Abstract: A form of multicast, referred to as “on-demand multicast,” provides a methodology that allows for “on demand” multicasting of data. On-demand multicast allows clients to join or leave a transmission at any point. There is no transmission session start or end time—the session is continuously available, although data is not necessarily continuously transmitted. Data blocks missed by late-joining clients are retransmitted per amalgamated client requests through multiple transmission cycles until all clients that have joined the transmission session receive all content. Once a client has received all data blocks comprising the content for the session, the client may exit the ongoing session.

Abstract: A form of multicast, referred to as “on-demand multicast,” provides a methodology that allows for “on demand” multicasting of data. On-demand multicast allows clients to join or leave a transmission at any point. There is no transmission session start or end time—the session is continuously available, although data is not necessarily continuously transmitted. Data blocks missed by late-joining clients are retransmitted per amalgamated client requests through multiple transmission cycles until all clients that have joined the transmission session receive all content. Once a client has received all data blocks comprising the content for the session, the client may exit the ongoing session.

Abstract: A form of multicast, referred to as “on-demand multicast,” provides a methodology that allows for “on demand” multicasting of data. On-demand multicast allows clients to join or leave a transmission at any point. There is no transmission session start or end time—the session is continuously available, although data is not necessarily continuously transmitted. Data blocks missed by late-joining clients are retransmitted per amalgamated client requests through multiple transmission cycles until all clients that have joined the transmission session receive all content. Once a client has received all data blocks comprising the content for the session, the client may exit the ongoing session.

Abstract: A slow client that participates in a reliable multicast session may reduce the speed of data transfer for other clients in the session. A multicast server can mitigate the effect of a slow client by identifying and disconnecting one or more clients that are slowing down the session, or by using other criteria to identify clients to be disconnected. The server may monitor the performance of clients in the session based on factors such as the rate at which each of the clients is able to receive data, the number or rate of packets lost by a client, the amount of time that a client has spent as the slowest client in the session, the identity of a particular client, etc. A client that has been identified for disconnection based on the server's detection efforts, or that has been identified by an administrator, may be disconnected.

Abstract: A slow client that participates in a reliable multicast session may reduce the speed of data transfer for other clients in the session. A multicast server can mitigate the effect of a slow client by identifying and disconnecting one or more clients that are slowing down the session, or by using other criteria to identify clients to be disconnected. The server may monitor the performance of clients in the session based on factors such as the rate at which each of the clients is able to receive data, the number or rate of packets lost by a client, the amount of time that a client has spent as the slowest client in the session, the identity of a particular client, etc. A client that has been identified for disconnection based on the server's detection efforts, or that has been identified by an administrator, may be disconnected.

Abstract: A form of multicast, referred to as “on-demand multicast,” provides a methodology that allows for “on demand” multicasting of data. On-demand multicast allows clients to join or leave a transmission at any point. There is no transmission session start or end time—the session is continuously available, although data is not necessarily continuously transmitted. Data blocks missed by late-joining clients are retransmitted per amalgamated client requests through multiple transmission cycles until all clients that have joined the transmission session receive all content. Once a client has received all data blocks comprising the content for the session, the client may exit the ongoing session.