Contents distribution management system with multi-service type management function and method thereof

• US 7,873,609 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2005
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
• Inventors: Kim, Chang-Soo, Bak, Yu-Hyeon, Jeon, Seung-Hyub, Lee, Won-Jae, Bae, Seung-Jo, Kim, Jin-Mee, Kim, Hag-Young, Woo, Sang-Min
• Primary Examiner(s): Ali; Mohammad
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROLAND, GRISELLE CORBO
• Application Number:
  US11/312,053
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,855 Days
• Field of Search: 707/204, 707/748, 707/751, 707/754, 707/E17.12
• US Class Current: 707/694
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/134 Distributed indices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/172 Caching, prefetching or hoarding of files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/182 Distributed file systems

Abstract

Provided is a contents distribution management system and method for supporting a plurality of global servers that provide the contents and managing the contents by applying different policies based on the global server and service type of the contents. The inventive system comprises a plurality of global servers for supplying contents to a plurality of local servers, each global server having a large capacity contents library, and the local servers for managing the contents provided from the global servers based on global servers and service types using contents tables, and providing a contents service in response to a contents streaming service demand from a last terminal using a local contents cache.

Claims

1. A contents distribution management system with a multi-service type management function, the system comprising:

a plurality of global servers for supplying contents to a plurality of local servers, each global server having a large capacity contents library; and

the local servers for managing the contents provided from the global servers based on global servers and service types using contents tables, and providing a contents service in response to a contents streaming service demand from a last terminal using a local contents cache,

wherein when the service demand is the addition of a service, adding one row or one directory to each of a contents storage policy table, a local contents cache and a storage management table;

wherein when the service demand is the elimination of a service, eliminating a corresponding one row or one directory from each of the contents storage policy table, the local contents cache and the storage management table;

wherein when the service demand is a change of the service, changing field values of a corresponding row in each of the contents storage policy table, and the storage management table;

wherein contents of the global servers demanded from the last terminal being managed using predetermined rules to provide an available storage space in the local content cache for the demanded contents, the demanded contents having a required storage space and a service type, the predetermined rules comprising;

eliminating, when the available storage space is less than the required storage space, contents from the local contents cache are eliminated in accordance to a purging priority policy based on both the service type and a priority ranking wherein the purging priority uses a least recently used algorithm to select contents in the local contents cache that are not used for a longest period of time, a usage frequency algorithm that selects least served contents in the local contents cache, and an age algorithm that selects contents in the local contents cache installed before a longest time;

choosing contents to be transmitted from the global servers in advance of the local servers by using a rank policy and a newage policy wherein the rank policy selects contents as a function of a highest usage frequency of the global servers and as a function of different profit structures of the global servers wherein the newage policy selects contents most recently installed in the system; and

subsequently updating the available storage space in the local content cache.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the global servers include a first global contents table for managing the contents to be offered to the local servers.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the local servers include:

a second global contents table for managing information on specific contents to be serviced to the last terminal comprising information associated with the contents acquired from the global servers;

a local contents table for managing the contents stored in the local contents cache;

a contents storage policy table for managing the stored contents comprising identifications (IDs) of the global servers that have provided the contents stored in the local contents cache, and service types of the stored contents; and

a storage management table for managing a storage space of the local contents cache.

4. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the local servers are extended in a cluster manner.

5. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the global contents table contains the global server identification (ID), a contents ID, a contents title, a contents storage location in each global server, a contents release date, a final contents file size, the service type of contents, a usage trend of contents, a bit rate, and a running time.

6. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the local contents table contains the global server ID, a contents ID, a node ID for identifying a specific node in a cluster if the local server is made in the cluster form, a contents storage location in the local server or node in case of cluster, a current contents state, a last access time, a time stored in the local server, a total number of services, the number of current simultaneous accesses, a final original contents file size, a current contents file size in each local contents cache in the cluster form, and the service type of contents.

7. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the contents storage policy table contains a service name, the global server ID, the service type, an elimination or purging policy to eliminate contents based on the predetermined rules, a placement policy to place contents based on the predetermined rules if the local server is made in a cluster form, a preloading policy to preload a part of contents, and a maximum space rate to represent a maximal usable space in a total storage space available in the local server.

8. The system as recited in claim 3, wherein the storage management table contains a service name, a node ID for identifying a specific node in a cluster if the local server is in the cluster form, a current usage space, a reserved usage space including the amount of contents being transmitted, and a maximum usable space that is available for a demanded service.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, wherein the maximum usable space for the demanded service is computed by multiplying the entire space of the local contents cache by the maximum space rate of the contents storage policy table.

18. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein the predetermined rules further comprise:

eliminating, when the available storage space is less than the required storage space, half-eliminable contents associated with the service type of the demanded contents from the local contents cache in accordance to the purging priority policy and subsequently updating the available storage space;

eliminating, when the available storage space is less than the required storage space, whole-eliminable contents associated with the service type of the demanded contents from the local contents cache in accordance to the purging priority policy and subsequently updating the available storage space;

eliminating, when the available storage space is less than the required storage space, half-eliminable contents associated with an another service type from the local contents cache in accordance to the purging priority policy and subsequently updating the available storage space;

eliminating, when the available storage space is still less than the required storage space, whole-eliminable contents associated with the another service type from the local contents cache in accordance to the purging priority policy and subsequently updating the available storage space

storing, when the available storage space is greater than or equal to the required storage space, the demanded content into the local contents caches for contents streaming service to the last terminal.

19. The system as recited in claim 1 wherein when the service type is a movie service type then the purging priority policy uses a Least Recently Used (LRU) priority ranking, and when the service type is a news service type then the purging priority policy uses an age dependent priority ranking.

10. A multi-service type management method in a contents distribution management system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) when an addition of a service is demanded, adding one row or one directory to each of a contents storage policy table, a local contents cache and a storage management table;

(b) when an elimination of a service is demanded, eliminating a corresponding one row or one directory from each of the contents storage policy table, and the local contents cache and the storage management table;

(c) when a change of the service is demanded, changing field values of a corresponding row in each of the contents storage policy table, and the storage management table;

(d) if contents demanded from a last terminal are not presented in the local contents cache, securing a space required by the local contents cache to receive the corresponding contents by eliminating contents from the local contents cache in accordance to a purging priority policy based on both a service type and a priority ranking when available storage space of the local contents cache is less than a required storage space of the demanded contents wherein the purging priority uses a least recently used algorithm to select contents in the local contents cache that are not used for a longest period of time. a usage frequency algorithm that selects least served contents In the local contents cache, and an age algorithm that selects contents in the local contents cache Installed before a longest time; and

(e) preloading a head part of contents to store the head part in the local contents cache by choosing contents to be transmitted from global servers in advance of local server by using a rank policy and a newage policy wherein the rank policy selects contents as a function of a highest usage frequency of the global servers and as a function of different profit structures of the global servers and the newage policy selects contents most recently installed in the system.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step (a) includes the steps of:

(a1) inserting one row corresponding to an additionally demanded service in the contents storage policy table and setting field values of the row;

(a2) if a local server is a single node, creating one directory corresponding to a name of the added service in a local contents cache of the corresponding local server, or directories corresponding to the number of nodes if the local server is made in a cluster form; and

(a3) if a local server is a single node, creating one row corresponding to a name of the added service in a storage management table, or rows corresponding to the number of nodes if the local server is in a cluster form, and setting field values of the row.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said step (a3) includes the steps of:

(a31) setting field values of a current usage space and a reserved usage space of the storage management table to “

0”

; and

(a32) setting an available maximal space field value to a value obtained by multiplying a whole space of the local contents cache by a maximum space rate of the contents storage policy table for the corresponding service of the storage management table.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step (b) Includes the steps of:

(b1) eliminating one row corresponding to the elimination-demanded service from the contents storage policy table;

(b2) if the local server is a single node, eliminating one directory corresponding to a name of the elimination-demanded service, or directories corresponding to the number of nodes if the local server is made in a cluster form, from the local contents cache of the corresponding local server; and

(b3) if the local server is a single node, eliminating one row corresponding to the elimination-demanded service, or rows corresponding to the number of nodes if the local server is in the cluster form, from the storage management table.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step (c) includes the steps of:

(c1) changing field values of the contents storage policy table based on information provided from a manager;

(c2) confirming whether or not a filed value of maximum space rate is changed among the changed field values; and

(c3) if the filed value of maximum space rate is changed, changing a maximum usable space field value of the storage management table.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step (d) includes the steps of:

(d1) calculating a space required by the local contents cache to receive contents;

(d2) confirming whether or not the required space is secured in a directory corresponding to a related service of the local contents cache;

(d3) if the required space is secured, increasing the reserved usage space field value of the storage management table by the required space;

(d4) if the required space is not secured, confirming whether or not eliminable contents exist among the contents of the directory;

(d5) if the eliminable contents exist among the contents of the directory, eliminating the corresponding contents based on a contents elimination policy of the contents storage policy table, decreasing the current usage space, the reserved usage space field value and the calculated space at said step (d1) by the amount of the eliminated contents, and returning to said step (d2);

(d6) if the eliminable contents are not among the contents of the directory at said step (d4), confirming whether or not eliminable contents exist among contents of directory corresponding to other services in the local contents cache;

(d7) if the eliminable contents exist among the contents of directory corresponding to the other services at said step (d6), eliminating the corresponding contents based on the elimination policy of the contents storage policy table, decreasing the current usage space, the reserved usage space field value and the calculated space at said step (d1) by the contents amount eliminated in the other services, and returning to said step (d2); and

(d8) if the eliminable contents are not among the contents of directory corresponding to the other services at said step (d6), rejecting the contents demand of the last terminal.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein each of said steps (d4) and (d6) includes the steps of:

(d461) confirming whether or not latter half-eliminable contents exist;

(d462) if the latter half-eliminable contents exist, eliminating the latter half of the contents;

(d463) if the latter half-eliminable contents are not presented, confirming whether or not whole-eliminable contents exist; and

(d464) if the eliminable whole contents exist, eliminating the whole of the contents.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step (e) includes the steps of:

(e1) confirming whether or not a spare space exists In the local server;

(e2) if the spare space is not in the local server, returning to said step (e1) after waiting for a predetermined time;

(e3) if the spare space is in the local server, selecting contents that exist in the global contents table but are not in the local contents table; and

(e4) when a head part of the selected contents is demanded and received, increasing the reserved usage space field value of the corresponding service by the head part of the received contents in the storage management table.

20. The method as recited in claim 10 wherein when the service type is a movie service type then the purging priority policy uses a Least Recently Used (LRU) priority ranking, and when the service type is a news service type then the purging priority policy uses an age dependent priority ranking.