Server Timestamp Mechanism for Managing Multi-Client Network Session Latency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Multi-client network services, such as multiplayer online games and video-on-demand services, face performance degradation when a large number of new users attempt to join simultaneously, leading to increased data traffic latency and a poor experience for both new and existing users.
Innovation Solution
The system issues timestamps to new users and monitors load metrics in real-time to determine if the system is above a certain threshold, allowing only existing users to join until the load capacity is increased or scaled, and prioritizes users based on device type or account level, while also using historical data for predictive scaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If the server allows all new users to join simultaneously, then the service is accessible to maximum users, but the data traffic latency increases and service performance degrades
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by issuing timestamps to new users before they can actually join the game. When latency thresholds are exceeded, the system preemptively prevents new session initiations while allowing existing sessions to continue, thereby avoiding the harmful effect of overloaded data traffic while maintaining user accessibility
Solution Approach 2:
The timestamp mechanism serves as an intermediary between new users and the game service. Instead of directly connecting users to the game (which causes latency when overloaded), the timestamp acts as a buffer that decouples user access requests from actual game session initiation, allowing the system to control joining rates without completely blocking users
2Reliability
If the server restricts new users from joining to maintain performance, then service performance is maintained, but new users experience delays and poor experience
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors data traffic latency and uses this feedback to dynamically control new session initiations. When latency exceeds thresholds, the system feedback loop triggers timestamp expiration for new users, preventing further joins. This feedback mechanism maintains performance while minimizing wait time by allowing joins when conditions permit
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts its accessibility based on real-time conditions. The timestamp expiration mechanism allows the system to flexibly control user access - timestamps remain valid when performance is good (allowing joins) and expire when performance degrades (preventing joins). This dynamic approach optimizes both performance maintenance and user experience by adapting to current system state
3Reliability
If existing users are prioritized during high load, then existing user experience is maintained, but new users face indefinite delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses disposable timestamps with limited lifetimes as a low-cost mechanism to manage new user access. These timestamps are inexpensive to issue and validate, and their short lifespan automatically expires if not used promptly, providing a flexible but controlled way to offer new users access opportunities without compromising existing user performance
Data Source
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AI summary
A system includes at least one server that is configured to provide a multi-client network service to a plurality of existing users. When the server receives requests to join the multi-client network service from new users, the server may issue timestamps to each new user, obtain load metric based on the requests or timestamps, and collect the load metric to obtain historical data characterizing a demand in the multi-client network service over time. Further, based on the historical data, the server can predict a future load demand in the multi-client network service and selectively enable to join the multi-client network service by at least one of the plurality of new users based on the future load demand.