Managed object replication and delivery

Abstract

A method, system and computer program product for managed object replication and delivery redirects, directly or indirectly, a client's request for an object that is not available at a best or optimal handling edge server of a network to a parent server that has the requested object. So, where the requested object is not available at the handling edge server, the client's request is redirected directly to the parent server that can provide the requested object to the client or indirectly via one or more parent servers to a parent server that can provide the requested object to the client. The method, system and computer program product further intelligently replicates the object to the edge server if the object is popular enough. Likewise, an object is removed from an edge server when it is no longer popular. All redirection and replication operations are preferably transparent to the end-user and do not degrade the quality of service.

1 .- 65 . (canceled)  
   
   
       66 . A method for replicating objects to one or more servers in a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising: 
 obtaining a measure of popularity of a first object stored on at least a first server in the CDN; and    based at least in part on whether the measure of popularity for the first object exceeds a threshold value, causing at least a part of the first object to be replicated on at least a second server in the CDN.    
   
   
       67 . A method as defined in  claim 66 , wherein the threshold value is a dynamic threshold value operable for adjustment based on network characteristics.  
   
   
       68 . A method as defined in  claim 66 , further comprising: 
 based at least in part on whether the popularity value for the first object does not exceed the threshold value, deleting the first object from the first server.    
   
   
       70 . A computer program product including computer program code to cause a processor to perform a method for replicating objects to one or more servers in a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising: 
 obtaining a measure of popularity of a first object stored on at least a first server in the CDN; and    based at least in part on whether the measure of popularity for the first object exceeds a threshold value, causing at least a part of the first object to be replicated on at least a second server in the CDN.    
   
   
       71 . A computer program product as in  claim 70  wherein the threshold value is a dynamic threshold value operable for adjustment based on network characteristics.  
   
   
       72 . A computer program product as in  claim 70  wherein the method further comprises: 
 based at least in part on whether the popularity value for the first object does not exceed the threshold value, deleting the first object from the first server.