White Paper The Changing Landscape of Video Delivery in the Enterprise Efficient, Scalable Streaming with the Adobe Flash Platform By Lisa Larson-Kelley Web Video Consultant, LearnFromLisa.com MediaPlatform, Inc. 8383 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 750 Los Angeles, CA 90211 (310) 909-8410 www.mediaplatform.com info@mediaplatform.com Copyright 2011 by Lisa Larson-Kelley
Introduction This document is for IT professionals and other decision makers who want to understand the sweeping changes happening in enterprise video today. We will discuss new technologies and solutions that can help you deliver richer interactive video content while actually reducing costs. You ll see how you can use your existing infrastructure to deliver full-featured, cost-effective streaming across your entire enterprise -- without the complexity you may have encountered in the past. Why Streaming Within the Enterprise is Different Streaming media has the potential to revolutionize communication within large organizations. It can help drive collaboration and provide consistent and timely communication that reaches everyone, regardless of their location. Unfortunately, this potential is often limited by the realities of budgetstrained corporate networks and shortcomings in video delivery solutions. With the rapid growth being seen in online media consumption, managing network traffic efficiently has never been more important. Multicast delivery is one very effective way to manage bandwidth when dealing with large-scale broadcasts of video and audio data. While multicast solutions such as Windows Media have traditionally met the basic needs of enterprise customers for bandwidth-efficient streaming, there is a growing demand for interactivity and wider reach. Audiences expect rich features such as audience polling, email integration, archive editing, and customized event interfaces, and they want to be able to participate wherever they are, on any device. MediaPlatform is the industry s first webcasting solution that couples the latest multicast technology with this full feature set, enabling scalable and cost-efficient streaming across the enterprise. MediaPlatform WebCaster enables you to easily produce webcasts with presenters in one or multiple locations and reach audiences in excess of tens of thousands of live concurrent viewers. It enables you to produce, broadly distribute and monitor deeply interactive live and on-demand webcasts that feature streaming video, PowerPoint slides, audio, surveys, polls, and screen demoing. When to Choose Multicast Traditional RTMP streaming is a unicast delivery method. With unicast, a separate and dedicated stream is delivered to each client. Multicast uses a different approach, with a single stream being replicated on the network for delivery to multiple clients. Optimal for one to-all distribution such as company-wide broadcasts, partner training, communication with remote offices, or all-hands meetings, multicast is the obvious delivery solution for enterprise especially those with networks enabled with native multicast support. There are three types of multicast delivery available on the Flash platform: IP multicast, application multicast, and multicast fusion. 1 P a g e
IP multicast, also referred to as native multicast, is a hardware-based approach that requires routers with multicast-enabled software. Traffic for a specific multicast group will go through a particular network node only once no matter how many viewers there are for the broadcast. While IP multicast does not require special server software, the IT staff will need to be involved to enable multicast on the routers, configure tunnels, and create unique multicast addresses for each broadcast. This approach is only appropriate for internal enterprise streaming where the network hardware can be finely tuned for hardware-assisted delivery. Application multicast, on the other hand, can be used for multicast delivery outside of internal networks. This approach does not require special network hardware. Using peer-to-peer technology, application multicast can enable massive public broadcasts with low network traffic, saving money on bandwidth costs. A rendezvous server is required to make peer introductions over RTMFP, with a Flash Player as the client. Chunks of data are pulled and pushed among a complex mesh of peers, achieving scalable, optimized delivery. Multicast fusion provides the best of both worlds. By combining the two technologies, a bridge is created between internal and external users (Figure 1). Internal users receive video via IP multicast and those clients are then used to help distribute to external users using application multicast. This innovative approach delivers an overall higher quality of service and increased reach, while saving bandwidth and infrastructure costs. WebCaster uses multicast fusion to efficiently deliver video throughout large organizations broadcasting both internally and externally. Figure 1. Live broadcast using multicast fusion. 2 P a g e
Benefits of Multicast Over Unicast (RTMP or HTTP) Traditional RTMP and HTTP streaming are unicast delivery methods. They use Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) connections. While TCP is reliable, providing ordered delivery of video, audio, and data between a server and a client, it can be inefficient. Often this data can be lost in transmission or delivered out of order. If this happens, TCP requests that the data be resent. Once the missing data is received and put into the correct order the video can be played. As you might imagine, this ensures that the video data is intact, but adds latency and can interrupt the playback experience. Figure 2. Communication paradigms for UDP and TCP connections. Multicast is a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) based delivery method. UDP ensures that connections are not interrupted if network problems occur, making it a more efficient alternative to TCP for sending video and audio data (Figure 2). Unlike TCP, UDP does not try to recover data that has been lost in transmission, which provides less latency with live broadcasts. Compared with unicast delivery, multicast can provide huge network efficiencies. It can dramatically reduce the use of bandwidth and server resources, resulting in lower total cost of delivery. It can also provide ultra-low latency for sharing video, audio, and data over networks enabled with multicast support. 3 P a g e
Myths About Multicast and Flash Multicast in the enterprise has always been great in theory, but it often fell short in all but a few specialized use cases. It has lacked the flexibility many people expect and desire in corporate communication today. Alternatively, RTMP streaming on the Flash Platform could historically deliver rich interactivity, but performance and scalability were not enterprise grade. When Adobe introduced multicast delivery on the Flash platform in Flash Player 10.1, it was initially received with some skepticism. What about firewalls? What about streaming to devices such as ipad and iphone? Can we expect HD quality to play back smoothly? How does peer-to-peer come into play, and how secure is it? Adobe addressed many of these concerns with multicast fusion, a solution for efficient multicast delivery to clients both inside and outside the corporate network. This innovative approach leverages both IP (Internet Protocol) multicast and application-level multicast to reach 100% of the users without the need for costly and time-consuming network upgrades, and brings enterprise governance and control to peer-to-peer video streaming. Let s take a closer look at how MediaPlatform s solution addresses some common concerns about enterprise-level multicast on the Flash platform: o o o o Multicast streaming isn t supported in Flash Player. Multicast is now supported in Flash Player 10.1 and later. Standard IP multicast, which relies on network hardware, is supported. Peer-to-peer, also referred to as application multicast, is also available for efficient streaming between peers on networks that are not multicast-enabled. Finally, a hybrid of these two approaches, multicast fusion, allows streams to be delivered to clients both inside and outside of multicast-enabled networks. WebCaster uses this innovative approach. It won t work on ipad and iphone. MediaPlatform supports all ios and Android tablets and phones, automatically choosing between HTML5 and Flash where appropriate. Video image quality is poor for broadcasts in Flash, there s no H.264 support. The Flash platform now supports HD quality H.264 video. With multicast support, you can now deliver this high bitrate stream reliably, on a massive scale. Video playback in Flash is often choppy. Enhancements in Flash Player 11 and later have greatly improved playback performance, utilizing hardware acceleration to play video smoothly even at full screen. 4 P a g e
o Our broadcast needs to be secure. There are many levels of security available with Flash delivery. The stream itself can be encrypted. You can also check to be sure the client accessing the stream is authorized to do so, and hasn t been tampered with in any way. WebCaster adds additional controls, such as LDAP integration, secure logins and administrator access controls. How MediaPlatform Enhances Multicast MediaPlatform WebCaster is the only enterprise-grade video tool that enables you to take full advantage of multicast fusion on the Flash Platform, while also delivering that same content to mobile devices. When properly configured, you can reach everyone. WebCaster is designed for complex live webcasts with multiple presenters in remote locations or sophisticated pre-recorded presentations. There are a wide range of options for managing setup, registration, and assets in the webcast. After the event has ended, you can gain valuable insights into viewership and engagement with data-rich reports and analytics. WebCaster is designed to run completely in the cloud and is robust enough to stream audio and video to audiences of tens of thousands or more. The cloud-based version supports application layer (peer assist) multicast. This approach enables substantial gains in network utilization without requiring a CDN, extensive server infrastructure, or WAN optimization. How WebCaster Works WebCaster s multicast fusion delivery is configured as an add-on to Flash Media Enterprise Server (Figure 3). The presentation itself is configured and managed by the publisher through the WebCaster web interface. First, the publisher sets up parameters of their event in the WebCaster interface, schedules the event, and sends invitations. WebCaster offers many controls for importing and managing email communications such as invitations and reminders. When it s time to broadcast the event, the speakers begin encoding their live streams using Flash Media Live Encoder (FMLE), where they connect to the MediaPlatform FMS server and send the streams. The publisher manages the live streams and related assets in the presentation, orchestrating speaker video streams with slides and other assets. As clients connect to the broadcast in their browsers through the MediaPlatform Multicast Fusion Player, they are connected to the Flash Media Server and introduced to peers. Clients are connected together either over IP multicast or application multicast connections, and they share the video stream data directly among the group. As you can see in Figure 3, there is very little traffic flowing through the router or the FMS server; most of the load is shared among the peers. 5 P a g e
Figure 3. MediaPlatform WebCaster broadcasting an event via multicast fusion. Upgrade Your Streaming Solution with WebCaster The benefits of MediaPlatform WebCaster are clear. With this turnkey hosted solution you can maximize the reach of your webcast with minimal network updates, delivering to multiple screens both inside and outside of your organization. WebCaster can also be licensed and installed on-site for use behind a firewall if needed. A single stream source can be used to play on all popular operating systems and browsers, streamlining the publishing process. This ease of configuration and minimal workflow will help you lower your streaming costs and increase the overall value of your webcasts. Rich Feature Set WebCaster is a full-featured solution that meets the needs of today s complex broadcasts. No other multicast-enabled solution can deliver such deep interactivity and flexibility. Sophisticated features enable you to: Support multiple remote presenters, live video or audio streams Capture live screen demos from remote sources Mix live broadcasts with pre-recorded video or audio Charge for events, with integrated payments through PayPal Create playlists of live and/or on-demand content Auto-archive video with instant availability for live events Manage email invitations and reminders with full HTML email support Maintain company branding with custom media players and lobby skins Secure Broadcasts Take advantage of all of these features with the flexibility of on-site installation or Software-a-Service (SaaS) while securely managing your content. WebCaster is a highly secure, password or IP address 6 P a g e
protected webcasting environment. System content can be maintained behind the firewall or on thirdparty Content Distribution Networks (CDNs). Role-based permissions enable a specific webcast to be distributed to a controlled list of users or to everyone in the company. Advanced Technical Architecture WebCaster is designed for simple integration with other applications using web services and the principle of Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). This enables custom development, expansion and interoperability of webcasting in your enterprise. Achieve massive scale -- from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of live viewers -- with multiple simultaneous live events and multiple remote presenters without impacting your corporate networks. In-Depth Reporting and Automatic Certification The event doesn t end when the broadcast is over. WebCaster provides detailed, customizable reports about the event and the audience. You can even produce and distribute certificates of attendance in PDF form, with your own defined rules for eligibility. Learn more For more information about how MediaPlatform WebCaster can help you efficiently reach wider audiences inside and outside of your organization, visit www.mediaplatform.com/flashmulticasting. 7 P a g e
Appendix Application multicast Also referred to as P2P multicast, application multicast uses RTMFP connections to route video, audio, and data between members of a P2P group. Using this method, you can stream one-to-many or a few-to-many broadcasts outside of an internal network over more efficient UDP-based connections. Can be used alone, or combined with IP multicast to reach clients both inside and outside of a closed network (see multicast fusion). Flash platform The Adobe Flash Platform is Adobe s suite of professional tools, open source frameworks, ubiquitous clients, and scalable servers. Includes Adobe Flash Player and Adobe AIR clients; tools such as Adobe Flash CS4 Professional, Adobe Flash Catalyst, Adobe Flex Builder, Flex Framework, and the Adobe Flash Media Server family. Multicast fusion A multicast solution supported on the Adobe Flash platform that blends IP multicast with an innovative peer-assist multicast technology (application multicast over RTMFP), extending the reach of the multicast stream to 100% of users without requiring network upgrades. RTMFP also increases the quality of delivery through the use of the User Datagram Protocol (UDP). IP multicast A network technology that enables a video to stream just once to a node on a network and then is shared by all the viewers in that node, regardless of connection type or speed. Reliant on network factors such as multicast-enabled hardware upgrades and router configurations. RTMFP Real Time Messaging Flow Protocol. A protocol supported on the Adobe Flash platform that supports peer-to-peer connections for streaming video. Because RTMFP can send data directly between the end-user clients and not through the server, solutions are less expensive to scale. TCP Transmission Control Protocol. TCP provides reliable, ordered delivery of video, audio, and data between the server and a client. If network interruptions or delays such as congestion or load balancing occur, data can be lost or delivered out of order. If this occurs, TCP can request that the data be resent. Once data is received and put into the correct order, the video will be available for playback. RTMP streaming uses TCP, as do web browsing, file transfer, and email applications. UDP User Datagram Protocol. UDP is a more efficient alternative to TCP to send video and audio data, ensuring that connections are not interrupted if network problems occur. UDP, unlike TCP, does not try to recover data that has been lost in transmission. TCP waits for data packets, which can cause delays or interruptions in the delivery. UDP can also support communication in large enterprise networks protected by NAT routers, something TCP cannot do. Multicast streaming uses UDP. Unicast A method of video delivery where a separate and dedicated stream is delivered to each destination. Unicast is a one-to-one transmission between the client and the server. WebCaster MediaPlatform s webcasting solution, with OSMF compatible multicast player. 8 P a g e
About the Author: Lisa Larson-Kelley created learnfromlisa.com to share her knowledge of web video publishing. In addition to hands-on development projects, she thoroughly enjoys writing and teaching. She is known for having a knack for breaking down complex concepts and making them accessible, writing whitepapers, tutorials and e-seminars for Adobe, online courses for Lynda.com, and editorials and features for StreamingMedia.com. She also co-authored the book Flash Video for Professionals, published by Wiley in 2007. Lisa is an official Adobe Community Professional, and has been recognized as a Streaming Media All-Star by Streaming Media Magazine. Lisa also presents at numerous industry conferences and user groups around the world. About MediaPlatform, Inc. MediaPlatform, Inc. works with such global clients as Dow Chemical, IBM and NEC, as well as webcasting producers in the event planning, marketing communication and audio-visual sectors. The company s webcasting software enables high-impact, rich media presentations for lead generation, corporate communication, and training. In addition to powering highly customized presentations to large audiences, MediaPlatform helps its clients derive long term value from their investment in media by allowing them to archive the content in a searchable, social network based corporate media portal. www.mediaplatform.com www.twitter.com/webcaster info@mediaplatform.com MediaPlatform is a registered trademark of MediaPlatform, Inc. Adobe, Flash, and the Flash logo are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or other countries. 9 P a g e