Content Distribution Network Subdomain Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content distribution networks face inefficiencies in directing user requests to the nearest content cache, especially in dynamic network conditions, due to the need for address translation and the lack of expertise in network topology among content providers, which affects robustness and traffic routing.
Innovation Solution
A network architecture is partitioned into subdomains, each with a respective access server providing access to content servers with a common IP address, allowing for detection of content delivery failures and forwarding requests to other subdomains through tunnelling, ensuring efficient and robust content delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single central server is used for content distribution, then system complexity is reduced, but content delivery efficiency and user access speed deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the centralized content distribution system into multiple geographically distributed content caches (C1, C2, C3, etc.), each serving a specific network subdomain. This segmentation allows users to access content from the nearest cache, significantly improving delivery speed while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular architecture
2Speed
If multiple content caches are deployed, then content delivery efficiency improves, but the complexity of directing users to the appropriate cache increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns each network subdomain a specific content cache (e.g., subdomain 1 connects to cache C1, subdomain 2 to cache C2). This local quality assignment ensures that users in each subdomain automatically access the nearest cache without complex routing logic, simplifying the overall system while maintaining high delivery efficiency
3Ease of operation
If DNS-based address translation is implemented, then user requests can be routed to caches, but the system requires content providers to have network topology expertise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables access servers to automatically determine which content cache to route requests to based on their own network subdomain identification, without requiring content providers to manually configure routing tables or understand network topology. The system self-adapts to network changes and user locations
4Adaptability or versatility
If anycast routing is used to share a single IP address among distributed nodes, then routing flexibility improves, but routing table maintenance becomes complex and requires frequent updates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using anycast with a single shared IP address, the patent segments the system so that each content cache has its own dedicated IP address within its specific network subdomain. This eliminates the need for complex anycast routing tables and frequent updates, while maintaining the ability to route requests efficiently to the appropriate cache based on network topology
Data Source
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AI summary
A partitioned network has several subdomains (1, 2, 3), each having a respective access server (10, 20, 30) and each serving a plurality of end users (11, 12; 21, 22; 31, 32). Each access server (10, 20, 30) is connected to a respective content cache (13, 23) or a set of such caches (130, 131, 132), which stores content and downloads it to end users on request. An alternative routing (19, 29) may be available between an access server (10) and a content cache (23) other than its associated cache (13), for use in exceptional circumstances. All the content caches (13, 23), are given the same IP address, "W.X.Y.Z". Each access server (10, 20, 30) operates exclusively in a geographic sub-domain, and recognises the IP address W.X.Y.Z as relating uniquely to its respective associated content cache (13), (23, 23). This means that the configuration of each access server (10,20, 30) to handle content caching/distribution/streaming can be the same regardless of its location in the network. Any end user (10) can therefore obtain content from the cache (13) which is topologically closest, using the common IP address W.X.Y.Z. No address translation or mapping is required to route requests to the correct local content server. If the access server (10) is unable to connect to the associated content server (13), it is configured to forward traffic to another content cache (23), by tunnelling the request to an access server (20) associated with that second cache. The second access server (20) recognises the address W.X.Y.Z as being that of its own associated content server (23), rather than the content server (13) associated with the first access server (10), and forwards the request accordingly. The content can then be returned to the address of the requesting user.