Abstract: In a technique for directing network traffic to distribute client service requests among a set of service clusters of a service network, capacity and performance information is regularly obtained for the service clusters and provided to a trained reinforcement-learning (RL) model that integrates learned request-distribution and reward information for the service network. The RL model is operated to regularly update recommendation values for directing the client service requests to the service clusters, and updated recommendation values are regularly provided to a traffic director which directs network traffic at least partly based on the regularly provided updated recommendation values. The traffic director may be realized by a Domain Name System (DNS) server, having an ability to select among candidate service clusters based on weight values reported by the RL model.

Abstract: A distributed computing system has one or more clusters each including compute nodes connected by a cluster network and executing microservices in respective containers organized into pods. The system includes application slice components (routers, slice gateways) distributed among the clusters to define and operate application slices each providing application slice services for respective sets of pods distributed among the clusters. Each slice gateway provides an interface between local pods of the application slice and remote pods of the application slice on a respective different cluster. Each slice is associated with namespaces, network policies and resource quotas for the applications onboarded on the slice. The slice routers and slice gateways for a given application slice form a respective slice-specific overlay network providing cross-cluster network services including service discovery and traffic forwarding with isolation from other application slices that co-reside on the clusters.

Abstract: A method and device for consuming watermarked media content includes generating a manifest request to access a watermarked media content asset, receiving a custom manifest and a watermarking signature including a unique sequence of segment variants relating to the media content asset, and generating a segment request to an origin server having a plurality of composite segments for the media content asset. The client device receives, from the origin server, a composite segment that includes an authorized watermarked segment variant. Using the unique sequence, the client device extracts the authorized watermarked segment variant and assembles a combination of the main ISOBMFF track and authorized watermarked segment variant to form an output composite segment that is assembled only from the main ISOBMFF track and the extracted particular watermarked segment variant, and decrypts and decodes the output composite segment for rendering by a player application of the client device.

Abstract: A networked system for real-time computer-aided augmentation of a live input video stream includes an endpoint system configured and operative to handle the live input video stream and a live augmented video stream and to provide service access to a video augmentation service for the computer-aided augmentation of the live input video stream. The system further includes a backend system providing service orchestration to orchestrate use and operation of the video augmentation service, and an edge inference system coupled to the endpoint system and to the backend system, the edge inference system being configured and co-operative with the endpoint system to provide the video augmentation service on the live input video stream and thereby generate the live augmented video stream, based on the service orchestration by the backend system.

Abstract: A distributed computing system has one or more clusters each including compute nodes connected by a cluster network and executing microservices in respective containers organized into pods. The system includes application slice components (routers, slice gateways) distributed among the clusters to define and operate application slices each providing application slice services for respective sets of pods distributed among the clusters. Each slice gateway provides an interface between local pods of the application slice and remote pods of the application slice on a respective different cluster. Each slice is associated with namespaces, network policies and resource quotas for the applications onboarded on the slice. The slice routers and slice gateways for a given application slice form a respective slice-specific overlay network providing cross-cluster network services including service discovery and traffic forwarding with isolation from other application slices that co-reside on the clusters.

Abstract: A technique is directed toward controlling placement of workloads of an application within an application environment. The technique involves, while a first placement of workloads of the application is in a first deployment of resources within the application environment, generating a set of resource deployment changes that accommodates a predicted change in demand on the application. The technique further involves adjusting the first deployment of resources within the application environment to form a second deployment of resources within the application environment, the second deployment of resources being different from the first deployment of resources. The technique further involves providing a second placement of workloads of the application in the second deployment of resources to accommodate the predicted change in demand on the application, the second placement of workloads being different from the first placement of workloads.

Abstract: A technique performs load balancing self-adjustment within an application environment. The technique involves, while nodes of the application environment load balance traffic among clusters that provide services for an application in accordance with a first load balancing configuration, sensing application environment metrics. The technique further involves performing a self-adjustment operation that generates a second load balancing configuration based on the application environment metrics, the second load balancing configuration being different from the first load balancing configuration. The technique further involves deploying the second load balancing configuration among the nodes to enable the nodes to load balance the traffic among the clusters that provide the services for the application in accordance with second load balancing configuration in place of the first load balancing configuration.

Abstract: A method and device for consuming watermarked media content includes generating a manifest request to access a watermarked media content asset, receiving a custom manifest and a watermarking signature including a unique sequence of segment variants relating to the media content asset, and generating a segment request to an origin server having a plurality of composite segments for the media content asset. The client device receives, from the origin server, a composite segment that includes an authorized watermarked segment variant. Using the unique sequence, the client device extracts the authorized watermarked segment variant and assembles a combination of the main ISOBMFF track and authorized watermarked segment variant to form an output composite segment that is assembled only from the main ISOBMFF track and the extracted particular watermarked segment variant, and decrypts and decodes the output composite segment for rendering by a player application of the client device.

Abstract: Techniques manage cluster resources within an application environment. The techniques involve identifying a group of cluster resources from a plurality of cluster resources of the application environment, the plurality of cluster resources being constructed and arranged to provide a plurality of services. The techniques further involve forming an application slice having the group of cluster resources. The techniques further involve deploying the application slice to provide services. Certain techniques provide a platform that allows operators to build application slices (or application overlays) that are a way of grouping application pods (or containers) based on one or more organizing principles such as velocity of deployment, security, governance, etc.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing watermarked media content assets in which a main track of a media content asset includes a first watermarking payload and at least one variant track includes a second watermarking payload. A plurality of composite segments of the media content asset are generated for distribution, wherein each composite segment includes a portion of the main track and may include a corresponding portion of at least one variant track. The composite segments may be uploaded to a delivery node operative to deliver segments responsive to a unique watermarking signature provided by a client controller operating in conjunction with a watermarking session manager.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing watermarked media content assets in which a main track of a media content asset includes a first watermarking payload and at least one variant track includes a second watermarking payload. A plurality of composite segments of the media content asset are generated for distribution, wherein each composite segment includes a portion of the main track and may include a corresponding portion of at least one variant track. The composite segments may be uploaded to a delivery node operative to deliver segments responsive to a unique watermarking signature provided by a client controller operating in conjunction with a watermarking session manager.

Abstract: A technique is directed toward controlling placement of workloads of an application within an application environment. The technique involves, while a first placement of workloads of the application is in a first deployment of resources within the application environment, generating a set of resource deployment changes that accommodates a predicted change in demand on the application. The technique further involves adjusting the first deployment of resources within the application environment to form a second deployment of resources within the application environment, the second deployment of resources being different from the first deployment of resources. The technique further involves providing a second placement of workloads of the application in the second deployment of resources to accommodate the predicted change in demand on the application, the second placement of workloads being different from the first placement of workloads.

Abstract: A distributed computing system has interconnected clusters with compute nodes executing a set of microservices in containers organized into multi-container pods. The system includes application slice components distributed among the clusters to define and operate a plurality of application slices providing application slice services for respective sets of pods distributed among the clusters. The clusters are configured in a multi-tenancy in which distinct tenants each include a respective distinct set of the application slices and is configured according to respective per-tenant configuration data.

Abstract: A system and method for distributing watermarked media content assets wherein a main track of a media content asset is provided with a first watermarking payload and at least one variant track is provided with a second watermarking payload. A plurality of composite segments of the media content asset are generated for distribution, wherein each composite segment includes a portion of the main track and corresponding portion of at least one variant track. The composite segments may be uploaded to a delivery node operative to deliver segments responsive to a unique watermarking signature provided by a client controller operating in conjunction with a watermarking session manager.

Abstract: A method for providing privacy during delivery of ABR media content to a plurality of ABR OTT client devices includes receiving, at a network node that includes a Controlled Cache, an ABR manifest for an ABR media asset. The ABR manifest includes a segmentation-units index. Responsive to receiving a request for the ABR media asset from an ABR OTT client device, the method sends to the ABR OTT client device a custom manifest having a number of segmentation-units in segments that is customized for an ABR playback session. A network node, which can be one of an origin server, an edge server and a Just-In-Time Packager (JIT-P), and a computer program product for providing privacy during delivery are also shown.

Abstract: A technique performs load balancing self-adjustment within an application environment. The technique involves, while nodes of the application environment load balance traffic among clusters that provide services for an application in accordance with a first load balancing configuration, sensing application environment metrics. The technique further involves performing a self-adjustment operation that generates a second load balancing configuration based on the application environment metrics, the second load balancing configuration being different from the first load balancing configuration. The technique further involves deploying the second load balancing configuration among the nodes to enable the nodes to load balance the traffic among the clusters that provide the services for the application in accordance with second load balancing configuration in place of the first load balancing configuration.

Abstract: A networked system for real-time computer-aided augmentation of a live input video stream includes an endpoint system configured and operative to handle the live input video stream and a live augmented video stream and to provide service access to a video augmentation service for the computer-aided augmentation of the live input video stream. The system further includes a backend system providing service orchestration to orchestrate use and operation of the video augmentation service, and an edge inference system coupled to the endpoint system and to the backend system, the edge inference system being configured and co-operative with the endpoint system to provide the video augmentation service on the live input video stream and thereby generate the live augmented video stream, based on the service orchestration by the backend system.

Abstract: Techniques manage cluster resources within an application environment. The techniques involve identifying a group of cluster resources from a plurality of cluster resources of the application environment, the plurality of cluster resources being constructed and arranged to provide a plurality of services. The techniques further involve forming an application slice having the group of cluster resources. The techniques further involve deploying the application slice to provide services. Certain techniques provide a platform that allows operators to build application slices (or application overlays) that are a way of grouping application pods (or containers) based on one or more organizing principles such as velocity of deployment, security, governance, etc.

Abstract: A method, system and non-transitory computer-readable medium for distributing adaptive bitrate (ABR) media are disclosed. The method includes initially ingesting a first ABR media element at a first network node and receiving, at the first network node, a second ABR media element that was initially ingested at a second node. The method further includes initiating distribution of the first and second ABR media elements from the first network node to a first plurality of network nodes.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating directory limit based storage scheme for uploading media segments in multiple directories at one or more media servers. Directory limit parametric information may be provided or otherwise configured in an upload profile of a packager node to construct URLs based on the directory parametric information for identifying locations in a directory tree structure that may be configured to map to a variety of physical and/or virtual storage schemes.