Network server platform/facilities management platform caching server

Abstract

The location of large caches of memory located at the network server platform can reduce traffic on the network trunks or Internet backbone. In some instances these memory caches might be located at the facilities management platform. Those users supported on a specific network server platform no longer would be required to download regularly used information from the Internet backbone minimizing congestion on the network. These memory caches can be supplemented or refreshed with new data on a regular basis based on the requirements or changing requirements of the users. The close location of regularly accessed data allows for faster downloads and minimizes congestion on the communication network. In addition to user requested information, push information can be stored in these caches for fast downloading to the users.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A system comprising: 
 a central office;    a plurality of digital subscriber lines configured to service a plurality of telephone subscribers;    a wide area network; and    a first cache farm located in the central office and coupled to the wide area network and the plurality of digital subscriber lines.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the wide area network includes an Internet gateway providing access to the Internet.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a first cache engine coupled to the first cache farm and configured to manage data requests directed to the first cache farm.    
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the first cache engine includes a plurality of cache engines and further comprising: 
 a first cache engine controller coupled to the first cache engine and configured to manage the first cache engine.    
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a network server platform coupled to the central office; and    a second cache farm coupled to the network server platform.    
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , further comprising: 
 a second cache engine coupled to the second cache farm and configured to manage data requests directed to the second cache farm.    
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the second cache engine includes a plurality of cache engines and further comprising: 
 a second cache engine controller coupled to the second cache engine and configured to manage the second cache engine.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of customer premises equipment coupled to the plurality of digital subscriber lines; and    a plurality of customer interfaces coupled to the plurality of customer premises equipment and the central office and configured to distribute information between the central office and the plurality of customer premises equipment.    
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein each of the plurality of customer premises equipment includes one or more of devices configured to provide multimedia services.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of connector blocks configured to couple the plurality of costumer interfaces to the plurality of digital subscriber lines.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of main distribution frames configured to couple the plurality of digital subscriber lines to the central office.    
     
     
         12 . A method comprising steps of: 
 receiving a request for information from a telephone subscriber;    retrieving information requested by the telephone subscriber from a first cache farm located in a central office; and    transmitting the retrieved information requested by the telephone subscriber to the telephone subscriber using a digital subscriber line coupled to the central office.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising a step of retrieving information requested by the telephone subscriber from a second cache farm, when the information requested by the user is stored in the second cache farm and not stored in the first cache farm.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising a step of retrieving information requested by the telephone subscriber from the Internet, when the information requested by telephone subscriber is not stored in the second cache farm.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising a step of managing a request for information from the first cache farm using a first cache engine.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first cache engine includes a plurality of cache engines and further comprising a step of balancing traffic load among the plurality of cache engines using a first cache engine controller.  
     
     
         17 . A system comprising: 
 a central office;    a plurality of digital subscriber lines configured to service a plurality of telephone subscribers;    a wide area network;    a first cache farm located in the central office and coupled to the wide area network and the plurality of digital subscriber lines;    a first cache engine including a plurality of cache engines and configured to manage data requests directed to the first cache farm;    a first cache engine controller configured to manage the first cache engine;    a network server platform;    a second cache farm located in the central office and coupled to the wide area network and the plurality of digital subscriber lines;    a second cache engine including a plurality of cache engines and configured to manage data requests directed to the second cache farm;    a second cache engine controller configured to manage the second cache engine; and    wherein the wide area network includes an Internet gateway providing access to the Internet.