AU2016100000A4 - File Based Content Delivery Network - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A file based Content Delivery Network that can be added to website assets by prepending URLs with the CDN URL without the need to modify DNS settings. Websites 5 and Apps can be developed to include the CDN URL and automatically serve static assets via the CDN. Web pages and sensitive requests are sent directly to the origin server thus providing increased privacy protection. Drawings 5 User Requests website Origin Server End User Origin serves all files Internet ( User Requests website Origin Server End User 20 Origin serves dynamic files CDN serves Page requests Internet requested assets from assets , CDN Local CDN Edge Server

Description

Australia Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT FILE BASED CONTENT DELIVERY NETWORK The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 1 Description [0001] This invention relates to improvements in a software based implementation of a file based content delivery network (CDN). 5 [0002] Content delivery networks (CDN) are commonly used to speed up websites and serve digital content faster. Digital content is served by a network of computer servers geographically distributed with as many exit nodes as possible in close proximity to customers. The physical proximity reduces loading times and enables data to be served at higher speeds. 10 [0003] Traditional content delivery networks rely on DNS based acceleration where all assets in a domain are distributed via the CDN. Given that all content passes through the CDN, privacy issues can arise as thousands of servers around the World can receive relay traffic with potentially sensitive data. Traditional CDNs can also increase response times for dynamic 15 content. [0004] The single file CDN topology enables the addition of CDN capabilities to websites and web assets without the need to modify DNS records or relay all domain traffic through the CDN. It allows developers to select specific static and dynamic assets are to be served via the 20 file based CDN. [0005] Files to be served via the CDN are prepended with the CDN URL and user id. A static file http://mydomain.com/logo.jpg can be served via a CDN by prepending the CDN URL as follows: http://cnd.sended.com/clientid/mydomain.com/logo.jpg. For HTML and 25 other client side scripts the following image asset <img src="logo.jpg"> would load from the origin server, and <img src="//cdn.sended.com/clientid/logo.jpg"> would load via the CDN. Table 1 provides additional examples on how the file based CDN can be used. Origin Link CDN link http://outroll.com/style.css http://cdn.sended.com/outroll/style.css https://outroll.com/js/script.js https://cdn.sended.com/outroll/js/script.js http://bitfy.com/largefile.zip http://cdn.sended.com/bitfy/largefile.zip Table 1 2 [0006] The CDN software then authenticates the request based on the client_id passed on the URL. Based on the client ID or HTTP referer field the software then identifies the full URL to fetch. With the full URL the software then checks the local cache for the file. If the file is not 5 present in the cache, the software then requests the appropriate file from the origin server. [0007] All files fetched from origin are compressed and saved as a GZIP. Files are served as GZIP without the need for edge servers to recompress files on every HTTP and HTTPS request. For clients that do not support GZIP, the server decompresses the file on the fly and serves the 10 uncompressed or deflate compressed version. [0008] Static files are cached for a predefined amount time, and can be updated on an automated schedule basis. The cache server can automatically probe the origin server to update assets that were updated. 15 [0009] The cache can be purged by making a simple HTTP request with a special parameter. The parameters can include the file, folder or domain to be purged, in conjunction with an authorization key to prevent abuse. For example, the file logo.jpg was updated at origin and requires all caching servers to be purged. The file can be purged from the cache by requesting 20 http://cnd.sended.com/clientid/logo.jpg?purge=yes&auth=secret. [0010] CDN requests can be fully qualified or relative URLs. The CDN software can identify the correct origin server and fully qualified URL to fetch by checking the client id and its respective domain name and the HTTP referer field. 25 [0011] The invention may be better understood with reference to the illustrations of embodiments of the invention which: - Figure 1 illustrates a website request without a file based CDN where all requests are made to origin. 30 - Figure 2 illustrates a website request with a file based CDN where some requests are made to origin and some are made to the CDN.

Claims (5)

1. A file based Content Delivery Network that can be added to websites by changing asset URLs without the need for DNS changes. 5

2. A method to accelerate the delivery of websites by selectively serving static content via a Content Delivery Network.

3. A method to authenticate users and identify fully qualified origin URLs for caching. 10

4. A method to manage and purge file assets from caching servers.

5. A method to serve compressed content without the need to compress content on every request. 15 20 25 30