Abstract: A method and mechanism for protecting a website against defacement are provided. A content owner may associate content with a digital signature. The digital signature allows a recipient of the content to verify that the content originated from the content owner, and that the content has not been defaced. The digital signature may be comprised within the content, or stored external to the content, e.g., in a repository accessible to a Web cache server serving the content. To construct the digital signature, initially, the content owner creates a content validity value for a portion of content, the content validity value is encrypted to create the digital signature. The Web cache server may use the digital signature to determine whether the content has been defaced.

Abstract: A distributed DNS network includes a central origin server that actually controls the zone, and edge DNS cache servers configured to cache the DNS content of the origin server. The edge DNS cache servers are published as the authoritative servers for customer domains instead of the origin server. When a request for a DNS record results in a cache miss, the edge DNS cache servers get the information from the origin server and cache it for use in response to future requests. Multiple edge DNS cache servers can be deployed at multiple locations. Since an unlimited number of edge DNS cache servers can be deployed, the system is highly scalable. The disclosed techniques protect against DoS attacks, as DNS requests are not made to the origin server directly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for establishing session persistence between a client and an origin server are provided. The session persistence can be managed by an intermediate cache server. The persistence is established by inserting an identifier and origin server address in a cookie or URL. Alternatively, the persistence is established by a table mapping a source IP address or a session ID to a specific origin server. Subsequent requests from the same client are mapped to the same origin server using these methods of establishing persistence.

Abstract: A distributed DNS network includes a central origin server that actually controls the zone, and edge DNS cache servers configured to cache the DNS content of the origin server. The edge DNS cache servers are published as the authoritative servers for customer domains instead of the origin server. When a request for a DNS record results in a cache miss, the edge DNS cache servers get the information from the origin server and cache it for use in response to future requests. Multiple edge DNS cache servers can be deployed at multiple locations. Since an unlimited number of edge DNS cache servers can be deployed, the system is highly scalable. The disclosed techniques protect against DoS attacks, as DNS requests are not made to the origin server directly.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for a distributed on-demand computing system. The system automatically provisions distributed computing servers with customer application programs. The parameters of each customer application program are taken into account when a server is selected for hosting the program. The system monitors the status and performance of each distributed computing server. The system provisions additional servers when traffic levels exceed a predetermined level for a customer's application program and, as traffic demand decreases to a predetermined level, servers can be un-provisioned and returned back to a server pool for later provisioning. The system tries to fill up one server at a time with customer application programs before dispatching new requests to another server. The customer is charged a fee based on the usage of the distributed computing servers.

Abstract: A dynamic multimedia fingerprinting system is provided. A user requests multimedia content from a Web cache server that verifies that the user is authorized to download the content. A custom fingerprint specific to the user is generated and dynamically inserted into the content as the content is delivered to the user. The custom fingerprint can be generated on the Web cache server or at the content provider's server. The system allows a content provider to specify where the custom fingerprint is inserted into the content or where the fingerprint is to replace a placeholder within the content.