Routing hints

A method comprising:

• creating, by a host device, a session identifier using a host identifier from the host device, the host identifier being unique to the host across a plurality of hosts belonging to a cluster of hosts and the host identifier not being unique as to another host belonging to another cluster of hosts;
• formulating, by the host device, a host session initiation message with the created session identifier, wherein the host device is a source of a content requested by a client;
• storing the host identifier at the host device, and wherein the host identifier is divided and dispersed across a first field of the session identifier by the host device when creating the session identifier;
• establishing, by the host device, the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned, wherein a type of the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned comprises one of a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) session;
• a Transport Layer Security (TLS) session, a secure internet protocol (IPSec) session;
• a hyper text transfer protocol cookie-based session, a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) session, an IPSec/layer-2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) session, a proprietary session, a terminal server session, or an administrator-defined session;
• establishing, by the host device, at least one layer comprising at least two of the types of sessions;
• populating a second field of the session identifier with a value increasing uniqueness for the session identifier, the session identifier comprising the first field and the populated second field;
• and
• formulating a host session initiation message to include the first field and the populated second field for a given session, wherein a content of the first field and a content of the populated second particular field is returned unaltered in a client session continuation message for the given session.

A host device comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• one or more media including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the host device to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, by the host device, a request from a client for a content;
• creating, by the host device, a session identifier using a host identifier, the host identifier being unique to the host across a plurality of hosts belonging to a cluster of hosts and the host identifier not being unique as to another host belonging to another cluster of hosts, wherein the creating comprises creating the session identifier by including the host identifier as part of the created session identifier;
• formulating, by the host device, a host session initiation message with the created session identifier, wherein the host device is a source of the content requested by the client;
• storing the host identifier at the host device, and wherein the host identifier is divided and dispersed across a first field of the session identifier by the host device when creating the session identifier;
• establishing, by the host device, the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned, wherein a type of the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned comprises one of a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) session;
• a Transport Layer Security (TLS) session, a secure internet protocol (IPSec) session;
• a hyper text transfer protocol cookie-based session, a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) session, an IPSec/layer-2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) session, a proprietary session, a terminal server session, or an administrator-defined session;
• establishing, by the host device, at least one layer comprising at least two of the types of sessions;
• populating a second field of the session identifier with a value increasing uniqueness for the session identifier, the session identifier comprising the first field and the populated second field;
• and
• formulating a host session initiation message to include the first field and the populated second field for a given session, wherein a content of the first field and a content of the populated second particular field is returned unaltered in a client session continuation message for the given session.

A system comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• one or more media including processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, direct the system to perform operations comprising:
• receiving, by the system, a request from a device for a content;
• creating, by the system, a session identifier using a host identifier, the host identifier being unique to a host across a plurality of hosts belonging to a cluster of hosts and the host identifier not being unique as to another host belonging to another cluster of hosts, wherein the creating comprises creating the session identifier by including the host identifier as part of the created session identifier;
• formulating, by the system, a host session initiation message with the created session identifier, wherein the system is a source of the content requested by the device;
• storing the host identifier at the host device, and wherein the host identifier is divided and dispersed across a first field of the session identifier by the host device when creating the session identifier;
• establishing, by the host device, the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned, wherein a type of the corresponding session to which the created session identifier is assigned comprises one of a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) session;
• a Transport Layer Security (TLS) session, a secure internet protocol (IPSec) session;
• a hyper text transfer protocol cookie- based session, a point-to-point tunneling protocol (PPTP) session, an IPSec/layer-2 tunneling protocol (L2TP) session, a proprietary session, a terminal server session, or an administrator-defined session;
• establishing, by the host device, at least one layer comprising at least two of the types of sessions;
• populating a second field of the session identifier with a value increasing uniqueness for the session identifier, the session identifier comprising the first field and the populated second field;
• and
• formulating a host session initiation message to include the first field and the populated second field for a given session, wherein a content of the first field and a content of the populated second particular field is returned unaltered in a client session continuation message for the given session.