Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for implementing delta encoding for distribution of content. In one aspect, a canonical reference file that is common to a server and to each client to which the server distributes content, and which represents a portion of particular content, is generated and transmitted to the associated clients. A delta file, which represents the difference between the current state of the content and the canonical reference file, is transmitted to the requesting client so that it can be applied to the canonical reference file to construct the current state of the content. A client can receive the canonical reference file during a period in which the current state of the content differs from the reference file. Furthermore, the canonical reference file can be transmitted during a period in which the current state of the content changes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing data communications is provided. A circularly arranged set of buckets is disposed between input buffers and output buffers in a networked computer system. Connections among the system and clients are stored in the buckets. Each bucket in the set is successively examined, and each connection in the bucket is polled. During polling, the amount of information that has accumulated in a buffer associated with the connection since the last poll is determined. Based the amount, a period value associated with the connection is adjusted. The connection is then stored in a different bucket that is generally identified by the sum of the current bucket number and the period value. Polling continues with the next connection and the next bucket. In this way, the elapsed time between successive polls of a connection automatically adjusts to the actual operating bandwidth or data communication speed of the connection.