Joint Server and Path Selection in Content Routers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current network technologies face challenges in efficiently managing server selection and path selection in content networks, leading to suboptimal load balancing, increased delays, and potential congestion, especially when responding to dynamic user demands.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a joint server selection and path selection algorithm within content routers that balances server load and network paths based on local and shared information, without requiring a dedicated entity or separate controller, and is compatible with existing IP, MPLS, and Ethernet networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If separate server selection and path selection mechanisms are used, then implementation simplicity is maintained, but load balancing performance and network efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines server selection and path selection into a unified joint optimization mechanism. The content router simultaneously determines both the serving server and the delivery path based on integrated network state information, achieving improved load balancing and network efficiency without requiring separate control entities or mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The content router is designed to perform multiple functions: it acts as both a routing device and a server selection entity. By integrating path selection and server selection capabilities within a single router, the system achieves multi-functionality that improves overall network performance while avoiding the complexity of dedicated separate controllers.
2Productivity
If joint server selection and path selection is implemented, then network efficiency and load balancing improve, but computational complexity and processing overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The joint selection mechanism uses partial information from the network state rather than complete global state. By making decisions based on locally available and shared information rather than exhaustive network data, the system achieves good load balancing performance while keeping computational requirements manageable for individual routers.
Solution Approach 2:
Each content router independently performs joint server and path selection based on its own local network state information and shared information from other routers. This distributed self-service approach eliminates the need for a centralized controller, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining network efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If dedicated entities or separate controllers are used for selection, then selection accuracy improves, but system complexity and infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
Content routers autonomously perform both server selection and path selection using their own local network state information. This self-service capability eliminates the need for dedicated selection entities or separate controllers, maintaining selection accuracy through direct access to relevant network data while significantly reducing infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses shared network state information that provides feedback about network conditions to each content router. This feedback mechanism enables accurate joint selection decisions to be made locally at each router without requiring centralized control, achieving both selection accuracy and reduced infrastructure complexity.
Data Source
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AI summary
An apparatus comprising a content router configured to couple to a customer node and implement joint server selection (SS) and path selection (PS) to meet a user request for content and achieve load balancing for transporting the requested content in a provider network. Also disclosed is a network component comprising a receiver unit in a content router or switch configured to receive a user request for content, a content routing engine configured to implement a joint (SS) and (PS) algorithm to select a plurality of servers that comprise the content and a plurality of paths that achieve load balancing for transporting the content, and a transmitter unit configured to indicate the selected servers and paths to a provider network.