Video system varying overall capacity of network of video servers for serving specific video

• US 7,441,261 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2003
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Development LP (Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Company)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Sparkes, Andrew Michael, Watkins, Mark Robert, Slater, Alastair Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, LE HIEN
• Application Number:
  US10/455,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20040010588A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,964 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/238, 705/40, 725/31, 725/115, 725/96, 725/87, 725/98, 713/320, 370/486, 370/401, 714/6, 718/105
• US Class Current: 725/96
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1001 for accessing one among a plurality of replicated servers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1012 based on compliance of requirements or conditions with available server resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1029 using data related to the state of servers by a load balancer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1031 Controlling of the operation of servers by a load balancer, e.g. adding or removing servers that serve requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2181 comprising remotely distributed storage units, e.g. when movies are replicated over a plurality of video servers distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS], H04L67/1097
• 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 21/2405 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the server, e.g. server load allocation of resources in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/50; performance measurement of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21

Abstract

A method of serving out video over a network of video servers includes evaluating a capacity of the network as a whole to serve out specific video items by establishing, for each video server in the network, an established ability of each server to serve out the specific items that are potentially servable from each video server. The method further includes using the established abilities of each video server to evaluate an overall capability of the network as whole to serve out each of the specific video items. The method also includes varying the overall capability to serve out at least a selected one of the specific video items in accordance with the overall capability of the network.

Claims

1. A method of serving out video over a network of video servers, comprising:

establishing for each video server in a network of video servers an established ability of each video server to serve out a specific video item;

evaluating an overall capability of the network of video servers to serve out the specific video item using said established ability of each said video server; and

varying said overall capability to serve out the specific video item based upon the evaluation;

wherein the video item is a video item for which there is less demand than for other video items, and wherein varying the overall capacity of the network includes decreasing the capacity of the network as a whole to serve out the video item.

2. A method of serving out video over a network of video servers, comprising:

establishing for each video server in a network of video servers an established ability of each video server to serve out a specific video item;

evaluating an overall capability of the network of video servers to serve out the specific video item using said established ability of each said video server; and

varying said overall capability to serve out the specific video item based upon the evaluation;

identifying a problem with a particular video server that reduces a capability of the particular video server to output a specific video item; and

providing additional capability to output the specific video item from at least one other video server, thereby improving capacity of the network to output the specific video item;

wherein providing additional capability comprises at least one of;

(1) copying the specific video item to another server; and

(2) executing application software on a video server on which the specific video item resides, the application software configured to make the specific video item available for outputting.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the specific video is copied from one networked video server to another networked video server.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein providing additional capability comprises making the specific video item available on an additional port address of at least one of the particular video server and the other video server.

5. A video server monitor configured to monitor a network of video servers comprising at least one video item, the video server monitor comprising:

an input adapted to receive at least one input representative of a capability of each video server to serve out each video item;

an output adapted to output at least one output control; and

at least one processor configured to monitor the network of video servers, the at least one processor comprising;

a first module for processing the at least one received input;

a second module for evaluating the overall capacity of the network to sever out each video item based upon the received input; and

a third module for generating the at least one output control, the at least one output control adapted to vary the overall capacity of the network to server out a selected video item;

wherein said processor is adapted to;

establish if demand for a specific video item is below a minimum threshold level; and

generate at least one output control that decreases capacity of the network to serve out the specific video item.

6. A network of video servers having video items available for serving, and a video server monitor, said monitor comprising an input adapted to receive inputs, an output adapted to output outputs, and a processor adapted to process said inputs and generate said outputs, said inputs being representative of capabilities of each of said video servers to serve out video items potentially servable from respective said video servers;

and said processor, in use, being capable of evaluating an overall capacity of said network from said inputs representative of each individual video server'"'"'s capacity for each video item, and said processor being capable of using its evaluation of said overall capacity of said network to control said outputs, said outputs being adapted to vary said overall capacity of said network to serve out a selected one of said video items;

wherein said processor is adapted to establish if demand for a specific video item is below a minimum threshold level and if so is adapted to produce outputs which are capable of decreasing capacity of said network as a whole to serve out said specific video item.

7. A network of video servers wherein each video server is aware of its own capability to serve out videos that it has, and is aware of a capability of each other networked video server to serve out videos that they have, and wherein one of said video servers assumes a role of master video serving capacity controller and assesses a future capability of said network as a whole to serve out an additional copy of each video that is potentially servable in said network, and compares this assessed future capability for each video with threshold capabilities for each video and upon said assessed capability reaching said threshold capabilities said controller takes pre-programmed action automatically.

8. A network according to claim 7 wherein said pre-programmed action includes at least one of (i) increasing capability of said network to serve out a video that has an assessed capability below a minimum threshold by copying said video to an additional video server, or by running suitable video serving software on an additional port address of a video server and/or (ii) reducing capability of said network to serve out a video that has an assessed capability above a maximum threshold.

9. Software for running on a processor of a video server, said video server having a memory containing video items, an input port, a control output port, and a video streaming port, said software comprising:

a monitor routine adapted to at least one of process signals received by said input port from other video servers networked to said video server so as to establish a network-wide usage level for each video item, and establish a capacity of said network to serve out an additional copy of a video item; and

a video item availability-controlling routine, which based upon the established usage level for each video item, causes varies an ability of said network to serve out at least one specific video item;

wherein the software causes at least one of;

an additional copy of an existing specific video item to be made on a video server of said network; and

bringing up on a server an application software adapted to serve out an existing specific video stem;

thereby increasing capacity of said network to serve out said specific video item; and

wherein the software causes said specific video item to be copied within a video server to occupy more memory of said video server, thereby increasing capacity for said video server to serve out said specific video item.

10. A method of modifying availability of video items on a network of video servers comprising:

providing a network of video servers wherein each video server is aware of its own capability to serve out videos that it has, and is aware of a capability of each other networked video server to serve out videos that they have,

wherein one of said video servers assumes a role of master video serving capacity controller and assesses a future capability of said network as a whole to serve out an additional copy of each video that is potentially servable in said network, and compares this assessed future capability for each video with threshold capabilities for each video, and upon said assessed capability reaching said threshold capabilities said controller performs at least one pre-programmed action; and

setting said maximum and minimum threshold.

11. A method of modifying availability of video items on a network of video servers comprising:

providing a network of video servers wherein each video server is aware of its own capability to serve out videos that it has, and an assessment of an aggregate capability of said network to server out each video is made by aggregating individual video server capabilities, and modifying availabilities of videos on specific video servers so as to modify the aggregate capability of said network to serve out specific video items; and

facilitating the replication of video content of said server that is serviced by a failing port address to a further video server.