Selective content pre-warming in content delivery networks based on user actions and content categorizations

A method for streaming content over the Internet via a CDN to an end user system, the method comprising:

• tracking requests from end user systems for streaming content objects being handled by the CDN to identify, for each request the tracked requests, a first content object being requested;
• identifying, for each request of the tracked requests, a category of the requested first content object, wherein the category of the requested first content object is identified based on an analysis of the subject matter of the first content object;
• storing the identified category;
• monitoring, for each request received, a first portion of the request that was streamed to the requesting end user system, wherein the first portion is less than an entire content object;
• generating aggregated data indicating an amount of requests being for content objects with a specific category;
• predicting that a second portion of a second content object that will be streamed, via the CDN, to more than one end user system in the future based on the aggregated data, a category of the second content object being the identified category, and the second portion being characteristic of the first portion, wherein the second portion is other than a beginning of the second content object;
• and
• causing access to the second portion of the second content object to be improved such that the second portion of the second content object is set to be provided faster in response to a request for the second content object than would otherwise occur.

A system for streaming content over the Internet to an end user system, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• and
• one or memories coupled with said one or more processors, wherein the one or more processors and one or more memories are configured to:
• track requests from end user systems for streaming content to identify, for each request the tracked requests, a first content object being requested;
• identify, for each request of the tracked requests, a category of the requested first content object, wherein the category of the requested first content object is identified based on an analysis of the subject matter of the first content object;
• store the identified category;
• monitor, for each request received, a first portion of the request that was streamed to the requesting end user system, wherein the first portion is less than an entire content object;
• generate aggregated data indicating an amount of requests being for content objects with a specific category;
• predict that a second portion of a second content object that will be requested, via the CDN, by more than one end user system in the future based on the aggregated data, a category of the second content object being the identified category, and the second portion being characteristic of the first portion, wherein the second portion is other than a beginning of the second content object;
• and
• cause access to the second portion of the second content object to be improved such that the second portion of the second content object is set to be provided faster in response to a request for the second content object than would otherwise occur.