Media Services On-Demand
Reduce your content’s “upload to publish” time with Akamai’s optimized cloud ecosystem
Audiences expect instant access and an engaging online media viewing experience
When it comes to media on demand, users require instantaneous playback with no interruptions. Guaranteeing this stability isn’t just about providing a good experience - these are also the key factors contributing to the monetization of traffic.
Akamai gives us the necessary workflow tools and scale to meet the vast set of requirements that are critical to success in today’s world of multi-screen content consumption.
— C. Austin Powers, President, Olympusat Telecom
BENEFITS TO YOUR BUSINESS
- Provides worry-free high-quality streaming to reach your audience through optimized default configurations for the most popular online media formats and devices
- Simplifies content workflow operations by centralizing online video transcoding, storage and delivery into a single cloud platform that addresses the multi-device challenge automatically through configuration
- Scales on demand automatically based on required processing needs
- Reduces CAPEX/OPEX by eliminating the need to purchase and scale in-house video transcoding resources
- Increases availability by leveraging Akamai’s global video transcoding processing centers
- Secures content assets with MPAA-assessed processing centers offering the highest level of online media protection
Media Services On-Demand
Audiences expect instant access to content and an engaging online media viewing experience on any device. But getting content online quickly isn’t just about pleasing your viewers, it’s also about maximizing revenue.
The quicker audiences can consume content the more views the content receives, and where applicable, the more advertising revenue that is generated. But getting content online fast can require service providers to deploy an army of hardware-based resources, and in doing so, incur higher than planned capital expenditure, endure complex content preparation workflows and sacrifice in video streaming quality. All of which make the online video business model hard to build and expand.
Akamai’s cloud-based Media Services On Demand solution enables the elastic scalability required to meet increasing demand and decreasing deadlines, while simplifying the complex setup and ongoing maintenance of producing the high quality media viewers expect. Born in the cloud and leveraging patent-pending technology Media Services On Demand provides the elements required to transcode, package and secure your on demand content library.
How does it work?
Akamai’s Media Services On Demand solution is made up of a group of customizable content preparation elements.
The combination of these elements enables content owners to transcode, package and encrypt their content for on demand streaming. The components can be configured in a number of ways to help content owners create the workflow that works best for them. Content owners have two options for how content can be prepared using Media Services On Demand. The first option involves a high resolution source file being provided to Akamai for VOD Transcoding to create the desired bitrates & formats. Alternatively, content owners can provide Akamai with a set of pre-transcoded MP4 files that they wish to have packaged into a streaming format - HLS, HDS or MPEG-DASH, for example.
Media Services On Demand’s output profiles have been optimized to create the best possible streaming experience regardless of the playback scenario experienced on the Akamai Intelligent PlatformTM. Which means no matter the delivery format or the device its been viewed upon the best possible experience will be delivered.
Why Media Services On Demand?
It’s a workflow born and optimized for the cloud.
Most of the complexities and challenges in today’s hardware-based or multivendor content preparation solutions are actually manifested in the processes and workflows. Akamai architected the solution from the ground up to take advantage of all the cloud has to offer. A majority of the online streaming quality issues Akamai observes are the result of improper video encoding or content preparation. Akamai produces the finely tuned renditions required for adaptive bitrate streaming from a single high-quality video version and provides default configurations that create online content specifically tuned for adaptive media delivery across the Akamai Intelligent PlatformTM. When new viewing devices are introduced or higher video bit rates are required, you can adapt quickly, because the files are already within Akamai’s cloud ecosystem eliminating the need to download, transcode, and upload again. Simply update the configuration, and Akamai will create the new renditions and places them back into NetStorage for automatic delivery.
Born in the cloud, with a patent pending architecture, Akamai has built a solution designed to take advantage of the cloud completely.
It scales elastically.
Eliminate the need to invest in video transcoding hardware that sits idle for extended periods. Akamai’s eight globally distributed processing centers scale flexibly to meet growing, changing demand. Part of the Akamai Intelligent Platform™, these centers leverage innovative techniques to maximize parallel processing. Since they don’t depend on a third-party cloud platform, you do not have to compete for computing time or bandwidth. The result is shorter turnaround time, higher quality online media and unmatched scale.
It provides security when you need it.
If you require digital rights management (DRM) content protection, Akamai offers an integrated DRM Wrapping option that protects content using DRM technologies such as Microsoft Playready and Adobe Access, and pre-integrates the solution with market-leading DRM providers. Akamai participates in the Motion Picture Association of America’s (MPAA) Site Security Program and Akamai’s cloud-based workflow is aligned with the best practices prescribed.
It’s easily configured and automatic.
Traditional hardware-based workflows can be cumbersome, especially when they are not connected to an online delivery network. With Akamai, you simply set the initial configuration in the easy-to-use Luna Control Center and after that, the workflow is a completely automated process. Upload content to pre-defined watch folders and Akamai handles the rest. Whether you’re processing one media file or 20,000, the same automated processes apply. You can also customize advanced transcoding parameters including number of renditions, video/audio bitrates, bitrate types (VBR/CBR), frame rate, keyframe rate, and resolution.
It offers broad format support.
Akamai ensures that you can support the majority of prevalent consumer web device formats, adding new support continually. For an up-to-date-list of supported formats, consult the format support list on Akamai’s Luna Control Center or contact your Akamai sales representative.
