Dr. Darrell Long

Improving Video-on-Demand Server Efficiency Through Stream Tapping

Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks

September 1997View full paper

Abstract

Efficiency is essential for Video-on-Demand (VOD) to be successful. Conventional VOD servers are inefficient; they dedicate a disk stream for each client, quickly using up all available streams. However, several systems have been proposed that allow clients to share streams. We present a new system called stream tapping that allows a client to greedily 'tap' data from any stream on the VOD server containing video data the client can use. This is accomplished through the use of a small buffer on the client set-top box and requires less than 20% of the disk bandwidth used by conventional systems for popular videos. We present a description and analysis of the stream tapping system as well as comparisons between it and other efficiency-improving systems.

BibTeX

@inproceedings{carter-procee97,
  author       = {Steven W. Carter and Darrell D. E. Long},
  title        = {Improving Video-on-Demand Server Efficiency Through Stream Tapping},
  booktitle    = {Proceedings of the Sixth International Conference on Computer Communications and Networks},
  publisher    = {IEEE},
  month        = sep,
  year         = {1997}
}
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