Token-Based Traffic Control for Online Service Overload
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Solution Overview
Problem
Online services face high volumes of user traffic, leading to server overload and potential shutdowns, as existing technologies fail to effectively manage traffic and provide timely notifications to users.
Innovation Solution
A traffic control system that implements a queueing system by issuing tokens with estimated return times to users, allowing them to resubmit requests when the service can handle them efficiently, and provides notifications based on overload levels to manage user expectations and server load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a queueing system with tokens and return time parameters is implemented, then server overload is prevented and service reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A traffic control system acts as an intermediary between users and the online service. The system receives requests from users, determines overload conditions, and issues tokens with return time parameters to users. This intermediary layer prevents direct overload of the online service while maintaining simple user interactions through standardized token-based request management.
Solution Approach 2:
The traffic control system performs preliminary actions by issuing tokens and return time parameters before users submit actual requests to the online service. By pre-assessing overload conditions and providing users with scheduled retry times, the system prevents overload before it occurs, rather than reacting after the service is already overwhelmed.
2Ease of operation
If traffic control notifications are provided to users, then user experience is improved through accurate wait time estimates, but loss of time occurs due to additional communication overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The traffic control system implements feedback by notifying users of overload conditions and providing estimated return times when services are expected to be available. This feedback loop allows users to understand current service status and plan their retry attempts accordingly, improving user experience through transparency while minimizing unnecessary retry attempts that would increase communication overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods of site traffic control are disclosed. In some example embodiments, a request for an online service to perform an operation is received from a user on a client device, and at least one overload condition for the online service is detected, or otherwise determined, with the overload condition(s) corresponding to a request time of the request. A standard of restriction is selected from a plurality of standards of restriction based on the overload condition(s), and the selected standard of restriction is used as a basis for either denying or permitting the user access to the operation of the online service.