Transcoding for a distributed file system

• US 8,266,182 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonic Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Harmonic Incorporated
• Inventors: Wanigasekara-Mohotti, Don H., Craig, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): TO, BAOQUOC N
• Application Number:
  US11/479,536
• Publication Number:
  US 20080001791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,265 Days
• Field of Search: 707/695
• US Class Current: 707/796
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1097 for distributed storage of data in networks, e.g. transport arrangements for network file system [NFS], storage area networks [SAN] or network attached storage [NAS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/288 Distributed intermediate devices, i.e. intermediate devices for interaction with other intermediate devices on the same level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2182 involving memory arrays, e.g. RAID disk arrays RAID arrays per se G06F3/0689; use of parity to protect data in RAID systems G06F11/1008
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2312 Data placement on disk arrays data placement in general G06F3/0604
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• 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

A method for transcoding a file on a distributed file system is described. The distributed file system stores portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations. A request to transcode the file is received. The file is transcoded from a first format to a second format using a processing unit of at least one of the physical storage locations.

Claims

1. A method for transcoding a file of a distributed file system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to transcode the file, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations; and

wherein one or more of the distinct physical storage locations comprises a processing unit;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a first portion of the file from a first format to a second format using a processing unit of a first physical storage location of the physical storage locations;

wherein the first portion of the file is less than the entire file;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a second portion of the file from the first format to the second format using a processing unit of a second physical storage location of the physical storage locations;

wherein the second portion of the file is less than the entire file;

wherein the second portion of the file is a different portion than the first portion of the file;

wherein the second physical storage location is distinct from the first physical storage location.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the file with the second format in the file distributed system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving the request from a client; and

sending the transcoded file to the client.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

receiving the request from a transcode manager of the client.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the distributed file system comprises:

a switch;

a content director coupled to the switch; and

a plurality of content servers coupled to the content director, the plurality of content servers storing portions of files.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the distinct physical storage locations comprises at least one content server.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein each content server further comprises:

a content storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the content storage.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein a first content server accesses a second content server to transcode a portion of the file.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

partitioning a first separate logic portion of the content server for processing storage functions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

partitioning a second separate logic portion of the content server for processing transcoding functions.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a distributed file system storing portions of a file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations,

a first physical storage location comprising a processing unit configured to transcode a first portion of the file from a first format to a second format;

wherein the first portion of the file is less than the entire file;

a second physical storage location comprising a processing unit configured to transcode a second portion of the file from the first format to the second format;

wherein the second portion of the file is less than the entire file;

wherein the second portion of the file is a different portion than the first portion of the file;

wherein the second physical storage location is distinct from the first physical storage location.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein each physical storage location is configured to transcode using a processing unit of at least one of the physical storage locations.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the distributed file system further comprises:

a switch;

a content director coupled to the switch; and

a plurality of content servers coupled to the content director, the plurality of content servers storing portions of the file.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

a client coupled to the distributed file system, the client having a transcode manager configured to generate a request to transcode the file to the distributed file system.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein each content server further comprises:

a content storage; and

a processing unit coupled to the content storage.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a first content server accesses a second content server to transcode a portion of the file.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

a first separate logic portion of the content server partitioned for processing storage functions.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising:

a second separate logic portion of the content server partitioned for processing transcoding functions.

19. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform transcoding a file of a distributed file system by:

receiving a request to transcode the file, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations; and

wherein one or more of the distinct physical storage locations comprises a processing unit;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a first portion of the file from a first format to a second format using a processing unit of a first physical storage location of the physical storage locations;

wherein the first portion of the file is less than the entire file;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a second portion of the file from the first format to the second format using a processing unit of a second physical storage location of the physical storage locations;

wherein the second portion of the file is less than the entire file;

wherein the second portion of the file is a different portion than the first portion of the file;

wherein the second physical storage location is distinct from the first physical storage location.

20. The program storage device of claim 19, further comprising instructions executable by the machine to perform:

storing the file with the second format in the distributed file system.

21. The program storage device of claim 19, further comprising instructions executable by the machine to perform:

receiving the request from a client; and

sending the transcoded file to the client.

22. A method for transcoding a file of a distributed file system, the method comprising:

receiving a request to transcode the file, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations;

wherein a first distinct physical storage location is configured to transcode the file from a first format to a second format using a processing unit of the first physical storage location;

wherein a second distinct physical storage location is configured to transcode the file from the first format to a second format using a processing unit of the second physical storage location;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a portion of the file from a first format to a second format using the processing unit of the first physical storage location;

wherein the first distinct physical storage location accesses the portion of the file from the second distinct physical storage location.

23. A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform transcoding a file of a distributed file system by:

receiving a request to transcode the file, the distributed file system storing portions of the file across a plurality of distinct physical storage locations;

wherein a first distinct physical storage location is configured to transcode the file from a first format to a second format using a processing unit of the first physical storage location;

wherein a second distinct physical storage location is configured to transcode the file from the first format to a second format using a processing unit of the second physical storage location;

in response to the request to transcode the file, transcoding a portion of the file from a first format to a second format using the processing unit of the first physical storage location;

wherein the first distinct physical storage location accesses the portion of the file from the second distinct physical storage location.