Multimedia content discovery and delivery

Objective

"Content is the King". Concerning the Internet, this statement can be regarded as one of the fundamental factors of its success. The availability of rich content has created new business opportunities for content retrieval and distribution platforms; these are commonly known as Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). Proprietary CDN solutions have dominated the market with sizeable results but the vast majority of these have been designed to deal with static content. Yet, the wide variety of underlying network infrastructures, the multiplicity of end-user devices, the dynamic mix of available content and most importantly the strong user demand for personalised services and content has created significant challenges for existing CDN platforms. CDN platforms cover very diverse range of activities and proprietary solutions do not offer the flexibility to handle these challenges.

Platforms based on open standards that can offer interoperable solutions are required. It is in this context that the mCDN proposal has a significant importance. The design of open interfaces that enable the interaction of the different components at network and service layers is the major goal of the project. This novel inter-layering approach will enhance the services that CDN platforms can offer. The service enhancement refers to the applicability of CDNs with respect to topologies (e.g. enterprise CDNs), content distribution (optimised location), content retrieval (optimised delivery) and the type of service (e.g. personalisation) that can be delivered.

The inter-layer approach that will be employed in the mCDN project, will allow the efficient information exchange among the different layers enabling the optimisation of the delivered functionality. The mCDN project presents a solution within this new paradigm of content networks that intend to link home networking platforms with global networks and ensure the delivery of personalised content.

Programme(s)

• FP6-IST - Information Society Technologies: thematic priority under the specific programme "Integrating and strengthening the European research area" (2002-2006).

Topic(s)

• IST-2002-2.3.1.8 - Networked audiovisual systems and home platforms

Funding Scheme

STREP - Specific Targeted Research Project

Coordinator

INTRASOFT INTERNATIONAL SA

Address

Rue Montoyer 40
1000 Bruxelles
Belgium

Participants (10)

FRAUNHOFER GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FOERDERUNG DER ANGEWANDTEN FORSCHUNG E.V.

Germany

Address

Hansastrasse 27C
80686 Muenchen

INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS

Greece

Address

Patission Street 42
10682 Athens

INTRACOM S.A. HELLENIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS INDUSTRY

Greece

Address

Odos Markopoulou 19,5Km Ktirio B5 Mark X
19002 Peania - Attiki

NETHERLANDS ORGANISATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - TNO

Netherlands

Address

Schoemakerstraat 97
2628 VK Delft

SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT

Germany

Address

Wittelsbacherplatz 2
80333 Muenchen

SIEMENS MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS S.P.A.

Italy

Address

Viale Pirelli Piero E Alberto 10
20126 Milano

UNIVERSITAET KASSEL

Germany

Address

Moenchebergstrasse 19
34109 Kassel

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON

United Kingdom

Address

Gower Street
WC1E 6BT London

VALTION TEKNILLINEN TUTKIMUSKESKUS

Finland

Address

02044 Vtt

WUNDER MEDIA GMBH

Germany

Address

Kirchenstrasse 68
81675 Muenchen