Distributed multimedia server system, multimedia information distribution method, and computer product

A distributed multimedia server system, in which multimedia information is divided to be stored, and distributed in response to a request from a terminal, the distributed multimedia server system comprising:

• a first server module that includes a buffer memory to store divided multimedia information;
• a second server module that is connected to a storage device that stores therein multimedia information in a divided manner, the first server module and the second server module being connected by a local area network;
• and
• an intercluster connection network, which connects the first server module and the second server module, that allows the first server module and the second server module to mutually access each other's memories by remote direct memory access, such that the first server module and the second server module are simultaneously connected by the local area network and the intercluster connection network, wherein
• the first server module includes
• a receiving unit that receives a first read request for multimedia information from a terminal;
• and
• a requesting unit that dynamically secures, in response to the first read request, an area of the buffer memory according to size of first divided multimedia information corresponding to the multimedia information requested by the first read request, and transmits a second read request for the first divided multimedia information to the second server module using a networking protocol over the local area network, the second read request including first memory information on the buffer memory, the first memory information including an address of a location on the buffer memory in which the first divided multimedia information is to be stored and the size of the first divided multimedia information therein, the address of the location allowing access to the location to transfer the first divided multimedia information thereto by remote direct memory access via the intercluster connection network;
• the second server module includes
• a first transferring unit that reads the first divided multimedia information requested by the second read request from the storage device to transfer, via the intercluster connection network, the first divided multimedia information to the buffer memory based on the address of the location and the size of the first divided multimedia information included in the first memory information using remote direct memory access;
• and
• a notifying unit that notifies the first server module that the first divided multimedia information has been written to the buffer memory using the networking protocol over the local area network;
• the first server module further includes
• a transmitting unit that transmits, using streaming transmission, the first divided multimedia information to any one of the terminal, another terminal, and an address specified by the first read request;
• and
• the second server module further includes
• a second transferring unit that reads second divided multimedia information which is to be read next to the first divided multimedia information from the storage device, while the transmitting unit is transmitting the first divided multimedia information which is read by the first transferring unit of the second server module.

A multimedia-information distribution method that is applied to a distributed multimedia server system, in which multimedia information is divided to be stored and distributed in response to a request from a terminal, the distributed multimedia server system including a first server module, a second server module that is connected to a storage device that stores therein multimedia information in a divided manner and includes a first and second buffer memory to store divided multimedia information read from the storage device, the first server module and the second server module being connected by a local area network, and an intercluster connection network, which connects the first server module and the second server module, that allows the first server module and the second server module to mutually access each other's memories by remote direct memory access, such that the first server module and the second server module are simultaneously connected by the local area network and the intercluster connection network, the multimedia-information distribution method comprising:

• receiving in the first server module a first read request for multimedia information from a terminal;
• transmitting by the first server module, in response to the first read request, a second read request for first divided multimedia information corresponding to the multimedia information to the second server module using a networking protocol over the local area network;
• dynamically securing by the second server module an area of the first buffer memory according to size of the first divided multimedia information requested by the second read request, reading by the second server module the first divided multimedia information from the storage device, and storing the first divided multimedia information in the first buffer memory;
• transmitting by the second server module first memory information on the first buffer memory that stores the first divided multimedia information to the first server module using the networking protocol over the local area network, the first memory information including an address of a location on the first buffer memory in which the first divided multimedia information is stored and the size of the first divided multimedia information therein, the address of the location allowing access to the location to obtain the first divided multimedia information therefrom by remote direct memory access via the intercluster connection network;
• obtaining by the first server module via the intercluster connection network the first divided multimedia information from the first buffer memory using remote direct memory access, based on the address of the location and the size of the first divided multimedia information included in the first memory information received from the second server module, and transmitting by the first server module, using streaming transmission, the first divided multimedia information to any one of the terminal, another terminal, and an address specified by the first read request;
• and
• reading by the second server module second divided multimedia information which is to be read next to the first divided multimedia data from the storage device, and stores the second divided multimedia information in the second buffer memory, while the first server module is obtaining and transmitting the first divided multimedia information which is read by the second server module.

A multimedia-information distribution method that is applied to a distributed multimedia server system, in which multimedia information is divided to be stored and distributed in response to a request from a terminal, the distributed multimedia server system including a first server module that includes a buffer memory to store divided multimedia information, a second server module that is connected to a storage device that stores therein multimedia information in a divided manner, the first server module and the second server module being connected by a local area network, and an intercluster connection network, which connects the first server module and the second server module, that allows the first server module and the second server module to mutually access each other's memories by remote direct memory access, such that the first server module and the second server module are simultaneously connected by the local area network and the intercluster connection network, the multimedia-information distribution method comprising:

• receiving in the first server module a first read request for multimedia information from a terminal;
• dynamically securing by the first server module, in response to the first read request, an area of the buffer memory according to size of first divided multimedia information corresponding to the multimedia information requested by the first read request, and transmitting by the first server module a second read request for the first divided multimedia information to the second server module using a networking protocol over the local area network, the second read request including memory information on the buffer memory, the memory information including an address of a location on the buffer memory in which the first divided multimedia information is to be stored and the size of the first divided multimedia information therein, the address of the location allowing access to the location to transfer the first divided multimedia information thereto by remote direct memory access via the intercluster connection network;
• reading by the second server module the first divided multimedia information requested by the second read request from the storage device to transfer, via the intercluster connection network, the first divided multimedia information to the buffer memory based on the address of the location and the size of the first divided multimedia information included in the memory information using remote direct memory access;
• notifying by the second server module the first server module that the first divided multimedia information has been written to the buffer memory using the networking protocol over the local area network;
• transmitting by the first server module, using streaming transmission, the first divided multimedia information to any one of the terminal, another terminal, and an address specified by the first read request;
• and
• reading by the second server module second divided multimedia information which is to be read next to the first divided multimedia information from the storage device, while the first server module is transmitting the first divided multimedia information which is read by the second server module.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a computer program that is applied to a distributed multimedia server system, in which multimedia information is divided to be stored and distributed in response to a request from a terminal, the distributed multimedia server system including a first server module, a second server module that is connected to a storage device that stores therein multimedia information in a divided manner and includes a first and second buffer memory to store divided multimedia information read from the storage device, the first server module and the second server module being connected by a local area network, and an intercluster connection network, which connects the first server module and the second server module, that allows the first server module and the second server module to mutually access each other's memories by remote direct memory access, such that the first server module and the second server module are simultaneously connected by the local area network and the intercluster connection network, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

• the first server module receiving a first read request for multimedia information from a terminal;
• the first server module transmitting, in response to the first read request, a second read request for first divided multimedia information corresponding to the multimedia information to the second server module using a networking protocol over the local area network;
• the second server module dynamically securing an area of the first buffer memory according to size of the first divided multimedia information requested by the second read request, reading the first divided multimedia information from the storage device, and storing the first divided multimedia information in the first buffer memory;
• the second server module transmitting first memory information on the first buffer memory that stores the first divided multimedia information to the first server module using the networking protocol over the local area network, the first memory information including an address of a location on the first buffer memory in which the first divided multimedia information is stored and the size of the first divided multimedia information therein, the address of the location allowing access to the location to obtain the first divided multimedia information therefrom by remote direct memory access via the intercluster connection network;
• the first server module obtaining via the intercluster connection network the first divided multimedia information from the first buffer memory using remote direct memory access, based on the address of the location and the size of the first divided multimedia information included in the first memory information received from the second server module, and transmitting the first divided multimedia information, using streaming transmission, to any one of the terminal, another terminal, and an address specified by the first read request;
• and
• the second server module reading second divided multimedia information which is to be read next to the first divided multimedia data from the storage device, and stores the second divided multimedia information in the second buffer memory, while the first server module is obtaining and transmitting the first divided multimedia information which is read by the second server module.

A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium encoded with a computer program that is applied to a distributed multimedia server system, in which multimedia information is divided to be stored and distributed in response to a request from a terminal, the distributed multimedia server system including a first server module that includes a buffer memory to store divided multimedia information, a second server module that is connected to a storage device that stores therein multimedia information in a divided manner, the first server module and the second server module being connected by a local area network, and an intercluster connection, which connects the first server module and the second server module, network that allows the first server module and the second server module to mutually access each other's memories by remote direct memory access, such that the first server module and the second server module are simultaneously connected by the local area network and the intercluster connection network, the computer program causing a computer to execute:

• the first server module receiving a first read request for multimedia information from a terminal;
• the first server module dynamically securing, in response to the first read request, an area of the buffer memory according to size of first divided multimedia information corresponding to the multimedia information requested by the first read request, and transmitting a second read request for the first divided multimedia information to the second server module using a networking protocol over the local area network, the second read request including memory information on the buffer memory, the memory information including an address of a location on the buffer memory in which the first divided multimedia information is to be stored and the size of the first divided multimedia information therein, the address of the location allowing access to the location to transfer the first divided multimedia information thereto by remote direct memory access via the intercluster connection network;
• the second server module reading the first divided multimedia information requested by the second read request from the storage device to transfer, via the intercluster connection network, the first divided multimedia information to the buffer memory based on the address of the location and the size of the first divided multimedia information included in the memory information using remote direct memory access;
• the second server module notifying the first server module that the first divided multimedia information has been written to the buffer memory using the networking protocol over the local area network;
• the first server module transmitting, using streaming transmission, the first divided multimedia information to any one of the terminal, another terminal, and an address specified by the first read request;
• and
• the second server module reading second divided multimedia information which is to be read next to the first divided multimedia information from the storage device, while the first server module is transmitting the first divided multimedia information which is read by the second server module.