Implementation and performance issues in an object-oriented orchestration architecture

Abstract

Orchestration refers to the specification and management of a multimedia presentation's life-cycle. Once synonymous with synchronization, this broader interpretation is analogous to the performance of a symphony orchestra, which in itself is more than just a set of musicians playing at the same time; rather, it is a well choreographed collection of instruments played together according to a set arrangement. Orchestrating a multimedia presentation involves specifying its content, spatial and temporal structure, coordinating data retrieval, decoding and synchronization, as well as displaying the decoded media to the user. It is this coordinated management which constitutes the orchestration process. The problem is therefore to define an architecture that addresses each stage this life-cycle so that the semantics of the presentation and each of its component media are preserved. Such an architecture must be open to examination and modification at different points in order to provide a self-regulating system that evaluates and adapts its behaviour throughout the presentation. Consequently, an object-oriented approach to both implementation and performance management enables a system to dynamically respond to changing needs and environmental conditions in both a well-mannered and well-instrumented fashion.