Computing on the Edge: A Platform for Replicating Internet Applications
Michael Rabinovich, Zhen Xiao, Amit Aggarwal · Kluwer Academic Publishers eBooks · 2006
Content delivery networks (CDNs) improve the scalability of accessing static and, recently, streaming content. However, proxy caching can improve access to these types of content as well. A unique value of CDNs is therefore in improving performance of accesses to dynamic content and other computer applications. We describe an architecture, algorithms, and a preliminary performance study of a CDN for applications (ACDN). Our system includes novel algorithms for automatic redeployment of applications on networked servers as required by changing demand and for distributing client requests among application replicas based on their load and proximity. The system also incorporates a mechanism for keeping application replicas consistent in the presence of developer updates to the content. A prototype of the system has been implemented. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.