Cooperative Caching for Multimedia Streaming in Overlay Networks

Traditional data caching, such as web caching, only focuses on how to boost the hit rate of requested objects in caches, and therefore, how to reduce the initial delay for object retrieval. However, for multimedia objects, not only reducing the delay of object retrieval, but also provisioning reasonably stable network bandwidth to clients, while the fetching of the cached objects goes on, is important as well. In this paper, we propose our cooperative caching scheme for a multimedia delivery scenario, supporting a large number of peers over peer-to-peer overlay networks. In order to facilitate multimedia streaming and downloading service from servers, our caching scheme (1) determines the appropriate availability of cached stream segments in a cache community, (2) determines the appropriate peer for cache replacement, and (3) performs bandwidth-aware and availability-aware cache replacement. By doing so, it achieves (1) small delay of stream retrieval, (2) stable bandwidth provisioning during retrieval session, and (3) load balancing of clients' requests among peers

A Literature Survey of Cooperative Caching in Content Distribution Networks

Content distribution networks (CDNs) which serve to deliver web objects (e.g., documents, applications, music and video, etc.) have seen tremendous growth since its emergence. To minimize the retrieving delay experienced by a user with a request for a web object, caching strategies are often applied - contents are replicated at edges of the network which is closer to the user such that the network distance between the user and the object is reduced. In this literature survey, evolution of caching is studied. A recent research paper [15] in the field of large-scale caching for CDN was chosen to be the anchor paper which serves as a guide to the topic. Research studies after and relevant to the anchor paper are also analyzed to better evaluate the statements and results of the anchor paper and more importantly, to obtain an unbiased view of the large scale collaborate caching systems as a whole.Comment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Ontology-based specific and exhaustive user profiles for constraint information fusion for multi-agents

Intelligent agents are an advanced technology utilized in Web Intelligence. When searching information from a distributed Web environment, information is retrieved by multi-agents on the client site and fused on the broker site. The current information fusion techniques rely on cooperation of agents to provide statistics. Such techniques are computationally expensive and unrealistic in the real world. In this paper, we introduce a model that uses a world ontology constructed from the Dewey Decimal Classification to acquire user profiles. By search using specific and exhaustive user profiles, information fusion techniques no longer rely on the statistics provided by agents. The model has been successfully evaluated using the large INEX data set simulating the distributed Web environment

Developing the Scottish cooperative infrastructure: the what, who, where, when and why of SPEIR

Brief article describing SPEIR (pronounced "speer"): "Scottish Portals for Education, Information and Research". SPEIR is intended to develop an environment to underpin Scottish portals, creating the basis for: "a coherent virtual learning, information and research landscape for all Scottish citizens, collaboratively built and maintained via an agreed country-wide, standards-based, globally interoperable, co-operative infrastructure"

Impact of Digital Technology on Library Resource Sharing: Revisiting LABELNET in the Digital Age

The digital environment has facilitated resource sharing by breaking the time and distance barriers to efficient document delivery. However, for the librarians, this phenomenon has brought more challenging technical and technological issues demanding addition of more knowledge and skills to learn and new standards to develop. The overwhelming speed and growing volume of digital information is now becoming unable to acquire and manage by single libraries. Resource sharing, which used to be a side business in the librarianship trade, is now becoming the flagship operation in the library projects

PACMAS: A Personalized, Adaptive, and Cooperative MultiAgent System Architecture

In this paper, a generic architecture, designed to support the implementation of applications aimed at managing information among different and heterogeneous sources, is presented. Information is filtered and organized according to personal interests explicitly stated by the user. User pro- files are improved and refined throughout time by suitable adaptation techniques. The overall architecture has been called PACMAS, being a support for implementing Personalized, Adaptive, and Cooperative MultiAgent Systems. PACMAS agents are autonomous and flexible, and can be made personal, adaptive and cooperative, depending on the given application. The peculiarities of the architecture are highlighted by illustrating three relevant case studies focused on giving a support to undergraduate and graduate students, on predicting protein secondary structure, and on classifying newspaper articles, respectively

Distributed Information Retrieval using Keyword Auctions

This report motivates the need for large-scale distributed approaches to information retrieval, and proposes solutions based on keyword auctions

Towards improved performance and interoperability in distributed and physical union catalogues

Purpose of this paper: This paper details research undertaken to determine the key differences in the performance of certain centralised (physical) and distributed (virtual) bibliographic catalogue services, and to suggest strategies for improving interoperability and performance in, and between, physical and virtual models. Design/methodology/approach: Methodically defined searches of a centralised catalogue service and selected distributed catalogues were conducted using the Z39.50 information retrieval protocol, allowing search types to be semantically defined. The methodology also entailed the use of two workshops comprising systems librarians and cataloguers to inform suggested strategies for improving performance and interoperability within both environments. Findings: Technical interoperability was permitted easily between centralised and distributed models, however the various individual configurations permitted only limited semantic interoperability. Significant prescription in cataloguing and indexing guidelines, greater participation in the Program for Collaborative Cataloging (PCC), consideration of future 'FRBR' migration, and greater disclosure to end users are some of the suggested strategies to improve performance and semantic interoperability. Practical implications: This paper informs the LIS research community and union catalogue administrators, but also has numerous practical implications for those establishing distributed systems based on Z39.50 and SRW, as well as those establishing centralised systems. What is original/value of the paper?: The paper moves the discussion of Z39.50 based systems away from anecdotal evidence and provides recommendations based on testing and is intimately informed by the UK cataloguing and systems librarian community