Customized domain names in a content delivery network (CDN)

An apparatus comprising:

• a server comprising a computer processor and configured to:
• (a) receive, at the server, a client request for a resource, wherein the client request comprises a first domain name;
• (b) determine one or more values forming part of the client request;
• (c) determine if the server has the requested resource;
• (d) in response to determining that the server has the requested resource, generate a second domain name to direct the client to the server for subsequent requests for the requested resource, said second domain name including first information from said first domain name and second information relating to said one or more values forming part of the client request;
• (e) provide the second domain name to the client;
• and
• (f) receive, at the server, a subsequent request for the requested resource, the subsequent request comprising the second domain name.

An apparatus comprising:

• a device comprising a computer processor configured to:
• (a) receive a request for a resource from a cache server, wherein the request comprises a first domain name;
• (b) determine one or more values forming part of the request;
• (c) determine whether said cache server has the requested resource;
• (d) in response to determining that said cache server has the requested resource, generate a second domain name to direct a client device associated with the request to said cache server for subsequent requests for the requested resource, said second domain name including first information from said first domain name and second information forming part of said one or more values forming part of the request;
• and
• (e) provide the second domain name.

A computer-implemented method, operable in a content delivery network (CDN) comprising a plurality of cache servers, the method comprising:

• (A) receiving, at a cache server in the CDN, a client request for a resource from said cache server, wherein the client request comprises a first domain name;
• (B) determining one or more values forming part of the client request;
• (C) determining if said cache server has said requested resource;
• (D) in response to determining that said cache server has said requested resource, generating a second domain name to direct the client to said cache server for subsequent requests for said requested resource, said second domain name including first information from said first domain name and second information determined from said one or more values forming part of the client request;
• (E) providing the second domain name to the client;
• and
• (F) receiving, at said cache server, a subsequent request for said requested resource, the subsequent request comprising said second domain name;
• wherein the one or more values forming part of the client request include one or more of:
• a network address of the client;
• a type of device associated with the client;
• a type of content associated with the client request;
• and
• a data transmission rate.