Context-Aware Path Selection in Proxy Mesh Content Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing content delivery networks face challenges in efficiently delivering content with high availability and performance while minimizing the number of cache locations, leading to increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A path management hub dynamically computes and selects optimal paths across a mesh network of proxy servers based on context-specific link performance metrics, allowing intelligent path selection and reducing the need for extensive caching by prioritizing paths that meet service-specific performance criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If content is cached at multiple locations in a content delivery network, then content delivery performance and availability are improved, but infrastructure costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the content delivery function by separating caching from intelligent routing. Instead of requiring complete content copies at multiple locations, the mesh network divides the delivery task across multiple proxy servers, with each server holding only necessary content segments and using intelligent path selection to deliver content efficiently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary routing mechanism that mediates between content sources and end users. The mesh network of proxy servers acts as an intelligent intermediary layer that dynamically selects optimal delivery paths, reducing the need for extensive caching while maintaining high availability through smart routing decisions.
2Productivity
If a mesh network of proxy servers is used with dynamic path selection, then content delivery performance is improved, but path computation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial action by implementing path computation only where necessary. Rather than computing all possible paths across the entire mesh network, the system performs localized path evaluation at each proxy server based on real-time link performance metrics, selecting only the optimal path for each content delivery request.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where proxy servers continuously monitor and report link performance metrics to the network. This feedback loop enables dynamic path adjustment based on current network conditions, allowing the system to adapt to changing performance requirements without requiring complex centralized computation for every delivery decision.
3Measurement precision
If link performance metrics are continuously monitored and evaluated, then optimal path selection is improved, but system overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by designing the link performance metric collection mechanism to serve multiple functions simultaneously. The same metrics gathered for path selection are also used for load balancing decisions, content placement optimization, and network diagnostics, thereby reducing the relative overhead of metric collection while improving overall system efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Exemplary methods, apparatuses, and systems include a path management hub and proxy server nodes that form a mesh network. The hub receives link performance metrics from each of the nodes. The hub determines optimal paths between first and second nodes for each of a plurality of metric types or a combination of metric types using the received link performance metrics. The hub maps a service identifier to a plurality of the determined optimal paths for a context representing one or more link performance metric types. The hub transmits a next hop for each of the plurality of mapped optimal paths along with the mapping to the first node. The first node receives the service identifier mapped to the next hops and traffic for the first connection. In response to determining the received traffic is for the service, the first node selects a first next hop and forwards the traffic.