Limelight Networks, Inc.

Raytheon Bbn Technologies Corp.

Verizon Corporate Services Group Inc.

Nils H McCarthy

Michael M Gordon

Brad B Harvell

Bradley B Harvell

Nathan F Raciborski

Lee A Stafford

Gary S Baldus

Mohan I Kokal

Jason Eggleston

Rodney Lance Joffe

Brett Dean Watson

Steven Michael Hotz

Barry A Dykes

Jason Alan Brittain

Victor Joseph Oppleman

Brian Everett Pettingell

James Joseph Lippard

Ian Burke Vandeventer

A method or system for transferring information during the domain name service (DNS) lookup to more effectively utilizing the content delivery network (CDN) is disclosed. Information gathered from DNS request is used to identify information on how to serve the content with a chosen IP address returned from the DNS lookup. The DNS server selects from a number of possible IP addresses after analyzing information from the DNS request and popularity of associated content. The different IP addresses will result in different edge servers providing content. An IP address could be provided for popular content in a way that will tend to populate more content caches from the pool of edge servers in one embodiment.

Scaled domain name service

Content delivery networks (CDNs) deliver content objects for others is disclosed. End user computers are directed to an edge server for delivery of a requested content object by a universal resource indicator (URI). When an edge server does not have a copy of the content object from the URI, information is successively passed to ancestor servers within a hierarchy until the content object is found. There can be different hierarchies designated for different URIs or times at which requests are received. Once the content object is located in the hierarchical chain, the content object is passed back down the chain to the edge server for delivery.

Content delivery network cache grouping

A domain name service (DNS) resolver returns Internet protocol (IP) addresses. A connection with an Internet application or device receives domain name resolution requests that originate outside of the Internet. A direct DNS resolver identifies IP addresses without referring to the Internet or using other DNS resolvers. An address store includes a predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver. The DNS resolver processes the domain name resolutions for the predetermined list of domain names differently than domain name resolutions for other domain names not on the predetermined list of domain names. At least part of the predetermined list is pushed to a destination upon receiving a resolution request for a domain name in the predetermined list of domain names, the request being of a type other than an authoritative resolution request to be performed by the direct DNS resolver.

Domain name service resolver

One or more content delivery networks (CDNs) that deliver content objects for others is disclosed. Content is propagated to edge servers through hosting and/or caching. End user computers are directed to an edge server for delivery of a requested content object by a universal resource indicator (URI). When a particular edge server does not have a copy of the content object from the URI, information is passed to another server, the ancestor or parent server to find the content object. There can be different parents servers designated for different URIs. The parent server looks for the content object and if not found, will go to another server, the grandparent server, and so on up a hierarchy within the group. Eventually, the topmost server in the hierarchy goes to the origin server to find the content object. The origin server may be hosted in the CDN or at a content provider across the Internet. Once the content object is located in the hierarchical chain, the content object is passed back down the chain to the edge server for delivery. Optionally, the various servers in the chain may cache or host the content object as it is relayed.

Routing requests for data objects from clients includes receiving a request for a data object from a client, providing content servers capable of serving data objects, determining a server from the content servers, and informing the client of an address associated with the determined server accessible by the selected route. Determining a server includes, for each content server, identifying routes between the content server and the client, determining traversal times for the routes, and selecting a route from among the routes based on the traversal times.

Distributed computing system and method for distributing user requests to replicated network servers

A content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content over the Internet is disclosed in one embodiment. The CDN includes a domain resolution service (DNS) server, caching servers and an Internet interface. The caching servers correspond to a plurality of addresses. The DNS server receives two domain resolution requests corresponding to a same domain and produces two different DNS solutions, each corresponding to a subset of caching servers. The interface receives domain resolution requests, including the two domain resolution requests, and transmits DNS solutions, including the two DNS solutions. The processing power is generally matched between the two DNS solutions.

Domain name resolution resource allocation

A domain name service (DNS) resolver for returning Internet protocol (IP) addresses is provided in some embodiments of the invention. The DNS resolver includes a connection with an Internet application or device, wherein the connection receives domain name resolution requests that originates outside of the Internet. The DNS resolver also includes a direct DNS resolver that processes domain name resolutions without referring to the Internet after receiving a domain name resolution request and a recursing DNS resolver, wherein IP addresses are found by querying one or more DNS servers on the Internet after receiving domain name resolution requests. The DNS resolver includes an address store having a predetermined list of domain names and corresponding IP addresses that are specified from a point remote to the DNS resolver. The DNS resolver process the domain name resolutions for the predetermined list of domain names differently than other domain name resolutions.

One or more content delivery networks (CDNs) that deliver content objects for others is disclosed. Content is propagated to edge servers through hosting and/or caching. End user computers are directed to an edge server for delivery of a requested content object by a universal resource indicator (URI). When a particular edge server does not have a copy of the content object from the URI, information is passed along a hierarchy (to a parent server, grandparent server, and, eventually, an origin server) until the content object is found. The origin server may be hosted in the CDN or at a content provider across the Internet. Once the content object is located in the hierarchical chain, the content object is passed back down the chain to the edge server for delivery. Optionally, the various servers in the chain may cache or host the content object as it is relayed.

A content delivery network (CDN) for delivering content over the Internet is disclosed in one embodiment. The CDN is configured to deliver content for others and includes a domain resolution service (DNS) server, caching servers and an Internet interface. The DNS server receives a first domain resolution request and produces a first DNS solution, and receives a second domain resolution request and produces a second DNS solution. The first and second domain resolution requests correspond to a same domain. The caching servers correspond to a plurality of addresses. The interface receives domain resolution requests, which include the first and second domain resolution requests, and transmits DNS solutions, which include the first and second DNS solutions. The first DNS solution comprises a first plurality of addresses corresponding to at least a first subset of the plurality of caching servers, and the second DNS solution comprises a second plurality of addresses corresponding to at least a second subset of the plurality of caching servers. The first DNS solution is different from the second DNS solution in that the second subset includes an address for a caching server not in the first subset. The second subset is chosen to generally match a processing power of the first subset.

Growing community of inventors

Seattle, WA, United States of America

Nils H McCarthy