Nearest Peer Download Policy for P2P Live Streaming Load Balancing
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Solution Overview
Problem
In P2P live streaming networks, peers often download content directly from the streaming server due to high churn and latency issues, leading to minimal savings in streaming server bandwidth utilization, as they struggle to find peers with useful content for data distribution.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for arranging peers in a P2P network by determining a distribution level for new peers relative to the streaming source, providing them with a list of peers to download from based on expected probability, and prioritizing nearest peers with lower latency and higher upload capacity to optimize data distribution and reduce server load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If peers download content directly from the streaming server, then content availability is ensured, but streaming server bandwidth utilization increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the peer network into multiple distribution levels (tiers) based on peers' upload capacity and distance from the streaming source. Peers at different levels serve different functions: higher-level peers with greater upload capacity serve lower-level peers, creating a hierarchical structure that distributes server load across multiple tiers while ensuring content availability through organized peer-to-peer sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically changes peer parameters including distribution level assignment, upload capacity evaluation, and distance metrics from the streaming source. By adjusting these parameters and reassigning peers to appropriate distribution levels based on their current state, the system optimizes bandwidth utilization while maintaining reliable content delivery.
2Reliability
If peers are arranged in a mesh-based system, then robustness to high churn is achieved, but setup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-determining peer distribution levels and organizing the peer network into a hierarchical structure before high-churn events occur. When peers join or leave, the system can quickly reassign them to appropriate levels based on their upload capacity, avoiding the need for time-consuming mesh negotiations while maintaining robustness through the pre-established hierarchical framework.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic hierarchical structure where peers can move between distribution levels based on changing network conditions, upload capacity, and churn events. This dynamic reassignment allows the system to adapt quickly to peer joins and departures without requiring complete mesh reconfiguration, thus reducing setup time while maintaining robustness.
3Reliability
If peers start streaming data content from the same point in time, then synchronization is achieved, but peer-to-peer download probability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a new dimension - distribution levels - to organize peers hierarchically based on their upload capacity and distance from the streaming source. Instead of all peers operating at the same level, the system creates multiple tiers where higher-level peers serve lower-level peers, increasing peer-to-peer download probability while maintaining synchronization through the structured hierarchical arrangement.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of and a device for, arranging peers in a P2P network comprising a streaming source and network peers arranged at distribution levels in the P2P network. The method comprises receiving a request from a peer entering the network to receive data content, and determining a distribution level in the P2P network at which the entering peer is to be arranged with respect to the streaming source. Further, the method comprises providing the entering peer with a plurality of peers selected from the network peers from which the requested data content can be downloaded with an expected probability depending on the determined distribution level, and further indicating the distribution level of each of the plurality of peers, wherein the entering peer is enabled to download, with the expected probability, the requested data content from a selected one of said plurality of peers being arranged at a distribution level closest to that determined for the entering peer.The present invention further relates to a method of requesting data content in a P2P network and a peer device.