Akamai Technologies, Inc.

John Josef Kloninger

Philip A Lisiecki

David R Karger

Joel M Wein

Mark C Nottingham

Daniel M Lewin

Bruce Maggs

To serve content through a content delivery network (CDN), the CDN must have some information about the identity, characteristics and state of its target objects. Such additional information is provided in the form of object metadata, which according to the invention can be located in the request string itself, in the response headers from the origin server, in a metadata configuration file distributed to CDN servers, or in a per-customer metadata configuration file. CDN content servers execute a request identification and parsing process to locate object metadata and to handle the request in accordance therewith. Where different types of metadata exist for a particular object, metadata in a configuration file is overridden by metadata in a response header or request string, with metadata in the request string taking precedence.

Content delivery network (CDN) content server request handling mechanism with metadata framework support

Content delivery network (CDN) content server request handling mechanism

Third party cache appliances are configured into a content delivery service to enable such devices to cache and serve content that has been tagged for delivery by the service. The invention enables the content delivery service to extend the reach of its network while taking advantage of high performance, off-the-shelf cache appliances. If the third party caches comprise part of a third party content delivery network, the interconnection of caches to the CDS according to the present invention enables the CDS and the third party network to share responsibility for delivering the content. To facilitate such 'content peering,' the CDS may also include a traffic analysis mechanism to provide the third party network with preferably real-time data identifying the content delivered by the CDS from the third party caches. The CDS may also include a logging mechanism to generate appropriate billing and reporting of the third party content that is delivered from the cache appliances that have been joined into the CDS.

Internet content delivery service with third party cache interface support

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Cambridge, MA, United States of America

John Josef Kloninger