Media distribution to a plurality of devices utilizing buffered dispersed storage

• US 9,681,156 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 06/13/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pure Storage, Inc.
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Holmes, Alan E., Gladwin, S. Christopher, Leggette, Wesley, Resch, Jason K.
• Primary Examiner(s): RABOVIANSKI, JIVKA A
• Application Number:
  US14/290,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 725 25, 725 89, 725 90, 725 92, 725 93, 725 97, 725109
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1008 in individual solid state devices G06F11/1004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1076 Parity data used in redundant arrays of independent storages, e.g. in RAID systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1092 Rebuilding, e.g. when physically replacing a failing disk
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/52 Protection of memory contents; Detection of errors in memory contents
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/09 Error detection only, e.g. using cyclic redundancy check [CRC] codes or single parity bit
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/15 Cyclic codes, i.e. cyclic shifts of codewords produce other codewords, e.g. codes defined by a generator polynomial, Bose-Chaudhuri-Hocquenghem [BCH] codes H03M13/17 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/1515 Reed-Solomon codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/23 using convolutional codes, e.g. unit memory codes
• CPC Class Codes: H03M 13/356 Unequal error protection [UEP]
• 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 21/23439 for generating different versions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/274 Storing end-user multimedia data in response to end-user request , e.g. network recorder
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2747 Remote storage of video programs received via the downstream path, e.g. from the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection

Abstract

A method begins by a processing module receiving a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is stored in a dispersed storage network (DSN) memory as sets of encoded data slices. In response to the playback requests, the method continues with the processing module entering a loop that begins with retrieving a group of sets of encoded data slices, generating copies therefrom, and storing the copies. The loop continues with the processing module sending a representation of the copies to a requesting device. The method continues with the processing module exiting the loop when the last group of the request has been retrieved and repeating the loop when it has not.

Claims

1. A method for execution by a processing module of a computing device, the method comprises:

receiving, from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

for each of the plurality of playback requests, entering a loop that includes;

retrieving a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

generating copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a first copy is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second copy is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

storing the copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices in a playback DSN memory; and

for each of at least some of the plurality of playback requests, sending a representation of a copy of the copies to a requesting device associated with a corresponding playback request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the loop further comprises:

for each of the at least some of the plurality of playback requests;

decoding a unique copy of the copies of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, the unique copy based on at least retrieval with a unique pillar identifier, to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program; and

transmitting the group of decoded data segments to a requesting device associated with one of the plurality of playback requests.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the group of decoded data segments includes transmitting a media object stream to the requesting device associated with one of the plurality of playback requests.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining which group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve based, at least in part, on a read operational parameter.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, on a memory utilization indicator.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based in part, on a pillar availability indicator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices includes generating a number of copies sufficient to generate data segments corresponding to each of the at least some of the plurality of playback requests.

8. A method for execution by a dispersed storage processing module, the method comprises:

receiving, from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

for each of the plurality of playback requests, entering a loop that includes;

retrieving a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

decoding the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program, wherein a first decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

making copies of the group of decoded data segments; and

transmitting the copies of the group of decoded data segments to the plurality of requesting devices associated with the plurality of playback requests.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the group of the plurality of groups of sets to retrieve based, at least in part, on a media object identifier included in the plurality of playback requests.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining the group of the plurality of groups of sets to retrieve based, at least in part, on a read operational parameter.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, on a system performance indicator.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, at least in part based on how many playback requests for the stored program are received.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein making copies of the group of decoded data segments includes making a number of copies corresponding to a number of playback requests included in the plurality of playback requests.

14. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to;

receive, via the interface from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

for each of the plurality of playback requests, entering a loop that includes;

retrieving a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

generating copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a first copy is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second copy is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

storing the copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices in a playback DSN memory; and

for each of at least some of the plurality of playback requests, sending a representation of a copy of the copies to a requesting device associated with the corresponding playback request.

15. The computer of claim 14, wherein the loop further comprises:

for each of at least some of the plurality of playback requests;

decoding a unique copy of the copies of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data, the unique copy based on at least retrieval with a unique pillar identifier, to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program; and

transmitting the group of decoded data segments to a requesting device associated with one of the playback requests.

16. The computer of claim 14, further comprising:

determining which group of the plurality of groups of sets to retrieve based, at least in part, on an estimated number of store requests received for a same content item.

17. The computer of claim 14, further comprising:

determining which group of the plurality of groups of sets to retrieve based, at least in part, on a total population of requesting devices.

18. The computer of claim 14, wherein at least some of the groups of the plurality of groups of sets are associated with particular requestors.

19. A computer comprises:

an interface; and

a processing module operable to;

receive, via the interface from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

for each of the plurality of playback requests, perform a loop that includes;

retrieving, via the interface, a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

decoding the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program, wherein a first decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

making copies of the group of decoded data segments; and

transmitting the copies of the group of decoded data segments to the plurality of requesting devices associated with the plurality of playback requests.

20. The computer of claim 19, further comprising:

determining which group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve based, at least in part, on a read operational parameter.

21. The computer of claim 20, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, based on a memory utilization indicator.

22. The computer of claim 20, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, on a system performance indicator.

23. The computer of claim 22, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, at least in part based on how many playback requests for the stored program are received.

24. The computer of claim 19, wherein decoding the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices is performed based on a read operational parameter.

25. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program of instructions configured to be executed by a processor to implement a method for execution by a dispersed storage processing module, the program of instructions comprising:

at least one instruction configured to receive, from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

at least one instruction configured to enter a loop for each of the plurality of playback requests, the loop including;

at least one instruction configured to retrieve a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

at least one instruction configured to generate copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a first copy is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second copy is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

at least one instruction configured to store the copies of the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices in a playback DSN memory;

at least one instruction configured, for each of at least some of the plurality of playback requests, to send a representation of a copy of the copies to a requesting device associated with a corresponding playback request; and

at least one instruction configured to, for each of the at least some of the plurality of playback requests.

26. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25, wherein the loop further comprises:

for each of at least some of the plurality of playback requests;

decoding a unique copy of the copies of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data, the unique copy based on at least retrieval with a unique pillar identifier, to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program; and

transmitting the group of decoded data segments to a requesting device associated with one of the playback requests.

27. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 26, wherein transmitting the group of decoded data segments includes transmitting a media object stream to the requesting device.

28. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 25, further comprising:

determining which group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve based, at least in part, on a read operational parameter.

29. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, on a memory utilization indicator.

30. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 28, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based in part, on a pillar availability indicator.

31. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program of instructions configured to be executed by a processor to implement a method for execution by a dispersed storage processing module, the program of instructions comprising:

at least one instruction configured to receive, from a plurality of requesting devices, a plurality of playback requests for a stored program, wherein the stored program is encoded via an error coding dispersal storage function to produce a plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices which are stored in dispersed storage network (DSN) memory, wherein each of the encoded data slices is encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to not include consecutive bits of a data segment, and wherein a group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to data within a time window of the stored program and a set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices corresponds to the data segment of the data within the time window and wherein the set of encoded data slices of the group of sets of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices are encoded via the error coding dispersal storage function to require a threshold number of data slices for decoding; and

at least one instruction configured to enter a loop for each of the plurality of playback requests, the loop including;

at least one instruction configured to retrieve a group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices from the DSN memory;

at least one instruction configured to decode the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to generate a group of decoded data segments representing the data within the time window of the stored program, wherein a first decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated from first encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and a second decoded data segment of the group of decoded data segments is generated using second encoded data slices included in the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices, and wherein the first encoded data slices are different from the second encoded data slices;

at least one instruction to make copies of the group of decoded data segments; and

at least one instruction configured to transmit the copies of the group of decoded data segments to the plurality of requesting devices associated with the plurality of playback requests.

32. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 31, further comprising:

determining the group of the plurality of groups of sets of encoded data slices to retrieve based, at least in part, on a read operational parameter.

33. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, based at least in part, on a system performance indicator.

34. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 32, wherein the read operational parameter is determined, at least in part based on how many playback requests for the stored program are received.

35. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 31, wherein the at least one instruction configured to transmit the copies of the group of decoded data segments to the plurality of requesting devices associated with the plurality of playback requests includes at least one instruction configured to transmit a media object stream to the plurality of requesting devices.