A multi-node video server system in accordance with the invention comprises disk storage associated with a first node which stores at least a portion of a video presentation in the form of plural data blocks, each data block comprising a viewing time segment of the presentation. RAM buffer in a ...http://www.google.co.uk/patents/US5808607?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US5808607 - Multi-node media server that provides video to a plurality of terminals from a single buffer when video requests are close in time 
