CDN Request Routing via DNS Latency Measurement
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Content providers and CDN service providers face challenges in efficiently managing and processing high volumes of resource requests from client computing devices, which strain their resources and require optimization for latency, cost, and performance, especially with the involvement of DNS resolvers and multiple network components.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a request routing management system by a CDN service provider that processes DNS requests, measures performance metrics, and uses alternative resource identifiers and network routing schemes to optimize resource delivery, including CNAME records and different network routing protocols like anycast and unicast, to direct DNS queries to appropriate POPs and cache servers based on geographic, service level, and network performance criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content providers directly serve all client computing devices, then they can maintain full control over content delivery, but their computing resources become strained due to high volume of requests
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content delivery function by introducing CDN service providers that maintain caching servers distributed across multiple locations. These CDN servers handle content delivery requests, separating this function from the origin content provider servers. This allows content providers to maintain control over content while CDN servers handle the strain of high request volumes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces CDN service providers as intermediary entities between content providers and client computing devices. The CDN caching servers act as mediators that receive content from content providers and serve cached copies to clients, reducing the direct request burden on origin servers while maintaining delivery control.
2Productivity
If CDN service providers maintain content at multiple locations, then content delivery efficiency improves, but the complexity of managing distributed caching servers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal naming conventions and standardized protocols that allow CDN caching servers to be managed uniformly across different locations and providers. This multi-functional approach enables a single management framework to handle diverse caching servers, reducing the complexity of managing distributed systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of resource identifier formatting to a standardized universal format that includes CDN-specific identifiers. This parameter change enables automated routing and management systems to efficiently handle distributed caching servers without increasing operational complexity.
3Measurement precision
If DNS queries are processed through multiple network components, then routing accuracy improves, but query processing latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring universal naming conventions and CDN resource identifier formats that encode routing information directly in the identifiers. This allows DNS resolvers to make accurate routing decisions with fewer query iterations, reducing processing time while maintaining routing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where DNS resolvers receive routing information from CDN edge servers based on client location and network conditions. This feedback loop enables accurate routing decisions to be made with minimal query rounds, balancing precision and latency.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for managing requesting routing functionality associated with resource requests for one or more resources associated with a content provider are provided. A content delivery network (“CDN”) service provider, on behalf of a content provider, can process domain name service (“DNS”) requests for resources by computing devices and resolve the DNS requests by the identification of a network address of a computing device that will provide the requested resources. Based on the processing of DNS queries initiated by a client computing device, the CDN service provider can measure CDN service provider latencies associated with the generation of DNS requests by network components associated with the client computing devices. Examples of the network components can include DNS resolvers associated with the client computing device.