Proxy Server Capacity Threshold Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Websites face capacity constraints, leading to unpredictable performance and user experience issues when traffic demand exceeds server capacity, resulting in increased latency, timeouts, and non-linear failures, which can prevent maximum load and throughput.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a proxy website server that determines whether to pass user requests to the main website server based on capacity thresholds, user information, session data, and request intent, allowing for prioritization and queuing of requests to manage server load and inform users of availability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If the website server processes all incoming requests without capacity management, then the maximum throughput is achieved under normal load, but the system becomes unstable and fails when traffic demand exceeds capacity

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethroughputVSAvoidsystem stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary assessment of server capacity before processing requests. The proxy server evaluates current server load and capacity status in advance, making proactive decisions about request routing rather than reactive responses to failures. This prevents the system from reaching unstable states by anticipating capacity limits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A proxy server is introduced as an intermediary between users and the website server. This mediator assesses server capacity, manages request queues, and makes intelligent routing decisions. The proxy server absorbs the complexity of capacity management, allowing the website server to focus on processing requests while maintaining system stability under varying load conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If the website server queues requests during high load, then request processing continues, but latency increases significantly for users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverequest processing continuityVSAvoidrequest latency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different handling strategies to different requests based on their characteristics and current server state. The proxy server evaluates each request individually, applying appropriate actions (immediate forwarding, queuing, or rejection) based on local conditions such as request type, user priority, and current capacity. This localized decision-making optimizes the balance between continuity and latency for different request streams.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of uniformly queuing all requests during high load, the system selectively processes certain requests while rejecting or deferring others. The proxy server identifies and prioritizes critical requests that should be processed even under load, while allowing non-critical requests to be rejected or queued. This partial action approach maintains essential service continuity while minimizing overall latency impact.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Reliability

If the website fails requests when capacity is exceeded, then server stability is maintained, but user experience deteriorates with increased timeouts and errors

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveserver stabilityVSAvoiduser experience degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the potentially harmful effect of request rejection into a beneficial user experience by providing informative error messages and retry mechanisms. Instead of silent failures or generic timeout errors, users receive helpful information about server status and guidance on what to do next. This transforms the negative aspect of capacity management into an opportunity to improve user communication and experience.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The proxy server implements feedback loops that monitor server capacity and user request patterns. When capacity thresholds are approached, the system provides feedback to users through the proxy server's response messages, informing them of current server status. This feedback mechanism allows users to understand system state and adjust their behavior accordingly, reducing frustration from unexpected failures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9705959B1Managing requests of website servers

Publication Date: 2017.07.11 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

A request for a webpage or a service of a website server is sent from a user computing device to a proxy website server. The proxy website server can receive information from a website server indicative of a usage level of the website server. The proxy website server can determine whether to send the request to the website server based on usage of the website server compared to a capacity threshold. The proxy website server can send a response to the user computing device which includes either the requested webpage or service from the website server or an error message.