Apparatus and method for facilitating access to network resources
First Claim
1. A method for locating an efficient server among servers mirroring a network site, comprising:
- receiving a request for a resource from a client in communication with said servers over a network, the resource including links to a first resource of a first type and a second resource of a second type different from the first type;
determining for a first server an efficiency rating indicating the first server is efficient at providing resources of at least the first type to the client;
determining for a second server an efficiency rating indicating the second server is efficient at providing resources of at least the second type to the client; and
directing the client to subsequently communicate with the first server for accessing the first resource and the second server for accessing the second resource.
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Accused Products
Abstract
For a client seeking network resources from a network site, such as a web page, audio, visual, or other data, where the network site'"'"'s desired network resources are also provided by mirroring network hosts, measurements are made to determine a communication efficiency between the client and the network site and mirroring network hosts. The client is then directed to communicate with the network site or a mirroring network host according to which had the highest measured communication efficiency with the client. In such fashion, real time adjustments can be made so as to more optimally distribute client network resource requests across all available sources of the desired network resources, and provide for real time load balancing and fail over of disabled hosts.
62 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for locating an efficient server among servers mirroring a network site, comprising:
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receiving a request for a resource from a client in communication with said servers over a network, the resource including links to a first resource of a first type and a second resource of a second type different from the first type; determining for a first server an efficiency rating indicating the first server is efficient at providing resources of at least the first type to the client; determining for a second server an efficiency rating indicating the second server is efficient at providing resources of at least the second type to the client; and directing the client to subsequently communicate with the first server for accessing the first resource and the second server for accessing the second resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An article, comprising a storage medium having instructions for locating an efficient server among servers mirroring a network site encoded thereon for execution by a processor, said instructions capable of directing the processor to perform:
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receiving a request for a resource from a client in communication with said servers over a network, the resource including links to a first resource of a first type and a second resource of a second type different from the first type; determining for a first server an efficiency rating indicating the first server is efficient at providing resources of at least the first type to the client; determining for a second server an efficiency rating indicating the second server is efficient at providing resources of at least the second type to the client; and directing the client to subsequently communicate with first server for accessing the first resource and the second server for accessing the second resource. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method, comprising:
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determining a first server is geographically closer to a client than a second server; determining a first and a second efficiency rating of communication respectively between the client and the first and the second server, said ratings including efficiency for accessing a first resource type of the servers; determining a third and fourth efficiency rating of communication respectively between the client and the first and the second servers, said ratings including efficiency for accessing a second resource type different from the first resource type; determining a first and a second predicted reliability rating respectively for the first and second servers; evaluating whether the first efficiency rating exceeds the second efficiency rating but the first predicted reliability is less than the second predicted reliability, and if so, providing a web page of the first server linking to content of the second server. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An article, comprising a storage medium having instructions encoded thereon, said instructions, which when executed by a processor, are capable of directing the processor to:
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determine a first server is geographically closer to a client than a second server; determine a first and a second efficiency rating of communication respectively between the client and the first and the second servers, said ratings including efficiency for accessing a first resource type of the servers; determine a third and fourth efficiency rating of communication respectively between the client and the first and the second servers said ratings including efficiency for accessing a second resource type different from the first resource type; determine a first and a second predicted reliability rating respectively for the first and second servers; evaluate whether the first efficiency rating exceeds the second efficiency rating but the first predicted reliability is less than the second predicted reliability, and if so, providing a web page of the first server linking to content of the second server. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification