System and method for providing differentiated services on the web
First Claim
1. In a data communications network, a method for providing differentiated services with at least one network server, comprising the steps of:
- providing a plurality of content providers each offering users a plurality of levels of services;
creating with individual ones of said plurality of content providers at least one service level table and at least one resource requirement table;
merging said resource requirement tables of said plurality of content providers into a merged resource requirement table; and
at said at least one network server, assigning differentiated service levels to incoming user requests in accordance with said service level tables and in accordance with said merged resource requirement table.
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Abstract
A data communications network includes network servers, clusters of network servers, as well as content providers and service providers, such as ISPs and ASPs, and further includes at least one data processor that operates under control of a stored program resident on a memory media. The stored program directs operation of the data processor to provide users with differentiated services by defining, for individual ones of the plurality of content providers, a plurality of levels of services for users, and for responding to service level tables received from individual ones of the plurality of content providers, where individual ones of users are assigned to one of the plurality of levels of service. There is also at least one resource requirement table for defining at least a minimum set of resources required for realizing individual ones of said plurality of service levels. The program further directs operation of the at least one data processor to merge the plurality of resource requirement tables into a merged resource requirement table for use by a particular one of the network servers. The particular one of the network servers assigns differentiated service levels to incoming user requests in accordance with the service level tables, and in accordance with the merged resource requirement tables and currently available resources. The resources can include one of numbers of available servers, available memory capacity, and available bandwidth. The program further controls operation of the at least one data processor to redirect an incoming user request to a network server having sufficient available resources to provide a specified level of service for the user request.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. In a data communications network, a method for providing differentiated services with at least one network server, comprising the steps of:
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providing a plurality of content providers each offering users a plurality of levels of services;
creating with individual ones of said plurality of content providers at least one service level table and at least one resource requirement table;
merging said resource requirement tables of said plurality of content providers into a merged resource requirement table; and
at said at least one network server, assigning differentiated service levels to incoming user requests in accordance with said service level tables and in accordance with said merged resource requirement table. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
extracting a user identification from an incoming request; and
assigning one of a plurality of differentiated service level to said incoming request based at least in part on said user identification.
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12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said user identification comprises a request destination.
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13. A method as in claim 11, wherein said user identification is based on a secure protocol.
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14. A method as in claim 11, wherein said user identification is based on a HTTP method type.
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15. A method of claim 1, wherein said differentiated service level is variable, and is made a function of at least operational criteria.
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16. A method as in claim 1, wherein said differentiated services are employed for targeted advertisement purposes by identifying a service level of a user request and dynamically placing at least one targeted advertisement on content for said user.
- 17. A data communications network comprising network servers, content providers, and service providers, said network operating so as to provide users with differentiated services by defining, for individual ones of said plurality of content providers, a plurality of levels of services for users, for creating with individual ones of said plurality of content providers at least one service level table, wherein individual ones of users are assigned to one of said plurality of levels of service, and at least one resource requirement table for defining at least a minimum set of resources required for realizing individual ones of said plurality of service levels, said network operating to merge said resource requirement tables of said plurality of content providers into a merged resource requirement table for use by a particular one of said network servers, and wherein said particular one of said network servers assigns differentiated service levels to incoming user requests in accordance with said service level tables, and in accordance with said merged resource requirement table and currently available resources.
- 32. In a data communications network comprising network servers, content providers, and service providers, at least one data processor operating under control of a stored program resident on a memory media, said stored program directing operation of said data processor to provide users with differentiated services by defining, for individual ones of said plurality of content providers, a plurality of levels of services for users, for creating with individual ones of said plurality of content providers at least one service level table, wherein individual ones of users are assigned to one of said plurality of levels of service, and at least one resource requirement table for defining at least a minimum set of resources required for realizing individual ones of said plurality of service levels, said program further directing operation of said at least one data processor to merge said plurality of resource requirement tables into a merged resource requirement table for use by a particular one of said network servers, and wherein said particular one of said network servers assigns differentiated service levels to incoming user requests in accordance with said service level tables, and in accordance with said merged resource requirement table and currently available resources.
Specification