Managing TCP anycast requests

• US 9,602,591 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2014
• Issued: 03/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TATA Communications Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated, TATA Communications Limited (Tata Sons Pvt Ltd.)
• Inventors: Lyon, Barrett Gibson
• Primary Examiner(s): Osman, Ramy M
• Application Number:
  US14/263,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20140237031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1004 Server selection for load balancing
• 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 67/1021 based on client or server locations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• 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 67/60 Scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests, e.g. requests for application data transmissions using the analysis and optimisation of the required network resources admission control or resource allocation H04L47/70

Abstract

Managing TCP anycast requests at content delivery network nodes is disclosed. In some embodiments, serving a request includes receiving a request at a node of a plurality of nodes comprising a content delivery network, wherein each of the plurality of nodes share a same anycast IP address to which the request is directed and servicing the request at the node.

Claims

1. A method for managing traffic in a content delivery network (CDN), comprising:

monitoring, with a network device, a number of requests being processed by a plurality of servers in a first node in said CDN;

receiving a request at the network device in the first node, wherein the request is serviceable by at least one of the first node and a second node;

first determining, with the network device, whether the first node is in a maintenance or backup mode;

redirecting, with the network device, the request to a second node if the first node is determined to be in the maintenance or backup mode as decided in the first determining step;

servicing, with the network device, any existing sessions at the first node if the first node is determined to be in the maintenance or backup mode as decided in the first determining step;

second determining, with the network device, when the servicing step is finished; and

performing a maintenance operation or backup operation at the first node when it is determined in the second determining step that the servicing step is finished;

wherein the first node and the second node share a same anycast IP.

2. The method for managing traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein said network device is a server/router.

3. The method for managing traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein

said request is a TCP anycast request.

4. The method for managing traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the redirecting of the request to the second node is via a virtual tunnel.

5. The method for managing traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein a unicast address of the second node is used when redirecting the request to the second node.

6. The method for managing traffic as recited in claim 1, wherein the second node is configured to generate and send a response to an end user after the request is redirected to the second node.

7. A system for managing traffic in a content delivery network (CDN), comprising:

a network device at a first node of a plurality of nodes in the CDN, said network device configured to;

monitor a number of requests being processed by a plurality of servers in a first node in said CDN;

receive a request in the first node, wherein the request is serviceable by at least one of the first node and a second node;

first determine whether the first node is in a maintenance or backup mode;

redirect the request to a second node if the first node is determined to be in the maintenance or backup mode as decided in the first determining step;

service any existing sessions at the first node if the first node is determined to be in the maintenance or backup mode;

second determine whether the service of any existing sessions at the first node is finished; and

perform a maintenance operation or backup operation at the first node when it is determined that the service of any existing sessions at the first node is finished;

wherein the first node and the second node share a same anycast IP.

8. The system for managing traffic as recited in claim 7, wherein said network device is a server/router.

9. The system for managing traffic as recited in claim 7, wherein

said request is a TCP anycast request.

10. The system for managing traffic as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

a virtual tunnel,

wherein the redirecting of the request to the second node is via the virtual tunnel.

11. The system for managing traffic as recited in claim 7, wherein a unicast address of the second node is used when redirecting the request to the second node.

12. The system for managing traffic as recited in claim 7,

wherein said second determination is performed by the network device.