Content Routing via Hash-Based Pointer Resolution
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Solution Overview
Problem
The Domain Name System (DNS) paradigm faces challenges in scalability and convenience when replicating or moving content, as it requires updating domain names or DNS records, and content-centric networking (CCN) suffers from poor scalability, making it difficult to request content by its name rather than the host it resides on.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a machine-readable storage medium with instructions for generating pointers based on content items, such as hash values, to route content requests and publications in a network, allowing content to be requested by its name or characteristic, with a resolution system that includes a routing table and correlation storage to manage pointers and labels for efficient content distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If DNS paradigm is used for content routing, then content can be accessed by domain name, but scalability deteriorates when replicating or moving content due to required DNS updates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content identification process into two independent components: content name (for routing) and content location (for storage). The content name is hashed to generate a content identifier that is independent of the hosting server, allowing content to be segmented from its location. This enables content to be replicated or moved without changing its identifier, resolving the scalability issue while maintaining ease of access by name.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a content identifier (hash value) as an intermediary between the content name and the actual content location. This intermediary decouples the routing mechanism from the physical location, allowing the system to scale without updating routing information when content is replicated or moved. The content identifier acts as a mediator that remains constant while the underlying storage location can change.
2Ease of operation
If content-centric networking is used to request content by name, then convenience improves, but scalability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical DNS lookup system with a hash-based routing mechanism. Instead of relying on DNS servers and domain name resolution, the system uses cryptographic hashing of content names to generate content identifiers that directly route to content locations. This substitution maintains the convenience of content-by-name requests while improving scalability through deterministic, location-independent routing.
3Reliability
If DNS records are updated to reflect content movement, then content accessibility is maintained, but system complexity and update overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary hashing of the content name to generate the content identifier before the content is even stored or moved. This preliminary action ensures that the routing identifier is established independently of the content's physical location. As a result, no updates are needed when content moves, eliminating the complexity and overhead of DNS record updates while maintaining reliable content accessibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: receiving a request message, the request message including a pointer; determining whether the network node is associated with the pointer; and if the network node is associated with the pointer: determining a label associated with the pointer, modifying the request message to produce a modified message, the modified message including the label, and transmitting the modified message to at least one other network node. Various embodiments additionally or alternatively relate a method and related network node including one or more of the following receiving a publish message, wherein the publish message includes a pointer; generating a label to be associated with the pointer; modifying the publish message to produce a modified message, wherein the modified message includes the label; and transmitting the modified message to at least one other network node.