Caching in a content delivery framework

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11818229-B2
Application number	US-202217891675-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2022
Priority date	Dec 15, 2014
Publication date	Nov 14, 2023
Grant date	Nov 14, 2023

Abstract

A computer-implemented method, operable with a content delivery network (CDN) uses late binding of caching policies; by a caching node in the CDN, in response to a request for content, determining if the content is cached locally. When it is determined that said content is cached locally, then: determining a current cache policy associated with the content; and then determining, based on said current cache policy associated with the content, whether it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally; based on said determining, when it is not acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, obtaining a new version of the content and then serving the new version of the content, otherwise when it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, serving the content that is cached locally.

First claim

We claim:

1. A computer-implemented method, operable with a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising, by a node in the CDN:
(A) in response to a request for content, determining if the content is cached locally;
(B) when it is determined that said content is cached locally, then:
(B)(1) determining a current cache policy associated with the content; and then
(B)(2) determining, based on said current cache policy associated with the content, whether it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally;
(B)(3) based on said determining in (B)(2),

(i) when it is not acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, obtaining a new version of the content and then serving the new version of the content, and
(ii) when it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, serving the content that is cached locally,
wherein the current cache policy includes an internal caching policy honored by the node when caching content and a separate and distinct internal caching policy honored when the content is served.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:
(C) when it is determined that said content is not cached locally, then (C)(1) obtaining the content and then (C)(2) serving the content obtained in (C)(1).

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the request comprises an HTTP request and wherein the content comprises one or more resources.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the current cache policy is determined from a location distinct from the node.

5. The method as recited in claim 4 wherein the location is a database.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the cache policy relates to caching content within the CDN.

7. The method as recited in claim 6 wherein the cache policy also relates to caching content outside the CDN.

8. A computer program product having computer readable instructions stored on non-transitory computer readable media, the computer readable instructions including instructions for implementing a computer-implemented method, said method operable on a device comprising hardware including memory and at least one processor and running a service on said hardware, said method operable in a content delivery service (CDN), said method comprising:
(A) in response to a request for content, determining if the content is cached locally;
(B) when it is determined that said content is cached locally, then:
(B)(1) determining a current cache policy associated with the content; and then
(B)(2) determining, based on said current cache policy associated with the content, whether it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally;
(B)(3) based on said determining in (B)(2),

(i) when it is not acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, obtaining a new version of the content and then serving the new version of the content, and
(ii) when it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, serving the content that is cached locally,
wherein the current cache policy includes an internal caching policy honored by the node when caching content and a separate and distinct internal caching policy honored when the content is served.

9. The computer program product as recited in claim 8 wherein the method further comprises:
(C) when it is determined that said content is not cached locally, then (C)(1) obtaining the content and then (C)(2) serving the content obtained in (C)(1).

10. The computer program product as recited in claim 8 wherein the request comprises an HTTP request and wherein the content comprises one or more resources.

11. The computer program product as recited in claim 8 wherein the current cache policy is determined from a location distinct from the node.

12. The computer program product as recited in claim 11 wherein the location is a database.

13. The computer program product as recited in claim 8 wherein the cache policy relates to caching content within the CDN.

14. The computer program product as recited in claim 13 wherein the cache policy also relates to caching content outside the CDN.

Assignees

• Level 3 Communications Llc

Inventors

• Newton Christopher
• Crowder William

Classifications

• H04L67/5682 Primary

  Policies or rules for updating, deleting or replacing the stored data · CPC title

• H04L67/568 Primary

  Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching · CPC title

• H04L9/40

  Network security protocols · CPC title

• H04L67/02

  based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP] · CPC title

• H04L67/34

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title