a. To understand the underlying congestion problem, draw a network
diagram identifying the various parties involved in delivering a
streaming video to an end customer from Netflix in 2014 in the US.
Show how each party (Netflix, Akamai, Comcast, Level3, customer, etc.)
is connected. Briefly describe how a packet of video data travels from
Netflix to the end customer, identifying the hardware elements
(computers, servers, phones, routers, switches) that the packet will
encounter as it travels.
b. Using your diagram identify and summarize in writing where the
congestion is occurring, which parties are responsible for creating the
congestion and why.
c. Now brainstorm to identify a set of 3 or more options for solving the
congestion problem. Summarize each option in writing.
d. Identify the most preferred solution (likely to be a deal with Comcast!)
and describe why that is the best approach relative to the other
solution options that you identified.
