Method and Apparatus for Prioritization of Data Requests

Abstract

A data center determines whether requested content is available at the data center. The content is available when the content is both present at the data center and current. When the requested content is available at the data center, the data center returns the requested content to the browser. When the requested content is locally unavailable at the data center, the requested content is retrieved from an origin server. When retrieval of the content is delayed, the request is prioritized and placed in a queue for handling by the origin server based on the priority of the request. A status page may be communicated to the browser to inform a user of the delay and provide alternate content and status information related to the request determined as a function of the request or the current state of the origin server.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A system for prioritization of requests comprising logic stored in a computer readable media such that when executed by one or more processors is configured to:
 receive packet-based messages corresponding to requests sent over a packet-based network, the requests seeking processing by a common resource or set of resources;   places the requests into one or more queues for the common resource or set of resources, the requests placed into the queues according to at least two priorities, the at least two priorities including a first priority and a second priority, the first priority higher than the second priority; and   removing and processing the requests in the one or more queues with the common resource or set of resources in such a manner that requests having the first priority are handled more quickly than the requests having the second priority.   
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein
 for a queue in the one or more queues, requests with equal priority are processed on a first-in-first-out basis, and   requests with the highest priority are the first removed from the queue for processing.   
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the messages for the requests are synchronous. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 21 , the logic when executed by one or more processors is configured to:
 detect a processing load of the common resource or set of resources, and   dynamically implement the one or more queues when the processing load exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein one or more instances of a server places the requests into the one or more queues. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein a cache server places requests into the one or more queues. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein a server assigns a priority to the request. 
     
     
         28 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more queues is at least two queues. 
     
     
         29 . The system of  claim 21 , wherein the requests originated as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from one or more client devices sent across a network through a web server before the receiving, placing, and removing and processing. 
     
     
         30 . The system of  claim 29 , wherein the client devices expect responses to the HTTP requests. 
     
     
         31 . A method for prioritization of requests comprising:
 receiving packet-based messages corresponding to requests sent over a packet-based network, the requests seeking processing by a common resource or set of resources;   placing the requests into one or more queues for the common resource or set of resources, the requests placed into the queues according to at least two priorities, the at least two priorities including a first priority and a second priority, the first priority higher than the second priority; and   removing and processing the requests in the one or more queues with the common resource or set of resources in such a manner that requests having the first priority are handled more quickly than the requests having the second priority.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein
 for a queue in the one or more queues, requests with equal priority are processed on a first-in-first-out basis, and   requests with the highest priority are the first removed from the queue for processing.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the messages for the requests are synchronous. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising:
 detecting a processing load of the common resource or set of resources, and   dynamically implement the one or more queues when the processing load exceeds a threshold.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein one or more instances of a server places the requests into the one or more queues. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a cache server places requests into the one or more queues. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a server assigns a priority to the request. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the one or more queues is at least two queues. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the requests originated as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) requests from one or more client devices sent across a network through a web server before the receiving, placing, and removing and processing. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the client devices expect responses to the HTTP requests.