Crowd based content delivery

Abstract

Methods and systems for crowd based content delivery are provided. According to one embodiment, a preference of a content publisher is received at a resource manager. An indication is received at the resource manager that the resource manager is to redirect a request for a content item. A state of a network is monitored by the resource manager. A resource provider in the network capable of servicing the request is selected based at least in part on the state of the network and the preference of the content publisher. The request is redirected to the resource provider.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method comprising:
 receiving, at a resource manager, a preference of a content publisher;   receiving, at the resource manager, from the content publisher an indication that the resource manager is to redirect a request for a content item;   monitoring, at the resource manager, a state of a network;   selecting a resource provider in the network capable of servicing the request based at least in part on the state of the network and the preference of the content publisher; and   redirecting the request for the content item to the resource provider.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein monitoring a state of a network is based on performance statistics associated with quality of service and end user experience. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the performance statistics comprise one or more of an average throughput, a maximum throughput, a DNS lookup time, a time to first connection and a download time. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein performance statistics is reported to the resource manager by a dedicated monitoring server that is placed across the network. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein performance statistics is reported to the resource manager by a plug-in that is included in a source. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein monitoring a state of a network is based on log data compiled by the resource provider at the conclusion of each transaction. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein monitoring a state of a network comprises further monitoring availability of the resource provider to service the request. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein monitoring a state of a network comprises further monitoring a location of the content item in the network. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the location of the content item is determined by interrogating the network using an interrogation methodology. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising coordinating, at the resource manager, a pre-fetching of the content item at the resource provider to warm the cache before the request is redirected. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the selecting a resource provider is further based at least in part on past traffic redirected to the resource providers to prevent the resource provider from becoming overloaded and to load balance a plurality of available resource providers. 
     
     
         34 . A computer system for handling request comprising:
 a non-transitory storage device having embodied therein one or more routines; and   one or more processors coupled to the non-transitory storage device and operable to execute the one or more routines to perform a method comprising:
 receiving a preference of the content publisher; 
 receiving from a content publisher an indication that the resource manager is to redirect a request for a content item; 
 monitoring a state of a network; 
 selecting a resource provider capable of servicing the request based at least in part on the health of the network and the preference of the content publisher; and 
 redirecting the request for the content item to the resource provider. 
   
     
     
         35 . The computer system of  claim 34 , wherein monitoring health of a network is based on performance statistics associated with quality of service and end user experience. 
     
     
         36 . The computer system of  claim 35 , wherein the performance statistics comprise one or more of an average throughput, a maximum throughput, a DNS lookup time, a time to first connection and a download time. 
     
     
         37 . The computer system of  claim 35 , wherein performance statistics is reported by a dedicated monitoring server that is placed across the network. 
     
     
         38 . The computer system of  claim 35 , wherein performance statistics is reported by a plug-in that is included in a source. 
     
     
         39 . The computer system of  claim 34 , wherein monitoring health of a network is based on log data compiled by the resource provider at the conclusion of each transaction. 
     
     
         40 . The computer system of  claim 34 , wherein monitoring a state of a network comprises further monitoring availability of the resource provider to service the request. 
     
     
         41 . The computer system of  claim 40 , wherein monitoring a state of a network comprises further monitoring a location of the content item in the network. 
     
     
         42 . The computer system of  claim 41 , wherein the location of the content item is determined by interrogating the network using an interrogation methodology. 
     
     
         43 . The computer system of  claim 34 , further comprising coordinating a pre-fetching of the content item at the resource provider to warm the cache before the request is redirected. 
     
     
         44 . The computer system of  claim 34 , wherein the selecting a resource provider is further based at least in part on past traffic redirected to the resource providers to prevent the resource provider from becoming overloaded and to load balance a plurality of available resource providers.