Content distribution network server management system architecture

A method of managing content stored by a distributed set of network edge caches for access by network clients, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) creating a rule base associating cache persistence policies to preselected instances of content stored by an origin server, wherein said cache persistence policies include prefetch and fetch on-demand rules;
• b) distributing said rule base to a network edge cache system;
• c) managing the storage of first and second reverse proxy content in combination with third forward proxy content in a cache coupled to said network edge cache system, wherein said managing step includes processing said rule base to prefetch said first reverse proxy content and enable fetch on-demand of said second reverse proxy content and said third forward proxy content from said origin server to said cache, and wherein said managing step provides for the unified management of said cache storage space with respect to the storage of said first and second reverse proxy content and said third forward proxy content.

A network cache control system providing for the managed operation of network edge caches in support of the distribution of content within a bounded domain, said network cache control system comprising:

• a) a network edge cache system including a content cache for storing forward proxy content and reverse proxy content within a unified cache storage space, said network edge cache system being responsive to client requests to provide content as available from said content cache and a predetermined content source;
• and
• b) a content controller determining the reverse proxy content stored by said content cache, said content controller providing for the selection and grouping of first and second identifications of content accessible from said predetermined content source as reverse proxy content transferrable to said network edge cache system, wherein said first identifications determine reverse proxy content for prefetch by said network edge cache system to said content cache and said second identifications determine reverse proxy content for fetch on-demand by said network edge cache system to said content cache.

A network cache control system providing for the controlled, remotely cached, distribution of content from one or more content origin servers to enable low latency access by network clients, said network cache control system comprising:

• a) a plurality of network edge cache servers distributed remotely relative to a bounded content domain and respectively including content caches supporting storage of forward proxy content and reverse proxy content within unified cache storage spaces, said plurality of network edge cache servers operating said content caches responsive to the evaluation of respective rules bases;
• and
• b) a central edge cache content controller, coupleable through a network to a content origin server, providing for the selective generation and distribution of said respective rules bases to said plurality of network edge cache servers, each said rules base including reverse proxy content specifications determined by said central edge cache content controller relative to meta-data descriptive of the content stored by said content origin server, first and second groups of said reverse proxy content specifications being identified in said rules bases to specify respectively prefetch of first reverse proxy content and on-demand fetch of second reverse proxy content.