Manifest Chunking for Dynamic CDN Re-localization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) face challenges in efficiently delivering content to mobile users as they change locations or networks, leading to suboptimal server selection and potential disruptions in media streaming due to pinned server locations based on initial access networks.
Innovation Solution
Implementing dynamic re-localization and manifest chunking by serving manifest files as subsets, allowing CDNs to reroute requests based on changing network conditions and correcting localization errors through the replacement of relative identifiers with absolute identifiers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the user device retrieves the manifest file using the access network, then the content delivery is optimized for the access network location, but the server selection becomes pinned to the access network location and cannot adapt when the user changes to a different network
Solution Approach 1:
The manifest file is divided into multiple chunks, each containing a subset of content segment URLs. This segmentation allows the system to periodically re-fetch manifest chunks when network conditions change, enabling server selection to be updated without interrupting the streaming of already-downloaded content chunks
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically determines whether to re-fetch manifest chunks based on current network conditions and playback state. The CDN can dynamically adjust which server serves subsequent manifest chunks based on the user's current network location, transforming the static server selection into a dynamic adaptation process
2Productivity
If the CDN continues to direct the user device to retrieve media segments from the original server, then the session remains stable, but the content delivery becomes suboptimal when the user device changes network location
Solution Approach 1:
By chunking the manifest file, the system reduces the complexity of complete manifest re-fetching while enabling periodic updates. Each manifest chunk is smaller and can be managed independently, allowing the player to replace only the relevant portion of the manifest URL list rather than managing an entire large manifest file
Solution Approach 2:
The media player automatically monitors playback progress and determines when to request the next manifest chunk based on current network conditions and content consumption state. This self-service approach reduces the need for complex external coordination while maintaining optimal content delivery
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations described and claimed herein provide a system and methods for dynamic re-localization and manifest chunking in a content delivery network. In one implementation, a request for content is received. A first manifest subset is provided using a network component in response to the request for content. The first manifest subset identifies a first set of one or more content segments and a second manifest subset. The first set of one or more content segments constitute a portion of the content, and the second manifest subset is identified at a tail of the first manifest subset. The first set of one or more content segments is served in response to separate requests. A request for the second manifest subset identifying a second set of one or more content segments is received. In another implementation, localization errors are remedied by replacing a relative identifier with an absolute identifier.