The document discusses scalable video coding (SVC) in the context of content-aware networks (CAN), highlighting its architecture, the Alicante project, and various use cases including unicast, multicast, and peer-to-peer streaming. It emphasizes the importance of SVC for enabling efficient content distribution and adaptation within networks and outlines the benefits of integrating scalable media formats with information-centric networking. The concluding remarks stress the need for collaboration between network layers to enhance content awareness and quality of service.

1. SCALABLE VIDEO CODING IN
CONTENT-AWARE NETWORKS
Michael Grafl
Institute of Information Technology
Alpen-Adria Universität Klagenfurt, Austria
COMET-ENVISION workshop on Future Media Distribution Networks
Nov. 10-11 2011, Slough, UK
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 1

2. OUTLINE
 Introduction
 ALICANTE
 Project Overview
 Conceptual Architecture
 Comparison to ICN
 Use Cases for SVC in CAN (Analysis wrt. ICN research
challenges)
 Unicast
 Multicast
 P2P Streaming
 Web/HTTP Streaming
 Step-by-Step Walkthrough
 Conclusions
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 2

3. INTRODUCTION
 Information-Centric Networking (ICN)
 Revolutionary approach
 Content-Aware Networking (CAN)
 Evolutionary approach
 ALICANTE project
 Scalable Video Coding (SVC)
 Extension of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC
 Spatial, temporal and quality (SNR) scalability
 Base layer + multiple enhancement layers
 Coding overhead: ~ 10% wrt. H.264
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 3

4. ALICANTE
 Project Info:
 EU FP7-ICT project
 Duration: March 2010 – Aug 2013
 20 partners
 "Media Ecosystem Deployment through Ubiquitous
Content-Aware Network Environments"
 Goal: New Home-Box layer and CAN layer with
distributed cross-layer adaptation and universal
multimedia access enabling cooperation between
providers, operators, and end-users
http://ict-alicante.eu
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 4

5. ALICANTE CONCEPTUAL ARCHITECTURE
User Environment:
devices and end user
User Environment
Context-
aware
Service Environment:
content and services
Service Environment
HB
HB HB HB HB Layer: networked
Content- Home-Box Layer components as overlay
HB Network-
aware
aware
MANE MANE CAN Layer: in-network
CAN CAN CAN
MANE MANE components as overlay
CAN CAN CAN
Physical Layer:
AS AS AS autonomous systems
Network Environment
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 5

6. ALICANTE VS. FULL ICN APPROACH
 Evolutionary approach for FI
(Mid-way to full ICN)
Approaches:
 Caching and storage
 Best effort  In Home-Boxes (network edge)
 QoS-based virtual splitting and Content Servers
 Content-aware networks  Scalable and Cost-Efficient
 Content-type awareness Content Distribution
ALICANTE
 Service-aware networking  Name/location resolution –
approach
 Full ICN at Service level (not in routers)
 Content/object awareness  Content-awareness
 Name/location  aggregated CA and associated
resolution, routing of processing at network level
requests, caching at
network nodes  Deployment
Degree of awareness on upper
layer information at network level  Seamless/incremental deployment
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 6

7. USE CASES FOR SVC IN CAN
 Role of scalable media formats for enabling
content-aware networking
 Unicast, Multicast, Peer-to-Peer Streaming,
Web/HTTP Streaming
 Analysis wrt. ICN research challenges:
 Routing & Forwarding
 Caching & Buffering
 Quality of Service/Experience (QoS/QoE)
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 7

8. SYSTEM OVERVIEW FOR USE CASES
S1
Mobile R1
U1
ICNN2 ICNN1
R2
U2 HD-Ready TV
Buffer Buffer
S2
R3
SVC-Base Layer
U3 Full-HD TV Enhancement Layer 1
Enhancement Layer 2
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 8

9. USE CASES: UNICAST
 Example: Video on Demand (VoD)
 RTP (with SST of SVC) and RTSP
 Routing & Forwarding:
 ICN node can react to network fluctuations
• In-network adaptation of SVC at ICN node (for short-term fluctuations)
• Signal to sender for dropping SVC layers (for long-term fluctuations)
 Caching & Buffering:
 ICN node can perform prefix caching
• Reduce start-up delay
• Selective caching of SVC layers
 QoS/QoE: (applies to all use cases)
 Consider terminal capabilities when requesting SVC layers
 Monitor network conditions at ICN nodes (cf. ALICANTE)
 Smooth, undistorted playout
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 9

10. USE CASES: MULTICAST
 Receiver-Driven Layered Multicast (RDLM) of SVC
 RTP in MST mode (each SVC layer in own session)
 Routing & Forwarding:
 ICN nodes adapt to network conditions through subscription
to SVC layers
 ICN nodes as bridges between native and overlay multicast
(ALICANTE: virtual content-aware network of ICN nodes)
 Selective treatment of SVC layers (MPLS, DiffServ)
 Caching & Buffering:
 Prefix caching to reduce start-up delay in non-live scenarios
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 10

11. USE CASES: P2P STREAMING
 Receivers request pieces from multiple senders
 P2P network as overlay
 Receiver only requests SVC layers supported by
end-user terminal
 Routing & Forwarding:
 ICN nodes can act as peers, forming an in-network
overlay
 Caching & Buffering:
 Aggregate requests and perform information-centric
buffering (during sliding window) at ICN nodes
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 11

12. USE CASES: WEB/HTTP STREAMING
 Download via HTTP (partial) GET requests
 Content fragmented into segments (e.g., per SVC layer and GOP)
 Manifest file describes structure of segments and available
representations
 Standard: Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH)
 Overcome NAT traversal & firewall issues
 Stateless sender
 Unicast, multicast, and multisource (P2P-like) scenarios
 Routing & Forwarding:
 ICN node signals network condition to receiver (implicit adaptation)
 Caching & Buffering:
 SVC-based prefix caching using HTTP-based CDN infrastructure
 Buffering during sliding window creates multicast tree
 Information-centric buffering in multisource scenario
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 12

13. STEP-BY-STEP WALKTHROUGH
AVC 8
decoding AVC
decoding
6
Source
7 9 1
5 HB SVC to AVC
transcoding
HB HB
SVC
2 encoding
SVC to AVC
transcoding 4 3
MANE CAN MANE
2nd SVC Adaptation 1st SVC Adaptation
at MANE at MANE
HB
Source Stream
Base Layer (AVC)
Enhancement Layer 1
Enhancement Layer 2
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 13

14. CONCLUSIONS
 Towards ICN: Scalable media coding formats (e.g.,
SVC) in combination with in-network adaptation
 Routing & Forwarding
 Caching & Buffering
 QoS/QoE
 Enabling content-awareness within the (core)
network
 Context-awareness at receiver & sender (& ICN
node)
 ALICANTE
 Towards deployment of a networked "Media Ecosystem"
 Collaboration of CAN layer and Home-Box layer
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 14

15. LITERATURE
[1] J. Pan, S. Paul, R. Jain, “A survey of the research on future internet
architectures”, IEEE Communications Magazine, vol.49, no.7, pp.26-36, July
2011.
[2] V. Jacobson, D. Smetters, J. Thornton, M. Plass, N. Briggs, R. Braynard,
“Networking named content”, Proc. of ACM CoNEXT 2009, Rome, Italy,
December 2009.
[3] H. Koumaras et al., “Media Ecosystems: A Novel Approach for Content-
Awareness in Future Networks,” Future Internet: Achievements and Promising
Technology, Springer Verlag, pp. 369-380, May 2011.
[4] ALICANTE Web site, http://ict-alicante.eu/.
[5] M. Wien et al., “Performance Analysis of SVC,” Circuits and Systems for Video
Technology, IEEE Transactions on, vol. 17, no. 9, pp. 1194-1203, 2007.
[6] T. Stockhammer, “Dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP – standards and
design principles,” in Proceedings of the Second Annual ACM Conference on
Multimedia Systems, New York, NY, USA, pp. 133–144, February 2011.
[7] M. Grafl, et al., “Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks: Research
Challenges and Open Issues,” in: N. Blefari-Melazzi, G. Bianchi, and L.
Salgarelli (eds.), Trustworthy Internet, Springer, pp. 349-358, June 2011.
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 15

16. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION!
Questions?
Michael Grafl Scalable Video Coding in Content-Aware Networks 16