Peer-To-Peer Video Conferencing Implementation Using Semi-Fluid Content Distribution Model And Swarming Technique
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Date
2012-03
Authors
Alalousi, Alhamza Munther Wardi
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
This thesis proposes and implements a scalable video conferencing system using peer-to-peer overlay networks with the help of the swarming technique and the semi-fluid content distribution model. Nowadays, video conferencing applications are rapidly growing and becoming one of the commonly used applications for virtual meetings, businesses, distance learning, and telemedicine, among others. Similar to other widespread network applications used today, video conferencing requires high bandwidth.
Thus, numerous studies have dealt with bandwidth issues, such as single- and multiple-server video distribution systems to reduce the bandwidth requirement on the side of participants. In literature, one of the most critical limitations faced by the server-based approach is the scalability issue, in which the outgoing bandwidth of the server is shared among all concurrent clients. Hence, this issue affects negatively on the performance of this approach, in which the performance drops rapidly as the number of simultaneous clients increases.
Therefore, this thesis proposes to use a peer-to-peer overlay network to overcome the scalability issue, by optimizing the server functionality from video distribution to be merely for peers monitoring and controlling. On the other hand, previous studies on video conferencing using a peer-to-peer overlay network have focused on fluid or chunk content distribution models. Both models have limitations
in terms of video distribution delay. To overcome this issue, the current thesis adopted a semi-fluid content distribution model. In addition, a swarming technique is employed in the proposed framework. Any peer that has downloaded any piece of content from another peer can then itself act as a server to other peers for that content to exchange the data among themselves. To fully utilize the peers upload bandwidth such that when more than one peer attempt to download content at the same time, peers simultaneously upload pieces of content to each other.
The results from the experiment conducted in this thesis exhibit noticeable improvement in terms of resolving the scalability issue compared with the traditional server-based solution. In addition, other improvements include the reduction of distribution delay and better bandwidth utilization. Therefore, we recommend the proposed framework to be used in deploying scalable high definition video conferencing systems.
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Keywords
Scalable video conferencing system , using peer-to-peer overlay networks