Performance computer network method

• US 7,225,254 B1
• Filed: 02/06/2004
• Issued: 05/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Akamai Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Gupta, Ajit K., Swildens, Eric Sven-Johan, Day, Richard David
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn; Nathan J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hu; Jinsong
• Application Number:
  US10/774,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/203, 709/225
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/14 Charging , metering or billing arrangements for data wireline or wireless communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5012 determining service availability, e.g. which services are available at a certain point in time
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/00 Arrangements for monitoring or testing data switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0858 One way delays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/12 Network monitoring probes
• 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 67/10015 Access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. using brokers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/101 based on network conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

A method for a computer network includes sending a first request from a web client for resolving a first web address of a web page to a client DNS server, sending the first request from the client DNS server to a POP DNS server within a POP server network, using a probe server in the POP server network to determine traffic loads of a plurality of customer web servers, each of the customer web servers storing the web page, using the POP DNS server to determine a customer web server from the plurality of customer web servers, the customer web server having a traffic load lower than traffic loads of other customer web servers in the plurality of customer web servers, requesting the web page from the customer web server, the web page including static content represented by an embedded URL, sending the web page from the customer web server to the web client, sending a second request from the web client for resolving the URL to the client DNS server. sending the second request from the client DNS server to the POP DNS server within a POP server network, using the probe server to determine service metrics of a plurality of web caches within the POP server network, using the POP DNS server to determine a web cache from the plurality of web caches, the web cache having service metrics more appropriate for the second request than service metrics of other web caches in the plurality of web caches, requesting the static content from the web cache, sending the static content to the web client, and outputting the static content with the web client.

Claims

1. A machine implemented method, comprising:

sending a Web page resident on a customer Web server to a requesting user, the Web page including static content represented by an embedded URL;

wherein the static content is served by a plurality of Web caches within a POP server network;

wherein the customer is a customer of a service that operates the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the customer pays a fee to the service for use of the plurality of Web caches storing static content for the customer;

determining service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

selecting a Web cache from the plurality of Web caches, the Web cache having service metrics more appropriate for a user request from the Web page than service metrics of other Web caches in the plurality of Web caches; and

sending the user request for the static content to the Web cache.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sending step further comprises:

determining traffic loads of a plurality of customer Web servers using a probe server;

selecting the customer Web server from the plurality of customer Web servers using a DNS server, the customer Web server having a traffic load more appropriate for a user request than traffic loads of other customer Web servers in the plurality of customer Web servers; and

sending the user request for the Web page to the customer web server.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the traffic loads include latency measurements between the probe server and the plurality of customer Web servers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining traffic loads step measures traffic loads at predetermined intervals.

5. The method of claim 1,

wherein the determining service metrics step uses a probe server to determine service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the selecting a Web cache step uses a DNS server to select the Web cache from the plurality of Web caches; and

wherein the Web cache sends the static content to the requesting user.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the service metrics include metrics selected from:

HTTP response time, FTP response time, CPU load, memory load.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining service metrics step determines service metrics at predetermined intervals.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining whether the requested static content is resident on the Web cache;

determining a customer Web server that has the requested static content when the requested static content is not resident on the Web cache;

wherein the Web cache retrieves the requested static content from the customer Web server; and

storing the requested static content from the customer Web server on the Web cache.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the customer Web server from which static content is retrieved is predetermined.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the network of POP servers comprises more than one DNS server.

11. A method, comprising:

sending a Web page resident on a customer Web server to a requesting user, the Web page including cacheable content represented by an embedded URL and dynamic content represented by a second embedded URL;

wherein the dynamic content is served by a plurality of customer Web servers;

wherein the cacheable content is served by a plurality of Web caches within a POP server network;

wherein the customer is a customer of a service that operates the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the customer pays a fee to the service for use of the plurality of Web caches storing static content for the customer;

determining service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

selecting a Web cache from the plurality of Web caches, the Web cache having service metrics more appropriate for a user request from the Web page than service metrics of other Web caches in the plurality of Web caches; and

sending the user request for the static content to the Web cache.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sending step further comprises:

determining traffic loads of the plurality of customer Web servers using a probe server;

selecting the customer Web server from the plurality of customer Web servers using a DNS server, the customer Web server having a traffic load more appropriate for a user request than traffic loads of other customer Web servers in the plurality of customer Web servers; and

sending the user request for the Web page to the customer web server.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the traffic loads include latency measurements between the probe server and the plurality of customer Web servers.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the determining traffic loads step measures traffic loads at predetermined intervals.

15. The method of claim 11,

wherein the determining service metrics step uses a probe server to determine service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the selecting a Web cache step uses a DNS server to select the Web cache from the plurality of Web caches; and

wherein the Web cache sends the static content to the requesting user.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the service metrics include metrics selected from:

HTTP response time, FTP response time, CPU load, memory load.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining service metrics step determines service metrics at predetermined intervals.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising;

determining whether the requested static content is resident on the Web cache;

determining a customer Web server that has the requested static content when the requested static content is not resident on the Web cache;

wherein the Web cache retrieves the requested static content from the customer Web server; and

storing the requested static content from the customer Web server on the Web cache.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the customer Web server from which static content is retrieved is predetermined.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the network of POP servers comprises more than one DNS server.

21. An apparatus, comprising:

a module for sending a Web page resident on a customer Web server to a requesting user, the Web page including static content represented by an embedded URL;

wherein the static content is served by a plurality of Web caches within a POP server network;

wherein the customer is a customer of a service that operates the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the customer pays a fee to the service for use of the plurality of Web caches storing static content for the customer;

a module for determining service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

a module for selecting a Web cache from the plurality of Web caches, the Web cache having service metrics more appropriate for a user request from the Web page than service metrics of other Web caches in the plurality of Web caches; and

a module for sending the user request for the static content to the Web cache.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the sending module further comprises:

a module for determining traffic loads of a plurality of customer Web servers using a probe server,

a module for selecting the customer Web server from the plurality of customer Web servers using a DNS server, the customer Web server having a traffic load more appropriate for a user request than traffic loads of other customer Web servers in the plurality of customer Web servers; and

a module for sending the user request for the Web page to the customer web server.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the traffic loads include latency measurements between the probe server and the plurality of customer Web servers.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the determining traffic loads module measures traffic loads at predetermined intervals.

25. The apparatus of claim 21,

wherein the module for determining service metrics uses a probe server to determine service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the module for selecting a Web cache uses a DNS server to select the Web cache from the plurality of Web caches; and

wherein the Web cache sends the static content to the requesting user.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the service metrics include metrics selected from:

HTTP response time, FTP response time, CPU load, memory load.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the determining service metrics module determines service metrics at predetermined intervals.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, further comprising:

a module for determining whether the requested static content is resident on the Web cache;

a module for determining a customer Web server that has the requested static content when the requested static content is not resident on the Web cache;

wherein the Web cache retrieves the requested static content from the customer Web server; and

a module for storing the requested static content from the customer Web server on the Web cache.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the customer Web server from which static content is retrieved is predetermined.

30. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the network of POP servers comprises more than one DNS server.

31. An apparatus, comprising:

a module for sending a Web page resident on a customer Web server to a requesting user, the Web page including cacheable content represented by an embedded URL and dynamic content represented by a second embedded URL;

wherein the dynamic content is served by a plurality of customer Web servers;

wherein the cacheable content is served by a plurality of Web caches within a POP server network;

wherein the customer is a customer of a service that operates the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the customer pays a fee to the service for use of the plurality of Web caches storing static content for the customer;

a module for determining service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

a module for selecting a Web cache from the plurality of Web caches, the Web cache having service metrics more appropriate for a user request from the Web page than service metrics of other Web caches in the plurality of Web caches; and

a module for sending the user request for the static content to the Web cache.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the sending module further comprises:

a module for determining traffic loads of the plurality of customer Web servers using a probe server;

a module for selecting the customer Web server from the plurality of customer Web servers using a DNS server, the customer Web server having a traffic load more appropriate for a user request than traffic loads of other customer Web servers in the plurality of customer Web servers; and

a module for sending the user request for the Web page to the customer web server.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the traffic loads include latency measurements between the probe server and the plurality of customer Web servers.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the determining traffic loads module measures traffic loads at predetermined intervals.

35. The apparatus of claim 31,

wherein the module for determining service metrics uses a probe server to determine service metrics of the plurality of Web caches;

wherein the module for selecting a Web cache uses a DNS server to select the Web cache from the Plurality of Web caches; and

wherein the Web cache sends the static content to the requesting user.

36. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the service metrics include metrics selected from:

HTTP response time, FTP response time, CPU load, memory load.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, wherein the determining service metrics module determines service metrics at predetermined intervals.

38. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

a module for determining whether the requested static content is resident on the Web cache;

a module for determining a customer Web server that has the requested static content when the requested static content is not resident on the Web cache;

wherein the Web cache retrieves the requested static content from the customer Web server; and

a module for storing the requested static content from the customer Web server on the Web cache.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the customer Web server from which static content is retrieved is predetermined.

40. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the network of POP servers comprises more than one DNS server.