A New Caching Architecture for Efficient Video Services on the Internet

We propose a cost effective solution called Caching Agent where caching servers are placed inside the network to create a virtual backbone for video streaming services. Unlike conventional proxies, caching agents act as virtual routers and cleverly cache data passing by. When a client request encounters a cache miss at a local agent, this request may be satisfied by another nearby agent without consuming additional server bandwidth. This strategy avoids a potential bottleneck at the server. Furthermore, since data can often be obtained from a nearby agent instead of from the distant server, the proposed technique incurs less network traffic and results in better service delay, as compared to conventional proxy schemes.