Hybrid Content Provisioning System for CDN Cloud Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content providers face a trade-off between speed of delivery and control over content when using central cloud services versus content distribution networks (CDNs), with central services offering control but slow delivery and CDNs providing fast access but reducing provider control and update flexibility.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid content provisioning system that allows content providers to designate content for delivery via both cloud services and CDNs, enabling quick transitions between sources to balance speed and control, using a cloud service for centralized access control and a CDN for geographic distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a central cloud service is used for content distribution, then the content provider maintains greater control over access rights and update capabilities, but the delivery speed decreases because the central service may be located far away from the client
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments content distribution into two parts: control functions (authentication, authorization, updates) remain centralized at the cloud service, while content delivery is distributed across multiple CDN edge servers located geographically close to clients. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of control and speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The CDN edge servers act as intermediaries between the central cloud service and clients. They cache content locally and serve it to clients without requiring real-time communication with the central service, thus improving delivery speed while the central service maintains control over what content is distributed.
2Speed
If a content distribution network (CDN) is used for content delivery, then clients can more quickly access content as edge servers are positioned across a geographic area, but the provider's control and ability to update content decreases because content needs to be distributed throughout a CDN
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-distributing content to CDN edge servers when updates are not required, enabling fast client access. When updates are needed, the central cloud service can invalidate CDN caches and re-distribute updated content, balancing speed and control through timed preliminary actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the balance between CDN caching and central cloud service control based on content update requirements. For static content, CDN caching provides fast access; for dynamic content requiring frequent updates, the system reduces CDN reliance and increases direct cloud service access, making the distribution strategy adaptive rather than fixed.
3Speed
If content is distributed through a CDN, then delivery speed improves, but the system complexity increases due to the need to manage content distribution across multiple servers and locations
Solution Approach 1:
The CDN system operates with a degree of autonomy, automatically caching, serving, and managing content at edge servers without requiring direct intervention from the central cloud service for each operation. This self-service capability reduces the operational complexity burden on the content provider while maintaining fast delivery speeds.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure provides for improved computational efficiency in systems used to provide content over a network. Hybrid content sourcing is enabled to provide content via a Content Distribution System (CDN) and a centralized service in conjunction with one another via a single URL provided to client devices. A hash map is updated and provided to the client devices to allow a tenant to control and change how content is distributed without needing to modify the applications or multiple content items that are used by the client devices. Tenants are thereby enabled to include or exclude the CDN as an available source of content without disrupting operation of the centralized service or the client devices. Individual content assets or libraries of content assets may thereby be interchangeably provisioned via a single Uniform Resource Locator.