Content manager

Abstract

The invention relates to tracking content objects in a content distribution system. In one embodiment, a content serving system for tracking content objects stored on a plurality of remotely-located content exchanges includes a content source, a content server, a local content catalog and location information. The content source provides a content object to the system. The content server is coupled to the content source and comprises one or more content objects. The content server provides copies and partial copies of the one or more content objects. Included in the local content catalog is information on the one or more content objects stored on the content server. The location information is for the plurality of remotely-located content exchanges.

Description

[0001] This application benefits from US Provisional Application No. 60 / 209,007, filed June 1,2000. technical field

[0002] The present invention relates generally to content distribution, and more particularly to improving quality of service (QOS) in distributing content over the Internet. Background technique

[0003] In order to provide sufficient QOS, it is required to deliver large content objects with high quality at a constant minimum rate. A live video broadcast is a good example of a large content object delivered at a constant minimum rate. Unfortunately, the Internet is a poor network for this type of broadcast because: there is a loss of data quality for each of the many possible retransmissions; most transmissions have bandwidth constraints; and the Internet cannot stream data at a constant data rate.

[0004] As mentioned above, it is questionable to transfer large objects at a constant data rate without loss of information. To address these concerns, the s...

Examples

other Embodiment approach

[0032] Other implementations may have multiple Active Directories. Users of the system can be divided among multiple active directories in order to distribute the load. Additionally, other Active Directories can be used redundantly so that if one Active Directory goes offline, the other Active Directory can absorb the load.

[0033] In some implementations, the origin server 108 provides sources of content objects, directs users to preferred sources of content objects, and provides directory information to the active directory 104 . The origin server 108 introduces content objects to the system 100 . Introduction involves selection by an origin server administrator of content objects to be made available to Active Directory 104 . A manager may be a person or system that manages origin server 108 . A content object may include previously stored information or a streaming feed of information. On a predetermined basis, origin server 108 provides a catalog of selected informat...

other Embodiment approach

[0092] Other embodiments may transmit metadata in any type of data channel, not just through HTTP headers. For example, metadata can travel through dedicated ports, IP addresses, URLs, headers, or other logical channels.

[0093] Preference information 512 is the result of network analysis performed from the perspective of client computer 112 . When a content object is requested, preference information 512 is passed to content object manager 312, which in turn selects an appropriate content exchange 116 for client computer 112. The preference information 512 may be updated periodically (eg, every hour) by automatic testing or manually by the user. Subsequent tests take into account previous results in order to efficiently consider preferred content exchanges. For example, a first analysis may examine 100 content exchanges, while subsequent analyzes may exclude poorer performing content exchanges so that only 50 are analyzed.

[0094] Preference information 512 includes a li...

[0001] This application benefits from US Provisional Application No. 60 / 209,007, filed June 1,2000. technical field

[0002] The present invention relates generally to content distribution, and more particularly to improving quality of service (QOS) in distributing content over the Internet. Background technique

[0003] In order to provide sufficient QOS, it is required to deliver large content objects with high quality at a constant minimum rate. A live video broadcast is a good example of a large content object delivered at a constant minimum rate. Unfortunately, the Internet is a poor network for this type of broadcast because: there is a loss of data quality for each of the many possible retransmissions; most transmissions have bandwidth constraints; and the Internet cannot stream data at a constant data rate.

[0004] As mentioned above, it is questionable to transfer large objects at a constant data rate without loss of information. To address these concerns, the s...

Examples

other Embodiment approach

[0032] Other implementations may have multiple Active Directories. Users of the system can be divided among multiple active directories in order to distribute the load. Additionally, other Active Directories can be used redundantly so that if one Active Directory goes offline, the other Active Directory can absorb the load.

[0033] In some implementations, the origin server 108 provides sources of content objects, directs users to preferred sources of content objects, and provides directory information to the active directory 104 . The origin server 108 introduces content objects to the system 100 . Introduction involves selection by an origin server administrator of content objects to be made available to Active Directory 104 . A manager may be a person or system that manages origin server 108 . A content object may include previously stored information or a streaming feed of information. On a predetermined basis, origin server 108 provides a catalog of selected informat...

other Embodiment approach

[0092] Other embodiments may transmit metadata in any type of data channel, not just through HTTP headers. For example, metadata can travel through dedicated ports, IP addresses, URLs, headers, or other logical channels.

[0093] Preference information 512 is the result of network analysis performed from the perspective of client computer 112 . When a content object is requested, preference information 512 is passed to content object manager 312, which in turn selects an appropriate content exchange 116 for client computer 112. The preference information 512 may be updated periodically (eg, every hour) by automatic testing or manually by the user. Subsequent tests take into account previous results in order to efficiently consider preferred content exchanges. For example, a first analysis may examine 100 content exchanges, while subsequent analyzes may exclude poorer performing content exchanges so that only 50 are analyzed.

[0094] Preference information 512 includes a li...

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