Pre-computing streaming media payload method and apparatus

A network attachable storage system comprising:

• a processor;
• a network interface coupled to the processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor, the memory storing instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the storage system to perform a process that includes:
• receiving a data file that includes encoded media data;
• determining header data from the data file;
• pre-computing a plurality of payload packets from the encoded media data;
• creating a session data file to store a portion of the header data, wherein the header data include an indication of an encoding scheme or a duration, or both;
• and
• creating a plurality of data objects that store the plurality of payload packets, wherein each data object of plurality of data objects is directly addressable in the storage system via an associated object handle, and wherein each data object of the plurality of data objects stores a set of payload packets from the plurality of payload packets.

An apparatus comprising:

• means for determining a plurality of payload data packets from a data file to be streamed to a client system;
• means for determining header data from the data file;
• means for storing a portion of the header data in a session data object in a cache memory;
• and
• means for storing the plurality of payload data packets in a plurality of data objects in the cache memory, wherein each data object of the plurality of data objects is directly addressable in the cache memory via an associated object handle, and wherein each data object of the plurality of data objects stores a portion of payload data stored in the payload data packets.