Progressive object refreshes in content delivery networks

Number: 11438433
Published: 2022-09-06
Filed: 2021-11-04
Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Inventors: Friedrich; Eric C., Cruz; Luis A., Colantuoni; Robert Gerard, Grubb; Jeffrey Edwin
CPC: H04L65/612; H04L67/5682; H04L65/765; H04L65/80; H04L67/10; H04L67/1097; H04L67/568; H04L69/40
Verdict: Set aside CDN object refresh, plumbing
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

Abstract

The embodiments herein describe a CDN that uses revalidation to force edge servers to refresh their cached objects (i.e., download new copies of the objects from the origin data center). Revalidation can be used by edge servers to determine whether an object currently cached at the edge servers has been updated or changed in the origin data center. The embodiments herein leverage revalidation to perform a forced refresh to force the edge servers to refresh their cached object, regardless whether those cached objects match the objects stored in the origin data center. A forced refresh can be used when there is a network connection that may have caused the cached objects to become corrupted. Moreover, the forced refresh can be performed in batches so as not to overwhelm the network and computing resources in the CDN.

Background

BACKGROUND (1) A content delivery network, or content distribution network (CDN), is a geographically distributed network of edge servers and their origin data centers. Their goal is to provide high availability and performance by distributing the service spatially relative to end users. CDNs came into existence to mitigate performance bottlenecks as the Internet was becoming a mission-critical medium for people and enterprises. Since then, CDNs have grown to serve a large portion of the Internet content today, including web objects (text, graphics and scripts), downloadable objects (media files, software, documents), applications (e-commerce, portals), live streaming media, on-demand streaming media, and social media sites.

Claims

1. A method, comprising: subdividing tags corresponding to objects in a content delivery network (CDN) to form a plurality of batches; modifying the tags in a first batch of the plurality of batches, wherein the modified tags are stored at an origin data center in the CDN; performing a forced refresh of the objects in the first batch as part of a revalidation process associated with edge servers in the CDN; and upon determining the first batch is complete, selecting and modifying the tags in a second batch of the plurality of batches to perform a forced refresh on the objects in the second batch. || 10. A non-transitory computer readable medium containing computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising: subdividing tags corresponding to objects in a content delivery network (CDN) to form a plurality of batches; modifying the tags in a first batch of the plurality of batches, wherein the modified tags are stored at an origin data center in the CDN; performing a forced refresh of the objects in the first batch as part of a revalidation process initiated by edge servers in the CDN; and upon determining the first batch is complete, selecting and modifying the tags in a second batch of the plurality of batches to perform a forced refresh on the objects in the second batch. || 16. A system, comprising: a processor; memory comprising computer program code that, when executed by operation of one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising: subdividing tags corresponding to objects in a content delivery network (CDN) to form a plurality of batches; modifying the tags in a first batch of the plurality of batches, wherein the modified tags are stored at an origin data center in the CDN; performing a forced refresh of the objects in the first batch as part of a revalidation process initiated by edge servers in the CDN; and upon determining the first batch is complete, selecting and modifying the tags in a second batch of the plurality of batches to perform a forced refresh on the objects in the second batch.