Abstract: A system and method are provided for measuring the performance of a synthetic peer-managed content distribution network. Each node peers with one or more other nodes to share the content and facilitate its presentation to associated users. Each node collects session metadata for identifying the node's environment, presentation events regarding presentation of the content to users, and transfer events regarding the sharing of the content among peers. The nodes report their data toward a central entity that feeds the different types of data through different ETL pipelines to obtain the performance measurements. For example, the session metadata may allow the reach of a content item to be determined, the presentation events may be used to determine the quality of experience with the content item for users, and the transfer events may be used to determine how much external bandwidth the network conserved and/or how efficiently the nodes shared the content.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for measuring the performance of a synthetic peer-managed content distribution network. Each node peers with one or more other nodes to share the content and facilitate its presentation to associated users. Each node collects session metadata for identifying the node's environment, presentation events regarding presentation of the content to users, and transfer events regarding the sharing of the content among peers. The nodes report their data toward a central entity that feeds the different types of data through different ETL pipelines to obtain the performance measurements. For example, the session metadata may allow the reach of a content item to be determined, the presentation events may be used to determine the quality of experience with the content item for users, and the transfer events may be used to determine how much external bandwidth the network conserved and/or how efficiently the nodes shared the content.

Abstract: A synthetic peer-managed content delivery network self-organizes for the purpose of accessing one content item or a limited number of content items. A node joins the network at an identified attachment zone by requesting connections with existing nodes associated with the zone. Connected nodes become peers. The node may attempt to achieve a maximum number of peer connections, including upstream peers one hop closer to a root node, midstream peers the same distance from the root node, and downstream nodes one hop further from the root node. The content item is shared (in pieces or components if necessary) from a given peer to its midstream and downstream peers. Each node regularly informs its peers of its status regarding the content item and, to help organize the network, indicates whether its connected peers are able to accept a new peer connection.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates content distribution. During operation, the system obtains, at a node in a content delivery network, configuration information for a test of broadcast readiness in the content delivery network from a configuration server in the distributed content delivery network. Next, the system uses the configuration information to configure the node to participate in the test, wherein the test includes using a media delivery application on the node to play content received from the content delivery network without requiring user input to perform the test. During the test, the system uses the node to periodically provide status information associated with the node to a collection server in the content delivery network.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that facilitates broadcast transmission in a distributed content delivery network. The system includes a node in the distributed content delivery network that plays a content stream received over the distributed content delivery network. The node includes a leadership-management apparatus that identifies the node as a peer leader in a local network of the distributed content delivery network. The node also includes a broadcasting apparatus. Upon identification of the node as the peer leader, the broadcasting apparatus obtains the content stream from a content source, broadcasts the content stream to other nodes in the local network, and adjusts a bit rate of the content stream based on one or more attributes associated with obtaining the content stream from the content source.