Resource allocation for video on demand

A resource manager for a video on demand system, the system comprising plural video servers coupled to be able to transmit a requested video stream to a corresponding one of users over different routes through a core network and over access networks, the core network having transmission capacity previously allocated to the video on demand system;

• the resource manager comprising a processor arranged to
• determine occupation information concerning how much of the previously allocated capacity of the core network is occupied by video streams already authorized for transmission, without obtaining such occupation information from the core network;
• send a control signal to a selected of the plural video servers to cause transmission of a new requested video stream to a user according to the determined occupation information;
• determine, from a record of video streams currently being transmitted, how much capacity is already occupied along a route of the new requested video stream through the core network;
• and
• select a route for one or more of the video streams through the core network in the case that there is more than one possible route, the route selecting comprising selecting which of the plural video servers to use for the respective requested video stream.

A method of operating a video on demand system, the system comprising plural video servers coupled to be able to transmit a requested video stream to a corresponding one of users over different routes through a core network and over access networks, the core network having transmission capacity previously allocated to the video on demand system, the method comprising:

• receiving a request from a user for a new video stream;
• determining, from a record of video streams currently being transmitted, occupation information concerning how much of the previously allocated capacity of the core network is occupied by video streams already authorised for transmission, without obtaining such occupation information from the core network;
• selecting a route for one or more of the video streams through the core network in the case that there is more than one possible route, the route selecting comprising selecting which of the plural video servers to use for the respective requested video stream;
• and
• sending a control signal to a selected one of the plural video servers to authorize transmitting the new requested video stream according to the occupation information.

A method of using a video on demand system, the system comprising plural video servers coupled to be able to transmit a requested video stream to a corresponding one of users over different routes through a core network and over access networks, the core network having transmission capacity previously allocated to the video on demand system, and the method comprising:

• sending a request by a user for a new video stream to the system to cause the system to:
• determine, from a record of video streams currently being transmitted, occupation information concerning how much of the previously allocated capacity of the core network is occupied by video streams already authorised for transmission, without obtaining such occupation information from the core network,
• authorize the new video stream to be transmitted, according to the determined occupation information, and
• select a route for one or more of the video streams through the core network in the case that there is more than one possible route, the route selecting comprising selecting which of the plural video servers to use for the respective requested video stream;
• and
• receiving the authorized video stream from the system for presentation to the user.

A method of operating a resource manager of a video on demand (VOD) system, the VOD system comprising plural video servers coupled to a core network and plural service groups also coupled to the core network, the video servers being configured to transmit video streams to end users via the core network and the service groups, each end user being connected to an service group, the method comprising:

• determining, by the resource manager, one or more possible routes for delivery of a newly requested video stream, each possible route being from one of the video servers to a requesting end user via the core network and the service group connected to the requesting end user;
• for each possible route, determining, by the resource manager, an occupation information of that route, the occupation information being associated with an amount of transmission capacity of that route occupied due to video streams already authorized for transmission by the VOD system;
• and
• selecting, by the resource manager, one of the possible routes as a delivery route based on the occupation information of the one or more possible routes,
• wherein in the step of determining the occupation information, the occupation information is not obtained from the core network.