FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to Application Layer Traffic Optimization (ALTO) and in particular, to a method and network apparatus of traffic optimization and a gateway device.

BACKGROUND

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) applications are expensive and economical. For Internet Service Providers (ISPs), they increase network costs because peers randomly share, upload as well as download data. Yet, for content providers, P2P applications are cheap because they scale without dedicated servers.

There exists a tracker device (such as Tracker Server) in most of P2P application, for example in BitTorrent or PPSP which has been used widely. The tracker server is a peer-discovery service and also selects a random set of peer addresses. And the tracker server identifies and monitors P2P traffic on the wire to support applications that control it.

Nowadays, all communication nodes (such as peers) participated in P2P communicating will report the state information of themselves to the tracker server when registering, publishing or requesting. Furthermore, the communication node will send a tracker request to the tracker server when the P2P communicating starts, and will receive a tracker response from the tracker server so as to get the resource information in the whole network, wherein a peer list will be included in the tracker response and the peer list will tell the communication node the target information about download content.

Unfortunately, the result of the P2P communicating may be not good because of the communicating cost, so that ALTO has been proposed to optimize the P2P communicating. Commonly, there are ALTO servers and ALTO clients in network, and some information for selecting peers will be saved in the ALTO server. ALTO client may query the information from the ALTO server so as to notify the communication node to communicate with the best peer.

However, the applicant found that the ALTO client is always embedded in the tracker server in the above implementation, and privacy issues are caused because the tracker server is provided by a third party other than the network operator. Furthermore, ALTO will be out of control in some scenario so that availability and reliability of the ALTO can not be ensured.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention pertain to a method and network apparatus of
traffic optimization. The aim is to resolve the privacy problem and ensure the availability and reliability of the ALTO.

According a first aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a method of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device, the method comprising:
Intercepting and analyzing a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

Updating the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

Sending the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

According a second aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a network apparatus of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device, the network apparatus comprising:

A traffic analyzer, configured to intercept and analyze a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

A reprioritization engine, configured to update the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

And the traffic analyzer is further used to send the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

The advantages of the present invention exist in that: through intercepting and analyzing the tracker request and tracker response, and updating the tracker response in gateway device, not only the privacy problem has been resolved, but also the availability and reliability of the ALTO have been ensured.

These and further aspects and features of the present invention will be apparent with reference to the following description and attached drawings. In the description and drawings, particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail as being indicative of some of the ways in which the principles of the invention may be employed, but it is understood that the invention is not limited correspondingly in scope. Rather, the invention includes all changes, modifications and equivalents coming within the spirit and terms of the appended claims.

Features that are described and/or illustrated with respect to one embodiment may be used in the same way or in a similar way in one or more other embodiments and/or in combination with or instead of the features of the other embodiments.

It should be emphasized that the term "comprises/comprising" when used in this specification is taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components but does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following
drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. To facilitate illustrating and describing some parts of the invention, corresponding portions of the drawings may be exaggerated in size, e.g., made larger in relation to other parts than in an exemplary device actually made according to the invention. Elements and features depicted in one drawing or embodiment of the invention may be combined with elements and features depicted in one or more additional drawings or embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and may be used to designate like or similar parts in more than one embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The drawings are included to provide further understanding of the present invention,
which constitute a part of the specification and illustrate the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are used for setting forth the principles of the present invention together with the description. The same element is represented with the same reference number throughout the drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the P2P communicating with a tracker server;

Figure 2 is a topology diagram showing a typical example of ALTO;

Figure 3 is flowchart of the method of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a topology diagram showing an example of ALTO based on gateway device;

Figure 5 is flowchart of the method of another embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a topology diagram showing an example of a wireless network;

Figure 7 is a topology diagram showing an example of a cable network;

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the network apparatus of an embodiment of the
present invention;

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the traffic analyzer of an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the reprioritization engine of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The many features and advantages of the embodiments are apparent from the detailed
specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the embodiments that fall within the true spirit and scope thereof Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventive embodiments to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope thereof.

The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described as follows in reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the P2P communicating with a tracker server. As shown in Figure 1, Peer 1 of ISP B sends a tracker request to the tracker server of ISP A, and receives a tracker response from the tracker server. The Peer 1 knows target resource existed in Peer 2 of ISP C, Peer 3 in ISP B and Peer 4 of ISP A based on the tracker response.

However, the Peer 1 perhaps communicates with the Peer 2 in some conditions. Edge bandwith resource across different network operators may be exhausted rapidly.

Figure 2 is a topology diagram showing a typical example of ALTO. As shown in Figure 2, the ALTO client has been embedded in tracker server configured in ISP A, and an ALTO server has been configured in ISP B, another ALTO server has been configured in ISP C.

As shown in Figure 2, ALTO has been configured statically. Network structure information (such as the number of AS, IP network segment, topology information, and so on.) is needed when deploy the ALTO client. In this way, the privacy and independence of the network operator will not be ensured.

Furthermore, dynamic change of the network is not considered in the typical topology. ALTO will be out of control if the network structure is changed dynamically.

And the typical topology also not considers the scenario of the tracker device is not existed. In this scenario, each communication node maintains the tracker information, and the tracker information will be exchanged between communication nodes.

This embodiment of the present invention provides a method of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device.

Figure 3 is flowchart of the method of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 3, the method comprising:

Step 301, the gateway device intercepts and analyzes a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

Step 302, the gateway device updates the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

Step 303, the gateway device sends the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

In this embodiment, the function of ALTO client may be configured in gateway device. ALTO can be controlled by the network operator. So that the privacy problem has been resolved, and the availability and reliability of the ALTO have been ensured.

Figure 4 is a topology diagram showing an example of ALTO based on gateway device.

As shown in Figure 4, the function of ALTO client is embedded in gateway device; the gateway may detect the P2P communicating, and update the tracker response according to ALTO query. As an example, the gateway device may be an edge router in cable network or a radio network controller in wireless network.

In this embodiment, step 301 may specifically comprise:

The gateway device receives the tracker request sent by the communication node, and analyzes the tracker request so as to acquire identification information of the tracker request;

The gateway device receives one or more tracker responses sent by a tracker device, and identifies the tracker response corresponded to the tracker request according to the identification information.

Furthermore, application matching signatures technology or depth message analytical technology may be applied in step 301 to intercept and analyze the tracker request or the tracker response.

In this embodiment, step 302 may specifically comprise:

The gateway device sends an application layer traffic optimization query to the application layer traffic optimization server;

The gateway device receives the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server, wherein network mapping information is included in the traffic optimization information;

The gateway device reprioritizes the peer list of the tracker response based on the network mapping information so as to update the tracker response.

Furthermore, the gateway device may save the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server in order to use it in next time.

Figure 5 is flowchart of the method of another embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 5, there are a Peer 1, a gateway device in which ALTO client is configured, a tracker device and an ALTO server. The method comprises:

Step 501, the Peer 1 wants to download content, so that the Peer 1 sends a tracker request to contact the tracker device for a peer list;

In this embodiment, other network devices (such as the gateway device, the tracker device and the ALTO server, and so on) may receive the tracker request. Furthermore, a network device may not know the modification or updating of the packet (such as tracker request or tracker response) made by other network devices because of transparent proxy mechanism.

Step 502, the gateway device intercepts the tracker request and forwards the tracker request.

In this embodiment, the gateway device may analyze the tracker request so as to acquire identification information of the tracker request. Application matching signatures technology or depth message analytical technology may be applied in the gateway device.

For example, as for BitTorrent used widely, matching signatures technology may be used. In detail, "announce'Tield in HTTP request message may be matched.

Corresponding tracker request may be intercept if this "announce'Tield can be matched. And the gateway device may acquire identification information (such as sent by which peer and sent in which port, and so on.) about the tracker request.

Step 503, the gateway device intercepts one or more tracker responses sent by the tracker device, and identifies the tracker response corresponded to the tracker request according to the identification information.

Step 504, the gateway device sends an ALTO query to the ALTO server;

Step 505, the gateway device receives the traffic optimization information fed back by the ALTO server;

In this embodiment, network mapping information (such as a mapping list) is included in the traffic optimization information. The gateway device may save the traffic optimization information fed back by the ALTO server in order to use it in next time.

Furthermore, step 504 and step 505 are optional. The gateway device may have performed step 504 and step 505 and saved the traffic optimization information in the last time, so step 504 and step 505 are not needed in this time.

Step 506, the gateway device reprioritizes the peer list of the tracker response based on the network mapping information so as to update the tracker response.

In this embodiment, the gateway may acquire communicating cost of peers according to the network mapping information. Peer list may be reorder or reprioritize based on the acquired communicating cost.

Step 507, the gateway device sends the updated tracker response to the Peer 1 so as to Peer 1 performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.
In an embodiment of the present invention, the gateway device may be a radio network controller (RNC). Figure 6 is a topology diagram showing an example of a wireless network.

As shown in Figure 6, ALTO client may be configured in RNC or NodeB, and the RNC or NodeB intercepts tracker request and tracker response. Furthermore, the RNC or NodeB acquires ALTO response fi-om ALTO servers to update the tracker response. Traffic optimization will be achieved in whole netwotk.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the gateway device may be a broadband remote access server (BRAS). Figure 7 is a topology diagram showing an example ofa cable network.

As shown in Figure 7, ALTO client may be configured in BRAS, and the BRAS intercepts tracker request and tracker response. Furthermore, the BRAS acquires ALTO response from ALTO servers to update the tracker response. Traffic optimization will be achieved in whole network.

In another embodiment of the present invention, this application can be applied in scenario of the tracker device is not existed. In this scenario, each communication node maintains the tracker information, and the tracker information will be exchanged between communication nodes.

For example, ALTO client may be configured in RNC or NodeB in this scenario. PEX exchange message or DHT distributed hash message may be intercepted and analyzed.

It can be seen from the above embodiments that this invention provides a method of traffic optimization. Through intercepting and analyzing the tracker request and tracker response, and updating the tracker response in gateway device, not only the privacy problem has been resolved, but also the availability and reliability of the ALTO have been ensured.

This embodiment of the present invention further provides a network apparatus of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device. This embodiment correspondes to the method in the above embodiment, and the same content will not be described.

Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the network apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the network apparatus 800 comprises: a traffic analyzer 801 and a reprioritization engine 802;

Wherein the traffic analyzer 801 is used to intercept and analyze a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

the reprioritization engine 802 is used to update the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

And the traffic analyzer 801 is further used to send the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the traffic analyzer of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 9, the traffic analyzer 900 may specifically comprise: a first receiver 901, a first processor 902, a second receiver 903 and a second processor 904;

Wherein the first receiver 901 is used to receive the tracker request sent by the communication node; the first processor 902 is used to analyze the tracker request so as to acquire identification information of the tracker request; the second receiver 903 is used to receive one or more tracker responses sent by a tracker device; the second processor 904 is used to identify the tracker response corresponded to the tracker request according to the identification information.

As shown in Figure 9, the traffic analyzer 900 may further comprise: a first sender 905, the first sender 905 is used to send the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

In this embodiment, application matching signatures technology or depth message analytical technology is applied in the traffic analyzer 900.

Figure 10 is a schematic diagram of the reprioritization engine of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 10, the reprioritization engine 1000 may specifically comprise: a second sender 1001, a third receiver 1002 and a third processor 1003;

Wherein the second sender 1001 is used to send an application layer traffic optimization query to the application layer traffic optimization server; the third receiver 1002 is used to receive the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic
optimization server, wherein network mapping information is included in the traffic optimization information; the third processor 1003 is used to reprioritize the peer list of the tracker response based on the network mapping information so as to update the tracker response.

As shown in Figure 10, the reprioritization engine 1000 may further comprise: a storage device 1004; the storage device 1004 is used to save the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server.

In this embodiment, in one scenario, the gateway device may be a radio network controller (RNC) in wireless network. In another scenario, the gateway device may be a broadband remote access server (BRAS).

It can be seen from the above embodiments that this invention provides a network apparatus of traffic optimization. Through intercepting and analyzing the tracker request and tracker response, and updating the tracker response in gateway device, not only the privacy problem has been resolved, but also the availability and reliability of the ALTO have been ensured.

The embodiments of the present invention further provide a gateway device, wherein the gateway device comprises the network apparatus in the above embodiment.

The embodiments of the present invention further provide a computer- readable program, wherein when the program is executed in a network apparatus; the program enables the computer to carry out the method of traffic optimization.

The embodiments of the present invention further provide a storage medium in which a computer-readable program is stored, wherein the computer-readable program enables the computer to carry out the method of traffic optimization.

It should be understood that each of the parts of the present invention may be implemented by hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof In the above embodiments, multiple steps or methods may be realized by software or firmware that is stored in the memory and executed by an appropriate instruction executing system. For example, if it is realized by hardware, it may be realized by any one of the following technologies known in the art or a combination thereof as in another embodiment: a discrete logic circuit having a logic gate circuit for realizing logic functions of data signals, application-specific integrated circuit having an appropriate combined logic gate circuit, a programmable gate array (PGA), and a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc.

The description or blocks in the flowcharts or of any process or method in other manners may be understood as being indicative of comprising one or more modules, segments or parts for realizing the codes of executable instructions of the steps in specific logic functions or processes, and that the scope of the preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise other implementations, wherein the functions may be executed in manners different from those shown or discussed, including executing the functions according to the related functions in a substantially simultaneous manner or in a reverse order, which should be understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains.

The logic and/or steps shown in the flowcharts or described in other manners here may be, for example, understood as a sequencing list of executable instructions for realizing logic functions, which may be implemented in any computer readable medium, for use by an instruction executing system, device or apparatus (such as a system including a computer, a system including a processor, or other systems capable of extracting instructions from an instruction executing system, device or apparatus and executing the instructions), or for use in combination with the instruction executing system, device or apparatus.

The above literal description and drawings show various features of the present invention. It should be understood that those skilled in the art may prepare appropriate computer codes to carry out each of the steps and processes as described above and shown in the drawings. It should be also understood that all the terminals, computers, servers, and networks may be any type, and the computer codes may be prepared according to the disclosure to carry out the present invention by using the apparatus.

Particular embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed herein. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the present invention is applicable in other environments. In practice, there exist many embodiments and implementations. The appended claims are by no means intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the above particular embodiments. Furthermore, any reference to "a device to..." is an explanation of device plus function for describing elements and claims, and it is not desired that any element using no reference to "a device to..." is understood as an element of device plus function, even though the wording of "device" is included in that claim.

Although a particular preferred embodiment or embodiments have been shown and the present invention has been described, it is obvious that equivalent modifications and variants are conceivable to those skilled in the art in reading and understanding the description and drawings. Especially for various functions executed by the above elements (portions, assemblies, apparatus, and compositions, etc.), except otherwise specified, it is desirable that the terms (including the reference to "device") describing these elements correspond to any element executing particular functions of these elements (i.e. functional equivalents), even though the element is different from that executing the function of an exemplary embodiment or embodiments illustrated in the present invention with respect to structure. Furthermore, although the a particular feature of the present invention is described with respect to only one or more of the illustrated embodiments, such a feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments as desired and in consideration of advantageous aspects of any given or particular application.

WE CLAIM:

1. A method of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device, the method comprising:

Intercepting and analyzing a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

Updating the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

Sending the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein intercepting and analyzing a tracker
request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponding to the tracker request specifically comprising:

Receiving the tracker request sent by the communication node, and analyzing the tracker request so as to acquire identification information of the tracker request;

Receiving one or more tracker responses sent by a tracker device, and identifying the tracker response corresponded to the tracker request according to the identification information.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein application matching signatures technology or depth message analytical technology is applied to intercept and analyze the tracker request or the tracker response.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein updating the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server specifically comprising:

Sending an application layer traffic optimization query to the application layer traffic optimization server;

Receiving the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server, wherein network mapping information is included in the traffic optimization information;

Reprioritizing the peer list of the tracker response based on the network mapping information so as to update the tracker response.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprising:

Saving the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic
optimization server.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the gateway device is a radio network controller (RNC) or a broadband remote access server (BRAS).

7. A network apparatus of traffic optimization, applied in a gateway device, the network apparatus comprising:

A traffic analyzer, configured to intercept and analyze a tracker request sent by a communication node and a tracker response corresponded to the tracker request, wherein the tracker request is used to acquire peer information of target download content;

A reprioritization engine, configured to update the tracker response based on traffic optimization information acquired from an application layer traffic optimization server;

And the traffic analyzer is further used to send the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

8. The network apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the traffic analyzer specifically comprising:

A first receiver, configured to receive the tracker request sent by the communication node;

A first processor, configured to analyze the tracker request so as to acquire identification information of the tracker request;

A second receiver, configured to receive one or more tracker responses sent by a tracker device,;

A second processor, configured to identify the tracker response corresponded to the tracker request according to the identification information.

9. The network apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the traffic analyzer further
comprising:

A first sender, configured to send the updated tracker response to the communication node so as to the communication node performs Peer-to-Peer communicating according to the updated tracker response.

10. The network apparatus according to any of claims 7-9, wherein application matching signatures technology or depth message analytical technology is applied in the traffic analyzer.

11. The network apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reprioritization engine specifically comprising:

A second sender, configured to send an application layer traffic optimization query to the application layer traffic optimization server;

A third receiver, configured to receive the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server, wherein network mapping information is included in the traffic optimization information;

A third processor, configured to reprioritize the peer list of the tracker response based on the network mapping information so as to update the tracker response.

12. The network apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the network apparatus further comprising:

A storage device, configured to save the traffic optimization information fed back by the application layer traffic optimization server.

13. The network apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gateway device is a radio network controller (RNC) or a broadband remote access server (BRAS).

14. A gateway device, wherein the gateway device comprising the network apparatus in any of claims 7-13.