Patent ID: 9648127
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: H04L

Claim:
1. A computer-implemented method, operable with a content delivery network (CDN), the method comprising, by a node in the CDN: (A) in response to a request for content, determining if the content is cached locally; (B) when it is determined that said content is cached locally, then: (B)(1) determining a current cache policy associated with the content; and then (B)(2) determining, based on said current cache policy associated with the content, whether it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally; (B)(3) based on said determining in (B)(2), (i) when it is not acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, obtaining a new version of the content and then serving the new version of the content, and (ii) when it is acceptable to serve the content that is cached locally, serving the content that is cached locally; wherein version identifiers are associated with caching policies, and wherein said determining said current cache policy in (B)(1) comprises: (i) comparing a first version identifier associated with the current cache policy with a second version identifier associated with a cache policy associated with the content at the node in the CDN; and (ii) using the cache policy associated with the content at the node as the current cache policy when the first version identifier is identical to the second version identifier, otherwise obtaining the current cache policy from a location distinct from the node.