Event stream collector systems, methods, and devices

• US 9,722,884 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• 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: Lipstone, Laurence R., Crowder, William, Varney, Lewis Robert, Swart, Andrew, Newton, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Srivastava, Vivek
• Assistant Examiner(s): Khan, Atta
• Application Number:
  US13/802,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20140173052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,602 Days
• 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 computer-implemented method includes, by a particular service: receiving at least one event stream of event data, the event data relating to operation of at least one type of service, each event of the at least one event stream comprising: (i) a timestamp for the event, (ii) information relating to the event; and producing state data relating to information represented in the event data while asynchronously responding to queries relating to the state data. The event data may be consumed in timestamp order.

Claims

1. In a content delivery network (CDN), said CDN comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services,

a computer-implemented method operable on a device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor,

the method comprising:

by a collector service in said CDN;

(A) receiving and consuming a plurality of streams of event data, each of said streams originating from and relating to operation of a corresponding CD service in said CDN, said event data relating to operation of at least one type of CD service, wherein the at least one type of CD service is selected from one or more of;

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

(B) producing state data relating to and based on information represented in said event data in said plurality of streams of event data while asynchronously responding to queries relating to said state data, wherein said state data are updated asynchronously with said at least one stream; and

(C) providing at least some of said state data to at least one other CD service, wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes at least one CD service from which at least some of said event data originated,

wherein said at least one stream of event data comprise;

a first stream of a first type of event data and a second stream of a second type of event data, said first type of event data being at least partially distinct from said second type of event data, and

wherein said first stream includes first event data from a first type of CD service and wherein said second stream includes second event data from a second type of CD service, said first type of CD service being distinct from said second type of CD service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein each particular event data of said at least one stream comprises a timestamp, and wherein said consuming said event data in (A) consumes event data in said at least one stream of event data in timestamp order.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a function is defined to look up information in said state data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said state data comprise a table.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said table is specified as a set of columns, and wherein said function is defined to look up a row in said table for a given input event.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the queries relating to said state data are ad hoc queries.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the at least one stream comprises at least two events with the same timestamp.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes a CD service of the same type as a CD service from which at least some data of said event data in said at least one stream originated.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes a CD service of a different type from a CD service from which at least some data of said event data in said at least one stream originated.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said at least one other CD service is selected from one or more of:

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

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said first event data are produced or derived from event data produced by a CD service of said first type.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said first event data are produced or derived directly from event data produced by a CD service of said first type.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said particular service comprises a streaming service.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein each event data of said at least one stream comprises information relating to at least one event.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein said stream comprises a partially ordered event stream.

13. A computer-implemented method, operable in a content delivery network (CDN) and operable on a device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, said CDN comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, the method comprising:

by a collector service of said CD services;

(A) receiving multiple streams of event data, said event data relating to operation of at least one type of CD service, wherein the at least one type of CD service is selected from one or more of;

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

(B) consuming event data in said multiple streams in a timestamp order; and

(C) producing and updating state data relating to and based on information represented in said event data while asynchronously responding to queries relating to said state data, wherein said state data are updated asynchronously with said multiple streams; and

(D) providing at least some of said state data to at least one other CD service, wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes at least one particular CD service from which at least some data of said event data originated,

wherein said at least one stream of event data comprise;

a first stream of a first type of event data and a second stream of a second type of event data, said first type of event data being at least partially distinct from said second type of event data, and

wherein said first stream includes first event data from a first type of CD service and wherein said second stream includes second event data from a second type of CD service, said first type of CD service being distinct from said second type of CD service.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided in (D) includes a CD service of the same type as a CD service from which at least some data of said event data in said at least one stream originated.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein said at least one stream of event data comprise:

a first stream of a first type of event data and a second stream of a second type of event data, said first type of event data being at least partially distinct from said second type of event data.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein said first stream includes first event data from a first type of CD service and wherein said second stream includes second event data from a second type of CD service, said first type of CD service being distinct from said second type of CD service.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein said event data relates to a streaming service.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein each event data of said at least one stream comprises information relating to at least one event.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein said stream of event data comprises a partially ordered event stream.

17. A device in a content delivery network (CDN), said CDN comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services,

the device comprising:

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

(b) a CD service running on said hardware, wherein said CD service;

(A) receives multiple streams of event data, said event data relating to operation of at least one type of CD service, wherein the at least one type of CD service is selected from one or more of;

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

(B) consumes event data in said streams received in (A);

(C) produces state data relating to and based on information represented in said event data while asynchronously responding to queries relating to said state data; and

(D) provides at least some of said state data to at least one other CD service, wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes at least one particular CD service from which at least some data of said event data originated,

wherein said at least one stream of event data comprise;

a first stream of a first type of event data and a second stream of a second type of event data, said first type of event data being at least partially distinct from said second type of event data, and

wherein said first stream includes first event data from a first type of CD service and wherein said second stream includes second event data from a second type of CD service, said first type of CD service being distinct from said second type of CD service.

21. The device of claim 17 wherein at least some of said event data relates to operation of a streaming service.

27. The device of claim 17 wherein each event data of said at least one stream comprises information relating to at least one event.

28. The device of claim 17 wherein said stream of event data comprises a partially ordered event stream.

18. A computer program product having computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory computer readable media, the computer readable instructions including instructions for implementing a computer-implemented method in a content delivery network (CDN), said CDN comprising a plurality of computers, each computer comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor, each computer configured to run at least one content delivery (CD) service of a plurality of CD services, said method operable on a device in said CDN, said device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor and running a service on said hardware, said method comprising:

(A) receiving multiple streams of event data, said event data relating to operation of at least one type of service wherein the at least one type of CD service is selected from one or more of;

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

(B) consuming event data in said streams in a timestamp order; and

(C) producing state data relating to and based on information represented in said event data while asynchronously responding to queries relating to said state data; and

(D) providing at least some of said state data to at least one other CD service, wherein said at least one other CD service to which state data are provided includes at least one particular CD service from which at least some data of said event data originated,

wherein said at least one stream of event data comprise;

a first stream of a first type of event data and a second stream of a second type of event data, said first type of event data being at least partially distinct from said second type of event data, and

wherein said first stream includes first event data from a first type of CD service and wherein said second stream includes second event data from a second type of CD service, said first type of CD service being distinct from said second type of CD service.

22. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein at least some of said event data relates to operation of a streaming service.

29. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein each event data of said at least one stream comprises information relating to at least one event.

30. The computer program product of claim 18 wherein said stream of event data comprises a partially ordered event stream.