Patent ID: 6134596
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: H04L,H04N

Abstract:
In a continuous media file server system having multiple data servers connected to distribute data streams over a network, each data server supporting at least one storage disk, wherein data files are distributed across the data servers and stored on each of the storage disks, and wherein not all of the data files have the same transmission rate, a method comprising the following steps:scheduling when the data servers are to transmit segments of a first size of a first requested data file over the network and when the data servers are to transmit segments of a second size of a second requested data file over the network based on a network schedule arranged to maximize network bandwidth utilization, and wherein the first size is different from the second size;reading the segments from the disks associated with the data servers prior to when the data servers are scheduled to transmit the segments, andseparately, completely transmitting the segments of the first size and the segments of the second size during corresponding transmission times over single communication channels, wherein the transmission times are of equal fixed durations.