Abstract: A synchronized data transfer system including storage processor nodes, a backbone communication switch, multiple titles subdivided into subchunks and distributed across the nodes, a user process executed on a first node, a transfer process executed on a second node, and a management process executed on a management node. The user process sends a timestamped read request to request a corresponding subchunk. The transfer process sends a message to the management process for each received read request, where each message identifies source and destination nodes. The management process broadcasts transmit commands to initiate sequential transmit periods, receives the messages, and selects from among the received messages to ensure that each node sends and/or receives no more than one subchunk at a time. The management process sends a transmit request for each selected message, and the transfer process sends a subchunk identified by a transmit request in response to the transmit command.

Abstract: A virtual file system including multiple storage processor nodes including a management node, a backbone switch, a disk drive array, and a virtual file manager executing on the management node. The backbone switch enables communication between the storage processor nodes. The disk drive array is coupled to and distributed across the storage processor nodes and stores multiple titles. Each title is divided into data subchunks which are distributed across the disk drive array in which each subchunk is stored on a disk drive of the disk drive array. The virtual file manager manages storage and access of each subchunk, and manages multiple directory entries including a directory entry for each title. Each directory entry is a list of subchunk location entries in which each subchunk location entry includes a storage processor node identifier, a disk drive identifier, and a logical address for locating and accessing each subchunk of each title.

Abstract: An interactive broadband server system including multiple processors, a backbone switch, multiple storage devices and multiple user processes. The backbone switch enables high speed communication between the processors. The storage devices are distributed across the processors to store titles, where each title is divided into data chunks that are distributed across the storage devices. The user processes are configured for execution on the processors for interfacing multiple subscriber locations. Each user process is operative to retrieve a requested title from two or more of the processors via the backbone switch and to assemble a requested title for delivery to a requesting subscriber location. The storage devices may be organized into RAID groups. Distributed media readers and a library storage system may be included. Multiple isochronous titles may be simultaneously delivered to downstream subscribers.

Abstract: A virtual file system including multiple storage processor nodes including a management node, a backbone switch, a disk drive array, and a virtual file manager executing on the management node. The backbone switch enables communication between the storage processor nodes. The disk drive array is coupled to and distributed across the storage processor nodes and stores multiple titles. Each title is divided into data subchunks which are distributed across the disk drive array in which each subchunk is stored on a disk drive of the disk drive array. The virtual file manager manages storage and access of each subchunk, and manages multiple directory entries including a directory entry for each title. Each directory entry is a list of subchunk location entries in which each subchunk location entry includes a storage processor node identifier, a disk drive identifier, and a logical address for locating and accessing each subchunk of each title.

Abstract: A synchronized data transfer system including storage processor nodes, a backbone communication switch, multiple titles subdivided into subchunks and distributed across the nodes, a user process executed on a first node, a transfer process executed on a second node, and a management process executed on a management node. The user process sends a timestamped read request to request a corresponding subchunk. The transfer process sends a message to the management process for each received read request, where each message identifies source and destination nodes. The management process broadcasts transmit commands to initiate sequential transmit periods, receives the messages, and selects from among the received messages to ensure that each node sends or receives only one subchunk during each transmit period. The management process sends a transmit request for each selected message, and the transfer process sends a subchunk identified by a transmit request in response to the transmit command.