Content delivery system using embedded requestor information
A DNS resolution request for a hostname of a CDN is received. An edge server of the CDN may be identified, which may be associated with a subnet. The subnet is used to generate a response IP address, where the remaining bits of the response IP address may be used to store requestor information (e.g., a requestor IP address). When a client computing device uses the response IP address to access the edge server, requestor information is extracted and associated with client computing device information (e.g., an IP address and/or location, etc.) in an association record. Association records may be used to determine predicted characteristics for devices served by a requestor. When the authoritative DNS server resolves a request from the requestor, such predicted characteristics may be used rather than relying solely on information about a requestor. Thus, an edge server proximate to the predicted location may be returned instead.
1. A system comprising:
at least one processor; and
memory, operatively connected to the at least one processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the system to perform a set of operations, the set of operations comprising:
receiving a request to resolve a hostname of a content distribution network (CDN), the request comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of a requestor;
determining an edge server of the CDN, wherein the edge server is associated with an IP address subnet;
generating, based on the IP address subnet of the edge server, a response IP address comprising requestor information, the requestor information comprising an indication of the source IP address of the requestor; and
providing a response to the request to resolve the hostname, wherein a payload of the response comprises the generated response IP address.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the generated response IP address is an IPv6 address;
the source IP address of the requestor is an IPv4 address; and
the indication of the source IP address is a full representation of the IPv4 address.
3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the generated response IP address is an IPv6 address;
the source IP address of the requestor is an IPv6 address; and
the indication of the source IP address is a subset of bits of the IPv6 address of the source IP address.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the IP address subnet of the edge server is in a most significant set of bits of the generated response IP address and the requestor information is in a least significant set of bits of the generated response IP address.
5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the requestor is an intermediate Domain Name System (DNS) server.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein determining the edge server of the CDN comprises evaluating a location associated with the requestor.
7. A method for embedding requestor information in a Domain Name System (DNS) resolution request, the method comprising:
receiving a request to resolve a hostname of a content distribution network (CDN), the request comprising a source Internet Protocol (IP) address of a requestor;
determining an edge server of the CDN, wherein the edge server is associated with an IP address subnet;
generating, based on the IP address subnet of the edge server, a response IP address comprising requestor information, the requestor information comprising an indication of the source IP address of the requestor; and
providing a response to the request to resolve the hostname, wherein a payload of the response comprises the generated response IP address.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the generated response IP address is an IPv6 address;
the source IP address of the requestor is an IPv4 address; and
the indication of the source IP address is a full representation of the IPv4 address.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the generated response IP address is an IPv6 address;
the source IP address of the requestor is an IPv6 address; and
the indication of the source IP address is a subset of bits of the IPv6 address of the source IP address.
10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the IP address subnet of the edge server is in a most significant set of bits of the generated response IP address and the requestor information is in a least significant set of bits of the generated response IP address.
11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the requestor is an intermediate Domain Name System (DNS) server.
12. The method of claim 7 , wherein determining the edge server of the CDN comprises evaluating a location associated with the requestor.