A Case for Hybrid Content Distribution for Interactive Video-on-Demand

With the advent of numerous video distribution services, content distribution networks (CDNs) are under increasing demand. Given the associated expenses, many organisations have made use of peer-to-peer (P2P) approaches to offset bandwidth costs. Unfortunately, using clients as part of the delivery process can vastly increase load on service providers´ networks. Furthermore, many approaches thus far lack the ability for interactive, on-demand viewing. For these reasons, this paper considers how ´hybrid´ methods could alleviate these issues, through simulations of delivery methodologies in a CDN context. As it is unlikely that any one method will suffice for all content, network and audience types, a successful system should adapt in response to changes, as outlined in this paper.