WO2014095484A1

WO2014095484A1 - Efficient cache selection for content delivery networks and user equipments

Info

Publication number: WO2014095484A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/076070
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Harris
Original assignee: Nokia Solutions And Networks Oy
Priority date: 2012-12-20
Filing date: 2013-12-10
Publication date: 2014-06-26
Also published as: KR101670910B1; KR20150096502A; EP2936781A1; US20140179301A1; US8868066B2

Abstract

Determining that a first object associated with a first wireless link has a first caching priority; determining that a second object associated with a second wireless link has a second caching priority; and increasing the first caching priority relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of: the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE

Efficient Cache Selection for Content Delivery Networks and User Equipments

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001 ] This invention relates generally to wireless networks and, more specifically, to performing cache selection at a content delivery network or a user equipment.

BACKGROUND

[0002] This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention disclosed below. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived, implemented or described. Therefore, unless otherwise explicitly indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description in this application and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.

[0003] The following abbreviations that may be found in the specification and/or the drawing figures are defined as follows:

3GPP third generation partnership project

API application programming interface

CDN content delivery network

CEM customer equipment management

CQI channel quality indicator

CSP communications service provider

DL downlink

ECGI E-UTRAN cell global identifier

eNB evolved Node B/base station in an E-UTRAN system

EPC evolved packet core

E-UTRAN evolved UTRAN (LTE)

FDD frequency division duplex

HetNET heterogeneous network

HSS home subscriber server

ID identification

IMSI international mobile subscriber identity

KB kilobyte

LTE long term evolution LTE-A long term evolution advanced

MME mobility management entity

P2P point-to-point

PLMN public land mobile network

RA routing area

RAN radio access network

RF radio frequency

RNC radio network controller

RRC radio resource control

SNR signal-to-noise ratio

TDD time division duplex

UE user equipment

UL uplink

URI uniform resource identifier

UTRAN universal terrestrial radio access network

[0004] Due to wireless bandwidth constraints within cellular systems, there is an increasing need for techniques which provide lower latency access to requested content. Users may experience unacceptable latency when a wireless or cellular system fails to meet best effort delay requirements or targets. Unacceptable latency may occur at locations where signal strength is poor, such as near cell edges and in the vicinity of terrain obstructions, and where cells are loaded. Many systems provide service to premium users who are considered to be of a higher value or a higher priority than non- premium users. However, latency may prevent these premium users from receiving an acceptable level of service. The foregoing factors prevent many users from having a consistent experience when accessing content over the network.

[0005] Content delivery network (CDN) systems are becoming more and more prevalent within wireless communication systems. A CDN is a large distributed network of servers which may be deployed at multiple data centers throughout the Internet. One goal of a CDN is to serve content to end users with high availability and high performance. This content may include, for example, web objects (text, graphics, URLs and scripts), downloadable objects (media files, software, documents), applications (e-commerce, portals), live streaming media, on-demand streaming media, social networks, and other types of data. CDNs offload traffic served directly from a content provider's point of origin infrastructure, typically resulting in greater efficiencies and cost savings for the content provider. CDNs may serve content with dedicated servers, or with point-to-point (P2P) technology based upon peer-operated computers, or both.

[0006] Latency can be improved by retrieving content from a cache memory of a local CDN server rather than having to retrieve the content from the Internet on a remotely situated server. At the same time, the rapidly expanding memory capacity provided by present-day user equipment (UE) enhances the potential for UE caching to play a major role in reducing latency and achieving broadband efficiencies. . However, conventional CDN systems and UE caching approaches are not sufficiently effective at reducing latency in situations where cells are loaded, where signal strength is poor, where access is attempted at locations near cell edges, and where premium users are to be served.

[0007] To perform caching, the CDN or the UE must make a decision as to which content should be retained in a cache memory. For example, the CDN or local server may store information or data objects that were downloaded for a first user such that the information or data objects need not be downloaded again if the information is

subsequently requested by a second user. When determining which content should be stored in a cache memory, conventional caching approaches focus on identifying specific content that is most popular across the network, content that is most frequently requested, or content that was most recently requested. One purpose of caching is to enable the CDN or the UE to minimize the volume of traffic which needs to be retrieved from the general Internet down to the communications service provider (CSP) or over the air to the UE. Another purpose of caching is to reduce latency for the largest number of objects retrieved.

[0008] As a practical matter, loading on a cellular network is highly non-uniform. To consider an illustrative example, only 20% of the cells in a real-world system may be more than 80% loaded. In general, a small fraction of the cells are loaded whereas a much larger fraction of the cells are underloaded. Caching processes may be improved and latency reduced by differentiating between the popularity of objects retrieved in loaded cells and the popularity of objects retrieved in underloaded cells.

[0009] The cost of utilizing radio frequency (RF) resources throughout a cellular network is also highly non-uniform. These RF costs may be expressed in terms of physical resource blocks per kilobyte (KB) of data. The RF costs are much smaller if the user is near the cell tower as opposed to the cell edge. Caching an object to the cell edge saves a disproportionately large amount of eNB resources compared to caching an object near the cell tower. From the standpoint of a user, it is significantly more important to reduce latency at the cell edge versus near the cell tower. Additionally, reducing latency for a object which is being transferred to a user near the tower, is significantly less expensive than producing the same amount of latency reduction for a similar transfer to a user which is instead near the cell edge.

[0010] Another factor to consider is the generally non-uniform popularity of objects as a function of geographic location. In other words, it is typical for some objects to be consistently popular in one geographic area whereas other, different objects are consistently popular in other geographic areas. For example, a peer group gathers at a specific location, and everyone in the peer group automatically tends to become interested in the same group of objects. These objects may be items which are located on the Facebook™, Linkedln™, or MySpace™ pages of the various members of the peer group. Such objects may pertain to sporting events, concerts, parties, and other social occasions. Likewise, a user may live or work at a specific location in an overloaded cell or at a cell edge. In these situations, the user is very likely to request many of the same objects which they have requested in the past, and furthermore the user is very likely to repeat requests for these objects from that specific location. Moreover, as indicated previously, the users themselves are non-uniform with respect to the network in the sense that some users, from a customer equipment management (CEM) perspective, may be of higher priority or value than other users.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011 ] According to a first aspect of the invention, a method comprises:

[0012] In another set of exemplary embodiments, an apparatus includes at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code. The at least one memory and the computer program code may be configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least determining that a first object associated with a first wireless link has a first caching priority; determining that a second object associated with a second wireless link has a second caching priority; and increasing the first caching priority relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of: the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

[0013] In another set of exemplary embodiments, a computer program product is provided. The computer program product includes at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein. The computer-executable program code instructions may include program code instructions for determining that a first object associated with a first wireless link has a first caching priority; determining that a second object associated with a second wireless link has a second caching priority; and increasing the first caching priority relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of: the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIGs. 1 A and 1 B together comprise a flow diagram setting forth a first illustrative method of cache selection according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram setting forth a second illustrative method of cache selection according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a hardware block diagram showing an illustrative operational environment for use with the instant invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIGs. 1 A and 1 B together comprise a flow diagram setting forth a first illustrative method of cache selection according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The operational sequence may commence at block 101 , or at block 1 1 1 , or at blocks 101 and 1 1 1 simultaneously. At block 101 , a first popularity is determined for a first object. Next, a first cell identifier is determined that is associated with a first cell (block 103). The first cell identifier is determined based upon a previous download of the first object from the first cell. A first wireless loading attribute is adjusted for the first cell based upon current loading conditions at the first cell (block 105). At least a first location identifier associated with the first object or a first user identifier associated with the first object is determined (block 107). This determination is based upon a previous download of the first object from the first cell. At block 109, a first customer equipment management priority attribute is adjusted. This adjustment is based upon at least one of the first location identifier or the first user identifier that was determined at block 107.

[0018] At block 1 1 1 , a second popularity is determined for a second object. Next, a second cell identifier is determined that is associated with a second cell (block 1 13). The second cell identifier is determined based upon a previous download of the second object from the second cell. A second wireless loading attribute is adjusted for the second cell based upon current loading conditions at the second cell (block 1 15). At least a second location identifier associated with the second object or a second user identifier associated with the second object is determined (block 1 17). This determination is based upon a previous download of the second object from the second cell. At block 1 19, a second customer equipment management priority attribute is adjusted. This adjustment is based upon at least one of the second location identifier or the second user identifier that was determined at block 1 17.

[0019] It should be noted that the operations of blocks 101 -109 may be performed concurrently or in any order with respect to the operations of blocks 1 1 1 -1 19. From block 109 or block 1 19 (FIG. 1 A), the operational sequence progresses to block 121 (FIG. 1 B) where memory caching is performed by storing only the first object and not the second object in a cache memory in response to the first popularity being greater than the second popularity only in a portion of a wireless system, wherein the first popularity is less than the second popularity in a remainder of the wireless system that does not include the portion, and one or more of: (a) the first wireless loading attribute being larger than the second wireless loading attribute; (b) a first signal strength attribute associated with the first cell being smaller than a second signal strength attribute associated with the second cell; or (c) the first customer equipment management priority attribute being of a higher priority than the second customer equipment management priority attribute.

[0020] The operational sequence of FIGs. 1 A and 1 B differs from conventional approaches where the more popular object is stored in cache memory. In contrast to such conventional approaches, a less popular object may be stored in cache memory in situations where the less popular object is less popular across an entire system but is actually more popular within some specific subset or portion of the system. For example, the specific subset or portion could, but need not, be defined as encompassing relatively heavily loaded areas where the cellular loading per cell is higher than in other less-loaded areas.

[0021 ] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram setting forth a second illustrative method of cache selection according to various exemplary embodiments of the invention. The operational sequence commences at block 201 where a first object associated with a first wireless link is determined to have a first caching priority. At block 203, a second object associated with a second wireless link is determined to have a second caching priority. It should be noted that blocks 201 and 203 may be performed concurrently or in any order. Next, at block 205, the first caching priority is increased relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of: the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object. Each of the respective first and second caching priorities may, but need not, specify a corresponding likelihood, probability, or ranking order in which an object associated with the respective caching priority will be stored in a cache memory.

[0022] Block 201 may optionally include identifying that the first object is retrieved in a first cell, or that the first object is likely to be retrieved in the first cell. Likewise, block 203 may optionally include identifying that the second object is retrieved in a second cell, or that the second object is likely to be retrieved in the second cell. The operations of block 205 may optionally consider anticipated congestion or loading of the first cell.

Similarly, the operations of block 205 may optionally consider anticipated congestion or loading of the second cell. For example, if the first cell is not heavily loaded but is anticipated to become loaded or congested at a subsequent time or during a subsequent time interval, then the first object may be associated with a higher caching priority relative to the second object.

[0023] Pursuant to an illustrative scenario, in a first cell a first object is associated with a first popularity that is higher than a second popularity associated with a second object. However, the first popularity is less than the second popularity in a remainder of the wireless system that does not include the first cell. The first cell is not currently loaded or congested. Later, when the first cell is anticipated to increase in

loading/congestion, the caching priority of the first object is then correspondingly increased based on this prediction of loading/congestion in the first cell. Thus, the content that is most likely to be retrieved in the most loaded or congested wireless cells is given a higher caching priority relative to other content. This process effectively deemphasizes traffic that is more popular in cells that are less loaded. Moreover, this process differs from conventional approaches where the more popular object is stored in cache memory. In contrast to such conventional approaches, a less popular object may be stored in cache memory in situations where the less popular object is less popular across an entire system but is actually more popular within some specific subset of the system. For example, the specific subset could, but need not, be defined as encompassing relatively heavily loaded areas where the cellular loading per cell is higher than in other less-loaded areas. [0024] The operational sequences of FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, and 2 may further identify or determine that the first object is (typically) retrieved by a first user who was not previously designated as a premium CEM user, but is anticipated to be designated as a premium CEM user in the future or at a next time interval. In this scenario, the first object may be given a higher caching priority than the second object. Alternatively or additionally, anticipated loading may be calculated based on UE trajectories or patterns of mobility. For example, the wireless link associated with a particular object (or object type) is based on a historical retrieval of that object over that wireless link, or is based on other criteria enabling anticipation of retrieval of that object over the wireless link.

[0025] It may be helpful to describe an illustrative system in which the exemplary embodiments of the invention may be practiced. FIG. 3 shows an illustrative system configured, for example, in accordance with a wireless communication standard referred to as long term evolution (LTE) and comprising an evolved packet core (EPC) 100. The EPC 100 includes one or more user equipments (UEs) 1 10, one or more base stations such as an evolved Node B (eNB) 220, a mobility management entity (MME) 250, and a home subscriber server (HSS) 210. The MME 250 is configured for communicating with a content delivery network 260 such as, for example, the Internet. The UE 1 10 is configured for wireless communication with the eNB 220 over a wireless link 1 1 1 . The eNB 220 is configured to access one or more networks which, for illustrative purposes, may be a network 170 for accessing one or more additional eNBs and a network 130 for accessing the Internet.

[0024] The UE 1 10 includes one or more processors 120, one or more memories 125, and one or more transceivers 130 interconnected through one or more buses 127. The one or more transceivers 130 are connected to one or more antennas 128. The one or more memories 125 include computer program code 123. The one or more memories 125 may include a cache memory for storing one or more objects. Additionally or alternatively, the cache memory may be provided by one or more of the processor(s) 120. The one or more memories 125 and the computer program code 123 are configured, with the one or more processors 120, to cause the UE 1 10 to perform one or more of the operations as described herein.

[0025] The eNB 220 includes one or more processors 150, one or more memories 155, one or more network interfaces (N/W l/F(s)) 161 , and one or more transceivers 160 interconnected through one or more buses 157. The one or more transceivers 160 are connected to one or more antennas 158. The one or more memories 155 may include a cache memory for storing one or more objects. Alternatively or additionally, the cache memory may be provided by the one or more processors 150. The one or more memories 155 include computer program code 153. The one or more memories 155 and the computer program code 153 are configured, with the one or more processors 150, to cause the eNB 220 to perform one or more of the operations as described herein. The one or more network interfaces 161 communicate over a network such as the networks 170 and 131 . Two or more eNBs 220 may communicate using, e.g., the network 170. The network 170 may be wired or wireless or both.

[0026] The MME 250 includes one or more processors 175, one or more memories 171 , one or more network interfaces (N/W l/F(s)) 180 interconnected through one or more buses 185. The one or more memories 171 may include a cache memory for storing one or more objects. Alternatively or additionally, the cache memory may be provided by the one or more processors 175. The one or more memories 171 include computer program code 173. The one or more memories 171 and the computer program code 173 are configured, with the one or more processors 175, to cause the MME 250 to perform one or more of the operations as described herein.

[0027] Embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in software

(executed by one or more processors), hardware (e.g., an application specific integrated circuit), or a combination of software and hardware. In an example embodiment, the software (e.g., application logic, an instruction set) is maintained on any one of various conventional computer-readable media. In the context of this document, a "computer- readable medium" may be any media or means that can contain, store, communicate, propagate or transport the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer, with one example of a computer described and depicted, e.g. , in FIG. 9. A computer-readable medium may comprise a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memories 125, 155, 171 or other device) that may be any media or means that can contain or store the instructions for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device, such as a computer.

[0028] The system of FIG. 3 illustratively performs the procedures shown in FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, or 2 by implementing messaging between one or more elements in the EPC 100 and the CDN 260. The messaging indicates which content, objects, flows, or users are associated with at least one of: (a) a specified cellular congestion level, (b) a specified cell. The messaging also encompasses further updates of loading in terms of predicted loading is anticipated for a particular cell. This messaging can be conveyed through a variety of mechanisms including, adding this information onto existing application packets, illustratively using uniform resource identifier (URI) "piggybacking" associated with that flow/user, where the annotated information is then passed through the CDN 260. Alternatively an explicit application programming interface (API) may convey this information from the EPC 100 up to the CDN 260. Conceivably, this messaging flow could be standardized in the future, e.g. within the 3GPP framework. Alternatively or additionally, the messaging may originate from the client, indicating, for example, signal strength such that the CDN 260 can use this information as indicated in FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, and 2. Within a cell with a given loading level, content which is particularly popular at the cell edge, e.g. with worse signal strength or fewer "bars," is given relatively higher priority for caching.

[0029] Generally the UE 1 10 is not aware of the eNB 220 utilization or cell loading, enabling a UE 1 10 embodiment where the decision for the UE 1 10 to cache an object is a function of the cell loading. However, there are number of alternative embodiments where the UE 1 10 is aware of the loading within a cell, e.g. over future LTE air interface signaling, or overt different application level embodiments. Alternatively or additionally, there are various scenarios in which the CDN 260 may influence a decision at the UE 1 10 as to which content will be locally cached at the UE 1 10. One specific example would be an explicit indication from an application server for a media optimizer over and application protocol that a particular object should be cached at the UE 1 10. A literal command from the CDN 260 may be used to indicate "preferentially cache items being retrieved now or in this area". Wireless link properties in addition to, or in lieu of, signal strength may be used to adjust caching priorities. For example, these properties may involve determining a cell type, such as a small cell or heterogeneous network (HetNET) versus macrocell, and adjusting caching priorities accordingly.

[0030] Consider an illustrative example wherein a first object is most likely than a second object to be downloaded within an overloaded cell. A second object is more popular than the first object across the cellular system, but tends to be retrieved only in relatively lightly loaded cells. In this example, the first object is more important to cache than the second item, in that it is relatively important to provide latency reduction for the overloaded wireless cell where over-the-air delay is longest. Within cellular systems, the CDN 260/UE 1 10 caching mechanism can be instrumental in enhancing the overall wireless system capacity. This is as opposed to the more traditional use of the CDN 260 where the CDN reduces the amount of traffic which is retrieved from the general Internet down to a communication service provider (CSP), and to reduce the latency on the largest number of objects retrieved.

[0031 ] The loading on cellular and wireless systems has a non-uniform spatial density distribution. In other words, a relatively small percentage of cells may be loaded whereas a large percentage of cells are underloaded. One feature of the operational sequences described with reference to FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, and 2 is that these methods differentiate the popularity of objects being retrieved in underloaded cells from the popularity of objects being retrieved in loaded cells. Additionally, an RF cost may be defined in terms of the number of physical resource blocks per kilobyte that is transferred, for example, using the system of FIG. 3.

[0032] The RF cost associated with retrieving an object to a UE 1 10 directly under a cellular or wireless tower is dramatically smaller than the RF cost of doing so when the UE 1 10 is at or near the edge of the cell. Pursuant to any of the methods described in FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, and 2, when caching avoids the retrieval of an object to the cell edge, this saves a disproportionately large number of physical resource blocks or eNB 220 resources, in contrast to situations where caching avoids the retrieval of an object to a UE 1 10 which is very close to the cellular or wireless tower. Thus, it is significantly more important in terms of cell capacity and user experience for a cached object in the CDN 260 to reduce latency for a UE 1 10 at the cell edge, as opposed to reducing the latency of retrieving an object to a UE 1 10 which is near the tower. This is because the additional RF resources required to reduce/limit delay for a cell edge user are dramatically greater for the cell edge user than for the near-the-tower user.

[0033] The methods described in FIGs. 1 A, 1 B, and 2 are able to advantageously exploit the possibility of non-uniform geographic popularity of objects. In other words, it is typical for some objects to be consistently popular in one geographic area where other objects are consistently popular in other geographic areas. Anecdotal examples include a peer group gathering at a specified location, where the peer group automatically tends to be interested in the same group of objects, such as items which are located on one another's Facebook™ pages. Other examples include objects which are associated with a concert or a sporting event, or are likely to be more popular for users geographically close to the concert or sporting event. Yet another example is passengers riding on a train where objects which require the user to watch the screen are popular, whereas streaming audio may be more popular among users who are driving along an interstate highway. Still another example considers a particular user who lives or works at a specific location in an overloaded cell, and/or near a cell edge. Such a user is more likely to request the same objects which they have requested in the past. Furthermore, such a user is likely to request these objects from that specific location. This scenario presents yet another example wherein an object that is popular at one location is relatively likely to continue to be popular at that specific location.

[0034] If desired, the different functions discussed herein may be performed in a different order and/or concurrently with each other. Furthermore, if desired, one or more of the above-described functions may be optional or may be combined. Although various aspects of the invention are set out above, other aspects of the invention comprise other combinations of features from the described embodiments, and not solely the

combinations explicitly set out above.

It is also noted herein that while the above describes example embodiments of the invention, these descriptions should not be viewed in a limiting sense. Rather, there are several variations and modifications which may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:

determining that a first object associated with a first wireless link has a first caching priority;

determining that a second object associated with a second wireless link has a second caching priority; and

increasing the first caching priority relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of:

the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

determining a first cell identifier associated with the first wireless link based upon a previous download of the first object over the first wireless link; and

determining a second cell identifier associated with a second wireless link based upon a previous download of the second object over the second wireless link.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising adjusting a first wireless loading attribute for a first cell associated with the first wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the first cell.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising adjusting a second wireless loading attribute for a second cell associated with the second wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the second cell.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

determining at least a first location identifier or a first user identifier associated with the first object based upon a previous download of the first object over the first wireless link; and

determining at least a second location identifier or a second user identifier associated with the second object based upon a previous download of the second object over the second wireless link.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising adjusting a first customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the first location identifier or the first user identifier.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting a second customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the second location identifier or the second user identifier.

8. An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least:

the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link,

the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or

the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform:

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform adjusting a first wireless loading attribute for a first cell associated with the first wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the first cell.

1 1 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform adjusting a second wireless loading attribute for a second cell associated with the second wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the second cell.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform:

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform adjusting a first customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the first location identifier or the first user identifier.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the computer program code is configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to further perform adjusting a second customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the second location identifier or the second user identifier.

15. A computer program product including at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-executable program code instructions stored therein, the computer-executable program code instructions including program code instructions for: determining that a first object associated with a first wireless link has a first caching priority; determining that a second object associated with a second wireless link has a second caching priority; and

increasing the first caching priority relative to the second caching priority in response to one or more of: the first wireless link having a larger congestion than the second wireless link, the first wireless link having a weaker signal strength than the second wireless link, or the first object being associated with a higher status or priority than the second object.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising instructions for: determining a first cell identifier associated with the first wireless link based upon a previous download of the first object over the first wireless link; and

17. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions for adjusting a first wireless loading attribute for a first cell associated with the first wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the first cell.

18. The computer program product of claim 17 further comprising instructions for adjusting a second wireless loading attribute for a second cell associated with the second wireless link based upon current loading conditions at the second cell.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 further comprising instructions for: determining at least a first location identifier or a first user identifier associated with the first object based upon a previous download of the first object over the first wireless link; and

20. The computer program product of claim 19 further comprising instructions for adjusting a first customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the first location identifier or the first user identifier.

21 . The computer program product of claim 20 further comprising instructions for adjusting a second customer equipment management priority attribute based upon at least one of the second location identifier or the second user identifier.