Selecting an instance of a resource using network routability information
A client computer requests a resource from an ISP/OSP. The ISP/OSP maintains multiple instances of the resource. In deciding to which instance of the resource to route the client computer, a resource selection server takes network routability information into account. Geographic proximity, resource utilization, network utilization, and/or maintenance of peering agreements may also be taken into account in selecting the instance of the resource.
1. A computer-implemented method for processing resource requests in a network wherein at least two instances of a resource are maintained, the method comprising:
receiving, by a resource selection system and from a client, a request for the resource comprising an address of the client and an identification of the resource;
accessing, by the resource selection system, routability information for a first instance of the at least two instances of the resource and for a second instance of the at least two instances of the resource, wherein the routability information for a given instance indicates whether at least a portion of a network path, that would be traversed by a packet between the given instance and the client, is maintained by the same entity that maintains the two instances of the resource;
determining, by the resource selection system, a selection score based on both the routability information and resource utilization information for the resource and based on a geographic location of the client, wherein the resource utilization information indicates utilization of each of the first instance of the resource and the second instance of the resource;
selecting, by a processor of the resource selection system, one of the first instance or the second instance based, at least in part, on the selection score; and
instructing, by the resource selection system, the client to access the selected instance of the resource.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the selection score is further based on network utilization information, and wherein the network utilization information indicates network utilization of each of a first network on which the first instance of the resource resides and of a second network on which the second instance of the resource resides.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein instructing the client to access the selected instance of the resource comprises:
redirecting the client to the selected instance of the resource.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first instance and the second instance both provide a same set of services associated with the resource.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is a cache server.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the resource is a streaming media server.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first instance is selected as the selected instance based on the routability information indicating that the first instance is accessible within a network associated with an operator of the resource selection system.
8. A resource selection system for processing a request for a resource from a client, a first instance of the resource being accessible by the client through a first network route, and a second instance of the resource being accessible by the client through a second network route, the system comprising:
a front-end server to receive the request for the resource from the client, wherein the request comprises an address of the client and an identification of the resource;
a routability server to determine routability information for the first instance and for the second instance, wherein the routability information for a given instance indicates whether at least a portion of a network path, that would be traversed by a packet between the given instance and the client, is maintained by the same entity that maintains the two instances of the resource, wherein the routability server comprises at least one processor; and
a resource selection server to select one of the first instance or the second instance based, at least in part, on a selection score, wherein the selection score is determined based, at least in part, on both the routability information and network utilization information for the resource and based on a geographic location of the client, wherein the network utilization information indicates network utilization of each of a first network on which the first instance of the resource resides and of a second network on which the second instance of the resource resides;
wherein the front-end server is configured to instruct the client to access the selected instance of the resource.
9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the selection score is further based on resource utilization information, wherein the resource utilization information indicates utilization of each of the first instance of the resource and the second instance of the resource.
10. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a geography server to determine the geographic location of the client.
11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the front-end server is configured to instruct the client to access the selected instance of the resource by:
redirecting the client to the selected instance of the resource.
12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the first instance and the second instance both provide a same set of services associated with the resource.
13. The system of claim 8 , wherein the resource is a cache server.
14. The system of claim 8 , wherein the resource is a streaming media server.
15. A non-transitory computer useable medium having a computer program embodied thereon, the computer program including instructions for causing a computer to perform the following operations:
receive a request from a client for a resource, the request comprising an address of the client and an identification of the resource, wherein at least two instances of a resource are maintained;
access routability information for a first instance of the at least two instances of the resource and for a second instance of the at least two instances of the resource, wherein the routability information for a given instance indicates whether at least a portion of a network path, that would be traversed by a packet between the given instance and the client, is maintained by the same entity that maintains the two instances of the resource;
determine a selection score based on both the routability information, a geographic location of the client, and at least one of:
resource utilization information, wherein the resource utilization information indicates utilization of each of the first instance of the resource and the second instance of the resource; or
network utilization information, wherein the network utilization information indicates network utilization of each of a first network on which the first instance of the resource resides and of a second network on which the second instance of the resource resides;
select one of the first instance or the second instance based, at least in part, on the selection score; and
send a response to the client indicating the selected instance.
16. The computer useable medium of claim 15 , wherein the first instance and the second instance both provide a same set of services associated with the resource.
17. The computer useable medium of claim 15 , wherein the resource is a cache server.
18. The computer useable medium of claim 15 , wherein the resource is a streaming media server.