The design and implementation of a multimedia storage server tosupport video-on-demand applications

In this paper we present the design and implementation of a client/server based multimedia architecture for supporting video-on-demand applications. We describe in detail the software architecture of the implementation along with the adopted buffering mechanism. The proposed multithreaded architecture obtains, on one hand, a high degree of parallelism at the server side, allowing both the disk controller and the network card controller work in parallel. On the other hand; at the client side, it achieves the synchronized playback of the video stream at its precise rate, decoupling this process from the reception of data through the network. Additionally, we have derived, under an engineering perspective, some services that a real-time operating system should offer to satisfy the requirements found in video-on-demand applications.This research has been supported by the Regional Research Plan of the Autonomus Community of Madrid under an F.P.I. research grant.Publicad

Efficient memory management in VOD disk array servers usingPer-Storage-Device buffering

We present a buffering technique that reduces video-on-demand server memory requirements in more than one order of magnitude. This technique, Per-Storage-Device Buffering (PSDB), is based on the allocation of a fixed number of buffers per storage device, as opposed to existing solutions based on per-stream buffering allocation. The combination of this technique with disk array servers is studied in detail, as well as the influence of Variable Bit Streams. We also present an interleaved data placement strategy, Constant Time Length Declustering, that results in optimal performance in the service of VBR streams. PSDB is evaluated by extensive simulation of a disk array server model that incorporates a simulation based admission test.This research was supported in part by the National R&D Program of Spain, Project Number TIC97-0438.Publicad

A cross-layer approach to enhance QoS for multimedia applications over satellite

The need for on-demand QoS support for communications over satellite is of primary importance for distributed multimedia applications. This is particularly true for the return link which is often a bottleneck due to the large set of end-users accessing a very limited uplink resource. Facing this need, Demand Assignment Multiple Access (DAMA) is a classical technique that allows satellite operators to offer various types of services, while managing the resources of the satellite system efficiently. Tackling the quality degradation and delay accumulation issues that can result from the use of these techniques, this paper proposes an instantiation of the Application Layer Framing (ALF) approach, using a cross-layer interpreter(xQoS-Interpreter). The information provided by this interpreter is used to manage the resource provided to a terminal by the satellite system in order to improve the quality of multimedia presentations from the end users point of view. Several experiments are carried out for different loads on the return link. Their impact on QoS is measured through different application as well as network level metrics

Minimizing buffer requirements in video-on-demand servers

23rd Euromicro Conference EUROMICRO 97: 'New Frontiers of Information Technology', Budapest, Hungary, 1-4 Sept 1997Memory management is a key issue when designing cost effective video on demand servers. State of the art techniques, like double buffering, allocate buffers in a per stream basis and require huge amounts of memory. We propose a buffering policy, namely Single Pair of Buffers, that dramatically reduces server memory requirements by reserving a pair of buffers per storage device. By considering in detail disk and network interaction, we have also identified the particular conditions under which this policy can be successfully applied to engineer video on demand servers. Reduction factors of two orders of magnitude compared to the double buffering approach can be obtained. Current disk and network parameters make this technique feasible.Publicad