Method and node for finding content in a content distribution network, and method for creating a virtual representation of a content distribution network

摘要

Embodiments of the present invention a method and a node for finding the shortest path to a cache node in a content delivery network (CDN) comprising requested content and a method for creating a virtual representation of a network. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the virtual representation is in the form of a virtual, hierarchical topology, and the cache nodes correspond to the cache nodes of the real network. All cache nodes are arranged at a first level and with the virtual nodes arranged at higher levels. In the virtual representation, all nodes (cache and virtual) are connected with virtual links such that there exist only one path between any two arbitrary cache nodes. Further, costs to the virtual links are assigned such that the path cost between any two arbitrary cache nodes in the virtual representation generally corresponds to the lowest path cost between corresponding cache nodes in the real network.