Video distribution system using dynamic disk load balancing with variable sub-segmenting

A data object service system in communication with a plurality of computing systems to provide at least one data object of plurality of data objects to at least one of the plurality of computing system, comprising:

• a plurality of data object storage devices in communication with each other and with any of the plurality of computing systems;
• and
• a load balancing apparatus in communication with the plurality of data object storage devices to balance a loading of said data object storage devices during transfer of said data objects,
• whereby said load balancing apparatus comprises:
• a load evaluator to assess the loading of the data object storage devices containing segments of said data objects,
• a data object storage device selector to create a selection list to indicate selection of those data object storage devices containing copies of each segment of a requested data object having the least loading, and
• a copying initiator to initiate a copying and further segmenting of a segment of the data object to an alternate data object storage devices having low loading if all data object storage devices containing said segment have a loading greater than a maximum loading, whereby said copying initiator generates a sub-segment list for any segment of the requested data object residing on said data object storage device that would have a loading greater than the maximum loading if said segment of the requested data object were transferred, determines a load margin for all available data object storage devices, assigns locations for each sub-segment on each available data object storage device having the least loading, and assigns file names to each sub-segment.

An apparatus for balancing a loading of data storage devices attached to multiple computing systems comprising:

• means for acquiring a listing of locations of all segments of a requested data object including all copies of said segments and sub-segments of the requested data object;
• means for evaluating the loading of the data storage devices attached to the multiple computing systems containing all copies of all segments of the requested data object;
• means for selecting data storage devices containing copies of each segment of the data object having a least loading, which is less than a maximum loading for said data storage devices;
• means for generating a sub-segment list for any segment of the requested data object residing on said data storage device would have a loading greater than the maximum loading if said segment of the requested data object were transferred,
• means for determining a load margin for all available data storage devices;
• means for assigning locations for each sub-segment on each available data storage device having the least loading;
• means for assigning file names to each sub-segment,
• whereby said means for generating a sub-segment list, said means for determining a load margin, said means for assigning locations for each sub-segment, and said means for assigning file names function if the loading of the data storage devices is greater than the maximum loading for said data storage devices;
• means for selecting said each available data storage device containing each sub-segment;
• and
• means for transferring those segments of said requested data object to a requesting computer system.

A medium for retaining a computer program which, when executed on a computing system, balances a loading of data storage devices attached to multiple computing systems, whereby said program executes the steps of:

• acquiring a listing of locations of all segments of a requested data object including all copies of said segments and sub-segments of the requested data object;
• evaluating the loading of the data storage devices attached to the multiple computing systems containing all copies of all segments of the requested data object;
• selecting data storage devices containing copies of each segment of the requested data object having a least loading, which is less than a maximum loading for said data storage devices;
• if the loading of the data storage devices is greater than the maximum loading for said data storage devices, generating a sub-segment list for any segment of the requested data object residing on said data storage device would have a loading greater than the maximum loading if said segment of the requested data object were transferred, determining a load margin for all available data storage devices, assigning locations for each sub-segment on each available data storage device having the least loading, and assigning file names to each sub-segment;
• selecting said each available data storage device containing each sub-segment;
• and
• transferring those segments of said requested data object to a requesting computer system.

A method for balancing a loading of data storage devices containing video data objects attached to multiple computing systems comprising the steps of:

• acquiring a listing of locations of all segments of a requested video data object including all copies of said segments of the requested video data object;
• evaluating the loading of the data storage devices attached to the multiple computing systems containing all copies of all segments of the reqested video data object;
• selecting data storage devices containing copies of each segment of the video data object having a least loading, which is less than a maximum loading for said data storage devices;
• if the loading of the data storage devices is greater than the maximum loading for said data storage devices, generating a sub-segment list for any segment of the requested video data object residing on said data storage device would have a loading greater than the maximum loading if said segment of the requested video data object were transferred, determining a load margin for all available data storage devices, assigning locations for each sub-segment on each available data storage device having the least loading, and assigning file names to each sub-segment;
• selecting said each available data storage device containing each sub-segment;
• and
• transferring those segments of said requested video data object to a requesting computer system.

A video data object service system in communication with a plurality of computing systems to provide at least one video data object of plurality of video data object to at least one of the plurality of computing system, comprising:

• a plurality of video data object storage devices in communication with each other and with any of the plurality of computing systems;
• and
• a load balancing apparatus in communication with the plurality of video data object storage devices to balance a loading of said video data object storage devices during transfer of said video data objects,
• said load balancing apparatus comprising:
• a load evaluator to assess the loading of the video data object storage devices containing segments of said video data objects,
• a video data object storage device selector to create a selection list to indicate selection of those video data object storage devices containing copies of each segment of a requested video data object having the least loading, and
• a copying initiator to initiate a copying and further segmenting of a segment of the video data object to an alternate video data object storage devices having low loading if all video data object storage devices containing said segment have a loading greater than a maximum loading, whereby said copying initiator generates a sub-segment list for any segment of the requested video data object residing on said video data object storage device that would have a loading greater than the maximum loading if said segment of the requested video data object were transferred, determines a load margin for all available video data object storage devices, assigns locations for each sub-segment on each available video data object storage device having the least loading, and assigns file names to each sub-segment.