Abstract: Techniques are described for managing preloading of data for client computing systems. A client computing system may provide one or more persistent data storage caches on local storage, such as to support a particular software program executing on the client computing system (e.g., a Web browser program, with the persistent data storage cache designed to store browser cookies and other data for later access by the Web browser program). Additional data may be stored in such a persistent data storage cache by preloading those data groups before they are requested by the client computing system (e.g., based on interactions of a user of the client computing system with an executing program on the client computing system). Particular data groups to preload may be selected in various manners, including to provide a specified type of minimum functionality to a client computing system based on the preloaded data groups.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure relate to the generation and delivery of content including unique and shared components. A content delivery network service provider can obtain requests for content from client computing devices. Based on information provided in the request or otherwise managed by executable code on the client computing device, the CDN service provider obtains one or more pieces of content that may be shared by more than one user or client computing devices. Additionally, the CDN service provider obtains one or more pieces of content that will not be shared by more than one user or more than one client computing device. Responsive to the content request, the CDN service provider can combine the one or more pieces of shared content and the one or more pieces of unique content and deliver the combined content to the requested client computing device.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing. A DNS server at a content delivery network service provider obtains a DNS query corresponding to a resource requested from a client computing device and associated with a first resource identifier. The first resource identifier includes a first portion with DNS information and a second portion with path information. The DNS server selects a network computing component for processing the requested resource based on the DNS portion of the resource identifier and transmits information identifying the selected network computing component to the client computing device.

Abstract: A number of approaches for transcoding media is described, which allow various users to control one or more aspects of transcoding (e.g. bit rate, resolution) when delivering media content to a client device from a network edge server or other location. The client device is provided with an interface that allows the user to increase or decrease the resolution, bit rate or other settings of the media content. Upon receiving a request from the user, the system transcodes the media content in accordance with the request and dynamically delivers the transcoded media content to the user's device. The system also enables content publishers and network operators to impose restrictions (e.g. minimum and maximum values for various settings) on user control.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing preloading of data for client computing systems. A client computing system may provide one or more persistent data storage caches on local storage, such as to support a particular software program executing on the client computing system (e.g., a Web browser program, with the persistent data storage cache designed to store browser cookies and other data for later access by the Web browser program). Additional data may be stored in such a persistent data storage cache by preloading those data groups before they are requested by the client computing system (e.g., based on interactions of a user of the client computing system with an executing program on the client computing system). Particular data groups to preload may be selected in various manners, including to provide a specified type of minimum functionality to a client computing system based on the preloaded data groups.

Abstract: A transcoding service is described that is capable of utilizing the excess capacity of the computing resources of a service provider. The customer of the transcoding service can submit a bid price for completing the transcodes. As long as the specified price exceeds the fluctuating price of the unused resource instances, the transcoding service will execute the job on the unused instance(s). If the price of the unused resource instances exceeds the customer's bid, the transcoding process stops. The transcoding service may pause the transcoding when the dynamically fluctuating price of the unused resource exceeds the customer's bid and then resume when the price falls back down. Users can specify constraints for transcoding, such as timeframes during which the transcode must be completed, a total price for completing transcoding or priorities of the media files. The system can automatically optimize the utilization of the resource instances according to the constraints.

Abstract: Techniques are described for managing data transmissions between computing systems based at least in part on using a streaming transport protocol. At least some such data transmissions may be performed using HTTP, with one or more underlying transport protocols used to implement the HTTP-based data transmissions. HTTP-based data transmissions performed using an underlying streaming transport protocol, for example, may send data without performing error detection for reliability and without ensuring ordered delivery of the sent data. In addition, one or more HTTP-based data transmissions may be initiated using an underlying streaming transport protocol, but subsequent data transmissions may switch to using a different underlying transport protocol (e.g., TCP) or different transmission technique that is performed without using data streaming.

Abstract: A number of approaches for transcoding media is described, which allow various users to control one or more aspects of transcoding (e.g. bit rate, resolution) when delivering media content to a client device from a network edge server or other location. The client device is provided with an interface that allows the user to increase or decrease the resolution, bit rate or other settings of the media content. Upon receiving a request from the user, the system transcodes the media content in accordance with the request and dynamically delivers the transcoded media content to the user's device. The system also enables content publishers and network operators to impose restrictions (e.g. minimum and maximum values for various settings) on user control.

Abstract: Techniques for inserting advertising content and other personalized information into media assets are described. The techniques involve inserting personalized ads and other content into media assets as a server at the content delivery network (CDN) point-of-presence (POP) is performing the individualized encoding of the file on-the-fly. The ads and other content can be personalized based on the user's purchasing habits, user's location (geographic, GPS, IP location, etc.), the content in the media file and the like. In addition, the ads can be inserted into specific parts of the video (i.e. key frames, key slices, etc.) because the CDN node is actually transcoding the content and thus can insert the ads into the content in its own native format. For example, ads can appear as part of the video itself, different language subtitles can be integrated into the video based on the location of the user, and the like.

Abstract: A transcoding service is described that is capable of utilizing the excess capacity of the computing resources of a service provider. The customer of the transcoding service can submit a bid price for completing the transcodes. As long as the specified price exceeds the fluctuating price of the unused resource instances, the transcoding service will execute the job on the unused instance(s). If the price of the unused resource instances exceeds the customer's bid, the transcoding process stops. The transcoding service may pause the transcoding when the dynamically fluctuating price of the unused resource exceeds the customer's bid and then resume when the price falls back down. Users can specify constraints for transcoding, such as timeframes during which the transcode must be completed, a total price for completing transcoding or priorities of the media files. The system can automatically optimize the utilization of the resource instances according to the constraints.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing. A client request processing a resource identifier for requested content transmits a first DNS query to a content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The client computing device then issues a second DNS query to the same content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat with the content delivery network service provider's network until a DNS server resolves a DNS query from the client computing device.

Abstract: A distributed system for collecting and processing packet routing information is provided. A service provider, such as a content delivery network service provider, can maintain multiple Points of Presence (“POPs”). Routing computing devices associated with each POP can forward information about the packet routing information to a packet routing management component. The packet routing component can process the information provided by the various POPs. The packet routing component can then update, or otherwise modify, packet routing information used by one or more of the POPs. Accordingly, the packet routing management component can then selectively distribute the updated or modified packet routing information, including the distribution to all POPs, the targeted distribution to specific POPs and the creation of centrally accessible routing information.

Abstract: A system and method for management and processing of resource requests is provided. A content delivery network service provider determines a class associated with a set of client computing devices and monitors resources requests for the determined class. The content delivery network service provider then identifies at least one cache component for providing additional content, such as advertisement content or other additional content provided in anticipation of future resource requests, to client computing devices as a function of the determined class. In other embodiments, instead of cache components, the content delivery network service provider identifies a second set of client computing devices as a function of the determined class for providing the additional content information.

Abstract: A processing service provides content publishers and other such users with automated content processing (e.g., transcoding or other). The content publisher is enabled to provide content (e.g., media files) to an input location for applying various processing to the content. Upon determining that the content has been placed into the input store, the processing service may select an appropriate workflow to be applied to the content and execute the workflow. The workflow may be selected based on various attributes of the content, the publisher, or the input store, such as the file name, embedded metadata, file size, time of day and the like. The workflow can process the content and store the resulting content into an output store or provide the content to various viewer devices. The workflow may also be customizable by the content publisher via an API or other such interface.

Abstract: Usage of shared resources can be managed by enabling users to obtain different types of guarantees at different times for various types and/or levels of resource capacity. A user can select to have an amount or rate of capacity dedicated to that user. A user can also select reserved capacity for at least a portion of the requests, tasks, or program execution for that user, where the user has priority to that capacity but other users can utilize the excess capacity during other periods. Users can alternatively specify to use the excess capacity or other variable, non-guaranteed capacity. The capacity can be for any appropriate functional aspect of a resource, such as computational capacity, throughput, latency, bandwidth, and storage. Users can submit bids for various types and combinations of excess capacity, and winning bids can receive dedicated use of the excess capacity for at least a period of time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for implementing anycast flow stickiness in stateful sessions are described. For the first packet from a source device to an anycast group, a destination anycast endpoint is selected from the anycast group by a routing process via an algorithm that is specified for the anycast group. A record of the mapping of the source device to the destination anycast endpoint may be stored. Additional packets in the flow are routed to the same anycast endpoint as the first packet according to the stored information. Alternatively, a hashing technique may be used to route packets to an anycast endpoint. The packets may be encapsulated in an encapsulation format that includes network substrate routing information to the destination anycast endpoint; anycast forwarding decisions are made at the overlay network level and not at the network substrate level, and thus flow stickiness can be maintained.

Abstract: The effects on networking systems of attacks on vulnerabilities, such as vulnerable modules in a webserver, SYN flooding, etc, can be devastating to a network environment. In various embodiments, a first, quick, or inexpensive analysis is performed on incoming network flows. If an intrusion issue or other problem is suspected based on the first, rapid, or an inexpensive analysis, then the flow can be flagged for redirection to another process, virtual machine, or physical computer module that will perform a deeper, more expensive analysis on the network flow. If there are no issues detected in the second, deeper analysis, then the network flow can be forwarded to its intended recipient. If an issue is detected in the second, deeper analysis, then the network flow can be throttled, quarantined, ignored, sent to an un-trusted portion of the system, sent for more analysis, or otherwise handled or flagged.

Abstract: Watermarking techniques are described which can be performed at network edge locations such as a Content Delivery Network (CDN) point-of-presence (POP). An edge server can identify users by request and apply a watermark based on the user to media content stored locally. Performance is improved by moving the watermarking from a central location closer to the user in terms of network proximity. An edge server can receive instructions on what type of watermark to assign and how to assign it. The edge server can use requester's identity to create and apply watermarks at the time of transferring media content to the requester. Individualized watermarking is applied to the bits transmitted to the device, the watermark indicating the specific user downloading the stream, time of transmission, etc. Watermarking can be applied throughout all of the frames of the media content rather than merely attaching it at a specific place.

Abstract: A system, method and computer-readable medium for request routing based on content popularity information are provided. A client computing device transmits a first DNS query to a content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider transmits an alternative resource identifier in response to the client computing device DNS query. The alternative resource identifier is selected as a function of popularity information pertaining to the requested resource. The client computing device then transmits a second DNS query to the content delivery network service provider. The content delivery network service provider can then either resolve the second DNS query with an IP address of a cache component or transmit another alternative resource identifier that will resolve to the content delivery network service provider. The process can repeat until a DNS nameserver resolves a DNS query from the client computing device.

Abstract: A set of techniques is described for enabling a virtual machine based transcoding system. The system enables any transcoding provider to make their transcoding service available to other users over a network. The system can automate the deployment, execution and delivery of the transcoding service on behalf of the transcoding provider and enable other users to use the transcoding services to transcode content. The system receives a virtual machine image, transfers the image to a location where the media content is stored and creates a virtual private network of resources that will perform the transcoding of the media content. The virtual private network may be firewalled or otherwise restricted from opening connections with external clients when transcoding the content in order to prevent malicious use of the media content.