Abstract: A method, system and product for dynamically managing a pool of execution units in a server system, the pool devoted to a communication process between client and server processes. A minimum and a maximum number of execution units in the communication process poolis established. The minimum number of execution units is the number necessary to support a typical client load. The maximum number of execution units is an upper bound to support a peak client load without overloading the server system. As client requests for service are received by the server system, a number of determinations are made. It is determined whether assigning an execution unit to the request would bring a current number of execution units in the communication process pool over the maximum number of execution units. If so, the client request is rejected.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system is provided including a multimedia server connected in a network configuration with client computer systems. The multimedia server includes various functional units which are selectively operable for delivering and effecting the presentation of multimedia files to the client such that a plurality of multimedia files are seamlessly concatenated on the fly to enable a continuous and uninterrupted presentation to the client. In one example, client selected video files are seamlessly joined together at the server just prior to file delivery from the server. The methodology includes the analog to digital encoding of multimedia segments followed by a commonization processing to ensure that all of the multimedia segments have common operating characteristics.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program are provided for a control server in a client/server environment wherein an API framework facilitates scalable, network transparent, integrated multimedia content loading and data streaming. Concurrent real time content loading and data streaming are possible and techniques are included for admitting new streams only when they can be serviced without negatively affecting current system performance.

Abstract: A method of delivering data in an on-time manner across a communicating environment, such as multimedia data in a network or broadcast environment. The data is transmitted from a data pump at a revised transmission time which is a function of a base transmission time and a delay value. The delay value is calibrated by monitoring one or more processes between the data pump and an associated controller which receives requests from clients. The controller may include an application server which handles the requests, and a control server which processes commands from the application server and provides corresponding control functions to the data pump.

Abstract: An object oriented representation for sending network protocol requests between a first and a second process in a computer network. In an object oriented implementation of a protocol stack a network definition object is used for defining an interface to a communication endpoint for a client application and a network address object for defining the communication endpoint. The protocol stack is formed by layers of instances of a protocol interface class object for defining protocol interface for a protocol layer in the protocol stack and a protocol layer class object for defining the protocol layers in the stack. The network protocol requests are sent in an instance of one of a set of network operation classes each of which correspond to a method in the protocol interface class. The client requests are wrapped in the network operation object which contains all the necessary information so the request can be presented to the appropriate protocol layer object in the protocol stack.

Abstract: An object oriented network event management framework for managing network protocol events in a computer network. The framework contains a network protocol event class object which includes a first set of network protocol event types, i.e. class definitions, which occur at multiple protocol layers. The network protocol event class object also includes a second set of network protocol event types which occur at specific protocol layers. A network protocol event object is derived from the network protocol event class which specifies network protocol event types from the first and second sets in the network protocol event object which are of interest to an application in the network. Events of the specified network protocol event types are stored in the network protocol event object as the events occur in the network. Upon request, the stored events sent to the application.

Abstract: An object oriented protocol interface for establishing a communication path between communication endpoints in a computer network. The generic nature of the interface allows any and several protocol layers to be developed from the same set of protocol class objects. The interface to a communication endpoint for a client application is defined by instantiating a network definition object for the communication endpoint from a network definition class object. The communication endpoint itself is represented by instantiating a network address object from a network address class object. The protocol layers which form the protocol stack are derived from a set of protocol interface objects from a protocol interface class object and a set of protocol layer objects from a protocol layer class object. The objects forming each of the layers in the protocol stack differ in their capabilities according to their respective layer and the protocol which is provided by the protocol stack.