Network cache architecture storing pointer information in payload data segments of packets

• US 8,898,247 B2
• Filed: 06/17/2009
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Damola, Ayodele, Hellkvist, Stefan, Westberg, Lars
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Monica C
• Application Number:
  US13/376,918
• Publication Number:
  US 20120084385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,987 Days
• Field of Search: 709/213
• US Class Current: 709/213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/00 Arrangements for maintenance, administration or management of data switching networks, e.g. of packet switching networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• 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 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2381 Adapting the multiplex stream to a specific network, e.g. an Internet Protocol [IP] network transmission of MPEG streams over ATM H04L12/5601
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]

Abstract

There is described a method and apparatus for sending data through one or more packet data networks. A reduced size packet is sent from a packet sending node towards a cache node, the reduced size packet including in its payload a pointer to a payload data segment stored in a file at the cache node. When the reduced size packet is received at the cache node, the pointer is used to identify the payload data segment from data stored at the cache node. The payload data segment is inserted into the reduced size packet in place of the pointer so as to generate a full size packet, which is sent from the cache node towards a client.

Claims

1. A cache for use in a packet data network, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a packet, the received packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload;

a storage medium configured to store cached data;

a processor operatively connected to the receiver and the storage medium, the processor configured to;

identify whether the payload of the received packet contains pointer information identifying a payload data segment of the cached data stored in the storage medium; and

responsive to the payload of the received packet containing the pointer information, use the pointer information to locate and retrieve the payload data segment from the storage medium and insert the retrieved payload data segment into the payload of the packet; and

a transmitter operatively connected to the processor configured to forward the packet, including the inserted payload data segment, towards a client.

2. The cache of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to replace the pointer information in the packet with the retrieved payload data segment.

3. The cache of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to carry out Deep Packet Inspection to identify whether the payload of the packet contains the pointer information.

4. The cache of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to search a header of the packet for a marker identifying whether the payload of the packet contains the pointer information.

5. The cache of claim 1, wherein the pointer information includes:

a file ID identifying a cached file stored in the storage medium containing the payload data segment;

a location ID identifying the location of the payload data segment within the file; and

a length ID identifying the length of the payload data segment.

6. A payload stripper node for use in a packet data network, the payload stripper node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a packet, the received packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload;

a storage medium configured to store records of data held by a cache;

a processor operatively connected to the receiver and storage medium, the processor configured to;

identify whether a payload data segment contained in a payload of the received packet is held by the cache; and

responsive to the payload data segment being held by the cache, to extract the payload data segment from the packet and insert pointer information into the payload of the packet, the pointer information enabling the cache to identify the payload data segment from the data held by the cache; and

a transmitter operatively connected to the processor and configured to forward the packet that includes the pointer in place of the payload data towards the cache.

7. The payload stripper node of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to populate the cache with payload data.

8. The payload stripper node of claim 6, wherein the pointer information includes:

a file ID identifying a file stored in the cache containing the payload data segment;

a location ID identifying the location of the payload data segment within the file; and

a length ID identifying the length of the payload data segment.

9. The payload stripper node of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to insert a marker into a header of the packet to indicate that the payload of the packet contains pointer information instead of the payload data.

10. The payload stripper node of claim 6, wherein the processor is further configured to combine packets from which payload segments have been extracted to form an aggregated packet.

11. A system for transmitting data through one or more packet data networks comprising a packet sending node and a cache node, the packet sending node arranged to send a reduced size packet towards the cache node, the reduced size packet including in its payload a pointer to a payload data segment stored in a file at the cache node, the cache node configured to:

receive the reduced size packet, the reduced size packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload;

use the pointer to identify the payload data segment from data stored at the cache node;

insert the payload data segment into the reduced size packet in place of the pointer so as to generate a full size packet; and

send the full size packet towards a client.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the packet sending node is a packet stripping node configured to:

receive a full size packet containing the payload data segment, and

remove the payload data segment from the full size packet and replace the payload data segment with the pointer to generate the reduced size packet.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the packet sending node is a server.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more packet data networks include a plurality of cache nodes, each of which has the same cached data stored thereon.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the packet sending node is responsible for managing the data stored at the cache node.

16. A method of sending data through one or more packet data networks, comprising:

sending a reduced size packet from a packet-sending node towards a cache node, the reduced size packet including in its payload a pointer to a payload data segment stored in a file at the cache node, the reduced size packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload;

receiving the reduced size packet at the cache node;

using the pointer in the payload to identify the payload data segment from data stored at the cache node;

inserting the payload data segment into the reduced size packet in place of the pointer to generate a full size packet; and

sending the full size packet from the cache node towards a client.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the packet-sending node receives a full size packet containing the payload data segment, removes the payload segment from the full size packet, and replaces the payload segment with the pointer to generate the reduced size packet.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the packet-sending node is a server.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the one or more packet data networks include a plurality of cache nodes, each of which has the same data stored thereon.

20. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program code for configuring a cache in a packet data network, which, when executed on the cache, configures the cache to:

identify whether a payload of a packet received by the cache contains pointer information identifying a payload segment of data stored by the cache, the packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload; and

responsive to the payload containing the pointer information, use the pointer information to;

locate and retrieve the payload data segment,

insert the retrieved payload data segment into the payload of the packet, and forward the packet towards a client.

21. A computer program product stored in a non-transitory computer-readable medium, the computer program product comprising computer program code for configuring a server in a packet data network, which, when executed on the server, configures the server to:

generate a packet to be sent towards a client to enable a payload segment of data to be delivered to the client, the packet having a payload and a header distinct from the payload;

identify whether the payload data segment is held by a cache downstream of the server; and

responsive to the payload data segment being held by the cache, insert pointer information into the payload of the packet, the pointer information enabling the cache to identify the payload data segment from the data held by the cache, and forward the packet towards the cache.

22. The computer program product of claim 21, wherein the computer program product is carried on a carrier medium.