JPH10233800A - System for managing client for multi-media server system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To guarantee the distribution service of the other client connected to a network by storing the data transfer capacity of the network to which the client is connected and controlling the permission capacity of the network. SOLUTION: A video server 1 accumulating video data for distribution requests from plural clients 4-11 and a control server 13 which intensively receives the distribution requests from the plural clients 4-11 through network connection units 2 and 3 and controls distribution are provided. The control server 13 receives the requests from the clients 4-11 and decides whether the requests from the clients 4-11 can be received or not. Information on the requests received at that time are stored in the management table of a client segment and are managed as present operation situations. A distribution operation on the clients 4-11 is executed without affecting the clients 4-11 belonging to the other segments.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention comprises a plurality of video servers (VS) for distributing video and a control server (CS) for controlling these and receiving requests from a plurality of clients in a centralized manner. The present invention relates to a multimedia server system, and in particular, manages a capacity of a network to which a client is connected in response to a service request from a plurality of clients (C), thereby appropriately controlling the amount of data flowing through each network. The present invention relates to a network management system for a client for the purpose of guaranteeing a video delivered by the client.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a conventional video server system comprising, for example, two video servers and three clients. In the figure, 1 is a video server, 4 to 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a client, and reference numerals 2 and 3 denote network connection devices for connecting the client, which connect only networks having the same capacity and standard.
On the other hand, reference numeral 12 also denotes a network connection device, which enables networks having different capacities to be connected to each other.

Next, the operation will be described. The video server 1 is not aware of the connection form of the clients 4 to 11. For this reason, when a connection request is issued from a client, the video server 1 only checks the resources of the video server itself and determines that distribution is possible if there is enough resources. For example, clients 4, 5, and 6
When a video of 3.0 Mbps is requested to be distributed to the video server 1, the video server 1 executes a distribution process of a total of 9 Mbps. On the other hand, the network to which the clients 4, 5, and 6 are connected is the hub 2, and it is assumed that the hub 2 has only a data transfer capacity of about 8 Mbps. As a result, the network transfer capacity becomes insufficient, and the images of the clients 3, 4, and 5 are interrupted or stopped.
This phenomenon often occurs not only at the time of distribution but also when a network is used for a long time such as when copying a file.

[0004]

Since the conventional video server distribution system is configured as described above, control is not performed in consideration of the data transfer capacity of the network to which the client is connected. For this reason, unless the client is connected based on physical restrictions and the system is configured, delivery from the client cannot be guaranteed,
When a distribution request larger than the network data transfer capacity is issued to the video server, the video server accepts the request as long as the resources permit, and as a result, the video is interrupted or stopped.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and stores the data transfer capacity of a network to which a client is connected, and stores network bandwidth information required for a distribution request from each client. An object of the present invention is to provide a client management method that guarantees a delivery service of another client connected to the network by controlling the allowable capacity of the network based on the network.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a client management system for a multimedia server system includes:
A plurality of clients, a network connection device that divides the clients into groups called segments, and is connected and arranged corresponding to the segments; a video server that stores video data in response to a distribution request from the client; and a network connection device. And a control server that centrally receives distribution requests from a plurality of clients and controls distribution.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the client management system of the multimedia server system according to the first aspect, the control server has information on the segment identifier to which the client belongs, information on the maximum transferable bandwidth of each segment, and information on each segment. The network usage status is managed based on the used bandwidth information.

According to a third aspect, in the client management system of the multimedia server system according to the second aspect, the control server checks a network use situation of a segment to which the client belongs in response to a distribution request from the client, and In the case where the segment capacity is exceeded due to the request, the distribution from the client is rejected, thereby guaranteeing the distribution service to other clients being distributed in the same segment.

According to a fourth aspect, in the client management system for the multimedia server system according to the second aspect, the control server confirms the network use status of the segment to which the client belongs in response to a copy request from the client. When the capacity of a segment is exceeded by a client request, a copy service from the client is rejected to guarantee a delivery service to another client being delivered in the same segment.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiment 1 FIG. Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing client management in a multimedia server according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a video server, and reference numerals 2 and 3 denote connection devices called hubs for connecting networks of the same capacity. Is the client,
Reference numeral 12 denotes a connection device of a heterogeneous network called a switch, and reference numeral 13 denotes a control server. The control server 13 receives requests from the clients 4 to 11 and determines whether or not requests from the clients 4 to 11 can be received. The information on the request received at this time is stored and managed in the client segment management table shown in FIG. 3 as the current operation status. Any number of video servers 1 and clients may be connected, and any connection may be used as long as the clients 4 to 11, the video server 1, and the control server 13 can communicate with each other in a network configuration. Absent.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a distribution permission / inhibition determination program on the control server 13 which acquires a distribution request from a client and determines whether or not distribution is possible. In the figure,
Reference numeral 21 denotes a distribution request input unit for inputting a distribution request (for example, file name information targeted for distribution request) from the client, 22 denotes a client segment management table for managing client segment information, and 23 denotes client management for managing client information. Table
It exists on the memory like the client segment management table. Reference numeral 24 denotes a database module for extracting static information such as segment information (31 to 33), client information (41, 48), and file information (42 to 46) stored in the database 27. Reference numeral 25 denotes a permission / non-permission information output means for outputting the determined contents of the permission / prohibition, and reference numeral 26 denotes a distribution permission / non-permission determining program for determining distribution permission / prohibition based on the management information of the client segment management table 22 and the client management table 23 from the distribution request information. . The distribution permission / inhibition determination program 26 determines which segment a client who has made a distribution request belongs to based on the distribution request file name obtained by the distribution request input unit 21 and the information in the client segment management table 22 and the information in the client management table 23. Judgment is made, and an empty bandwidth is calculated from the current distribution bandwidth 34 already used in the segment. Next, the available bandwidth is compared with the bandwidth 44 required for distribution among the information in the database 27 for the distribution request file obtained from the distribution request file name via the database access module 24 to determine whether the distribution is possible. decide. Note that the distribution request information may be only the distribution file name. However, in order to minimize the access to the database module 24 by the distribution permission / inhibition determination program 26, the client making the distribution request needs the distribution request file name 42. In addition, static information (for example, information of 43 to 46) stored in the database 27 may be simultaneously transferred.

FIG. 3 shows the contents of management in the client segment management table 22. In the figure, reference numeral 31 denotes a segment ID, which is an identification number for grouping and managing clients connected to the network. Numeral 32 denotes a name given to the segment ID, which is composed of a character string for easy recognition by the user. 33 is the maximum bandwidth of the segment, and 34 is the currently used bandwidth of the segment. It should be noted that 31, 32, and 33 are managed as static information, and are collectively read from a non-volatile storage medium such as the database 27 when the client management system is initialized. On the other hand, reference numeral 34 denotes dynamic information, which is updated and changed every time a distribution request or a copy request from a client occurs.

FIG. 4 shows the contents of management in the client management table 23. In the figure, reference numeral 41 denotes a client name indicating a client connected to the control server 13; 42, a file name to be distributed;
3 is the size of the file, 44 is the bandwidth required for distributing the distribution target file, 45 is the maximum distribution number indicating whether the file can be distributed to several clients at the same time, and 46 is the distribution target already. Video server, and considers the case where a plurality of video servers are configured. 47 indicates a current processing state (for example, a state of being reproduced or stopped) of the distribution target file indicated by 42, and 48 indicates a segment ID of a segment to which the client 41 belongs. The management data 42 to 46 are updated each time a distribution request from the client is generated or the processing for the request ends, and 47 indicates the operation / non-operation state regarding the management data (42 to 46) of the distribution file. It is for management. here,
41 and 48 are information relating to the client, and do not change as long as the client is connected to the control server via a network as a system configuration.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart relating to the distribution availability determination program 26 on the control server 13. The flowchart shows a process in the case where a video distribution request is made from the client to the control server 13, and the initialization process executed prior to the video distribution request when the system starts up is omitted. I have. In the initialization process, all the segment information 31, 32, and 33 registered in the system are extracted from the database access module 24, written into the client segment management table 22, and the currently connected client information 41 and 48 are extracted. Write to the client management table 23. Thereafter, based on the name of the client that has made the distribution request, it is determined which segment this belongs to, and it becomes possible to determine whether distribution is possible or not.

Next, the operation will be described. When a distribution request occurs, the segment ID 48 is obtained by referring to the client management table 23, the current used bandwidth and the maximum bandwidth are known by referring to the segment ID 31 of the client segment management table, and the bandwidth required for the distribution request is obtained. It is determined whether the condition of 44 is satisfied.
Hereinafter, description will be given based on a flowchart.

First, when the distribution request input unit 21 receives a file name from a client as distribution request information, the database access module 2
4 and retrieves the attribute information of the file for which the distribution request has been made.
6, and the fact that a distribution request has been made is written in the operation information 47.

In step S 102, the same ID as the segment ID 48 of the client management table 23 is assigned to the segment ID 3 of the client segment management table 22.
Find out from one. Here, the same ID as the segment ID 48 of the client management table 23 corresponds to the segment ID 31 of the client segment management table 22.
If it does not exist, it is determined that distribution is impossible in step 105 because the segment management method is inadequate.

In step S103, the maximum bandwidth 33 and the already used bandwidth 34 corresponding to the corresponding segment ID in the client segment management table 22 are taken out, and the free bandwidth is calculated. It is checked whether the bandwidth is sufficient compared with the bandwidth 44 required for distribution. At this time, the used bandwidth of the segment of the client segment management table 22 is 3
A similar function can be achieved even if 4 is managed as an available segment free bandwidth.

If the available bandwidth is sufficient for distribution, it is determined in step S104 that distribution is possible, and the client segment management table 2 is determined in step S106.
2, the value of the bandwidth 34 of the currently used segment is converted to the bandwidth 4 required for distribution of the file requested to be distributed.
Update to the value obtained by adding 4.

If the available bandwidth of the current segment is insufficient for distribution, step S105
Is determined to be undeliverable.

When a series of distribution processing is completed and a termination request is issued from the client, contrary to the distribution request, the bandwidth required for distribution of the file is calculated from the used bandwidth 34 of the corresponding segment. The value obtained by subtracting the value of 44 is updated as the in-use bandwidth 34.

Next, in order to indicate that the attribute information 41 to 46 of the distribution file in the client management table 23 is in the no-operation state, the no-operation state flag is set in the operation content 47, and the processing ends.

In the above embodiment, a video distribution request has been described as an example. However, the gist of the present invention is to prevent interruption of video and stop of distribution to other clients due to excess network capacity. In general, the effect of the distribution video on another client due to an operation request from one client is not only when a video distribution request is made from a client, but also when a large amount of data is sent to the network such as video data copy processing. Can always occur. Even if a large amount of data is transmitted simultaneously from a large number of clients, the same applies to the clients being distributed.

Therefore, the management method of the present embodiment can be applied to a process of copying video data from a video server to a client and a process of copying video data from a client to a video server. It is possible to guarantee the currently executing video distribution processing to the client.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, all the clients connected to the network are divided into one or more groups and managed as a unit called a segment. There is an effect that execution can be performed without affecting clients belonging to the segment.

In addition, since whether or not distribution is possible is determined based on the current bandwidth and the maximum bandwidth of the segment to which the client who has made the distribution request belongs, the current distribution operation of another client is interrupted. Since the distribution process can be performed without causing a failure such as stop or stop, the distribution process is guaranteed.

Furthermore, since the bandwidth of the segment is managed not only for the distribution but also for the operation request such as the copying of the video data, it is possible to similarly suppress the occurrence of a failure in the current operation of another client. There is an effect that the distribution processing is guaranteed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing client management according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a software configuration of a control server according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a client segment management table according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a client management table according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation of the control server according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a system configuration diagram of a conventional video server system.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Video server, 2 and 3 dumb hub, 4-11 clients, 12 network connection equipment, 13 control server, 21 distribution request input means, 22 client segment management table, 23 client management table, 24 database access module, 2
5 delivery availability information output means, 26 delivery availability determination program, 31 segment ID, 32 segment name, 3
3 segment maximum bandwidth, 34 segment in use bandwidth, 41 client name, 42 distribution target file name, 43 distribution target file size, 44 bandwidth required for file distribution, 45 maximum distribution number of the file in the system, 46 Name of the video server containing the distribution target file, 47 Operation details, 48 Segment ID.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continued on front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification code FI H04N 7/173

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of clients, a network connection device that divides the clients into groups called segments, and is connected and arranged corresponding to the segments, and a video server that stores video data in response to a distribution request from the clients. And a control server for centrally accepting distribution requests from a plurality of clients via the network connection device to control distribution, and a client management method for a multimedia server system. 2. The control server according to claim 1, wherein the control server manages a network usage status based on information on a segment identifier to which the client belongs, information on a maximum transferable bandwidth of each segment, and information on a used bandwidth in each segment. 2. The client management method for a multimedia server system according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The control server checks the network usage status of the segment to which the client belongs in response to a distribution request from the client, and if the client's request exceeds the segment capacity, distributes the distribution from the client. By rejecting,
3. The client management system for a multimedia server system according to claim 2, wherein a delivery service to another client being delivered in the same segment is guaranteed. 4. The control server checks the network usage status of the segment to which the client belongs in response to a copy request from the client, and if the segment exceeds the capacity of the segment due to the client's request, the control server sends the request from the client. 3. The client management system for a multimedia server system according to claim 2, wherein a delivery service for another client being delivered in the same segment is guaranteed by rejecting the copy request.