Transparent Network Caching via Client-Specific Keys
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users on the Internet face delays and intermittency in content delivery from web servers due to technical issues, and existing web proxies struggle to manage content effectively across diverse client devices with varying capabilities and network conditions.
Innovation Solution
A system that determines client characteristics, generates a unique key based on the request and characteristics, and caches content accordingly, allowing for efficient retrieval and adaptation of content versions to meet specific client needs, using a traffic management device to direct requests to appropriate servers and cache resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If web proxies cache content for subsequent requests, then content delivery speed is improved, but content delivery reliability deteriorates due to cache invalidation issues and client-specific compatibility problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments content caching by creating unique cache keys that incorporate client-specific characteristics (user agent, acceptance languages, connection properties). This divides the monolithic cache into client-specific segments, ensuring each client receives appropriate cached content while maintaining reliability through personalized cache validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by tailoring cached content delivery to each client's specific capabilities and characteristics. The cache key incorporates client-specific properties, allowing the system to provide optimized cached content for each client type while maintaining overall system reliability through targeted cache management.
2Speed
If web proxies cache content for all clients, then content delivery speed is improved, but device complexity increases due to managing diverse client characteristics and conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes parameters by incorporating multiple client-specific characteristics (user agent, acceptance languages, connection properties) into the cache key generation process. This transforms the caching mechanism from a simple URL-based system to a multi-parameter system that automatically adapts to client diversity without increasing operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves universality by creating a cache key generation mechanism that handles multiple client characteristics and conditions through a unified process. The same cache key generation logic accommodates diverse client types, network conditions, and content requirements, simplifying proxy management while improving content delivery speed.
3Device complexity
If content is cached without considering client characteristics, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates as content cannot be optimized for specific client capabilities
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes parameters by incorporating client-specific characteristics (user agent, acceptance languages, connection properties) into cache key generation. This maintains relative simplicity in the caching mechanism while dramatically improving adaptability, as the same streamlined process automatically optimizes content delivery for each client type.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-incorporating client characteristics into cache key generation during the initial cache lookup process. This preliminary consideration of client capabilities enables automatic content optimization without adding complex post-processing steps, maintaining simplicity while enhancing adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and apparatus are directed towards managing content over a network. A request from a requestor for a resource is received over the network. The request may include a request for resource identified by a Network Resource Identifier (NRI). The request may also include Systems Interconnection (OSI) level 2-7 data. Characteristics of the requestor are determined based on the request. The characteristics are mapped onto a label. A unique key is generated based on the request, the characteristics, and/or the label. A version of the resource to cache is determined based on the request, the characteristics, the label, and/or the unique key. The version of the resource is cached based on the unique key.