PARTITIONING STREAMING MEDIA FILES ON MULTIPLE CONTENT DISTRIBUTION NETWORKS

• US 20140108671A1
• Filed: 10/17/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Netflix, Inc.
• Inventors: WATSON, Mark, HUNT, Neil D., FUNGE, John, PARK, Anthony N.
• Granted Patent: US 9,699,519 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23106 involving caching operations prefetching while addressing of a memory level in which the access to the desired data or data block requires associative addressing means within memory systems or architectures G06F12/0862; caching at an intermediate stage in a data network H04L67/568
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23116 involving data replication, e.g. over plural servers synchronization of replicated data G06F11/1658; error detection or correction by means of data replication G06F11/2053; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/10; replication in distributed file systems G06F16/27; replication or mirroring of data in data networks H04L67/1095
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44209 Monitoring of downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. bandwidth variations of a wireless network arrangements for maintenance or administration in data switching networks involving bandwidth and capacity management H04L41/0896
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for generating preference rankings in response to requests for streaming media content received from client devices. The preference rankings are used to indirectly partition streaming media content across different content distribution networks (CDNs). Such partitions may be referred to as a “soft” partition, as all of the streaming media content remains available from each CDN. That is, the partitioning of content across CDNs is not absolute, and any content item may be requested from any CDN. Doing so ensures that content remains available even where the preferred CDN for a given content item fails, while at the same time increasing the probability of a cache hit at the CDNs, without increasing the cost or the actual cache sizes of the content caches of different CDNs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing a client device with a streaming media title, the method comprising:

receiving a request for the streaming media title from the client device; and

generating a preferences list that includes, for at least one content distribution network (CDN), one or more links to the streaming media title and that ranks the links in the list by order of preference for streaming the media title to the client device, wherein a ranking associated with at least one of the links is based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the streaming media title.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the streaming media title is associated with a library of streaming media titles and each streaming media title is assigned to a partition included in a plurality of partitions, each partition corresponding to a different CDN in a plurality of CDNs, and wherein the links in the preference list generated for the streaming media title assigns a highest preference to a link associated with a first CDN that is included in the plurality of CDNs that corresponds to the partition to which the streaming media title corresponds.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the client device is configured to:

evaluate an expected streaming performance associated with the first CDN, and

upon determining that the expected streaming performance exceeds a specified threshold, retrieve the streaming media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the client device is configured to:

evaluate an expected streaming performance associated with the first CDN, and

upon determining the expected streaming performance does not exceed a specified threshold, evaluate an expected streaming performance associated with at least a second CDN in the plurality of CDNs and identified in the preferences list.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the client device is further configured to:

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN does not exceed a second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the client device is further configured to:

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN exceeds a second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the second CDN via one of the one or more links in the preferences list.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein a plurality of partitions includes a first partition corresponding to a first CDN included in the plurality of CDNs, a second partition corresponding to a second CDN included in the plurality of CDNs, and a third partition, and further comprising:

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the first, ranking the first in the preferences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title,

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the second partition, ranking the second CDN in the presences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title, and

upon determining the requested title is assigned to the third partition, ranking either the first CDN or the second CDN as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title based on a CDN distribution ratio.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the third partition corresponds to a specified number of most frequently requested streaming media titles associated with the library of streaming media titles.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more links is associated with a probability value and the client device selects one of the links from which to stream at least a portion of the media title according to the probability values.

10. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processing unit, cause the processing unit to performing an operation for providing a client device with a streaming media title, the operation comprising:

receiving a request for the streaming media title from the client device; and

generating a preferences list that includes, for at least one content distribution network (CDN), one or more links to the streaming media title and that ranks the links in the list by order of preference for streaming the media title to the client device, wherein a ranking associated with at least one of the links is based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the streaming media title

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the streaming media title is associated with a library of streaming media titles and each streaming media title is assigned to a partition included in a plurality of partitions, each partition corresponding to a CDN in a plurality of CDNs, and wherein the links in the preference list generated for the streaming media title assigns a highest preference to a link associated with a first CDN that is included in the plurality of CDNs that corresponds to the partition to which the streaming media title corresponds.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the client device is configured to:

evaluate an expected networking performance for the first CDN and

upon determining that the expected streaming performance exceeds a specified threshold, retrieve the streaming media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list; and

upon determining the expected streaming performance does not exceed the specified threshold, evaluate an expected streaming performance associated with at least a second CDN in the plurality of CDNs.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the client device is further configured to:

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN does not exceed a second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list;

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN exceeds the second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the second CDN via one of the links in the preferences list.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 11, wherein the plurality of partitions includes a first partition of streaming media titles corresponding to a first CDN, second first partition of streaming media titles corresponding to a second CDN, and a third partition of streaming media titles, and wherein the operation further comprises:

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the first, ranking the first CDN in the preferences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title,

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the second partition, ranking the second CDN in the presences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title, and

upon determining the requested title is assigned to the third partition, ranking either the first CDN or the second CDN as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title based on a CDN distribution ratio.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim, 14 wherein the third partition corresponds to a specified number of most frequently requested streaming media titles associated with the library of streaming media titles.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein each of the one or more links link is associated with a probability value and the client device selects one of the links from which to stream at least a portion of the media title according to the probability values.

17. A system, comprising:

a processor,

a memory that includes an application configured to perform an operation for providing a client device with a streaming media title, the operation comprising;

receiving a request for the streaming media title from the client device, and

generating a preferences list that includes, for at least one content distribution network (CDN), one or more links to the streaming media title and that ranks the links in the list by order of preference for streaming the media title to the client device, wherein a ranking associated with at least one of the links is based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the streaming media title.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the streaming media title is associated with a library of streaming media titles and each streaming media title is assigned to a partition included in a plurality of partitions, each partition corresponding to a different CDN in a plurality of CDNs, and wherein the links in the preference list generated for the streaming media title assigns a highest preference to a link associated with a first CDN that is included in the plurality of CDNs that corresponds to the partition to which the streaming media title corresponds.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the client device is configured to:

evaluate an expected networking performance for the first CDN and

upon determining that the expected streaming performance exceeds a specified threshold, retrieve the streaming media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list; and

upon determining the expected streaming performance does not exceed the specified threshold, evaluate an expected streaming performance associated with at least a second CDN in the plurality of CDNs and identified in the preferences list.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the client device is further configured to:

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN does not exceed a second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the preferences list;

upon determining that the expected streaming performance associated with the second CDN exceeds the second specified threshold, retrieve the requested media title from the second CDN via one of the links in the preferences list.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the plurality of partitions includes a first partition of streaming media titles corresponding to a first CDN, second first partition of streaming media titles corresponding to a second CDN, and a third partition of streaming media titles, and wherein the operation further comprises:

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the first, ranking the first CDN in the preferences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title,

upon determining that the streaming media title is assigned to the second partition, ranking the second CDN in the presences list as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title, and

upon determining the requested title is assigned to the third partition, ranking either the first CDN or the second CDN as having the highest preference for streaming the streaming media title based on a CDN distribution ratio.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the third partition corresponds to a specified number of most frequently requested streaming media titles associated with the library of streaming media titles.

23. A computer-implemented method for a client device to stream a media title associated with a library of streaming media titles, the method comprising:

sending a request for the streaming media title to a streaming media host server; and

receiving, from the streaming media host server, a content distribution network (CDN) preferences list that includes, for each of a plurality of CDNs, one or more links to the streaming media title and that ranks the CDNs in the list by order of preference for streaming the media title to the client device, wherein a ranking associated with at least one of the CDNs is based, at least in part, on one or more characteristics of the streaming media title.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the streaming media title is associated with a library of streaming media titles and each streaming media title is assigned to a partition included in a plurality of partitions, each partition corresponding to a different CDN in the plurality of CDNs, and wherein the CDN preference list generated from the streaming media title assigns a highest preference to a first CDN that is included in the plurality of CDNs that corresponds to the partition to which the streaming media title corresponds.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

evaluating an expected streaming performance associated with the first CDN;

upon determining that the expected streaming performance of the first CDN exceeds a specified threshold, retrieving the requested media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the CDN preferences list; and

upon determining that the expected streaming performance of the first CDN does not exceed the specified threshold, evaluating an expected streaming performance for at least a second CDN included in the preferences list.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

upon determining that the expected streaming performance of the second CDN does not exceed a second specified threshold, streaming the requested media title from the first CDN via one of the links included in the CDN preferences list;

upon determining that the expected streaming performance of the second CDN exceeds the second specified threshold, streaming the requested media title from the second CDN via one of the links included in the CDN preferences list.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein the ranking of each CDN in the preference list provides a probability value, and wherein the client device selects a CDN according to the probability values.