Patent ID: 8195788

Claim:
A method for checking the functionality of a Content Delivery Network, wherein contents made available by at least one Content Provider are made available to a plurality of surrogate sites accessible to users, the method comprising the steps of: distributing to the plurality of surrogate sites selectively recognizable fictitious contents for positioning at the plurality of surrogate sites, said fictitious contents comprising control elements configured to perform a sentinel role with respect to a functionality of the Content Delivery Network, verifying the availability of said fictitious contents in said surrogate sites, including in said fictitious contents made available in said surrogate sites a first set of fictitious contents at least partially differentiated for each surrogate site, and requesting the Content Delivery Network, during said verification step, to deliver fictitious contents of said first set, wherein said fictitious contents are unperceived by the users, and wherein said fictitious contents do not influence a performance of a delivery of the contents made available by the at least one Content Provider to user computers associated with said users.