Devices and methods supporting content delivery with rendezvous services

• US 9,705,754 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2012
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• 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: Crowder, William, Swart, Andrew, Newton, Christopher, Varney, Lewis Robert, Lipstone, Laurence R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barry, Lance L
• Application Number:
  US13/715,747
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173047A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 709219
• 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 device supporting content delivery is configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services. The plurality of CD services include rendezvous services.

Claims

1. A device, operable in a content delivery (CD) system comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least two CD services of a plurality of CD services, wherein said plurality of CD services include rendezvous services, said device comprising:

(A) hardware including memory and at least one processor, and

(B) a rendezvous service running on said hardware, wherein said rendezvous service is configured to;

(B)(1) generate information relating to operation of said rendezvous service; and

(B)(2) provide at least some of said information as event information to at least one other CD service; and

(B)(3) obtain first information from other CD services in said CD system; and

(B)(4) base operation of said rendezvous service on said first information,

wherein said plurality of CD services further include collector services, and control services, and wherein at least a first some of said plurality of computers run collector services, wherein said collector services running on said first some of said plurality of computers comprise a collector system, and at least a second some of said plurality of computers run control services, wherein and said control services running on said second some of said plurality of computers comprise a control system; and

wherein said collector system provides state information to said control system and to CD services in said CD system, said state information being based on event information input to said collector system from one or more CD services in said CD system, and wherein said control system provides control information to CD services in said CD system, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector system; and

wherein

said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system is selected from;

(c)(1) control information from the control system, and (c)(2) state information from the collector system.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said plurality of CD services further include reducer services, wherein at least a third some of said computers run reducer services, said third some of said computers running reducer services comprise a reducer services network;

and wherein at least some of said reducer services in said reducer services network provide event output to at least some collector services in said collector system, said event output being based on event output from said at least some of said plurality of CD services,

wherein said at least one other CD service to which said rendezvous service is configured to provide event information in (b) is selected from;

(i) at least one collector service in said collector system; and

(ii) at least one reducer service in said reducer services network.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the rendezvous service to said at least one other CD service.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information about load provided by the rendezvous service to said at least one other CD service.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the other CD services to said at least one other CD service.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes one or more of:

(a) invalidation information;

(b) popularity information;

(c) information about event information said rendezvous service should generate for said event information;

(d) information about where said rendezvous service should provide said event information;

(e) information about how said rendezvous service should respond to requests.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about subscriber-specific processing requirements.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said subscriber-specific processing requirements for a particular subscriber specify at least one of:

(a) at least one reporting policy for said particular subscriber;

(b) at least one traffic policy for said particular subscriber.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein at least one of the subscriber-specific processing requirements specifies a policy that is dependent on a location of a requestor.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein said rendezvous service is configured to base operation of said rendezvous service on said first information by responding to requests in accordance with said subscriber-specific processing requirements.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about one or more subscribers for which the rendezvous service is responsible.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the system comprising the plurality of the devices forms a content delivery network (CDN), and wherein the rendezvous service is configured to support content delivery on behalf of the CDN.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein said rendezvous service is configured to provide said event information in (b) as one or more event streams.

14. A content delivery (CD) system comprising:

a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least two CD services of a plurality of CD services,

wherein said plurality of CD services include adaptation services, and collector services, and control services, and wherein at least one of said plurality of CD services on each computer of said plurality of computers is an adaptation service, and wherein at least a first some of said plurality of computers run collector services, wherein said collector services running on said first some of said plurality of computers comprise a collector system, and at least a second some of said plurality of computers run control services, wherein and said control services running on said second some of said plurality of computers comprise a control system; and

wherein said collector system provides state information to said control system and to CD services in said CD system, said state information being based on event information input to said collector system from one or more CD services in said CD system, and wherein

said control system provides control information to CD services in said CD system, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector system; and

wherein,

at least one of said computers is a device comprising

(A) hardware including memory and at least one processor, and

(B) a rendezvous service running on said hardware, wherein said rendezvous service is configured to;

(B)(1) generate information relating to operation of said rendezvous service; and

(B)(2) provide at least some of said information as event information to at least one other CD service; and

(B)(3) obtain first information from other CD services in said CD system; and

(B)(4) base operation of said rendezvous service on said first information,

wherein said plurality of CD services further include collector services, and control services, and wherein at least a first some of said plurality of computers run collector services, wherein said collector services running on said first some of said plurality of computers comprise a collector system, and at least a second some of said plurality of computers run control services, wherein and said control services running on said second some of said plurality of computers comprise a control system; and

wherein said collector system provides state information to said control system and to CD services in said CD system, said state information being based on event information input to said collector system from one or more CD services in said CD system, and wherein said control system provides control information to CD services in said CD system, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector system; and

wherein

said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system is selected from;

(c)(1) control information from the control system, and (c)(2) state information from the collector system.

15. The CD system of claim 14 wherein said plurality of CD services further include reducer services, wherein at least a third some of said computers run reducer services, said third some of said computers running reducer services comprise a reducer services network;

and wherein at least some of said reducer services in said reducer services network provide event output to at least some collector services in said collector system, said event output being based on event output from said at least some of said plurality of CD services,

wherein said at least one other CD service to which said device is configured to provide event information in (b) is selected from;

(i) at least one collector service in said collector system; and

(ii) at least one reducer service in said reducer services network.

16. The CD system of claim 14 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the rendezvous service to said at least one other CD service.

17. The CD system of claim 14 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the other CD services to said at least one other CD service.

18. The CD system of claim 14 wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes one or more of:

(a) invalidation information;

(b) popularity information;

(c) information about event information said rendezvous service should generate for said event information;

(d) information about where said rendezvous service should provide said event information;

(e) information about how said rendezvous service should respond to requests.

19. The CD system of claim 14 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about subscriber-specific processing requirements.

20. The CD system of claim 19 wherein said subscriber-specific processing requirements for a particular subscriber specify at least one of:

(a) at least one reporting policy for said particular subscriber;

(b) at least one traffic policy for said particular subscriber.

21. The CD system of claim 19 wherein at least one of the subscriber-specific content processing requirements specifies a policy that is dependent on that is dependent on a location of a requestor.

22. The CD system of claim 19 wherein said rendezvous service is configured to base operation of said rendezvous service on said first information by

responding to requests for content in accordance with said subscriber-specific processing requirements.

23. The CD system of claim 14 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about one or more subscribers for which the rendezvous service is responsible.

24. The CD system of claim 14 wherein the system comprising the plurality of the devices forms a content delivery network (CDN), and wherein the rendezvous service is configured to support content delivery on behalf of the CDN.

25. A computer-implemented method, operable on a device in a content delivery (CD) system comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least two CD services of a plurality of CD services, wherein said plurality of CD services include rendezvous services and wherein said device comprises hardware including memory and at least one processor, the method comprising:

by a rendezvous service running on said hardware;

(a) generating information relating to operation of said rendezvous service; and

(b) providing at least some of said information as event information to at least one other CD service; and

(c) obtaining first information from other CD services in said CD system; and

(d) basing operation of said rendezvous service on said first information,

wherein said plurality of CD services further include collector services, and control services, and wherein at least a first some of said plurality of computers run collector services, wherein said collector services running on said first some of said plurality of computers comprise a collector system, and at least a second some of said plurality of computers run control services, wherein and said control services running on said second some of said plurality of computers comprise a control system; and

wherein said collector system provides state information to said control system and to CD services in said CD system, said state information being based on event information input to said collector system from one or more CD services in said CD system, and wherein said control system provides control information to CD services in said CD system, at least some of said control information being based on state information from the collector system; and

wherein

said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system is selected from;

(c)(1) control information from the control system, and (c)(2) state information from the collector system.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said plurality of CD services further include reducer services, wherein at least a third some of said computers run reducer services, said third some of said computers running reducer services comprise a reducer services network;

and wherein at least some of said reducer services in said reducer services network provide event output to at least some collector services in said collector system, said event output being based on event output from said at least some of said plurality of CD services,

wherein said at least one other CD service is selected from;

(i) at least one collector service in said collector system; and

(ii) at least one reducer service in said reducer services network.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the rendezvous service to said at least one other CD service.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information about load provided by the rendezvous service to said at least one other CD service.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein at least some of said first information is based on event information provided by the other CD services to said at least one other CD service.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes one or more of:

(a) invalidation information;

(b) popularity information;

(c) information about event information said rendezvous service should generate for said event information;

(d) information about where said rendezvous service should provide said event information;

(e) information about peers of said rendezvous service;

(f) information about how said rendezvous service should respond to requests.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about subscriber-specific processing requirements.

32. The device of claim 31 wherein said subscriber-specific processing requirements for a particular subscriber specify at least one of:

(a) at least one reporting policy for said particular subscriber;

(b) at least one traffic policy for said particular subscriber.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein at least one of the subscriber-specific content processing requirements specifies a policy that is dependent on a location of a requestor.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein said rendezvous service is configured to base operation of said rendezvous service on said first information by

responding to requests for content in accordance with said subscriber-specific processing requirements.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein said CD system serves content on behalf of subscribers, and wherein said first information obtained from other CD services in said CD system includes:

information about one or more subscribers for which the rendezvous service is responsible.

36. The method of claim 25 wherein the system comprising the plurality of the devices forms a content delivery network (CDN), and wherein the rendezvous service is configured to support content delivery on behalf of the CDN.