Event-Triggered Edge Functions for Low-Latency Local Table Writes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content delivery networks (CDNs) face network transmission delays due to the need for additional data retrieval from origin databases, and edge location scripts have limited capability to handle network calls, especially for database access, which affects latency in data delivery.
Innovation Solution
Implementing edge datastores with event-triggered functions that allow low latency query processing and data retrieval by translating queries and responses across different database formats, enabling local data storage and access without network calls, and allowing edge functions to execute in isolated environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If data is retrieved from origin databases at remote locations, then data availability is ensured, but network transmission delays increase latency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-loads data from origin databases into edge datastores before it is requested by clients. Event-triggered functions execute at the edge location to insert data into local tables in advance, so that when a client requests data, it can be served immediately from the edge datastore without waiting for network transmission to the origin database.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces edge datastores as intermediary storage between origin databases and clients. These edge datastores act as a buffer layer that caches data locally at edge locations, allowing the system to serve data from the intermediary rather than directly from the remote origin database, thereby reducing network transmission delays.
2Adaptability or versatility
If edge location scripts are given full network access capability, then database access and data manipulation flexibility improve, but security risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements different access permissions for different edge functions based on their specific needs. Instead of giving all edge functions full network access, each function is granted only the minimum necessary permissions to perform its designated task. This localized permission approach maintains security while providing necessary adaptability for specific use cases.
Solution Approach 2:
The event-triggered functions operate autonomously within the edge runtime environment, accessing and manipulating data in local tables without requiring external network calls. The functions self-manage data operations within their isolated environment, eliminating the need for broad network access permissions while maintaining full functionality for data manipulation.
3Speed
If data is cached at edge locations for quick retrieval, then data access speed improves, but data freshness and consistency with origin databases deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic data validation where event-triggered functions check data freshness and consistency with origin databases before serving cached data. The system adaptively determines whether to serve from edge datastore or fetch from origin based on real-time conditions, ensuring data consistency while maintaining fast access when possible.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms where the event-triggered function monitors data validity and triggers data refresh operations when consistency checks fail. This feedback loop ensures that cached data remains synchronized with the origin database, maintaining reliability while preserving the performance benefits of caching.
Data Source
AI summary
Edge functions at an edge location of a content delivery network (CDN) may use APIs of a datastore engine in order to read/write or create/delete local tables at the edge location. Data may be accumulated in the local tables and the new data may be used to enhance decision at the edge. Some of the local tables may be initially populated from a back-end database. This allows the functions to modify the data from the back-end database, without affecting the actual source data at the back-end database (modifications to local tables remain local to the edge location).