Patent ID: 6377996
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
A method for dynamically switching a source of streaming of data stored in distributed servers from a primary server to a target server in a network comprised of one or more primary servers, one or more target servers and one or more clients, said method comprising the following steps:a. enhancing said data by dynamically inserting markers into a stream of said data, said markers identifying locations in said stream of data, and including segmentation information which are exchanged among all said primary servers and all said target servers during streaming of said data; b. streaming said data from said primary server to a client; c. waiting for and retrieving a marker in said stream of data, the segmentation information of said marker identifying a location in said stream of data where said target server is to commence streaming of said data to said client; d. initiating and communicating a migration request message by said primary server to said target server and receiving a migration acceptance message from said target server; e. initiating and communicating a migration warning message by said primary server to said client and receiving a migration warning acceptance message from said client; f. instructing said target server to stream said data to said client from said location identified by said marker in response to receipt of said migration warning acceptance message from said client; and g. stopping said streaming of data from said primary server to said client at reception of a migration tear-down notification message from said client, wherein a seamless migration of said client between said primary server and said target server is performed to thereby increase resource availability at said primary server.