Segment-based model of file accesses for streaming files

A method for modeling accesses of a streaming file from a server, the method comprising:

• identifying, for a time interval of interest, at least one request received at a server for accessing a streaming file;
• for each of said at least one request, determining a segment of said streaming file accessed during the time interval of interest;
• and
• if multiple requests are identified for said streaming file during said time interval of interest, then determining, from the determined segments of said streaming file accessed by each of said multiple requests, at least one unique segment of said streaming file that was most recently accessed within said time interval of interest.

Computer-executable software code stored to a computer-readable medium, the computer-executable software code comprising:

• code for identifying, for a time interval of interest, at least one request received at a server for accessing a streaming file;
• code for determining, for each of said at least one request, a segment of said streaming file accessed during the time interval of interest;
• and
• code for determining, if multiple requests are identified for said streaming file during said time interval of interest, at least one unique segment of said streaming file that was most recently accessed within said time interval of interest.

A method of modeling streaming file accesses, said method comprising:

• creating a segment-based data structure modeling streaming file accesses, wherein the data structure for a streaming file comprises
• (a) identification of at least one unique segment of the streaming file that was accessed by at least one client of a media server, and
• (b) identification of a corresponding timestamp of a most recent access of each of said at least one unique segment,
• wherein said creating a segment-based data structure comprises:
• determining all segments of said streaming file accessed by clients of a server during a time interval of interest;
• determining corresponding timestamps of accesses of each segment;
• and
• determining a most recent access of each segment.