Selecting a content providing server in a content delivery network

Abstract

Aspects of the present disclosure involve systems, methods, computer program products, and the like, for managing the distribution of content from a content distribution network (CDN). In general, the system receives a request for content from the CDN from a user of the network and determines a server within the CDN to provide the content to the user. In addition, the system of the present disclosure may determine a preferred server or group of servers from which the content is provided to the user. This preference may be based on information received from a Border Gateway Protocol feed or Interior Gateway Protocol feed and one or more business determinations, such as the cost of providing the content through the CDN and particular egress port associated with the CDN.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for providing a source of content distribution from a content distribution network, the method comprising:
 receiving a request for content from a requesting device for content associated with a content distribution network;   obtaining a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed of route information, the BGP feed comprising at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with at least one network external to the content distribution network;   creating a first policy rule for selecting a source device within the content distribution network for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the BGP feed of route information; and   identifying a source device within the content distribution network for providing the requested content to the requesting device based at least on the first policy rule.   
     
     
         2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving an Internal Gateway Protocol (IGP) feed of route information, the IGP feed comprising an identifier of at least one transmission route within the content distribution network, the identifier of the at least one transmission route associated with a content server of the content distribution network. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method as recited in  claim 2  further comprising:
 creating a second policy rule for selecting a source device within the content distribution network for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the IGP feed of route information. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein identifying the source device operation further comprises basing the identification of the source device within the content distribution network for providing the requested content to the requesting device on the second policy rule. 
     
     
         5 . The method as recited in  claim 3  wherein the second policy rule is based at least on a quality of service associated with the at least one transmission route within the content distribution network. 
     
     
         6 . A content distribution network comprising:
 a plurality of content servers; and   a content distribution network component configured to:
 receive a request for content from a requesting device associated with an external network to the content distribution network; 
 access a database configured to store a Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed of route information, the BGP feed comprising at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the requesting device; 
 analyze the BGP feed of route information to determine at least one egress port from the content distribution network to the external network; 
 create a first policy rule for selecting one of the plurality of content servers for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the BGP feed of route information; and 
 select the one of the plurality of content servers within the content distribution network for providing the requested content to the requesting device based on the first policy rule. 
   
     
     
         7 . The content distribution network as recited in  claim 6  wherein the database is further configured to store an Internal Gateway Protocol (IGP) feed of route information, the IGP feed comprising an identifier of at least one transmission route within the content distribution network from one of the plurality of content servers to the external network. 
     
     
         8 . The content distribution network as recited in  claim 7  wherein the content distribution network domain name server is further configured to:
 create a second policy rule for selecting a source device within the content distribution network for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the IGP feed of route information. 
 
     
     
         9 . The content distribution network as recited in  claim 8  wherein the selection of the one of the plurality of content servers within the content distribution network for providing the requested content to the requesting device is further based on the second policy rule. 
     
     
         10 . The content distribution network as recited in  claim 7  wherein the content distribution network component is a domain name server of the content distribution network. 
     
     
         11 . A system for operating a content distribution network, the system comprising:
 a server comprising:
 a processor; and 
 a computer-readable medium associated with the processor and including instructions stored thereon and executable by the processor to:
 receive a request for content from a requesting device associated with an external network to a content distribution network; 
 obtain Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) feed of route information associated with the external network, the BGP feed comprising at least one Internet Protocol (IP) address associated with the requesting device and an egress port from the content distribution network to the external network associated with the at least one IP address; 
 determine at least one business cost associated with the at least one egress port; 
 create a first policy rule for selecting one of the plurality of content servers for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the business cost associated with the at least one egress port; and 
 select a content provider within the content distribution network for providing the requested content to the requesting device, wherein the selection of the content provider is based at least on the first policy rule. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The system as recited in  claim 11  wherein the content provider is a content server maintained by the content distribution network. 
     
     
         13 . The system as recited in  claim 11  wherein the processor is further executable to:
 receive an Internal Gateway Protocol (IGP) feed of route information, the IGP feed comprising at least one transmission route within the content distribution network from at least one content provider of the content distribution network to the egress port; and 
 create a second policy rule for selecting a content provider within the content distribution network for providing content to the requesting device based at least on the IGP feed of route information, the second policy rule based on a shortest transmission path through the content distribution network. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system as recited in  claim 11  wherein the business cost is indicative of at least one of a monetary price for transmitting content through the egress port, a quality of service associated with providing the content from the content provider to the requesting device or a business agreement between a content distribution network operator and a third party.