Dynamic Content Marking for CDN Error Diagnosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional content delivery networks face difficulties in troubleshooting delivery issues due to inadequate route tracing information, and existing watermarking systems are static, making it hard to identify error sources and prevent leaks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic identifiers within content elements that can be marked and monitored across the network to diagnose errors and reconfigure marking information, allowing for detailed network monitoring and fault isolation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If static watermarking is used to identify content sources, then content tracking is achieved, but the system cannot adapt to changing security requirements or identify dynamic error sources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from static watermarks to dynamic identifiers that change over time and across different network elements. Each network element (CDN server, router, etc.) adds or modifies identifiers as content passes through them, creating a time-varying marking system that adapts to the content's journey through the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the watermarking function across multiple network elements rather than using a single static watermark. Each network element contributes a portion of the identifier information, dividing the tracking function into distributed segments that collectively provide comprehensive diagnostic capability.
2Measurement precision
If detailed route tracing information is collected in content headers, then network diagnostics improve, but header size increases and processing complexity rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by having each network element add only its local identifier information to the content rather than collecting complete route information at each step. This distributes the information burden locally, reducing per-element processing complexity while maintaining overall route tracing precision through aggregation.
3Measurement precision
If comprehensive marking information is attached to content elements, then error source identification improves, but content delivery performance deteriorates due to additional processing overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by having network elements add only essential identifier information rather than comprehensive marking data. This selective marking provides sufficient error source identification while minimizing the processing overhead that would degrade content delivery performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Presently disclosed is a method and apparatus for monitoring and diagnosing a content delivery network (CDN) by examining received content elements that have been marked with one or more identifiers. Diagnosing is accomplished by using all or part of one or more of the identifiers associated with errored or corrupted content elements to determine which network elements or connection paths are faulty. The identifiers may contain content-, server-, or receiver-specific data that denotes, respectively, the source of the content, the links associated with one or more of the servers utilized in the network, and/or data associated with the receiving computer system. Both marking and diagnosing may be performed at any location within the CDN or at any host computer connected to the CDN or receiver. The marking may also be dynamically reconfigured in order to facilitate diagnosis.