Apparatus and method for managing internet resource requests
First Claim
1. A method of handling a resource request made by a client in a client network, the network including a Generic Local Lookup Service (GLLS) located at a network edge and a Generic Domain Lookup System (GDLS) located at a location remote from the network edge, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a resource request at the GLLS from the said client, the resource request identifying the requested resource;
forwarding the resource request from the GLLS to the GDLS;
searching a database in the GDLS for a resource record associated with the requested resource;
the GDLS analyzing a set of resource providers and determining the resource providers compatible with the resource request;
transmitting a response containing a list of resource providers from the GDLS to the GLLS, the list including server selection criteria associated with the resource providers;
the GLLS selecting the best resource provider in the list according to the server selection criteria and additional client information relating to a client performance characteristic, the additional client information including the client access speed; and
the GLLS returning data to the client which identifies the best resource provider for the requested resource.
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Accused Products
Abstract
DNS in its native form cannot identify a good or best server. Traditional Service Providers deploy a centralised approach to global traffic management based on enhancements to DNS, but do have the capability to augment this with edge-based server selection because they do not own/operate an edge network. Their resolution of DNS requests is typically restricted to identifying candidate servers within an edge domain rather than selecting the “best” server. The invention proposes a method of handling Internet resource requests whereby a local lookup server receiving a request searches for a best server able to satisfy the resource request. The local lookup server finds the best server by searching a database for a resource record associated with the best server, and then uses the resource record to retrieve an identifier of a series of executable instructions that are executed to locate the best server. The resource requests and responses may hold additional information relating to operational characteristics which may used to determine the best server. The invention proposes a DNS record type comprising a user-defined field for conveying this additional information in the resource request and in the response. The invention also proposes architecture for handling the resource request comprising a network server that provides the requested resource using the best server, as well as a communications network comprising this architecture.
136 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method of handling a resource request made by a client in a client network, the network including a Generic Local Lookup Service (GLLS) located at a network edge and a Generic Domain Lookup System (GDLS) located at a location remote from the network edge, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a resource request at the GLLS from the said client, the resource request identifying the requested resource;
forwarding the resource request from the GLLS to the GDLS;
searching a database in the GDLS for a resource record associated with the requested resource;
the GDLS analyzing a set of resource providers and determining the resource providers compatible with the resource request;
transmitting a response containing a list of resource providers from the GDLS to the GLLS, the list including server selection criteria associated with the resource providers;
the GLLS selecting the best resource provider in the list according to the server selection criteria and additional client information relating to a client performance characteristic, the additional client information including the client access speed; and
the GLLS returning data to the client which identifies the best resource provider for the requested resource. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17)
- receiving a resource request at the GLLS from the said client, the resource request identifying the requested resource;
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7. A scaleable architecture for handling a resource request from a client, the resource request comprising a first identity of a resource provider, the architecture comprising:
- a GLLS at a network edge for identifying a preferred resource provider for the requested resource to the client in response to receiving the resource request from the client, said preferred resource provider being defined by the resource provider that Is most compatible with the resource request with respect to Content Selection Criteria contained in the resource request; and
a GDLS at a location remote from the client network for returning data identifying a set of resource providers and including server selection criteria associated with the resource providers in response to receipt of a converted resource request from the GLLS, the GLLS being operable to select et preferred resource provider based on the server selection criteria and additional client information relating to a client performance characteristic, the additional client information including the client access speed. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 13)
- a GLLS at a network edge for identifying a preferred resource provider for the requested resource to the client in response to receiving the resource request from the client, said preferred resource provider being defined by the resource provider that Is most compatible with the resource request with respect to Content Selection Criteria contained in the resource request; and
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10. A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on entities within a network, cause the entities to perform a method for handling a resource request, the method comprising the steps of;
- receiving a resource request at a GLLS located at a network edge from a client In the client network, the resource request identifying the requested resource;
forwarding the resource request from the OILS to a GDLS at a location remote from the network edge;
searching a database in the GDLS for a resource record associated with the requested resource the resource record including a series of executable instructions;
the GDLS analyzing a set of resource providers and determining the resource providers compatible with the resource request;
transmitting a response containing a list of resource providers from the GDLS to the GLLS, the list including server selection criteria associated with the resource providers;
the GLLS selecting the best resource provider in the list according to the server selection criteria and additional client information relating to a client performance characteristic the additional client information including the client access speed; and
the GLLS returning data to the client which identifies the best resource provider for the requested resource.
- receiving a resource request at a GLLS located at a network edge from a client In the client network, the resource request identifying the requested resource;
Specification