Multi-CDN digital content streaming

1. A method for transferring a digital content stream via a plurality of parallel network connections between a plurality of content servers and a content player, comprising:

determining, by operation of one or more computer processors, an indication of network performance for each of the plurality of parallel network connections;

upon determining that network performance associated with a first parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections is below a threshold level of performance, dropping the first parallel network connection and continuing to transfer the digital content stream via remaining parallel network connections of the plurality of parallel network connections; and

upon determining that a total throughput for transferring the digital content stream via the remaining parallel network connections is less than a minimum threshold of network performance:

selecting a content server with which to establish a new parallel network connection based on historical network performance data associated with the selected content server;

adding the new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections by establishing the new parallel network connection to the selected content server;

assigning a portion of a content buffer of the content player to the new parallel network connection based on the historical network performance data associated with the selected content server; and

transferring the digital content stream to the content buffer via the plurality of parallel network connections.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon dropping the first parallel network connection, requesting content from the digital content stream associated with the first parallel network connection from a second parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new parallel network connection is a network connection to a new content server not in the plurality of content servers.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the new parallel network connection is an additional network connection to one of the plurality of content servers.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon determining that a first deadline for the digital content stream will not be met, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon determining that the plurality of parallel network connections contains fewer than a threshold amount of parallel network connections, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

upon adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of network connections:

retrieving network performance information for the plurality of content servers;

determining a mapping of the plurality of content servers to a plurality of portions of a content buffer on the content player, based on the retrieved network performance information; and

receiving, from each of the plurality of content servers, digital content associated with the corresponding portion of the content buffer.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing a program that, when executed, transfers a digital content stream via a plurality of parallel network connections between a plurality of content servers and a content player, comprising:

determining an indication of network performance for each of the plurality of parallel network connections;

upon determining that network performance associated with a first parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections is below a threshold level of performance, dropping the first parallel network connection and continuing to transfer the digital content stream via remaining parallel network connections of the plurality of parallel network connections; and

upon determining that a total throughput for transferring the digital content stream via the remaining parallel network connections is less than a minimum threshold of network performance:

selecting a content server with which to establish a new parallel network connection based on historical network performance data associated with the selected content server;

adding the new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections by establishing the new parallel network connection to the selected content server;

assigning a portion of a content buffer of the content player to the new parallel network connection based on the historical network performance data associated with the selected content server; and

transferring the digital content stream to the content buffer via the plurality of parallel network connections.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the operation further comprising:

upon dropping the first parallel network connection, requesting content from the digital content stream associated with the first parallel network connection from a second parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the new parallel network connection is a network connection to a new content server not in the plurality of content servers.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the new parallel network connection is an additional network connection to one of the plurality of content servers.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the operation further comprising:

upon determining that a first deadline for the digital content stream will not be met, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the operation further comprising:

upon determining that the plurality of parallel network connections contains fewer than a threshold amount of parallel network connections, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , the operation further comprising:

upon adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of network connections:

retrieving network performance information for the plurality of content servers;

determining a mapping of the plurality of content servers to a plurality of portions of a content buffer on the content player, based on the retrieved network performance information; and

receiving, from each of the plurality of content servers, digital content associated with the corresponding portion of the content buffer.

15. A system for transferring a digital content stream via a plurality of parallel network connections between a plurality of content servers and a content player, the system comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:

determine an indication of network performance for each of the plurality of parallel network connections;

upon determining that network performance associated with a first parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections is below a threshold level of performance, drop the first parallel network connection and continue to transfer the digital content stream via remaining parallel network connections of the plurality of parallel network connections; and

upon determining that a total throughput for transferring the digital content stream via the remaining parallel network connections is less than a minimum threshold of network performance:

select a content server with which to establish a new parallel network connection based on historical network performance data associated with the selected content server;

add the new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections by establishing the new parallel network connection to the selected content server;

assigning a portion of a content buffer of the content player to the new parallel network connection based on the historical network performance data associated with the selected content server; and

transferring the digital content stream to the content buffer via the plurality of parallel network connections.

16. The system of claim 15 , the operation further comprising:

upon dropping the first parallel network connection, requesting content from the digital content stream associated with the first parallel network connection from a second parallel network connection included in the plurality of parallel network connections.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the new parallel network connection is a network connection to a new content server not in the plurality of content servers.

18. The system of claim 15 , wherein the new parallel network connection is an additional network connection to one of the plurality of content servers.

19. The system of claim 15 , the operation further comprising:

upon determining that a first deadline for the digital content stream will not be met, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

20. The system of claim 15 , the operation further comprising:

upon determining that the plurality of parallel network connections contains fewer than a threshold amount of parallel network connections, adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of parallel network connections.

21. The system of claim 15 , the operation further comprising:

upon adding a new parallel network connection to the plurality of network connections:

retrieving network performance information for the plurality of content servers;

determining a mapping of the plurality of content servers to a plurality of portions of a content buffer on the content player, based on the retrieved network performance information; and

receiving, from each of the plurality of content servers, digital content associated with the corresponding portion of the content buffer.