Abstract: A URL re-writing system and method in a network examines and modifies HTML data and its embedded URLs. The re-writing system can be implemented in a router and can replace URLs found in the HTML data in order to accomplish more efficient routing for example to a close mirror site or for content routing. The re-writing system can also use URL replacement to insert important or emergency information to data received by users on a Web-based network.

Abstract: A method for routing a data request received by a caching system is described. The caching system includes a router and a cache, and the data request identifies a source platform, a destination platform, and requested data. Where the source and destination platforms correspond to an entry in a list automatically generated by the caching system, the data request is transmitted without determining whether the requested data are stored in the cache.

Abstract: A method for routing a data request received by a caching system is described. The caching system includes a router and a cache, and the data request identifies a source platform, a destination platform, and requested data. Where the source and destination platforms correspond to an entry in a list automatically generated by the caching system, the data request is transmitted without determining whether the requested data are stored in the cache.

Abstract: In a computerized device, a technique for communicating with an external transmission control protocol device involves operating in a stateless manner. In particular, the technique includes providing an acknowledgment message to the external transmission control protocol device in response to a synchronization message from the external transmission control protocol device, receiving a request message for content from the external transmission control protocol device, and sending, to the external transmission control protocol device, a reply message having at least a portion of the content, regardless of whether the computerized device received an acknowledgment message from the external transmission control protocol device in response to the acknowledgment message provided by the computerized device to the external transmission control protocol device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for intelligently for intelligently routing a request to a device (e.g., replica or server). A packet is received (e.g., by the client's gateway router) from a client, and the packet has a destination identifier associated with a server. When the packet is a start packet, a tag is added to the start packet to indicate that the start packet should be forwarded to any replica that duplicates the data content of the server. The destination identifier of the start packet is stored for later use. After storing the destination identifier of the start packet and tagging the start packet, the start packet is sent to the server. When the start packet has a tag indicating that the start packet should be forwarded to any replica that duplicates the data content of the server, the start packet is encapsulated and sent to each replica associated with the server. A replica device then receives a start packet sent from the client to the server. The start packet is encapsulated.

Abstract: Mechanisms and techniques provide a system that operates in a data communications device such as a switch or a router to provide a technique for inserting data into packets associated with a communications session between a first and second computerized devices. The technique comprises receiving a first packet containing data being propagated from the first computerized device to the second computerized device in the communications session and inserting a first amount of extra data into the first packet to alter the size of the first packet and forwarding the first packet including the first amount of extra data to the second computerized device. By monitoring and adjusting sequence and acknowledgement information from with in the data communications device, data can be inserted into packets without disrupting connection state information maintained by and expected by each computerized device.

Abstract: In order to direct content requests to an appropriate content serving site in a computer network, a phased learning approach is utilized to ensure that, as best as possible, the request is made to content serving site with the shortest delay. In a setup phase, an indirect path return geographic sever load balancer times queries to all of the individual content serving sites so that the queries all arrive at the content serving sites at the same time. Therefore, when the requesting fixed location receives communications from the content serving sites, it can easily tell which content serving site has the least delay by an established race condition. The winner of the race may then be relayed to the indirect path return geographic server load balancer for later usage. In an execution mode, only the m fastest content serving sites and n other sites (used to test random and new sites) are queried when a DNS request arrives from the requesting fixed location.

Abstract: In order to direct content requests to an appropriate content serving site in a computer network, a phased learning approach is utilized to ensure that, as best as possible, the request is made to content serving site with the shortest delay. In a setup phase, an indirect path return geographic sever load balancer times sends transit time requests to all of the individual content serving sites so that the transit requests all arrive at the content serving sites at the same time. Therefore, when the requesting fixed location receives communications from the content serving sites, it can easily tell which content serving site has the least delay by an established race condition. The winner of the race may then be relayed to the indirect path return geographic server load balancer for later usage. In an execution mode, only the m fastest content serving sites and n other sites (used to test random and new sites) are sent a transit time request when a DNS request arrives from the requesting fixed location.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for caching objects in a network cache. At least two memory queues are provided for storing the objects. Newly cached objects are stored in a first memory queue. Only selected objects are stored in a second memory queue, the selected objects having been accessed at least once while in the first memory queue.

Abstract: Techniques for handling objects in a network cache are described. A cost function value is calculated for each of a plurality of data objects. The cost function value relates to at least one metric relating to a total time required to download a corresponding one of the plurality of data objects. Each of the plurality of data objects are handled by the network cache according to its cost function value.

Abstract: The technique of the present invention provides a solution to the problem of routing or redirecting a given client to a replica or proxy server which has a relatively shortest propagation delay to the client. According to the technique of the present invention, a network device referred to as an intercept server sits in front of a host server, and intercepts packets routed to the host server. When desired, packets which are intercepted by the intercept server are replicated, encapsulated and tunneled to selected client servers in the overlay network. The tunneled packets are received and processed by each of the selected client servers, whereupon each of the selected client servers generates a respective spoofed response to the source device identified in the header of the originally intercepted packet. Further, according to the technique of the present invention, each of the selected client servers transmits its respective spoofed response to the identified source device at substantially the same time.

Abstract: The technique of the present invention provides a solution to the problem of routing or redirecting a given client to a replica or proxy server which has a relatively shortest propagation delay to the client. According to the technique of the present invention, a network device referred to as an intercept server sits in front of a host server, and intercepts packets routed to the host server. When desired, packets which are intercepted by the intercept server are replicated, encapsulated and tunneled to selected client servers in the overlay network. The tunneled packets are received and processed by each of the selected client servers, whereupon each of the selected client servers generates a respective spoofed response to the source device identified in the header of the originally intercepted packet. Further, according to the technique of the present invention, each of the selected client servers transmits its respective spoofed response to the identified source device at substantially the same time.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are described for controlling packet flow to a cache system is disclosed. A packet flow intended for a first destination is received into the cache system. When the packet flow indicates the start of the packet flow or when the packet flow is identified as being owned by the cache system, the packet flow is processed within the cache system. When the packet flow does not indicate the start of the packet flow and the packet flow is not identified as being owned by the cache system, the packet flow is directed back to the first destination.

Abstract: A method for routing a data request received by a caching system is described. The caching system includes a router and a cache, and the data request identifies a source platform, a destination platform, and requested data. Where the source and destination platforms correspond to an entry in a list automatically generated by the caching system, the data request is transmitted without determining whether the requested data are stored in the cache.

Abstract: A method for storing a plurality of multimedia objects in a cache memory is described. First ones of the multimedia objects are written into the cache memory sequentially from the beginning of the cache memory in the order in which they are received. When a first memory amount from a most recently stored one of the first multimedia objects to the end of the cache memory is insufficient to accommodate a new multimedia object, the new multimedia object is written from the beginning of the cache memory, thereby writing over a previously stored one of the first multimedia objects. Second ones of the multimedia objects are then written into the cache memory sequentially following the new multimedia object in the order in which they are received, thereby writing over the first ones of the multimedia objects. This cycle is repeated, thereby maintaining a substantially full cache memory.