Cisco Technology, Inc.

Ron Cohen

Arthur Zavalkovsky

Yoram Snir

Nitsan Elfassy

John M Schnizlein

A method and apparatus are provided for optimizing retrieval of network resources. In one embodiment, a method of optimizing access to a network resource is implemented in a computer program executed by a router, cache server, or proxy server. A network resource that contains one or more embedded symbolic host name references is received. A network address corresponding to each of the embedded symbolic host name references is determined. A modified copy of the network resource is created and stored; in the modified copy, a network address is substituted for each corresponding embedded symbolic host name reference. Thereafter, the modified copy of the network resource in responding to all subsequent client requests for the network resource, thereby greatly reducing the required number of network address lookup operations. In one specific embodiment, IP addresses are determined using DNS queries for the hostname portion of all URLs that are embedded in a Web page using image, applet, object, or embed tags. The IP addresses are stored in place of the hostname portions in a modified copy of the Web page, typically in a cache. As a result, when the modified page is subsequently served to clients, the clients need not carry out DNS resolution of all the embedded URLs, resulting in reduced network message traffic and more rapid page display.

System and method of optimizing retrieval of network resources by identifying and substituting embedded symbolic host name references with network addresses in accordance with substitution policies

A method of automatically establishing differentiated services quality of service treatment for a return packet flow that is associated with an originating packet flow in a network is disclosed. The originating packet flow is received, and it is determined that one or more packets in the originating packet flow are marked with a DSCP value that matches a policy rule that instruct setting of a specified DSCP value to the return packet flow. In response, information identifying the originating packet flow and a second DSCP value for marking the return packet flow is created and stored. When a corresponding return packet flow is received and determined to be associated with the originating packet flow, packets of the return packet flow are automatically marked with the second DSCP value. Once the packet flow terminates, all stored information is removed.

Method and apparatus for automatically establishing bi-directional differentiated services treatment of flows in a network

A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium configured for maintaining consistent per-hop packet forwarding behavior among a plurality of network devices in a network within a Differentiated Services (DS) domain are disclosed. In one aspect, a method involves creating and storing a network-wide PHB definition that associates a PHB with a DS code point (DSCP) value, and with a set of parameters that define the bandwidth and buffer resources allocated to the PHBs on all interfaces of network devices within the DS domain. A mapping of each of the PHBs in the network-wide PHB definition to one or more queues of the network devices is determined. Drain size and queue size values are determined for each of the queues to which PHBs are mapped. A mapping of each of the PHBs to a threshold value associated with the queues is determined. Parameters of fragmentation and interleave mechanisms are determined. Network device configuration parameter values based on the mappings, the drain size, and the queue size, etc. are sent to each of the network devices within the DS domain. As a result, consistent PHB is achieved throughout a network using abstract definitions of PHBs.

Growing community of inventors

Herzliya Pituach, Israel

Ron Cohen