Abstract: A playback application is configured to analyze audio frames associated with transitions between segments within a media title to identify one or more portions of extraneous audio. The playback application is configured to analyze the one or more portions of extraneous audio and then determine which of the one or more corresponding audio frames should be dropped. In doing so, the playback application can analyze a topology associated with the media title to determine whether any specific portions of extraneous audio are to be played outside of a logical ordering of audio samples set forth in the topology. These specific portions of extraneous audio are preferentially removed.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a forensic scoping application analyzes host instances in order to detect anomalies. The forensic scoping application acquires a snapshot for each host instance included in an instance group. Each snapshot represents a current operational state of the associated host instance. Subsequently, the forensic scoping application performs clustering operation(s) based on the snapshots to generate a set of clusters. The forensic scoping application determines that a first cluster in the set of clusters is associated with fewer host instances than at least a second cluster in the set of clusters. Based on the first cluster, the forensic scoping application determines that a first host instance included in the instance group is operating in an anomalous fashion. Advantageously, efficiently determining host instances that are operating in an anomalous fashion during a security attack can reduce the amount of damage caused by the security attack.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a codec comparison application independently encodes each source image included in a set of source images using a first encoding configuration to generate a first set of encoded images. The codec comparison application also independently encodes each source image included in the set of source images using a second encoding configuration to generate a second set of encoded images. For each encoded image in the first set of encoded images and each encoded image in the second set of encoded images, a visual quality score for a reconstructed source image derived from the encoded image falls within a tolerance of a target visual quality score.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include receiving, as an input, segmented video scenes, where each video scene includes a specified length of video content. The method may further include scanning the video scenes to identify objects within the video scene and also determining a relative importance value for the identified objects. The relative importance value may include an indication of which objects are to be included in a cropped version of the video scene. The method may also include generating a video crop that is to be applied to the video scene such that the resulting cropped version of the video scene includes those identified objects that are to be included based on the relative importance value. The method may also include applying the generated video crop to the video scene to produce the cropped version of the video scene. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present application set forth a computer-implemented method for accessing data comprising identifying a first set of read operations occurring during a first time period, where each read operation included in the set of read operations is associated with retrieving a different portion of at least one object from a storage system, determining a byte density associated with the set of read operations, where the byte density indicates a size of contiguous portions of the at least one object that were retrieved during the first time period, and determining, based on the byte density, a pre-buffering block size for a read operation during a second period, where the pre-buffering block size specifies a size of a portion of at least one object that is to be retrieved from the storage system.

Abstract: One embodiment sets forth a technique that includes receiving a request for a range of data included in an encoded version of the media title that is stored across a set of files. The technique also includes determining, based on a file extent index, one or more files included in the set of files, wherein the file extent index maps an identifier for each file in the set to a given range of data that is stored in the file and included in the encoded version. The technique further includes retrieving the range of data from the file(s), wherein at least a portion of the retrieved range of data falls within the given range of data that is stored in each of the one or more files, and transmitting the range of data in a response to the request.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method includes identifying a target networking device communicatively connected to a cluster of networked server instances. The networked server instances are configured to consume network telemetry messages. The method further includes applying a shared lock to the target networking device, so that only a single networked server instance has access to network telemetry messages produced by the target networking device. The method also includes replicating the network telemetry messages produced by the locked target networking device to other server instances in the cluster, and then diverting requests for network telemetry messages from the locked target networking device to another server instance in the cluster of networked server instances. This allows the other server instance in the cluster to service the diverted telemetry data requests for the locked target networking device using the replicated network telemetry messages.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an iterative encoding application generates shot encode points based on a first set of encoding points and a first shot sequence associated with a media title. The iterative encoding application performs convex hull operations across the shot encode points to generate a first convex hull. Subsequently, the iterative encoding application generates encoded media sequences based on the first convex hull and a second convex hull that is associated with both a second shot sequence associated with the media title and a second set of encoding points. The iterative encoding application determines a first optimized encoded media and a second optimized encoded media sequence from the encoded media sequences based on, respectively, a first target metric value and a second target metric value for a media metric. Portions of the optimized encoded media sequences are subsequently streamed to endpoint devices during playback of the media title.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a predictive assignment application computes a forecasted amount of processor use for each workload included in a set of workloads using a trained machine-learning model. Based on the forecasted amounts of processor use, the predictive assignment application computes a performance cost estimate associated with an estimated level of cache interference arising from executing the set of workloads on a set of processors. Subsequently, the predictive assignment application determines processor assignment(s) based on the performance cost estimate. At least one processor included in the set of processors is subsequently configured to execute at least a portion of a first workload that is included in the set of workloads based on the processor assignment(s).

Abstract: The disclosed method includes accessing video content encoded at a specified frame rate, and determining a refresh rate for an electronic display on which the video content is to be presented. The method next includes specifying a time interval for the video content over which frame rate conversion is to be applied to synchronize the video content frame rate with the electronic display refresh rate. The method also includes presenting the video content on the electronic display where the playback speed is adjusted for a first part of the interval. At this adjusted speed, the interval is played back using original video frames and multiple frame duplications. The presenting also adjusts playback speed of a second part of the interval. At the adjusted speed, the interval is played back using the original frames and a different number of frame duplications. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing an audio track that is associated with a video recording, identifying a section of the accessed audio track having a specific audio characteristic, reducing a volume level of the audio track in the identified section, accessing an audio segment that includes a synthesized voice and inserting the accessed audio segment into the identified section of the audio track, where the inserted segment has a higher volume level than the reduced volume level of the audio track in the identified section. The synthesized voice description can be used to provide additional information to a visually impaired viewer without interrupting the audio track that is associated with the video recording, typically by inserting the synthesized voice description into a segment of the audio track in which there is no dialog. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an interpolation-based encoding application encodes a first subsequence included in a media title at each encoding point included in a first set of encoding points to generate encoded subsequences. Subsequently, the interpolation-based encoding application performs interpolation operation(s) based on the encoded subsequences to estimate a first media metric value associated with a first encoding point that is not included in the first set of encoding points. The interpolation-based encoding application then generates an encoding recipe based on the encoded subsequences and the first media metric value. The encoding recipe specifies a different encoding point for each subsequence included in the media title. After determining that the encoding recipe specifies the first encoding point for the first subsequence, the interpolation-based encoding application encodes the first subsequence at the first encoding point to generate at least a portion of an encoded version of the media title.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method for smoothing audio gaps using adaptive metadata identifies an initial audio segment and a subsequent audio segment that follows the initial audio segment. The method accesses a first set of metadata that corresponds to a last audio frame of the initial audio segment and accesses a second set of metadata that corresponds to the first audio frame of the subsequent audio segment. The first and second sets of metadata include audio characteristic information for the two audio segments. The method then generates a new set of metadata that is based on both sets of audio characteristics. The method further inserts a new audio frame between the last audio frame of the initial audio segment and the first audio frame of the subsequent audio segment and applies the new set of metadata to the new audio frame. Various other methods, systems, and computer-readable media are also disclosed.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a service worker processes network requests by proxying the network requests via a content distribution network. The service worker intercepts a network request from a client application, generates a duplicate network request, and changes certain elements of the duplicate network request. The intercepted request can be an initial document request used to load a webpage or a subsequent request that includes an application programming interface (API) call. The service worker transmits the duplicate network request to a content distribution network that proxies the duplicate request to a cloud computing system, thereby accelerating that request.

Abstract: The disclosed computer-implemented method may include accessing updated data structures that are to be included in a user interface functionality test, where the updated data structures contribute to a user interface. The method may also include accessing live or snapshotted data captured from services running in a production environment, initiating generation of a first user interface instance using the updated data structures and using the accessed live or snapshotted data, and initiating generation of a second user interface instance using a different version of the data structures and using the same accessed live or snapshotted data. The method further includes comparing the first user interface instance to the second user interface instance to identify differences and then determine which outcome-defining effects the updated data structures had on the user interface based on the identified differences between the user interfaces.

Abstract: Various embodiments disclose a method for maintaining file versions in volatile memory. The method includes storing, in volatile memory for at least a first portion of a first sync interval, a first version of a file that is not modifiable during the at least the first portion of the first sync interval. The method also includes storing, in volatile memory for at least a second portion of the first sync interval, a second version of the file that is modifiable during the at least the second portion of the first sync interval. The method also includes subsequent to the first sync interval, replacing in nonvolatile memory, a third version of the file with the first version of the file stored in volatile memory. Further, the method includes marking the second version of the file as not modifiable during at least a first portion of a second sync interval.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include techniques for reestablishing a secure communication channel between a client machine and a server machine. A client machine receives, from a server machine, a first message generated in connection with a first master token. The client machine detects an error condition associated with the first message. The client machine transmits, to the server machine, a second message generated in connection with a pre-provisioned key that includes a request for a new master token. The client machine receives, from the server machine, a third message that includes a second master token. The client machine transmits, to the server machine, a fourth message generated in connection with the second master token.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, with a computing system, data representing a video item into a buffer. The method further includes outputting the video item from the buffer to a display system. The method further includes determining that utilization of the buffer falls below a predetermined threshold. The method further includes, in response to determining that the utilization of the buffer falls below the predetermined threshold, determining that there is a specified rebuffering point within a predetermined time frame. The method further includes pausing with the computing system, the video item at the specified rebuffering point in response to determining that there is the specified rebuffering point within the predetermined time frame.

Abstract: In various embodiments, an encoding metric comparison application computes a first set of quality scores associated with a test encoding configuration based on a set of bootstrap quality models. Each bootstrap quality model is trained based on a different subset of a training database. The encoding metric comparison application computes a second set of quality scores associated with a reference encoding configuration based on the set of bootstrap quality models. Subsequently, the encoding metric comparison application generates a distribution of bootstrap values for an encoding comparison metric based on the first set of quality scores and the second set of quality scores. The distribution quantifies an accuracy of a baseline value for the encoding comparison metric generated by a baseline quality model.