Optimized Content Distribution in a Push-VoD Scenario

This paper discusses a novel approach for distributing a large number of multimedia (video) titles to users via a managed network infrastructure based on DSL technology. The approach, sometimes called push-VoD, is based on multicasting and the direct download of the content on user disks, followed by the local, but delayed playback of the video. We analyze in a first step the optimization problems related to the efficient packing of multicast trees on capacity constrained links. Then, we show that the model in which the user requests several alternative titles for download performs much better than the single title case. Finally, we consider the multiperiod scheduling performance and describe ways to reduce both the number of downloads of the same title and the delivery time of less frequent titles.