Scalable edge node

• US 7,154,898 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2001
• Issued: 12/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intelsat Corporation (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Original Assignee: Intelsat Limited (Reorganized ISA SA)
• Inventors: Bullock, David Lynn, Lausier, Philip C., Kalmbach, Mark Russell, Benden, Christopher, Pecus, Vivian
• Primary Examiner(s): Pezzlo, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEHRA, INDER P
• Application Number:
  US09/960,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,922 Days
• Field of Search: 370/401, 370/467, 455/12.1, 455/427, 455/430, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219, 709/231
• US Class Current: 370/401
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1008 based on parameters of servers, e.g. available memory or workload monitoring of computer activity G06F11/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1019 Random or heuristic server selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23103 using load balancing strategies, e.g. by placing or distributing content on different disks, different memories or different servers storage management G06F3/0604; allocation of resources considering the load in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/505; techniques for rebalancing the load in a distributed system G06F9/5083; access to distributed or replicated servers, e.g. load balancing, in data networks H04L67/1001
• 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 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite

Abstract

A scalable edge node for servicing different video content simultaneously using two or more servers and for load balancing between the servers. Additional servers may be added or removed as the client demand serviced by the edge node changes. The node further includes a storage device that is shared between the servers, avoiding the need for multiple storage devices. The invention avoids prior architectures designed with a fixed number of servers and/or various other edge node elements, which are either too many or too few, and therefore become uneconomical or overwhelmed over a range of client demands.

Claims

1. A scalable edge node that receives content from a Network Operations Center (NOC) via a satellite content distribution network and distributes it via a last mile service provider, the edge node comprising:

a variable number of media servers, changes during operation, to meet changes in demand for data;

a shared storage device connected to the media servers;

a private Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) that receives content from the NOC over the satellite content distribution network and distributes it to the shared storage device, the private VLAN connected to the media servers and comprising a receiving router and a controller;

a public VLAN comprising an outbound router connected to the media servers for transmitting content to the last mile service provider, and a load balancer, connected to the variable number of media servers, to determine which of the media servers connected to the load balancer is best able to meet a user'"'"'s request for content;

a firewall; and

where the firewall connects both the public and private VLANs.

2. The edge node of claim 1, where the media servers, the load balancer, the shared storage device, the private VLAN, the outbound router, and the firewall are enclosed in a single equipment rack.

3. The edge node of claim 1 where the controller is configured to process the content received by the private VLAN.

4. The edge node of claim 1 where the controller is configured to execute commands received from the NOC.

5. The edge node of claim 1 where the controller is configured to position content on the edge node.

6. A method for using a number of media servers installed in an edge node to distribute content, received from a Network Operations Center (NOC) through a satellite content distribution network, to a number of users via a last mile service provider, comprising:

receiving content from the NOC via a private Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) comprising a receiving router and a controller and connected to the media servers;

distributing the content to a shared storage device connected to the media servers;

receiving requests for the content from some or all of the users;

during edge node operation, adding or removing media servers installed in the edge node based on the number of users from whom the requests for content are received;

using a load balancer to ascertain the number of servers presently installed in the edge node;

using the load balancer to determine which of the servers are best able to meet the requests;

using the determined servers to meet the requests; and

transmitting the content to the last mile service provider via a public VLAN comprising an outbound router connected to the media servers and the load balancer.