Switched stream server architecture

• US 8,301,776 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ARRIS Enterprises LLC (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ARRIS Solutions, Inc. (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hebert, Marc I., Ho, Jonasan C., McGinnis, Christopher E., Phillips, Matthew D., Duzett, Robert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hussain, Imad
• Application Number:
  US12/272,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 709/226, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/61 for supporting one-way streaming services, e.g. Internet radio
• 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 21/2396 characterized by admission policies admission control, resource allocation in open networks H04L12/5692; arrangements for network security using user profiles for access control H04L63/102; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2408 Monitoring of the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. client requests monitoring data switching networks utilization H04L43/0876; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method for allocating content requests to a server pool includes directing a stream requesting a novel title to one of a least-busy server in a server pool and a least-miss-traffic server in the server pool; setting the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title'"'"'s preferred server; directing a stream requesting a familiar title to the title'"'"'s preferred server; and directing a stream requesting a crowded title to one of a least-busy server and the least-miss-traffic server.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

directing a stream requesting a novel title to one of a least-busy server in a server pool and a least-miss-traffic server in the server pool, even if the novel title is already cached on a not full server that is not the least busy or least miss server in the pool;

setting the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title'"'"'s preferred server, directing a stream requesting a familiar title to the title'"'"'s preferred server, even if the familiar title is not already cached on the preferred server, directing a stream requesting a crowded title to one of a least-busy server and the least-miss-traffic server.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the server to which the crowded title is directed does not become the title'"'"'s new preferred server.

3. A method comprising:

directing a stream requesting a novel title to a least-busy server of a server pool;

adding the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title'"'"'s preferred-servers list;

directing a stream requesting a familiar title to the least-busy server from the requested title'"'"'s preferred-servers list, where the preferred servers list comprises at least one server that does not already cache the familiar title.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

directing a stream requesting a crowded title to the least busy server in the server pool.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

checking one or more titles periodically for an opportunity to remove some servers that cache the title from the title'"'"'s preferred list.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

if a title has cooled, and at least one of the servers on its preferred server list is not full, remove the most-busy of the servers on the title'"'"'s preferred-servers list.

7. A server system comprising:

non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits embodying logic to direct a stream requesting a novel title to a least-busy server of a server pool;

add the server to which the novel title was directed to the requested title'"'"'s preferred-servers list;

direct a stream requesting a familiar title to the least-busy server from the requested title'"'"'s preferred-servers list, where the preferred servers list comprises at least one server that does not already cache the familiar title.

8. The server system of claim 7, further comprising:

non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits embodying logic to direct a stream requesting a crowded title to the least busy server in the server pool.

9. The server system of claim 7, further comprising:

non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits embodying logic to add the least-busy server to the title'"'"'s preferred-servers list if and only if the title is hot.

10. The server system of claim 7, further comprising:

non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits embodying logic to check one or more titles periodically for an opportunity to remove some servers from the title'"'"'s preferred list.

11. The server system of claim 7, further comprising:

non-transitory machine memory and/or circuits embodying logic to if a title has cooled, and at least one of the servers on its preferred server list is not full, remove the most-busy, of the servers on the title'"'"'s preferred-servers list.