Data purge distribution and coherency

1. A method of operating a content delivery system to handle purge instructions, the content delivery system comprising a plurality of content delivery nodes that cache content between at least one origin server and end user devices, the method comprising:

in a first content delivery node, receiving a purge instruction, from a purge issuing device, to purge first content stored in the first content delivery node and responsively purging the first content;

responsive to purging the first content, in the first content delivery node, transferring a content request for delivery to a second content delivery node, wherein the content request comprises a request for second content to replace the first content and a revision indicator of the first content;

in the second content delivery node, receiving the content request;

in the second content delivery node, when the revision indicator of the first content indicates an earlier revision than third content stored in the second content delivery node, then transferring the third content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node;

in the second content delivery node, when the revision indicator of the first content indicates a same revision or a later revision as the third content stored in the second content delivery node, then requesting and receiving fourth content from a data, node and transferring the fourth content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node; and

in the first content delivery node, receiving the second content for storage in the first content delivery node.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the purge issue device comprises one of an operator device, an end user device, a management system, or an origin server.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second content is of a later revision as the first content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the revision indicator comprises a timestamp.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in the first content delivery node, determining if a third content delivery node received the purge instruction to purge the first content;

when the third content delivery node has not received the purge instruction to purge the first content, then in the first content delivery node, transferring an update message comprising the purge instruction for delivery to the third content delivery node.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the update message further comprises the second content to replace the first content in the third content delivery node.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the purge instruction comprises a content key; and wherein purging the first content comprises only purging portions of the first content which have been marked with the content key.

8. One or more non-transitory computer readable media having stored thereon program instructions executable by content delivery nodes that cache content between at least one origin server and end user devices that, when executed by the content delivery nodes, direct the content delivery nodes to:

in a first content delivery node, receive a purge instruction, from a purge issuing device, to purge first content stored in the first content delivery node and responsively purge the first content;

responsive to purging the first content, in the first content delivery node, transfer a content request for delivery to a second content delivery node, wherein the content request comprises a request for second content to replace the first content and a revision indicator of the first content;

in the second content delivery node, receiving the content request;

in the second content delivery node, when the revision indicator of the first content indicates an earlier revision than third content stored in the second content delivery node, then transfer the third content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node;

in the second content delivery node, when the revision indicator of the first content indicates a same revision or a later revision as the third content stored in the second content delivery node, then request and receive fourth content from a data node and transfer the fourth content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node; and

in the first content delivery node, receive the second content for storage in the first content delivery node.

9. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 , wherein the data node comprises one of an origin server or a third content delivery node.

10. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 , wherein the second content is of a later revision as the first content.

11. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 , wherein the revision indicator comprises a timestamp.

12. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 , having further instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the content delivery nodes, direct the content delivery nodes to:

in the first content delivery node, determine if a third content delivery node received the purge instruction to purge the first content;

when the third content delivery node has not received the purge instruction to purge the first content, then in the first content delivery node, transfer an update message comprising the purge instruction for delivery to the third content delivery node.

13. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 12 , wherein the update message further comprises the second content to replace the first content in the third content delivery node.

14. The one or more non-transitory computer readable media of claim 8 , having further instructions stored thereon, that when executed by the content delivery nodes, direct the content delivery nodes to:

in the first content delivery node, purge only portions of the first content which have been marked with a content key, wherein the purge instruction comprises the content key.

15. A content delivery system to handle purge instructions, the content delivery system comprising a plurality of content delivery nodes that cache content between at least one origin server and end user devices, the content delivery system comprising:

a first content delivery node configured to receive, from a purge issuing device, a purge instruction to purge first content stored in the first content delivery node and responsively purge the first content;

responsive to purging the first content, the first content delivery node configured to transfer a content request for delivery to a second content delivery node, wherein the content request comprises a request for second content to replace the first content and a revision indicator of the first content;

the second content delivery node configured to receive the content request;

when the revision indicator of the first content indicates an earlier revision than third content stored in the second content delivery node, then the second content delivery node configured to transfer the third content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node;

when the revision indicator of the first content indicates a same revision or a later revision as the third content stored in the second content delivery node, then the second content delivery node is configured to request and receive fourth content from a data node and transfer fourth content as the second content for delivery to the first content delivery node; and

the first content delivery node is configured to receive the second content for storage in the first content delivery node.

16. The content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the data node comprises one of an origin server or a third content delivery node.

17. The content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the second content is of a later revision as the first content.

18. The content delivery system of claim 15 , wherein the revision indicator comprises a timestamp.

19. The content delivery system of claim 15 , comprising:

the first content delivery node configured to determine if a third content delivery node received the purge instruction to purge the first content;

when the third content delivery node has not received the purge instruction to purge the first content, then the first content delivery node is configured to transfer an update message comprising the purge instruction for delivery to the third content delivery node.

20. The content delivery system of claim 15 , comprising:

the first content delivery node configured to purge only portions of the first content which have been marked with a content key, wherein the purge instruction comprises the content key.