Byte range caching

A computer system for caching chunks of a content resource at a cache server to respond to client requests for portions of the resource, the system comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory that stores instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:
• receiving first requests from clients to download a portion of the content resource from the cache server, each of the first requests specifying a first byte range that represents the portion of the content resource;
• storing cache chunks received from an origin server in a cache store at the cache server in response to a chunk request, the chunk size being determined by the cache server;
• generating, by the cache server, second requests that remap the first byte ranges specified by the first requests to second byte ranges that are aligned with the chunk size, the second byte ranges being different than the first byte ranges;
• sending the second requests from the cache server to the origin server for chunks requested by clients that are not stored in the cache store;
• storing chunk request responses from the origin server in the cache store of the cache server;
• and
• mapping the chunks available in the cache store to the first byte ranges specified by the first requests.

A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions for controlling a computer system to configure a cache at a cache server that caches chunks of a content resource originally provided by an origin server, the instructions, when executed, causing a processor to perform actions comprising:

• receiving a request at the cache server to set a chunk size that specifies an upper boundary on the size of a chunk of the content resource that will be cached by the cache server, the request being generated based on user input submitted via a user interface;
• determining a previously set chunk size;
• determining whether the request specifies purging existing chunks of the content resource in the cache;
• upon determining that the request specifies purging existing chunks of the content resource in the cache, deleting the existing chunks of the content resource from the cache;
• upon determining that the request does not specify deleting existing chunks of the content resource from the cache, changing a size of the existing chunks of the content resource in the cache to the requested chunk size;
• receiving a first byte range request specifying a first range of bytes representing a portion of the content resource;
• and
• generating a second byte range request that remaps the first range of bytes to a second range of bytes that is aligned with the requested chunk size, the second range of bytes being different than the first range of bytes.