Server and buffer allocation in a client-server multimedia system

This paper presents a deterministic model for analyzing the performance of some client-server scheduling schemes for supporting multiple connections between a single server and multiple clients. It is concerned with the optimal allocation of the server and the client buffers. Each client presents data at a fixed rate (e.g., uncompressed video, CD audio), and the server must provide data to meet that rate. Any excess data (that arrived early) is buffered, provided enough client buffer has been allocated. The server may send to only one client at a time, and must schedule when and to which client to send, based on the rates requested and information fed back from the clients. Each client may make a specific request for data, or send information describing the client buffer state to the server. The authors examine analytically the performance of two schemes on the basis of server utilization and client buffer requirements, and validate the results using simulation.