Rapid optimization of media stream bitrate

A method comprising:

• using at least one of a plurality of media servers during a first media session across a network connection, determining a stable bitrate value based on an actual rate at which at least one of the plurality of media servers receives packets across the network connection, the stable bitrate value for use across the network connection as an initial rate of transmitting multimedia data across the network connection to at least one of the plurality of media servers;
• storing, in a database, the stable bitrate value for the network connection in association with an identifier;
• repeating the determining and storing steps for multiple different sessions, connections and stable bitrate values;
• receiving a request from a client device to establish a second media session, and in response to the request, based on an identifier in the request, searching the database for a particular stable bitrate value that is associated with the identifier;
• in response to locating the particular stable bitrate value in the database and before receiving multimedia data from the client device, sending, by the at least one of the media servers, the particular stable bitrate value to the client device, wherein the client device is programmed to estimate an initial bitrate for transmitting multimedia data from the client device to the at least one of the plurality of media servers in the second media session;
• establishing, by at least one of the plurality of media servers, the second media session;
• receiving, initially and by at least one of the plurality of media servers, multimedia data from the client device at the initial bitrate based on the particular stable bitrate value.

A computer system comprising:

• a plurality of media servers comprising one or more processors and electronic digital memory storing one or more sequences of instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:
• using at least one of the plurality of media servers during a first media session across a network connection, determining a stable bitrate value based on an actual rate at which at least one of the plurality of media servers receives packets across the network connection, the stable bitrate value for use across the network connection as an initial rate of transmitting multimedia data across the network connection to at least one of the plurality of media servers;
• storing, in a database, the stable bitrate value for the network connection in association with an identifier;
• repeating the determining and storing steps for multiple different sessions, connections and stable bitrate values;
• receiving a request from a client device to establish a second media session, and in response to the request, based on an identifier in the request, searching the database for a particular stable bitrate value that is associated with the identifier;
• in response to locating the particular stable bitrate value in the database and before receiving multimedia data from the client device, sending, by the at least one of the media servers, the particular stable bitrate value to the client device, wherein the client device is programmed to estimate an initial bitrate for transmitting multimedia data from the client device to the at least one of the plurality of media servers in the second media session;
• establishing, by at least one of the plurality of media servers, the second media session;
• receiving, initially and by at least one of the plurality of media servers, multimedia data from the client device at the initial bitrate based on the particular stable bitrate value.

One or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors cause:

• using at least one of a plurality of media servers during a first media session across a network connection, determining a stable bitrate value based on an actual rate at which at least one of the plurality of media servers receives packets across the network connection, the stable bitrate value for use across the network connection as an initial rate of transmitting multimedia data across the network connection to at least one of the plurality of media servers;
• storing, in a database, the stable bitrate value for the network connection in association with an identifier;
• repeating the determining and storing steps for multiple different sessions, connections and stable bitrate values;
• receiving a request from a client device to establish a second media session, and in response to the request, based on an identifier in the request, searching the database for a particular stable bitrate value that is associated with the identifier;
• in response to locating the particular stable bitrate value in the database and before receiving multimedia data from the client device, sending, by the at least one of the media servers, the particular stable bitrate value to the client device, wherein the client device is programmed to estimate an initial bitrate for transmitting multimedia data from the client device to the at least one of the plurality of media servers in the second media session;
• establishing, by at least one of the plurality of media servers, the second media session;
• receiving, initially and by at least one of the plurality of media servers, multimedia data from the client device at the initial bitrate based on the particular stable bitrate value.