Content distribution system using an alternative domain name system (DNS) and content servers
DCFirst Claim
1. A computer-implemented method of delivering text, graphics, images, downloads, audio or video on behalf of multiple content providers, comprising:
- operating content delivery network (CDN) content servers in multiple locations, each location with connectivity to one or more networks;
operating multiple CDN name servers;
receiving a first domain name service (DNS) query at a first CDN name server, the first DNS query including a data string of the form “
string1 string2 string3”
, where;
string3 is a generic top level domain (gTLD),string2 is separated from string3 by a period and is a name maintained by a service provider that operates the CDN content servers and the CDN name servers, andstring1 is separated from string2 by a period and comprises one or more sub-strings, where each sub-string is comprised of one of;
letters, numbers, and combinations of letters and numbers, and any pair of sub-strings in string 1 are separated by a period;
having the first CDN name server respond to the first DNS query by sending a response that includes a first set of one or more IP addresses, where a first end user request for content directed to one of the IP addresses of the first set causes the service provider to deliver the content to a first end user from a first CDN content server;
receiving a second DNS query at a second CDN name server, the second DNS query also including the same data string that is received by the first CDN name server; and
having the second CDN name server respond to the second DNS query by sending a response that includes a second set of one or more IP addresses, wherein a second end user request for content directed to one of the IP addresses of the second set causes the service provider to deliver the content to a second end user from a second CDN content server;
the second set of one or more IP addresses differing from the first set of one or more IP addresses based on where the first and second DNS queries originate.
1 Assignment
Litigations
1 Petition
Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a network architecture or framework that supports hosting and content distribution on a truly global scale. The inventive framework allows a Content Provider to replicate and serve its most popular content at an unlimited number of points throughout the world. The inventive framework comprises a set of servers operating in a distributed manner. The actual content to be served is preferably supported on a set of hosting servers (sometimes referred to as ghost servers). This content comprises HTML page objects that, conventionally, are served from a Content Provider site. In accordance with the invention, however, a base HTML document portion of a Web page is served from the Content Provider'"'"'s site while one or more embedded objects for the page are served from the hosting servers, preferably, those hosting servers near the client machine. By serving the base HTML document from the Content Provider'"'"'s site, the Content Provider maintains control over the content.
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Citations
58 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of delivering text, graphics, images, downloads, audio or video on behalf of multiple content providers, comprising:
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operating content delivery network (CDN) content servers in multiple locations, each location with connectivity to one or more networks; operating multiple CDN name servers; receiving a first domain name service (DNS) query at a first CDN name server, the first DNS query including a data string of the form “
string1 string2 string3”
, where;string3 is a generic top level domain (gTLD), string2 is separated from string3 by a period and is a name maintained by a service provider that operates the CDN content servers and the CDN name servers, and string1 is separated from string2 by a period and comprises one or more sub-strings, where each sub-string is comprised of one of;
letters, numbers, and combinations of letters and numbers, and any pair of sub-strings in string 1 are separated by a period;having the first CDN name server respond to the first DNS query by sending a response that includes a first set of one or more IP addresses, where a first end user request for content directed to one of the IP addresses of the first set causes the service provider to deliver the content to a first end user from a first CDN content server; receiving a second DNS query at a second CDN name server, the second DNS query also including the same data string that is received by the first CDN name server; and having the second CDN name server respond to the second DNS query by sending a response that includes a second set of one or more IP addresses, wherein a second end user request for content directed to one of the IP addresses of the second set causes the service provider to deliver the content to a second end user from a second CDN content server; the second set of one or more IP addresses differing from the first set of one or more IP addresses based on where the first and second DNS queries originate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A computer-implemented method of content delivery operative in a content delivery network (CDN) for multiple content providers, the CDN comprising collections of CDN content servers, and a CDN name service having multiple CDN name servers, comprising:
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receiving, at the CDN name service, first and second DNS queries, wherein the first DNS query includes a name that points to the CDN, wherein the second DNS query also includes the name, wherein the name includes a character string having a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, wherein the first portion is a generic top level domain, and the second portion is separated from the first portion by a period and is an identifier maintained by a service provider that operates the CDN name service; and returning, by the CDN name service, a response to each of the first and second DNS queries, where a response to the first DNS query is provided by a first CDN name server and leads to a first subset of CDN content servers, and where a response to the second DNS query is provided by a second CDN name server and leads to a second subset of CDN content servers, the second CDN name server being distinct from the first CDN name server, where information within the responses to the first and second DNS queries varies based on where the respective first and second DNS queries originate. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57)
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58. A system for content delivery operated by a content delivery network (CDN) service provider for multiple content providers, comprising:
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a plurality of CDN content servers organized into sets; and a CDN name service having a set of name servers, the CDN name service receiving first and second DNS queries and returning a response to each of the first and second DNS queries; where the first DNS query includes a name that points to the CDN, the name of the form “
string 1 string2 string3”
, where;string3 is a generic top level domain (gTLD), string2 is separated from string3 by a period and is a name maintained by the CDN service provider, and string 1 is separated from string2 by a period and comprises one or more sub-strings, where each sub-string is comprised of one of;
letters, numbers, and combinations of letters and numbers, and any pair of sub-strings in string1 are separated by a period;where the second DNS query also includes the name; where a response to the first DNS query leads to a first subset of CDN content servers; where a response to the second DNS query leads to a second subset of CDN content servers; and where information within the responses to the first and second DNS queries varies based on where the respective first and second DNS queries originate.
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Specification