Network proxy apparatus and methods

• US 7,565,407 B1
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 07/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ciena Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayball, Clive C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Etienne; Ario
• Assistant Examiner(s): Halim; Sahera
• Application Number:
  US09/747,698
• Time in Patent Office: 3,133 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/11, 705/14, 709/200, 709/216, 709/217, 709/218
• US Class Current: 709/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9574 of access to content, e.g. by caching

Abstract

Content is frequently replicated across IP-based networks such as the Internet. Replicas are stored in caches throughout the network. However, to date there has been no mechanism to allow users not directly associated with the replicas to access replicas. Therefore although a copy of a content item may be stored geographically nearby, it may still be necessary to obtain the original content item from a server many thousands of miles away.

By recording the location of content items and producing a mapping of a content item to all known replicas, it is possible to produce an authoritative proxy associated with a particular domain which is able to provide a list of URLs of alternative replica copies of a requested content item. In this way, a content request proxy associated with a requester of a content item may choose the best location for retrieving the content item from a list which may include local caches not directly associated with the requester.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of indexing location of content cached within an IP-based network comprising:

(a) intercepting data traffic flowing from a source node to a destination node in the network, the data traffic including content to be cached at the destination node,

(b) extracting identity information for the content and associated destination location information for the destination node where the content in the data traffic is to be cached from the data traffic,

(c) generating a mapping from the content identified by the extracted identity information to the destination node identified by the associated destination location information,

(d) storing the mapping in a content index database, wherein the database provides an instance mapping containing a list of destination nodes at which the content has been cached, the instance mapping being provided in response to an instance request containing the identity information for the content, and

(e) advertising the extracted content identities to which mappings are stored in the content index by sending advertising messages to a predetermined location in the network.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of intercepting data traffic is carried out by intercepting data traffic flowing into a cache.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the method further comprises recording the time of data traffic flows into the cache which are related to a particular content item and calculating the time period between a first flow of the content item into the cache and a subsequent flow of the content item into the cache thereby to assess how long content items are held in the cache before expire and deleting the mapping relating to that particular content item when the said particular content item is judged to have expired in the cache.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of intercepting data traffic is carried out by intercepting data traffic flowing out of an original content source node.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the method further comprises receiving an advertising message which advertises a mapping generated elsewhere on the network and said message is related to content items stored in the original content source node, and augmenting the content index using information contained in the advertising message.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the step of intercepting data traffic is carded out by intercepting content requests issued by a cache, and wherein the method further comprises advertising the content identities for which mappings are stored in the content index by sending advertising messages to a predetermined location in the network.

7. A proxy for an IP-based network comprising:

(a) a processor,

(b) a data input to receive traffic data transmitted from a source node to a destination node from the network, the traffic data including content to be cached at the destination location, wherein the data traffic flowing form the source node to the destination node is intercepted.

(c) a data output to send data including the content to the network,

(d) an identity extractor to analyze data received at the data input and to extract, from the data, identity information for the content,

(e) a location extractor to analyze data received at the data input and to extract, from the data, location information for the destination node where the content in the data is to be cached,

(f) a mapping generator to generate a mapping from a content item identified by identity information provided by the identity extractor, to at least one destination node where the content is to be cached, the at least one destination node identified by associated destination location information provided by the location extractor,

(g) a content index database to store a mapping provided by the mapping generator and to provide an instance mapping containing a list of destination nodes at which the content has been cached, the instance mapping being provided in response to an instance request containing an identity of the content item, and

(h) an advertising message for transmission over the network, the message advertising a replica content item and the location of said replica content item.

8. A computer program, stored on computer readable medium, which, when executed by an apparatus, causes the apparatus to index content in an IP-based network by:

(a) intercepting data traffic flowing from a source node to a destination node in the network, the data traffic including content to be cached at the destination node,

(b) extracting identity information for the content and associated destination location information for the destination node where the content in the data traffic is to be cached from the data traffic flow,

(c) generating a mapping from the content identified by the extracted identity information to the destination node identified by the associated destination location information,

(d) storing the mapping in a content index database which provides an instance mapping containing a list of destination nodes at which the content has been cached, the instance mapping being provided in response to an instance request containing the identity of the content, and

(e) advertising the extracted content identities to which mappings are stored in the content index by sending advertising messages to a predetermined location in the network.