Peer-assisted On-demand Video Streaming with Selfish Peers

Systems delivering stored video content using a peer-assisted approach are able to serve large numbers of concurrent requests by utilizing upload bandwidth from their clients to assist in delivery. In systems providing download service, BitTorrent-like protocols may be used in which “tit-for-tat” policies provide incentive for clients to contribute upload bandwidth. For on-demand streaming delivery, however, in which clients begin playback well before download is complete, all prior proposed protocols rely on peers at later video play points uploading data to peers at earlier play points that do not have data to share in return. This paper considers the problem of devising peer-assisted protocols for streaming systems that, similar to download systems, provide effective “tit-for-tat” incentives for clients to contribute upload bandwidth. We propose policies that provide such incentives, while also providing short start-up delays, and delivery of (almost) all video frames by their respective playback deadlines.