Abstract: A data processing method, comprising: using computing apparatus, causing instantiating a plurality of baseline application instances that are running a first version of software, and one or more canary application instances that are running a second version of the software; using computing apparatus including a load balancer, causing selectively routing a first proportion of incoming requests to the baseline instances, and routing a second proportion of the incoming requests to the canary instances; monitoring the plurality of canary instances to collect performance data for performance metrics; determining that the performance data indicates a negative performance issue, and in response thereto: using computing apparatus, automatically updating the first proportion to be larger and updating the second proportion to be smaller, and then reconfiguring the load balancer based upon the first proportion and the second proportion; terminating one or more of the canary application instances.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a content delivery network (CDN) monitoring system manages a CDN. The CDN monitoring system includes finite state machines (FSMs), and the current states of the FSMs reflect characteristics and/or behaviors associated with the CDN. In operation, the CDN monitoring system computes actions based on current states and/or metrics associated with the CDN. The actions may cause one or more of the FSMs execute state transitions. As part of a state transition, the current state of the FSM changes and an event is generated. The event triggers an event handler that may perform any type of management operations, such as generating performance reports and rerouting client requests. Notably, because each current state may be an aggregation of other current states, the CDN monitoring system may be configured to compute current states that accurately represent complex interactions between components within the CDN.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods of monitoring account activity in a streaming media environment. An exemplary system includes a monitoring system, an account creation and management system, and an account payment system. The monitoring system is coupled to the account creation and management system and the account payment system via a network. The processing device of the monitoring system retrieves account information for a first user account. Account information includes user consumption information and user payment information associated with the first user account. The processing device determines a fraudulent account score for the first user account based on at least one of the user consumption information, the user payment information, and account identification information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention set forth techniques for a content player to stream a media file using multiple network connections. To stream the media file, the content player downloads metadata associated with a requested media file, establishes a network connection with multiple content servers (or multiple network connections with a single content server or both) and begins requesting portions of the media file. In response, the requested portions are transmitted to the content player. The content player may employ a predictive multi-connection scheduling approach to determine which network connection to use in downloading a given chunk.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for managing playback of digital content on two or more different playback devices. A playback device designated as a controller is associated with a playback device designated as a playback target. Association is implemented via a local network discovery protocol. The controller issues commands to the target, which then streams digital content directly from a content server. The controller is able to separately stream related digital content for independent, but synchronized playback. Server mediated operations, such as device activation and application installation, are advantageously enabled by explicit association between the controller and the target.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method comprises receiving a first data streamed from a first server computer at a first site; collecting a first throughput data for the first site based, at least in part, on a first throughput of the first data streamed from the first server computer; receiving a second data streamed from a second server computer at a second site; collecting a second throughput data for the second site based, at least in part, on a second throughput of the second data streamed from the second server computer; switching from the second server computer at the second site, to a third server computer at the first site, based, at least in part, on a comparison between the first throughput data and the second throughput data; wherein the method is performed by one or more special-purpose computing devices.

Abstract: In an approach, a server computer receives a request from a client computer specifying particular content for a particular user, wherein the particular content is associated with an original audio language. In response to receiving the request, the server computer selects a preferred audio language and a preferred subtitle language for the particular content based on a particular record of a preference database. The server computer returns asset identifying data that the client computer uses to obtain a stream of the particular content using the preferred audio language and the preferred subtitle language from a content delivery network (CDN) or other asset location. The server computer receives a message from the client computer that identifies an presented audio language and a presented subtitle language that were presented to the particular user while the particular content streamed.

Abstract: Techniques for evaluating a second version of software. Embodiments selectively route incoming requests to software instances within a plurality of baseline instances and a plurality of canary instances, where the baseline instances run a first software version and the canary instances run the second software version. The software instances are monitored to collect performance data for a plurality of performance metrics. Embodiments calculate aggregate baseline performance metrics, where each of the aggregate baseline performance metrics is calculated based on the collected performance data for the plurality of baseline instances. For each of the performance metrics and canary instances, embodiments calculate a relative performance value that measures the collected performance data for the respective canary instance and for the respective performance metric, relative to the corresponding aggregate baseline performance metric.

Abstract: One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for identifying similar items within a plurality of items available to a group of users. The mechanism includes identifying a first count that indicates a number of times any user has interacted with a first item included in the plurality of items and subsequently with any other item, identifying a second count that indicates a number of times any user within the has interacted with a second item included in the plurality of items after interacting with the first item, computing a probability that indicates the likelihood of a particular user interacting with the second item after interacting with the first item based on the first count and the second count, and computing a similarity score that indicates the similarity between the first item and the second item based on the probability and a popularity score associated with the second item.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for translating textual content. The technique includes receiving a request to translate an element of source text from an origin language to a target language and searching a database for an element of matching text in the origin language that at least partially matches the element of source text. The technique further includes, if an element of matching text is found in the database, then reading from the database an element of previously translated text that is mapped to the element of matching text and includes at least one word that is translated into the target language, and transmitting the element of source text, the element of matching text, and the element of previously translated text to a location for translation, or if an element of matching text is not found in the database, then transmitting the element of source text to the location for translation.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for identifying and pre-buffering audio/video stream pairs. The method includes the steps of predictively identifying for pre-buffering at least one audio/video stream pair that may be selected for playback by a user subsequent to a currently playing audio/video stream pair, computing a first rate for pre-buffering an audio portion of the at least one audio/video stream pair and a second rate for pre-buffering a video portion of the at least one audio/video stream pair, downloading the audio portion at the first rate and downloading the video portion at the second rate, and storing the downloaded audio portion and the downloaded video portion in a content buffer.

Abstract: An endpoint device outputs frames of test media during a testing procedure. Each frame of test media includes a test pattern. A test module coupled to the endpoint device samples the test pattern and transmits sample data to a media test engine. The media test engine decodes a binary number from the test pattern and then converts the binary number to an integer value that is associated with the corresponding frame. The media test engine then analyzes sequences of these integer values to identify playback errors associated with the endpoint device.

Abstract: During a Transmission Control Protocol (“TCP”) session, a sending endpoint computer monitors amounts of data sent and patterns of data loss as data is sent to a receiving endpoint computer. The sending endpoint computer periodically determines whether data is being sent below, at or above path capacity, based on the monitored amounts of data sent and patterns of data loss observed. The sending endpoint computer periodically dynamically adjusts the rate at which data is sent to the receiving endpoint computer, in response to the determinations whether data is being sent below, at or above path capacity.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a data processing method provides an improvement in efficient use of computer memory and comprises using a computer, creating in computer memory a glyph memory area that is configured to store a plurality of cached glyphs; using the computer, receiving a request from an application to use a particular glyph; in response to the request, determining whether the particular glyph is in the glyph memory area; in response to determining that the particular glyph is not in the glyph memory area: attempting to store a bitmap of the particular glyph to a next location in the glyph memory area; in response to determining that the next location is not available a first time, reclaiming space in the glyph memory area in an amount sufficient to store the bitmap; attempting a second time to store the bitmap in the next location in the glyph memory area; in response to determining that the next location is not available a second time, clearing the glyph memory area of all previously stored glyphs and stori

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for compressing a forwarding table. The technique includes selecting, from a listing of network prefixes, a plurality of network prefixes that are within a range of a subnet. The technique further includes sorting the plurality of network prefixes to generate one or more subgroups of network prefixes and selecting a first subgroup of network prefixes included in the one or more subgroups of network prefixes. The technique further includes generating a synthetic supernet based on the first subgroup of network prefixes.

Abstract: In an approach, a first application executing on a first computer acquires, one or more resources of the first computer, wherein the one or more resources include one or more shared resources that are shared among applications of the first computer. The first application receives a media stream from a second computer and presents playback of the media stream. In response to detecting that priority within the first computer has shifted to a second application, the first application pauses playback of the media stream and releases the one or more shared resources while retaining one or more remaining resources that relate to a session context. In response to detecting that priority has shifted back to the first application, the first application re-acquires the one or more shared resources and resumes playback of the media stream based on the one or more remaining resources.

Abstract: Provided herein are systems and methods for monitoring and assessing the security and risk presented by applications deployed in a complex computing environment. An exemplary application security system an application security server having a processing device in communication with one or more storage systems and includes a security testing system with a plurality of security test modules. The test modules include a first module associated with a first application associated with one or more application instances configured to receive and transmit over a network.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for mitigating drift in audiovisual assets. The technique includes determining that an edit associated with a presentation timeline is within boundaries of a video frame. The technique further includes calculating a temporal drift associated with the edit, where the temporal drift comprises a duration of time between the edit and a boundary of the video frame. The technique further includes determining whether to include the video frame in the presentation timeline based on the temporal drift and an accumulated temporal drift associated with the presentation timeline.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for identifying active streaming connections associated with a particular user account. Each active streaming connection transmits heartbeat packets periodically to a server that tracks the receipt of the heartbeat packets. If, for a particular streaming connection, the server stops receiving heartbeat packets, then the server is able to infer that the streaming connection has been terminated.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention sets forth a technique for displaying scenes included in media assets. The technique includes selecting a first scene included in a first video asset based on one or more preferences and metadata associated with multiple scenes. The first video asset is one of multiple video assets, and each scene included in the multiple scenes is included in one of the video assets included in the multiple video assets. The technique further includes displaying the first scene within a first portion of a display area.