Time based cdn traffic allocation

Abstract

A content delivery network (CDN) performs time varying traffic allocation. The network includes: one or more edge servers that store content corresponding to a domain name that is associated with a content provider, and are configured to deliver the content to end users in response to requests received at the edge servers from the end users; analytics information characterizing the CDN; and a traffic engine that periodically evaluates a service function as having a serve value or a shunt value for the domain name, based at least in part on the analytics information. The traffic engine transmits one or more IP addresses of the edge servers to an interface to a domain name service (DNS) while the service function has the serve value for the domain name; and transmits alternate domain name information of a different network to the interface while the service function has the shunt value.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A content delivery network (CDN) that performs time varying traffic allocation, the network comprising:
 one or more edge servers, wherein:
 the edge servers store content corresponding to a domain name that is associated with a content provider, 
 the content including a plurality of content objects that are associated with the content provider and are addressable through subdomain information of universal resource indicators (URIs), and 
 the edge servers are configured to deliver ones of the content objects to end users, in response to requests received at the edge servers from the end users when URIs of the requests include subdomain information corresponding to the ones of the content objects; 
   analytics information characterizing the CDN; and   a traffic engine that:
 periodically evaluates a service function for a selected content object of the plurality of content objects as having a serve value or a shunt value, based at least in part on the analytics information; 
 transmits one or more IP addresses of ones of the edge servers that can serve the selected content object, to an interface to a domain name service (DNS) while the service function has the serve value for the selected content object; and 
 transmits alternate domain name information of a different network that can serve the selected content object, to the interface, while the service function has the shunt value for the selected content object; 
   wherein, at a first time:
 the traffic engine determines, based on the analytics information, that the service function has the serve value for the selected content object, and 
 the traffic engine transmits an IP address of the ones of the edge servers can serve the selected content object, to the interface, 
 the CDN receives a request for the selected content object from one of the end users that includes a URI including the domain name and subdomain information associated with the selected content object, and 
 the DNS provides the IP address of at least one of the edge servers that can serve the requested content object; 
   and at a second time:
 the traffic engine determines, based on the analytics information, that the service function has the shunt value for the selected content object, 
 the traffic engine transmits the alternate domain name information of the different network to the interface, 
 the CDN receives a request for the selected content object from one of the end users that includes a URI including the domain name and subdomain information associated with the selected content object, and 
 the DNS provides the alternate domain name information. 
   
     
     
         3 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , the network comprising one or more points of presence (POPs), wherein each POP comprises one or more of the edge servers. 
     
     
         4 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , the analytics information comprising information generated by one or more of the edge servers as the one or more edge servers deliver the content to the end users. 
     
     
         5 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , the analytics information comprising aggregated information from a plurality of the one or more edge servers. 
     
     
         6 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , wherein:
 a contract between a service provider and the CDN provides a contract price for delivery of the selected content object;   the traffic engine models a market price for delivery of the selected content object based on the analytics information, the market price being lower at the first time than at the second time; and   the traffic engine determines the service function as having the serve value when the market price is lower than or equal to the contract price, and determines the service function as having the shunt value when the market price is greater than the contract price.   
     
     
         7 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , wherein the analytics information includes one or more of time of day, current traffic, current change of traffic over time and anticipated traffic due to a scheduled event. 
     
     
         8 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 2 , wherein the traffic engine comprises an application program interface (API) that receives at least part of the analytics information, and the alternate domain name information, from the content provider. 
     
     
         9 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 8 , wherein the API:
 forwards a proposed change in service or price to the content provider; and   receives an acceptance or a rejection of the proposed change in service or price from the content provider.   
     
     
         10 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 8 , wherein:
 the traffic engine requests, from the content provider of the selected content object and through the API, the alternate domain name information of the different network that can serve the selected content object; and   the API receives the alternate domain name information of the different network that can serve the selected content object from the content provider.   
     
     
         11 . A content delivery network (CDN) that performs time varying traffic allocation, the network comprising:
 one or more edge servers that
 store a plurality of content objects from one or more content providers, each one of the content objects being associated with at least one domain name identifying one of the edge servers that stores the one of the content objects, and subdomain information that identifies the one of the content objects, and 
 deliver ones of the content objects to end users in response to requests from the end users; 
   a traffic engine that:
 transmits an authoritative internet protocol (IP) address of one of the edge servers that stores at least a selected content object of the plurality of content objects, and alternate domain name information of a different network, to a domain name service (DNS), 
 adjusts parameters of a service percentage algorithm that defines a percentage of incoming requests for the selected content object that will be served by the CDN, with other incoming requests being shunted to the different network, based on analytics information characterizing the CDN, and 
 periodically transmits the service percentage algorithm to the DNS; and 
   the DNS, which:
 receives the authoritative IP address, the alternate domain name information and the parameters from the traffic engine, 
 receives requests for domain name resolution, and in response to a received domain name resolution request that includes subdomain information identifying the selected content object:
 evaluates the service percentage algorithm to determine whether the received domain name resolution request will be served or shunted, and 
 responds to the received domain name resolution request with the authoritative IP address when the received domain name resolution request will be served, or with the alternate domain name information when the received domain name resolution request will be shunted. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 11 , wherein:
 over a first time period:
 the DNS responds to a first percentage of domain name resolution requests that are for a domain name and include the subdomain information associated with the selected content object, by delivering the authoritative IP address, the one of the edge servers having the authoritative IP address serving the selected content object identified by the subdomain information, and 
 the DNS responds to other domain name resolution requests that are for the domain name and include the subdomain information associated with the selected content object, by responding with the alternate domain name information, such that the other domain name resolution requests are shunted to the different network; and 
   over a second time period:
 the DNS responds to a second percentage of domain name resolution requests that are for the domain name and include the subdomain information associated with the selected content object, by delivering the authoritative IP address, the one of the edge servers having the authoritative IP address serving the selected content object identified by the subdomain information, the second percentage being different from the first percentage based on the analytics information, and 
 the DNS responds to other domain name resolution requests that are for the domain name and include the subdomain information associated with the selected content object, by responding with the alternate domain name information such that the other domain name resolution requests are shunted to the different network. 
   
     
     
         13 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 12 , wherein the DNS:
 generates DNS analytics information for domain name resolution requests served by the DNS, and   over the first time period, utilizes the DNS analytics information to evaluate the service percentage algorithm.   
     
     
         14 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 12 , wherein the DNS:
 stores a serve DNS table containing the authoritative IP address and a shunt DNS table containing the alternate domain name information; and   evaluates each incoming domain name resolution request to determine whether the incoming domain name resolution request is within the first percentage of domain name resolution requests.   
     
     
         15 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 14 , wherein the traffic engine stores a table of serve DNS entries and a table of shunt DNS entries, and periodically updates at least a portion of the serve DNS table and the shunt DNS table of the DNS with entries from the table of serve DNS entries and the table of shunt DNS entries. 
     
     
         16 . The CDN that performs time varying traffic allocation of  claim 11 , wherein the alternate domain name information is one of an alternate domain name of the different network and an IP address of a server of the different network. 
     
     
         17 . A method of time-based content delivery network (CDN) traffic allocation, comprising:
 storing a plurality of content objects on a plurality of edge servers that are configured to deliver the content to end users, in response to requests received by the edge servers from the end users, each one of the content objects being:
 from a content provider, 
 associated with one or more domain names that are hosted by at least one of the edge servers, and 
 associated with subdomain information that identifies the one of the content objects; 
 storing one or more authoritative internet protocol (IP) addresses for each of the one or more edge servers that stores a selected content object of the plurality of content objects; 
 storing alternate domain name information of a different network than the CDN, which also stores the selected content object; 
 determining a service function as having a serve value or a shunt value for the selected content object, based at least in part on analytics information of the CDN; and 
 when a domain name service (DNS) request is received by the CDN from one of the end users for the selected content object:
 when the service function for the selected content object has the serve value:
 transmitting the authoritative IP address for at least one of the edge servers that stores the selected content object, in response to the DNS request, 
 receiving a request for the selected content object at the edge server having the authoritative IP address, and 
 delivering the selected content object from the edge server having the authoritative IP address to the one of the end users; 
 
 and when the service function for the selected content object has the shunt value:
 transmitting the alternate domain name information in response to the DNS request. 
 
 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of time-based CDN traffic allocation of  claim 17 , wherein the analytics information comprises traffic service records. 
     
     
         19 . The method of time-based CDN traffic allocation of  claim 17 , wherein the analytics information comprises operating characteristics of one or more of the plurality of edge servers. 
     
     
         20 . The method of time-based CDN traffic allocation of  claim 17 , wherein determining the service function as having the serve value or the shunt value utilizes information of prescheduled events. 
     
     
         21 . The method of time-based CDN traffic allocation of  claim 17 , wherein determining the service function as having the serve value or the shunt value follows customer rules.