Patent ID: 6463454
Filing Date: 2002-10-08
Classification: G06F,G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
A request management system for placing requests for multi-media objects from independent clients onto servers distributed throughout a network having said objects, each server having a capacity for storing multi-media objects and, a streaming resource for delivering requested multi-media objects to clients, the system comprising:intermediary control means for receiving placement inquires for said multi-media objects from said clients, a requested object having a unique identifier associated therewith; first directory service means comprising a mapping of object identifiers to locations of associated object replicas at said servers, said first directory means for locating object replicas associated with the given object identifier; second directory service means for mapping available distributed servers with an indicator indicating degree of willingness of a respective server to receive placement inquiries and, determining a willingness of any such server to consider said placement inquiries for said object replicas; and, means for generating one or more placement inquiries to a willing server according to a predetermined policy, said intermediary control means forwarding a placement inquiry to said willing server.