Job Dispatcher for Transcoding Jobs in Distributed File Systems
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In video content distribution systems, transcoding video files across nodes in a distributed file system is inefficient due to the need for frequent file transfers between nodes, which consumes network bandwidth and underutilizes processing power in nodes primarily responsible for storage.
Innovation Solution
A method to dispatch transcoding jobs to nodes that already store the source files, leveraging their increased processing power and minimizing network bandwidth by determining the location of the source files and considering factors like node workload, job capacity, and tag associations to optimize job assignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If video files are transferred to specialized processing nodes for transcoding, then transcoding efficiency is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines storage and processing functions into a single node type. Storage nodes are equipped with both storage capabilities and processing power, allowing them to perform transcoding operations locally on the files they store, eliminating the need to transfer files to separate processing nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The job dispatcher acts as an intermediary that intelligently assigns transcoding jobs to appropriate storage nodes based on file location, node capacity, and workload. It mediates between the need for efficient transcoding and the constraint of network bandwidth by making optimized routing decisions.
2Ease of manufacture
If storage nodes have limited processing power, then storage specialization is maintained, but transcoding capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
Storage nodes are designed with multi-functionality, incorporating both storage systems and processing units. This universal design allows the same node to perform both file storage and video transcoding operations, eliminating the trade-off between storage specialization and processing capability.
3Reliability
If multiple nodes are used for storage and processing, then system reliability is improved, but job assignment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The job dispatcher continuously monitors node status, including available capacity, current workload, and operational state. This feedback mechanism enables dynamic and intelligent job assignment decisions, balancing system reliability with manageable complexity through real-time awareness of the distributed system state.
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a method determines a job to dispatch for transcoding a source file. The source file is stored on a node in a distributed file system in which a plurality of nodes are storing a plurality of source files. The method then determines location information for the source file in the distributed file system where the location information identifies the node in which the source file is stored. Also, a node in the plurality of nodes is determined in which to dispatch the job based on the location information for the source file. Then, the job is dispatched to the determined node such that transcoding of the source file is performed on the determined node. The determined node that performs the transcoding of the source file is also storing at least a portion of the plurality of source files.