A hybrid mesh-tree peer-to-peer overlay structure for layered video streaming

Due to complicated implementation of IP multicast, application layer multicast has attracted the attention of researchers. Tree overlay has some challenges such as resiliency problems caused by peer churns and also network resources may not be efficiently used. Mesh overlay doesn´t have such problems, but has a high delivery latency and overhead caused by pull mechanism. Using a hybrid mesh/tree overlay offers push pull approach and leads to use the advantages of both overlays simultaneously. Also in p2p networks a significant problem is heterogeneity of peers. In this paper we propose a hybrid mesh/tree overlay that by means of streaming layered coded video, addresses these challenges. This overlay poses other critical design challenges such as latency and resiliency issues that stable nodes in a distributed algorithm form a tree in order to accelerate media streaming.