Proxy Server Live Experimentation for Web Sites
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for testing or experimenting on web sites in a production environment often interfere with user experience, are costly, or lack accuracy due to the need for duplicating the site or modifying user browsers, and may not effectively simulate real-time user traffic.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a proxy server that modifies user requests and injects test scripts into web site responses, allowing for live experimentation without altering the original site or creating a duplicate testing environment, while maintaining security and accuracy by directing user requests through a virtual testing environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the site is modified directly for testing, then testing can be conducted on the live site, but user experience is adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a proxy server as an intermediary between users and the web site. The proxy server receives user requests, modifies them to include experiment identifiers, forwards them to the web site, and receives responses. This allows testing to occur without directly modifying the live site, thus preserving user experience while enabling accurate testing through the intermediary layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the testing function from the production environment by creating a separate proxy server component. The proxy server handles experiment-related modifications while the original web site remains unchanged for production use. This segmentation allows independent testing operations without affecting the main system.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a duplicate test environment is created, then testing can be performed without affecting the live site, but costs increase and real-time user traffic cannot be simulated
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of creating a full duplicate environment, the patent uses a proxy server as a lightweight intermediary that connects to the live site. This approach eliminates the need for resource-intensive duplication while still enabling testing. The proxy server adds minimal overhead by intercepting and modifying requests, allowing real-time user traffic simulation without the costs of maintaining a separate production-like environment.
3Reliability
If users are asked to install scripts on their browsers, then testing can be performed, but user intrusion increases and changes become effectively permanent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent shifts the testing infrastructure from the user's browser to a server-side proxy. Instead of requiring users to install and manage experiment scripts, the proxy server handles all experiment logic centrally. Users simply interact with the normal web site through the proxy, which transparently manages experiment identifiers and modifications without user intervention or browser changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service experimentation where the proxy server automatically manages experiment identifiers and modifications without requiring user action. The proxy intercepts requests, adds experiment identifiers, and processes responses automatically, eliminating the need for users to manually install or configure testing tools.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for experimentation on live content in a production environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for live experimentation comprises receiving a first request from a client computing device for an instance of content, sending a second request for an instance of content to a content provider, receiving the instance of content from the content provider in response to the second request, associating a test script with the received instance of content, and sending the instance of content with the associated test script to the client computing device. The client computing device is configured to execute the test script on the instance of content without modifying content executed by the content provider.