Content Delivery Networks

by Scot Hull

Overview

Learn how to accelerate network-based delivery of rich applications and content. This book provides an introduction to the Content Networking market,and describes the players,the problems,and the solutions to the problems facing companies seeking to provide services via the Internet. It also covers the underlying technologies,such as HTTP and SSL.


Optimize the delivery of rich data using content delivery networking services

Optimize the delivery and availability of network-based applications and data with help from this hands-on resource. You'll learn to improve Web site and data center performance by implementing a variety of content-accelerating technologies—including caching,redirection,and load balancing. By using this technology to improve network infrastructure,you'll be able to successfully deliver and support a wide range of rich content services to a geographically diverse subscriber base. Filled with revealing case studies and covering everything from Ethernet and IP routing to DNS network design and Global Server Load Balancing,this is the definitive guide to the emerging field of content networking technology.

• Review basic to advanced Ethernet concepts
  
• Understand VLANs and how they are used
  
• Become familiar with the SSL protocol
  
• Trace the history and function of SSL accelerators
  
• Know the function of DNS and identify problems with DNS network design
  
• Explore the structure of the Internet and how NAPs,peering,and BGP can affect CDN design
  
• Use and optimize filters and firewalls to ensure content security
  
• Get details on business drivers—including SLAs—behindthe need for bandwidth management
  
• Examine server load balancing scenarios and provide required configuration
  

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780072190465
Publisher:	McGraw-Hill/OsborneMedia
Publication date:	02/26/2002
Series:	Networking Series
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	0.95(w) x 7.50(h) x 9.25(d)

Table of Contents

	Foreword	xix
	Acknowledgments	xxi
	Introduction	xxiii
1	Introduction to Content Networking	1
	Objectives	2
	User Expectations	2
	Performance	3
	Availability	3
	Security	3
	Anonymity	4
	Personalization/Relevancy	4
	Privacy	4
	Content Provider Expectations	5
	Security	5
	Control	5
	Manageability	6
	Scalability	6
	Flexibility	6
	Diversity (Users and Devices)	6
	Customer Demographics/Data	6
	Differentiation	7
	Profitability	7
	Conflicting Expectations	7
	Structure of the Internet	8
	Problems of IP	8
	What Is Content Networking?	9
	Living on the Edge	9
	Content Edge Networking (CEN)--The Data Center	10
	CEN Evolution	10
	Subscriber Edge Networking--Networking on the Edge	24
	SEN IP Services	24
	CDNs and "Overlay" Networks	25
	Who Needs a Content Networking Solution?	32
	Enterprises	32
	Service Providers	33
	The Future of Content Networking	34
	Review Questions	34
	End Notes	36
2	Ethernet	37
	Objectives	38
	DIX and IEEE 802.3	38
	Frame Formats	39
	Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Detection (CSMA/CD)	42
	Collision Domains and Broadcast Domains	43
	Duplexing	45
	Flow Control	46
	Link Integrity Test and the Ethernet Heartbeat	46
	Fast Ethernet	47
	Auto-Negotiation	48
	Gigabit Ethernet	50
	Deploying Ethernet	51
	Summary	56
	Review Questions	56
3	Advanced Ethernet Topics	57
	Objectives	58
	Spanning-Tree Protocol	59
	Spanning-Tree Protocol Port States	59
	Election of the Root Switch	60
	Bridge Protocol Data Units	60
	How the STP Algorithm Works	62
	Implications of STP in a LAN Environment	63
	Virtual Local Area Networks--VLANs	64
	Benefits of VLANs	64
	VLAN Trunk Protocol	67
	How VTP Works	68
	VLAN Trunking	68
	Inter-Switch Link (ISL) Encapsulation	69
	IEEE 802.1q TRUNKING	71
	The Role of VLANs in Modern Data Centers	72
	EtherChannel	72
	EtherChannel and VLANs	74
	Summary	74
	Review Questions	74
4	HTTP and the World Wide Web	77
	Objectives	78
	History	78
	How It Works	79
	HTTP/0.9	80
	HTTP/1.0	80
	HTTP/1.1	81
	Request Methods	85
	Response Status Code Definitions	86
	Message Headers	89
	HTTP Security	95
	HTTP Protocol Analysis	98
	Summary	109
	Review Questions	109
	Suggested Reading	109
5	SSL	111
	Objectives	112
	Crypto 101	113
	Secret Key Cryptography	113
	Key Size	114
	Public Key Cryptography	115
	Putting It Together: Hybrid Encryption Schemes	115
	Certificates	116
	Configuring and Installing Your Own SSL Server	120
	Unpacking the Packages	121
	Compiling OpenSSL	121
	Configuring and Compiling Apache with mod_ssl	122
	Creating the Certificate and Installing Apache	122
	Using Apache with SSL Support	125
	Generating New CSRs	125
	SSL: The Protocol	126
	SSL Messages	127
	Accelerating SSL	136
	How SSL Acceleration Works	136
	Summary	141
	Review Questions	142
6	DNS and Content Networking	145
	Objectives	146
	History	146
	How DNS Works	148
	General Operational Overview	148
	Detailed Operational Overview	149
	Basic DNS Configuration	154
	Basic DNS Auditing	159
	Advanced DNS Configuration	163
	RTT Measurements	163
	Wildcard DNS	167
	RR Sets	168
	Subdomain Delegation	170
	DNS Thrashing	171
	Registering Domain Names	172
	General Process	173
	Contacts	174
	WHOIS Databases	175
	Problems with DNS	177
	The Future	178
	Summary	179
	Review Questions	179
7	Internet Structure and Function	183
	Objectives	184
	Global Structure	185
	Hierarchical Organization	185
	Internet Routing with BGP	198
	Summary	206
	Review Questions	207
8	Web Servers, Cookies, and Web Caches	209
	Objectives	210
	The Process of Fetching Content	210
	Requesting Static Content	211
	Requesting Dynamic Content	213
	Caching	214
	The Basics	214
	Transparent vs. Nontransparent Caching	217
	Forward vs. Reverse Proxy Caching	218
	Edge Caching and Content Delivery Networks	221
	Cache Interception	223
	Caching Products	228
	Adding State: HTTP Cookies	231
	Understanding "State"	231
	Cookies	232
	Summary	233
	Review Questions	233
9	Server Load Balancing	235
	Objectives	236
	Scaling the Internet	236
	Single Server Approach	236
	Server Farm Approach	237
	What Is Server Load Balancing?	237
	Virtual Server Group and Virtual IP	238
	Technical Benefits	238
	Business Benefits	240
	Applications	241
	Server Load Balancing Operations	242
	Solutions	242
	The Cisco Solutions--Local Director	243
	The Cisco ArrowPoint Load Balancers	247
	The Nortel Web Switch	248
	Summary	263
	Review Questions	264
10	VRRP and HSRP	267
	Objectives	268
	Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol	269
	Operations	271
	Protocol	272
	Case studies	274
	VRRPe	279
	HSRP	279
	Protocol	280
	Case Studies	283
	Summary	286
	Review Questions	287
11	Global Server Load Balancing	289
	Objectives	290
	Solutions	291
	Simple Failover	291
	High Availability	292
	Geographic Load Balancing	292
	How It Works	293
	Dynamic Site Selection	293
	Backup Servers	294
	DNS Based	294
	Routing Protocol Based	296
	Packet Loss--An Aside	298
	Caveats	300
	Globalization Techniques	301
	Passive Techniques	302
	Footrace Techniques	307
	Active Techniques	309
	Case Studies	312
	Directory Services for J. Magellan and Sons	312
	Your News Corp	314
	Products	316
	Summary	318
	Review Questions	319
12	Content Networking and Security	321
	Objectives	322
	Security	322
	Mitigating Denial of Service	323
	Filters and Firewalls	326
	Filters and Filtering	331
	Firewalls and Fire Walling	336
	High-Availability Content Security Solutions	340
	State Updates and Clustering	347
	Firewall Load Balancing	349
	Firewall Load Balancing Basics	351
	Summary	358
	Review Questions	360
13	Application Redirection	361
	Objectives	362
	Web Caching	363
	Web Caching Applications	364
	Web Cache Redirection (WCR)	365
	WCCP and WCR	371
	DNS Redirection	372
	Operation and Benefits	373
	DNS Server Health Monitoring	379
	Overflow and Backup DNS	380
	High Availability DNS	381
	SSL Offloading	384
	Caveats to SSL Redirection / Offload	386
	Other Applications	388
	Combinations	388
	Summary	388
	Review Questions	389
14	Bandwidth Management	391
	Objectives	392
	SLA and the Business Case for Managing Bandwidth	393
	Before the Bandwidth Management Era	393
	PointCast Floods Networks	393
	Push Technology Solutions	394
	Practical Applications of Bandwidth Management in E-Commerce	395
	ISP Environment	395
	ASP Environment	395
	Enabling Service Providers to Aggregate Profitably	395
	Increasing Security and Preventing DoS Attacks	396
	Solutions	396
	Dedicated Bandwidth Management Appliances	396
	Integration with Routers and LAN Switches	400
	Integration with Web Switches	402
	Integration with Firewall	404
	How Bandwidth Management Works--Case Study of the Nortel Solution	406
	Overview	406
	Traffic Classification and Control	406
	Bandwidth Policies	407
	Classification Policies	407
	Restricting Bandwidth Usage	409
	Bandwidth Statistics and History	409
	Packet Coloring	410
	Configuring Bandwidth Management	411
	Standards	414
	IETF Diff-Serv Working Group	414
	Summary	417
	Pros and Cons	417
	Standardization Roadmap	418
	Future Applications	418
	Review Questions	418
	Index	421

Editorial Reviews

Readers will learn to improve Web site and data center performance by implementing content-accelerating technologies, such as caching, redirection, and load balancing, with this resource on content networking technology. Hardware platforms discussed include Cisco, Alteon, and Juniper. Readership includes technical managers who need to make decisions surrounding network design and optimization, and network engineers who implement decisions managers make. Hull is a network architect for American Online, and he has written articles for . Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)