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Media Streaming Architecture

Media Streaming Database Architecture

Media Streaming Architecture

Patrick McCarty - Created 3/16/2004

Tables in the media_stream database:

Name

Description

archived_events

Holds stored event information

archived_links

URLs for events based on codec

archived_events_hits
Stores hit counts

event_codecs

Enumerates codecs of events

event_types

Enumerates types of events

live_events

Holds live event information

upcoming_events

Holds upcoming event information

Issues with Current Streaming Architecture

Media Streaming Architecture

Whats wrong with the current system?

  1. More formats needed - Currently only Real (RTSP or HTTP)
    • Quicktime in largest demand
    • Looking for an open standard, most aren't cross platform.
    • MPEG 4 closest to open standard
    • Difficulty with bandwidth and quality with MPEG-4 encoding
    • Problem with Real format is that the downloaded file includes all bitrate (currently doing 56Kbps 225Kbps) Will auto-scale down.
  2. Need Ability to Download not just stream
    • Some would like to download and Use for ministry (911 chapel for instance)
    • Can do this now through adminstrator but no front end
  3. No User Documentation
  4. Self Service Content Creation
    • Could have a web form to upload file add metadata
    • Instructions -standards -departmental level
    • Graphics Center has video editing, heavily used
    • Architecture should allow for obvious direction of allowing departmental/faculty media creation without handing off encoding to IMT
  5. Scalability, Reliability of Hardware
    • NAS used for data store
    • Scalability, reliability issues
    • Windows NAS with SMB mounted filesystem, Gig eth, but won't scale

Keys to Existing/Future Architecture

  • Continue to be Database Driven
  • Take from a live source without pre-post-processing
  • Data entry form to store event metadata

Bandwidth Concerns

  • 20% of hits from RezNet, 10-15% on campus, meaning 65-75% off campus
  • We are using more of our pipe for longer periods of the day
  • Suggest bandwidth shaping etc.

Current Media Streaming Architecture

Media Streaming Architecture

Architecture Diagram

Components

Streaming Server

Helix DNA Server

  • Using open source server with closed source extensions

Database structure

Highlights

  • Event types allow for categorizing content
  • Active Flag - administrative disable of content
  • Public Flag - AuthN necessary (CAS basic authN no groups authZ)

Current Web Interfaces

  • Apache/PHP code for the front end. Rewritten Summer '05
  • www.apu.edu has links to content as well
    • UR queries our database, but proper querying validation is not being done
  • Logic recreated for display in den

Media Streaming Architecture

Media Streaming Architecture

A review of the current and proposed enhancements to the Media Streaming Architecture, currently used to broadcast and archive audio and video events at APU.

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