Controlling subscriber information rates in a content delivery network

• US 7,945,693 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 05/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Greer, Richard E., Swart, Andrew D., Balter, James A., Farber, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair; Douglas B
• Application Number:
  US11/980,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20080104268A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,294 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/219, 709/224, 709/234
• US Class Current: 709/234
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/509 Offload
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/505 considering the load
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/065 related to network devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/16 Threshold monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/30 Managing network names, e.g. use of aliases or nicknames name-to-address mapping H04L61/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/301 Name conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
• 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 67/1006 with static server selection, e.g. the same server being selected for a specific client
• 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 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1014 based on the content of a request
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1023 based on a hash applied to IP addresses or costs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1025 : Dynamic adaptation of the criteria on which the server selection is based
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1036 : Load balancing of requests to servers for services different from user content provisioning, e.g. load balancing across domain name servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 : Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 : involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2895 : Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• 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 67/561 : Adding application-functional data or data for application control, e.g. adding metadata
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 : Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/564 : Enhancement of application control based on intercepted application data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 : Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/5682 : Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 : taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 : Network security protocols

Abstract

A plurality of content providers provide multiple resources to multiple clients. At least some of the resources are to be served to clients from a shared content delivery network (CDN) formed by a plurality of repeater servers. Each content provider provides at least some resources via one or more content sources associated with that content provider. Transmission data rates from the CDN on behalf of some of the content providers are monitored. Based at least in part on the monitored data rates, requests for resources are directed to a source other than the CDN. Redirection of requests may be based on a pricing policy.

Claims

1. A method for delivering resources to clients in a framework in which a plurality of repeater servers form a shared content delivery network (CDN) operable to serve resources to clients on behalf of a plurality of content providers, the method comprising:

determining a data traffic rate for at least one particular content provider of said plurality of content providers, wherein said data traffic rate is determined at least in part by monitoring amounts of data transmitted by said CDN over a period of time on behalf of said particular content provider, wherein said monitoring act comprises each repeater server in the CDN measuring the amount of data that repeater transmits on behalf of each of at least some content providers, including said particular content provider;

based at least in part on said determined traffic rate of the particular content provider, selectively causing requests for resources of that particular content provider to be directed to a source other than said CDN.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the source other than the CDN is a content source associated with that particular content provider.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said requests are directed to a content source associated with that particular content provider.

4. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein said content source associated with the particular content provider is an origin server of the particular content provider.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said selectively causing comprises:

causing requests for resources of that particular content provider to be directed away from said CDN.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said requests for resources of that particular content provider are directed to a source other than said CDN by a reflector.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein the reflector is co-located with an origin server associated with the particular content provider.

8. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of content providers is a subscriber to the CDN.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

determining an aggregate information transmission rate for said at least one particular content provider, and

wherein requests for resources of that particular content provider are directed to a source other than said CDN when, based at least in part on said aggregate information transmission rate for said at least one particular content provider.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 further comprising:

associating a threshold aggregate information rate with at least said particular content provider, and

wherein requests for resources of that particular content provider are directed to a source other than said CDN when, based at least in part on a relationship between (a) said aggregate information transmission rate for said at least one particular content provider and (b) said threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider.

11. A method as in claim 10 wherein

requests for resources of that particular content provider are directed to a source other than said CDN when said aggregate information transmission rate for said at least one particular content provider exceeds said threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider.

12. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider is based at least in part on a pricing policy.

13. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein said threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider is based at least in part on a committed rate associated with that particular content provider.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein said selectively causing is based at least in part on a pricing policy.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the act of measuring comprises periodically measuring.

24. A method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

selecting an appropriate repeater using, at least in part, an analysis of network distance between a requesting client and the plurality of repeater servers.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein the selecting comprises:

a step for determining Group Reduction Tables and Link Cost Tables; and

a step for using the Group Reduction Tables and the Link Cost Tables to identify the appropriate repeater.

16. A method for delivering resources to clients in a framework in which a plurality of repeater servers form a shared content delivery network (CDN) operable to serve resources to clients on behalf of a plurality of content providers, the method comprising:

determining a data traffic rate for at least one particular content provider of said plurality of content providers, wherein said data traffic rate is determined at least in part by monitoring amounts of data transmitted by said CDN over a period of time on behalf of said particular content provider, wherein said monitoring act comprises each repeater server in the CDN measuring the amount of data that repeater transmits on behalf of each of at least some content providers, including said particular content provider;

selectively causing a client request for the CDN to serve a resource of a particular content provider to be directed to a content source associated with that particular content provider, said causing being based at least in part on a function of the amount of the data traffic rate of that particular content provider.

17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein the selectively causing is based at least in part on a comparison of (a) the data traffic rate of that particular content provider and (b) a threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider.

18. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said selectively causing is based on whether (a) the data traffic rate of that particular content provider exceeds (b) the threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider.

19. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein

the threshold aggregate information rate associated with each of said plurality of content providers is a multiple of a committed rate associated with the corresponding content provider.

20. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein each of said plurality of content providers is a subscriber to the CDN.

21. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said threshold aggregate information rate associated with that particular content provider is based at least in part on a pricing policy.

22. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said content source associated with the particular content provider is an origin server of the particular content provider.

23. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein said selectively causing is based at least in part on a pricing policy.

26. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the act of measuring comprises periodically measuring.