CDN Edge Server Intent Signaling for Throughput Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content distribution network (CDN) streaming techniques often result in service degradations and interruptions due to packet loss, leading to poor user experience and increased load on CDN servers, as they attempt to mitigate these issues by opening multiple connections, which can negatively impact overall throughput for other clients.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that processes augmented download or streaming requests from client computers, generating server transmissions that allow clients to specify intent and instructions, such as bandwidth testing or caching, using HTTP requests and responses, enabling efficient data delivery without unnecessary server load by caching only necessary portions of media files and suggesting alternative servers when performance is compromised.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple connections are opened to CDN servers to workaround service degradation, then reliability is improved, but server load increases and overall throughput for other clients decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the media file into multiple portions and distributes them across different CDN servers. The client requests these portions in parallel through multiple connections, allowing simultaneous data retrieval from different servers. This segmentation enables improved reliability through redundancy while managing server load through parallel processing of different file segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements partial action by having clients request only specific portions of media files rather than entire files. This selective downloading approach reduces the total data transfer burden on CDN servers while still providing sufficient content for the client's needs, thereby maintaining overall system throughput.
2Reliability
If multiple connections are opened to minimize throughput degradation after packet loss, then data delivery reliability is improved, but computational load on CDN servers increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the media file into multiple portions that can be retrieved in parallel. This segmentation allows the client to open multiple connections for simultaneous data retrieval, improving data delivery reliability through redundancy while the server handles requests more efficiently through parallel processing of different segments.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where servers monitor connection performance and clients receive information about server status. This feedback allows dynamic adjustment of connection strategies, enabling reliable data delivery while optimizing server resource allocation based on real-time performance conditions.
Data Source
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AI summary
One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for transmitting and processing download requests specifying download instructions and additional optional intent hints. A client computer signals intent information to an edge server resident within a content delivery network via download requests. The intent information indicates contextual information regarding the download of a digital content file, such as the reason for the download or the amount of the digital content file that might be downloaded in subsequent requests. A suitably equipped edge server adapts the processing of the download request based on the intent information specified by the client computer. In response to the download request, the edge server also transmits a response to the client computer indicating performance characteristics associated with the edge server. The response also indicates alternative servers that can be accessed by the client computer for downloading the digital content file.