Content delivery framework

• US 9,628,342 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Level 3 Communications LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Newton, Christopher, Varney, Lewis Robert, Lipstone, Laurence R., Crowder, William, Swart, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Whipple, Brian P
• Application Number:
  US13/714,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173064A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/0808 with cache invalidating means G06F12/0815 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/173 using an interconnection network, e.g. matrix, shuffle, pyramid, star, snowflake
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/177 Initialisation or configuration control processor initialisation G06F9/4405
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5055 considering software capabilities, i.e. software resources associated or available to the machine
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5083 Techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0816 the condition being an adaptation, e.g. in response to network events
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0869 Validating the configuration within one network element
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0893 Assignment of logical groups to network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/12 Discovery or management of network topologies
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/509 wherein the managed service relates to media content delivery, e.g. audio, video or TV
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/04 Processing captured monitoring data, e.g. for logfile generation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/08 Monitoring or testing based on specific metrics, e.g. QoS, energy consumption or environmental parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/10 Active monitoring, e.g. heartbeat, ping or trace-route
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/83 based on usage prediction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/10 of different types
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/2503 : Translation of Internet protocol [IP] addresses
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4511 : using domain name system [DNS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4535 : using an address exchange platform which sets up a session between two nodes, e.g. rendezvous servers, session initiation protocols [SIP] registrars or H.323 gatekeepers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/58 : Caching of addresses or names
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 : Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 : Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/01 : Protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/06 : specially adapted for file transfer, e.g. file transfer protocol [FTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 : in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1078 : Resource delivery mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/2885 : Hierarchically arranged intermediate devices, e.g. for hierarchical caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/289 : Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data consumer application, e.g. in same machine, in same home or in same sub-network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 : Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 : Push-based network services
• 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 67/60 : 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/03 : Protocol definition or specification protocol conformance testing H04L1/244

Abstract

A framework supporting content delivery includes multiple devices, each configured to run at least one content delivery service. The content delivery services include collector services, reducer services, and control services. Event information is provided from the services, and the control services provide control information to control operation or configuration of content delivery services.

Claims

1. A framework comprising a plurality of devices, each device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, wherein

(A) said plurality of CD services comprise:

collector services, reducer services, and control services; and

wherein

(B) (i) at least some CD services are configured to obtain control input from other CD services, and

(ii) at least some CD services are configured to produce control output for other CD services; and

(iii) at least some CD services are configured to obtain state input from other CD services, and

(iv) at least some CD services are configured to produce state output for other CD services; and

(v) at least some CD services are configured to obtain event input from other CD services, and

(vi) at least some CD services are configured to produce event output for other CD services; and

(C) at least some of said CD services produce, as event output, one or more event streams relating to their respective operation; and

(D) at least some of said event output is provided to at least some of said reducer services as event input to said reducer services; and

(E) at least some of said reducer services;

(E)(1) determine their respective event output based on their event input, and

(E)(2) provide their respective event output to at least some collector services; and

(F) at least some of said collector services;

(F)(1) obtain their event input from one or more reducer services, and

(F)(2) produce, as their respective state output, state information, said state information being based on said event input from said one or more reducer services, and

(F)(3) provide at least some of said state information to said control services; and

(G) at least some of said control services;

(G)(1) obtain state information from said collector services as their respective state input and

(G)(2) produce control information based on said state information from said collector services; and

(G)(3) provide control information to at least some of said CD services to control operation or configuration of said at least some of said CD services, wherein at least some of said control information provided to control operation or configuration of said at least some CD services was based on specific event information produced by at least one of said CD services.

2. The framework of claim 1 wherein said at least some of said control information provided in (G)(3) is used to control operation or configuration of a first set of CD services, and wherein the at least one of the CD services that produced the specific event information comprise a second set of CD services, and wherein the first set of CD services is at least partially distinct from the second set of CD services.

3. The framework of claim 2 wherein the first set of CD services is fully distinct from the second set of CD services.

4. The framework of claim 2 wherein said CD services further comprise:

hybrid CD services, where each hybrid CD service is formed from two or more CD services.

5. The framework of claim 1 wherein said plurality of CD services comprise:

collector services, reducer services, control services, and configuration services.

6. The framework of claim 1 wherein

(E2) at least some of said reducer services:

(E2)(1) determine their respective event output based on their event input, and

(E2)(2) provide their respective event output to at least some other of said reducer services.

7. The framework of claim 1 wherein said control information provided in (G)(3) is provided as feedback to said at least some of CD services to control operation or configuration of said at least some of CD services.

8. The framework of claim 1 wherein, in (F)(4) said at least some of said collector services provide at least some of said state information as feedback to other CD services to control operation or configuration of said other CD services.

9. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of devices run reducer services, and wherein said reducer services running on said at least some of said plurality of devices comprise at least one reducer services network.

10. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least some of said plurality of devices run collector services, and wherein said collector services running on said at least some of said plurality of devices comprise at least one collector services network.

11. The framework of claim 1, wherein at least some of said event output produced by a CD service comprises event information relating to operation of said CD service.

12. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least some of said CD services are further configured to obtain control information from said control services.

13. The framework of claim 12 wherein at least some of said CD services are further configured to modify their respective operation or configuration based on control information from said control services.

14. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least some of said CD services are further configured to obtain state information from said collector services.

15. The framework of claim 14 wherein at least some of said CD services are further configured to modify their respective operation or configuration based on state information from said collector services.

16. The framework of claim 1 wherein at least some of said CD services are further configured to obtain state information from said collector services, and wherein said at least some of said CD services are further configured to modify their respective operation or configuration based on at least one of:

(1) state information from said collector services, and (2) control information from said control services.

17. The framework of claim 1, for each particular CD service of said CD services, at least some of:

(i) event output to be produced by the particular CD service, and

(ii) reducer services to which a particular CD service is to provide event output

are dynamically controlled and configured based on at least one of;

(1) control information received at said particular CD service from said control services, and (2) state information received at said particular CD service from said collector services.

18. The framework of claim 1, for each particular collector service of the collector services, at least some of:

(i) state information to be produced by the particular collector service, and

(ii) CD services to which the particular collector service is to provide state information

are dynamically controlled and configured based on at least one of (1) control information received at said particular collector service from said control services; and

(2) state information received at said particular collector service from said collector services.

19. The framework of claim 1 wherein, for each particular reducer service of the reducer services, at least some of:

(i) event output to be produced by the particular reducer service, and

(ii) collector services to which the particular reducer service is to provide event output

are dynamically controlled and configured based on at least one of (1) control information received at said particular reducer service from said control services; and

(2) state information received at said particular reducer service from said collector services.

20. The framework of claim 1, wherein at least some of said collector services:

(F)(4) provide at least some of said state information to other CD services.

21. A framework comprising a plurality of devices, each device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, wherein said CD services are selected from the services comprising:

collector services, reducer services, and control services; and

wherein

(A) at least some of said CD services produce event output relating to their respective operation; and

wherein

(B) at least some of said event output from at least some of said CD services is provided to at least some of said reducer services as event input to said reducer services;

and wherein

(C) at least some of said reducer services;

(C)(1) determine at least some of their respective event output based on event input from CD services, and

(C)(2) provide their respective event output to at least some collector services; and

wherein

(D) at least some of said collector services

(D)(1) obtain event input from one or more reducer services, and

(D)(2) produce, as their respective state output, state information, said state information being based on said event input from said one or more reducer services, and

(D)(3) provide at least some of said state information to said control services; and

wherein

(E) at least some of said control services

(E)(1) obtain state information from said collector services as their respective state input and

(E)(2) produce control information based on said state information from said collector services; and

(E)(3) provide at least some of said control information to said CD services to control operation or configuration of said CD services, wherein at least some of said control information provided in (E)(2) to control operation or configuration of said CD services was determined using specific event information produced by one or more CD services.

22. The framework of claim 21 wherein the CD services to which said control information is provided in (E)(2) to control operation or configuration of said CD services is at least partially distinct from said one or more CD services that produced said specific event information.

23. The framework of claim 21 wherein at least some of said state information provided in (D)(4) to control operation or configuration of said other CD services was determined using specific event information produced by one or more CD services.

24. The framework of claim 21 wherein at least some of said specific event information was produced at least one of said other CD services.

25. The framework of claim 21 wherein,

in (D), collector services provide state information as feedback to said control services and to other CD services, and wherein,

in (E), control services provide control information as feedback to said CD services.

26. The framework of claim 21 wherein, in (E)(2), said control services provide feedback to said CD services.

27. The framework of claim 21 wherein,

(a) for each particular CD service of said CD services, at least some:

(a)(i) event output to be produced by said particular CD service, and

(a)(ii) the reducer services to which the particular CD service is to provide event output

are dynamically controlled and configured based on control information received by the particular CD service from said control services and state information received by the particular CD service from said collector services; and

(b) for each particular reducer service of said reducer services, at least some;

(b)(i) event output to be produced by said particular reducer service, and

(b)(ii) the collector or reducer services to which said particular reducer service is to provide event output,

are dynamically controlled and configured based on control information received by the particular reducer service from said control services and state information received by the particular reducer service from said collector services; and

(c) for each particular collector service of said collector services, at least some;

(c)(i) state information to be produced by said particular collector service, and

(c)(ii) services to which said particular collector service is to provide state information

are dynamically controlled and configured based on control information received by the particular collector service from said control services and state information received by the particular collector service from said collector services.

28. The framework of claim 21 wherein said plurality of CD services also comprise delivery services;

and wherein at least some of the devices run delivery services.

29. The framework of claim 28 wherein each said delivery service is configured to deliver content on behalf of the CDN, and wherein, for each particular delivery service of said delivery services, said particular delivery service is configured to be responsible for delivery of a particular set of content, and wherein at least some of:

(i) the manner in which said particular delivery service is to deliver content, and

(ii) the particular set of content for which said particular delivery service is to be responsible

are dynamically controlled and configured based on control information received by the particular delivery service from said control services and state information received by the particular delivery service from said collector services.

30. The framework of claim 21 wherein at least some of said collector services:

(D)(4) provide at least some of said state information to other CD services to control operation or configuration of said other CD services.

31. A system comprising a plurality of devices, each device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, wherein said CD services are selected from the services comprising:

rendezvous services, collector services, reducer services, control services, and delivery services; and

wherein

(A) at least some of said devices run collector services, and at least some of said devices run reducer services, and at least some of said devices run control services, and wherein

(B) said at least some of said devices running reducer services comprise a reducer services network, and said at least some of said devices running collector services comprise a collector services network; and

(C) at least some of said CD services produce event output relating to their respective operation; and

wherein

(D) at least some of said event output from at least some of said CD services is provided to said reducer services network; and

wherein

(E) at least some of said reducer services in said reducer services network provide event output to at least some collector services in said collector services network, said event output being based on event input to said reducer services network from said CD services; and

wherein

(F) said collector services network provides state information to said control services, said state information being based on said event input from said reducer services network, and wherein said collector services network also provides state information to other CD services of said plurality of CD services; and

wherein

(G) at least some of said control services provide control information to said CD services, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector services network; and

wherein

(H) at least some of said CD services obtain control information from said control services and are controlled and configured based on the control information received from said control services, wherein at least some of the control information used to control and configure the CD services was based on specific event information produced by at least one of said plurality of CD services.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein

(I) at least some of said CD services obtain state information from said collector services network and are controlled and configured based on the state information received from said collector services network.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein said at least some of the state information used to control and configure the CD services was based on event information produced by at least one of said plurality of CD services.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein, for each particular CD service, event output produced by said particular CD service is dynamically controlled and configured based on one or more of:

(i) control information received by the particular CD service from said control services, and (ii) state information received by the particular CD service from said collector services network.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein, at least some of event output from a particular CD service is provided to one or more locations in said reducer services network;

and wherein said one or more locations in said reducer services network to which event output from said particular CD service is to be provided is dynamically controlled and configured, based on one or more of;

(i) control information received by the particular CD service from said control services, and (ii) state information received by the particular CD service from said collector services network.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein each reducer in said reducer service network accepts event output from one or more CD services, and wherein the one or more CD services from which a particular reducer accepts event output is dynamically controlled and configured, based on one or more of:

(i) control information received by the particular reducer service from said control services, and (ii) state information received by the particular reducer service from said collector services network.

37. The system of claim 31 wherein, for each particular reducer service, one or more of (i) event output produced by said particular reducer service, and (ii) where said particular reducer provides said event output, are dynamically controlled and configured, based on one or more of:

(i) control information received by the particular reducer service from said control services; and

(ii) state information received by the particular reducer service from said collector services network.

38. The system of claim 31 wherein, for each particular collector service, one or more of:

(i) state output produced by said particular collector service, (ii) where said particular collector provides said state output, and (iii) from which reducer services said particular collector service accepts event output as input to said particular collector service

are dynamically controlled and configured, based on one or more of;

(i) control information received by the particular collector service from said control services; and

(ii) state information received by the particular collector service from said collector services network.

39. The system of claim 31 wherein at least some of the devices run delivery services, and wherein each said delivery service is configured to deliver content on behalf of the CDN, and wherein, for each particular delivery service of said delivery services, said particular delivery service is configured to be responsible for delivery of a particular set of content, and wherein at least some of:

(i) the manner in which said particular delivery service is to deliver content, and

(ii) the particular set of content for which said particular delivery service is to be responsible

are dynamically controlled and configured based on one or more of;

(i) control information received by the particular delivery service from said control services and (ii) state information received by the particular delivery service from said collector services.

40. A system comprising a plurality of devices, each device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each device configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, wherein said CD services are selected from the services comprising:

collector services, reducer services, control services, rendezvous services, and delivery services; and

wherein

(A) at least some of said devices run collector services, and at least some of said devices run reducer services, and at least some of said devices run control services, and wherein

(B) said at least some of said devices running reducer services comprise at least one reducer services network, and said at least some of said devices running collector services comprise at least one collector services network, and said at least some of said devices running control services comprise at least one control services network, said at least one control services network comprising a control system; and

(C) at least some of said CD services produce event output relating to their respective operation; and

wherein

(D) at least some of said event output from at least some of said CD services is provided to said at least one reducer services network; and

wherein

(E) at least some of said reducer services in said reducer services network provide event output to at least some collector services in said collector services network, said event output being based on event input to said reducer services network from said CD services; and

wherein

(F) said collector services network provides state information to said control services, said state information being based on said event input from said reducer services network; and

wherein

(G) at least some of said control services provide control information to said CD services, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector services network; and

wherein

(H) at least some of said CD services obtain control information from said control services and are controlled and configured based on the control information received from said control services; and

wherein

(I) at least some of said CD services obtain state information from said collector services network and are controlled and configured based on the state information received from said collector services network.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein said collector services network also provides state information to other CD services of said plurality of CD services.