Method and apparatus for distributing media content
First Claim
1. A server comprising:
- a processing system including a processor; and
a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system,facilitate performance of operations, comprising;
initiating a boundary estimate for a linear programming model of a network of media servers, wherein the boundary estimate is an estimate of a solution of the linear programming model;
initializing a scaling factor for a variable of the linear programming model;
calculating iteratively, a series of additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating iteratively comprises utilizing first variables according to parallel computation of functional blocks and utilizing second variables according to sequential programming of the functional blocks, wherein the scaling factor is applied and adjusted by discrete steps during the calculating iteratively, wherein a final iteration of the calculating iteratively resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to a placement of copies of media content items at the media servers and to routing of requests from subscriber devices for the media content items from local media servers to non-local media servers;
obtaining a forecast of demand for the media content items for streaming from the network of the media servers in response to the requests; and
provisioning the placement of the copies of the media content items at the media servers, and the routing of the requests over communications links in the network, according to the improved boundary estimate.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, initializing a boundary estimate for an optimization of a linear programming model describing a network of media servers for servicing requests for media content items from subscriber devices, where the boundary estimate is an estimate of an infeasible solution of the linear programming model, and calculating iteratively, using an exponential potential function, additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to placement of copies of the media content items at the media servers subject to a set of constraints on storage capacity of media servers and on bandwidth for communication links in the network. Other embodiments are disclosed.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A server comprising:
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a processing system including a processor; and a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processing system, facilitate performance of operations, comprising; initiating a boundary estimate for a linear programming model of a network of media servers, wherein the boundary estimate is an estimate of a solution of the linear programming model; initializing a scaling factor for a variable of the linear programming model; calculating iteratively, a series of additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating iteratively comprises utilizing first variables according to parallel computation of functional blocks and utilizing second variables according to sequential programming of the functional blocks, wherein the scaling factor is applied and adjusted by discrete steps during the calculating iteratively, wherein a final iteration of the calculating iteratively resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to a placement of copies of media content items at the media servers and to routing of requests from subscriber devices for the media content items from local media servers to non-local media servers; obtaining a forecast of demand for the media content items for streaming from the network of the media servers in response to the requests; and provisioning the placement of the copies of the media content items at the media servers, and the routing of the requests over communications links in the network, according to the improved boundary estimate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method, comprising:
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initializing, by a processing system including a processor, a boundary estimate for an optimization of a linear programming model describing a network of media servers for servicing requests for media content items from subscriber devices by streaming the media content items to the subscriber devices over the network, wherein the boundary estimate is an estimate of a solution of the linear programming model, wherein the linear programming model comprises at least one of a uniform random block strategy or a round robin strategy; initializing a scaling factor for a variable of the linear programming model; computing iteratively, a series of additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the computing iteratively comprises utilizing first variables according to parallel computation of functional blocks and utilizing second variables according to sequential programming of the functional blocks, wherein the scaling factor is applied and adjusted by discrete steps during the computing iteratively, wherein a final iteration of the computing resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to a placement of copies of media content items at the media servers and to routing of requests from subscriber devices for the media content items from local media servers to non-local media servers to reduce total data traffic over communication links in the network according to a set of constraints; and receiving a forecast of demand for the media content items for streaming from the network of the media servers in response to the requests; and provisioning the placement of the copies of the media content items at the media servers, and the routing of the requests over the communications links in the network, according to the improved boundary estimate. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
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initiating a boundary estimate for a linear programming model of a network of media servers, wherein the boundary estimate is an estimate of a solution of the linear programming model; initializing a scaling factor for a variable of the linear programming model; calculating iteratively, a series of additional boundary estimates for the linear programming model, wherein the calculating iteratively comprises utilizing first variables according to parallel computation of functional blocks and utilizing second variables according to sequential programming of the functional blocks, wherein the scaling factor is applied and adjusted by discrete steps during the calculating iteratively, wherein a final iteration of the calculating resolves to an improved boundary estimate that corresponds to placement of copies of media content items at the media servers and to routing of requests from subscriber devices for the media content items from local media servers to non-local media servers; obtaining a forecast of demand for the media content items for streaming from the network of the media servers in response to the requests; and provisioning the placement of the copies of the media content items at the media servers, and the routing of the requests over communications links in the network, according to the improved boundary estimate. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification