern is recognized; and

code to use the predetermined pattern and other data to attempt to locate a content handling metadata file if the predetermined pattern is recognized.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions further include:

code to apply information in the content handling metadata file; and

code to return a response to the request.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1 further including a cache.

4. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions also include code to cache the CNAME chain for re-use.

5. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions include code to return an error if the content handling metadata file cannot be located from the predetermined pattern and the other data.

6. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions further include code responsive to a determination that the CNAME chain does not have the predetermined pattern to attempt to validate an authorization token associated with an edge hostname.

7. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein the computer program instructions further include code to determine whether the intermediate pattern also include a prefix value.

8. A system operated by a first party, comprising:

web-accessible provisioning software that executes on hardware to enable a second party to provision a multi-domain configuration (MDC) digital property that is associated with a set of third party domains; and

at least one edge server machine that includes a software process that executes on hardware to receive a domain associated with a third party and, in response, to determine whether the domain is one of the third party domains associated with the MDC digital property.

9. The system as described in claim 8 wherein the software process determines whether the domain is one of the third party domains by performing a DNS lookup on the domain to retrieve at least one intermediate CNAME.

10. The system as described in claim 8 wherein the web-accessible provisioning software includes a configuration manager that establishes a naming convention for the MDC digital property and enforces the naming conventional through a CNAME provisioning tool that provisions that intermediate CNAME.