SLA-based Content Delivery in Multi-CDNs

Broadband network technologies have improved the bandwidth of the edge of the Internet but its core is still a bottleneck for large file transfers. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), built at the edge of the Internet, are able to reduce the workload of network backbones but their scalability and network reach is often limited, especially in case of QoS-bound delivery services. By using the emerging CDN internetworking, a CDN can dynamically exploit resources of other cooperating CDNs to face peak loads and temporary malfunctions without violating QoS levels negotiated with content providers. This paper proposes an architectural schema and an algorithm to minimize transfer time of large files taking into account the SLA constraints agreed between the CDN in charge of content delivery and the content provider, while respecting the maximum budget that the CDN can pay to peer CDNs to ensure its revenue. The experimental analysis confirms the benefits of applying the proposed algorithm in CDN internetworking to enforce SLA guarantees of CDN services.