Method and Apparatus for Implementing Distributed Content Caching In A Content Delivery Network
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsMuriel Medard, Flavio du Pin Calmon, Weifei Zeng
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Distributed content caching is implemented in an efficient, low cost manner within a content delivery network (CDN). In various embodiments, content is identified for caching at a number of gateway devices within a CDN by minimizing a cost function associated with content delivery in the network. The cost function may take into consideration costs of delivering content to users from gateway devices as well as costs associated with delivering content to users from centralized locations of a CDN.
Claims24
A machine implemented method for use in a content delivery network (CDN) that distributes content to a plurality of users, the CDN having a central server to manage content delivery services and a plurality of gateway devices located proximate to user locations that have data storage capability for use in caching at least some of the content to be distributed in the CDN, the method comprising:
- collecting information describing the CDN;
- assembling statistics of operation of the CDN corresponding to user content requirements;
- determining content to be stored at the plurality of gateway devices by minimizing a cost function associated with content delivery, wherein the cost function accounts for costs associated with content delivery from the server and costs associated with content delivery from the gateway devices, wherein determining content includes using the collected information and the assembled statistics;
- and
- sending content to the plurality of gateway devices to be cached thereby in accordance with the results of determining content to be stored.
A content delivery network (CDN) to provide content delivery services for a plurality of users, the CDN comprising:
- a content delivery server to manage content delivery services for the CDN, the content delivery server being configured to develop a caching scheme for the CDN for caching selected content at a plurality of gateway devices deployed at or near user locations, the caching scheme to enhance the efficiency with which content is delivered to users, wherein the content delivery server is configured to develop the caching scheme by minimizing a cost function associated with content delivery, the cost function taking into account both costs associated with content delivery from the gateway devices and costs associated with content delivery from one or more other content storage locations of the CDN.
An article comprising one or more non-transitory computer readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing system, performs a method for use in a content delivery network (CDN) that distributes content to a plurality of users, the CDN having a central server to manage content delivery services and a plurality of gateway devices located proximate to user locations that have data storage capability for use in caching at least some of the content to be distributed in the CDN, the method comprising:
- collecting information describing the CDN;
- assembling statistics of operation of the CDN corresponding to user content requirements;
- determining content to be stored at the plurality of gateway devices by minimizing a cost function associated with content delivery, wherein the cost function accounts for costs associated with content delivery from the server and costs associated with content delivery from the gateway devices, wherein determining content includes using the collected information and the assembled statistics;
- and
- sending content to the plurality of gateway devices to be cached thereby in accordance with the results of determining content to be stored.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.