Locating and retrieving segmented content

1. A method for locating segmented content, the segmented content being distributed over at least a first content delivery network (CDN) comprising a first content location database and a second content delivery network comprising a second content location database, the method comprising:

at a first central CDN node comprising a CDN control function (CDNCF) in the first content delivery network, the CDNCF retrieving, from a cache associated with a first delivery node in the first content delivery network, a manifest file template associated with the segmented content, the manifest file template comprising one or more pointers to database entries of the first content location database;

based on information in the one or more database entries pointed to in the retrieved manifest file template, the CDNCF transmitting a request to the second content delivery network to determine, based on information in the second content location database, a location of a second delivery node in the second content delivery network, wherein the second delivery node is configured for delivering a segment associated with at least one of the database entries; and

the CDNCF generating a manifest file for locating the segmented content by replacing a pointer in the manifest file template with the determined location of the second delivery node in the second content delivery network,

wherein the database entries in the first content location database comprise a pointer to a database location comprising data that is at least one of: one or more locators for locating a delivery node configured to deliver a segment, or one or more pointers to the second content location database of the second content delivery network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein retrieving the manifest file template comprises retrieving the manifest file template from the cache associated with the first delivery node in response to reception of a location request for locating at least part of the segmented content.

3. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:

for at least one of the database entries making a selection of one or the other of the first or the second content delivery network for delivering a segment associated with at least one of the database entries.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein making the selection comprises selecting on the basis of a location request.

5. A method for moving at least part of a segmented content from a first content delivery network (CDN) comprising a first content location database to a second content delivery network comprising a second content location database, the method comprising:

at a first central CDN node comprising a CDN control function (CDNCF) in the first content delivery network, the CDNCF retrieving, from a cache associated with a first delivery node in the first content delivery network, a manifest file template associated with the segmented content, the manifest file template identifying one or more segments of the segmented content and comprising one or more pointers to database entries of the first content location database, the pointers associated with the identified segments;

the CDNCF determining segment metrics for at least part of the segments identified by the manifest file template, the segment metrics comprising quantitative characteristics of segment usage;

on the basis of the segment metrics, the CDNCF selecting one or more segments to move from the first content delivery network to the second content delivery network;

the CDNCF generating a partial manifest file by replacing the pointers in the manifest file template associated with the selected one or more segments with one or more locations of delivery nodes in the first content delivery network which are configured to deliver the selected segments; and

the CDNCF transmitting the partial manifest file from the first content delivery network to the second content delivery network,

wherein the database entries in the first content location database comprise a pointer to a database location comprising data that is at least one of: one or more locators for locating a delivery node configured to deliver a segment, or one or more pointers to the second content location database of the second content delivery network.

6. The method according to claim 5 further comprising:

requesting the second content delivery network to ingest at least part of the segments identified in the partial manifest file.

7. A control function module for locating segmented content, the segmented content being distributed over at least a first content delivery network (CDN) comprising with a first content location database and a second content delivery network comprising a second content location database, the control function module being comprised in the first CDN and comprising:

one or more processors and stored instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the control function module to carry out operations including:

retrieving, from a cache associated with a first delivery node in the first content delivery network, a manifest file template comprising one or more pointers to database entries of the first content location database;

based on information in the one or more database entries pointed to in the retrieved manifest file template, transmitting a request to the second content delivery network to determine, based on information in the second content location database, a location of a second delivery node in the second content delivery network, wherein the second delivery node is configured for delivering a segment associated with at least one of the database entries; and

generating a manifest file for locating the segmented content by replacing a pointer with the determined location of the second delivery node in the second content delivery network,

wherein the database entries in the first content location database comprise a pointer to a database location comprising data that is at least one of: one or more locators for locating a delivery node configured to deliver a segment, or one or more pointers to the second content location database of the second content delivery network.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by one or more processors of a device in system for locating segmented content distributed over at least a first content delivery network (CDN) comprising a first content location database and a second content delivery network comprising a second content location database, wherein the device is comprised in the first CDN, cause the device to carry out operations including:

retrieving, from a cache associated with a first delivery node in the first content delivery network, a manifest file template associated with the segmented content, the manifest file template comprising one or more pointers to database entries of the first content location database;

based on information in the one or more database entries pointed to in the retrieved manifest file template, transmitting a request to the second content delivery network to determine, based on information in the second content location database, a location of a second delivery node in the second content delivery network, wherein the second delivery node is configured for delivering a segment associated with at least one of the database entries; and

generating a manifest file for locating the segmented content by replacing a pointer in the manifest file template with the determined location of said delivery node in the second content delivery network,

wherein the database entries in the first content location database comprise a pointer to a database location comprising data that is at least one of: one or more locators for locating a delivery node configured to deliver a segment, or one or more pointers to the second content location database of the second content delivery network.

9. The method of claim 4 , wherein selecting on the basis of the location request comprises selecting on the basis of location information associated with a location request.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the transmitted request to the second content delivery network comprises a partial manifest file, wherein the partial manifest file comprises one or more segment identifiers.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein retrieving the manifest file template comprises retrieving the manifest file template in response to a user request comprising a content name or identifier.

12. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising receiving the determined location of the second delivery node at the first content delivery network from the second content delivery network.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein receiving the determined location of the second delivery node comprises receiving the determined location as part of a partial manifest file.

14. The control function module according to claim 7 , wherein the operations further include receiving a determined location from the second content delivery network.