Hosting Windows Media:
Best Practices
7-316
Oliver Pribramsky
Program Manager, Deployment Team
Digital Media Division
Microsoft Corporation
Agenda
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Overview of Windows Media Services
in Windows 2000
Getting up and running quickly
Maintaining quality in large
deployments
Maintaining 24x7 operations
Windows Media
Content Development and Deployment
Live Content
UNICAST,
MULITCAST
License Server
Live Feed
End Users:
Home,
Business
Encoding
Workstation
On-demand Content
Windows Media
Services Server
Stored
Content
Editing
Workstation
Authoring
Streaming from a
Web Server
Streaming from a
Download & Play
Web Server
WM Server
Distribution
Playback
Windows Media Technologies 7
Highest Quality
Audio & Video
Internet
Broadband
Ready
Easiest to Use
& Extend
Industrial Strength
Security
Highest Scalability
& Reliability
Windows Media Features
Network-Friendly Streaming
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Unicast and Multicast support
Live and On-Demand streaming
Adapts to Network conditions
Logging and Monitoring interfaces
Controlled access (Security)
Commerce and Advertising solutions
Unicast And Multicast
Windows Media Features
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Unicast streaming
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Multicast streaming
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Copy files for on-demand streaming
Use Wizard for live streaming
Use Wizards for easy configuration
Content grouped for flexibility
Clients fail over to Unicast by default
Multicast File Transfer service
Live And On-Demand
Windows Media Features
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Live Streaming
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Source from Encoder or Server
Create Server Side Playlists
Multicast on-demand content as if live
On-Demand Streaming
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Users initiate playback via Unicast
Control experience via ASX Playlists
Adapts To Network
Windows Media Features
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Intelligent Streaming
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Stream Thinning
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Adapts to network congestion
Server Throttling
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For content with multiple bitrates
Client/Server negotiate bandwidth
Control bandwidth used by server
HTTP Streaming
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Streams through firewalls to reach users
Streaming Versus Web Server
Requirement
Web
Streaming
On-Demand
Yes
Yes
Live Streaming
No
Yes
Unicast
Yes
Yes
Multicast
No
Yes
Bandwidth Throttling
No
Yes
Content Control
No
Yes
Controlled Access (Security)
Windows Media Features
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Exclude access by IP Address
(Live, On-Demand, Multicast)
Optionally require authorization
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Basic Authentication (clear-text)
NTLM Challenge/Response (encrypted)
Membership (Site Server)
Other Authorization Plug-in (Extensible)
Restrict access via NTFS Security (ACL)
Encrypt on-demand content with DRM
Logging And Monitoring
Sophisticated Analysis
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Logging and Reporting on usage
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Unicast and Multicast logging
available
Log file captures 44 different fields
Multiple 3rd party reporting solutions
available
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Lariat, MarketWave, WebTrends
Free version of Lariat MediaReports
available from our web site
Monitoring server activity
Performance Monitor or SNMP Alerts
Hosting Windows Media
Planning Stage
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How will you stream content?
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How will you make money?
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Live and/or On-Demand
Commerce and Advertising
How will you provide the service?
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Windows Media Technology
Caching, Distribution solutions
Building Your Server
Preparing to host Windows Media
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Hardware Tips and Tricks
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Use Windows Media Load Simulator
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Hardware RAID 0 for on-demand
Use Fast or Gigabit Ethernet interface
Install at least 256-512MB of RAM
Multiple processors
Test the system scalability
Read the Deployment Guide
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http://microsoft.com/windowsmedia
Getting Up & Running Quickly
Windows Media
Server
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Windows Media
Player
Install Windows 2000 and Windows
Media Services
Load Windows Media Content
Create Meta-files
Link from Web page
Stream your audio and video content
Building A Server Farm
Enhanced Scalability
Central
Content Site
Windows
Media Server
Farm
Load
Balancing
System
Playback
Server Administration
Best Scalability for
Delivering Digital Media
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Industry-leading scalability with
Windows 2000 Servers
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Up to 9,000 concurrent streams at dial-up bit rates*
Up to 2,400 broadband streams at 100KB
Windows Media Services offer scalable
bandwidth
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Support and deliver live broadcasts and
streaming-stored multimedia content
Bit rates from 6 kbps to >10 Mbps
Intelligent Streaming – Automatic selection of best
bandwidth stream
*Microsoft Labs testing an 8-processor Dell P-III Xeon @ 500 MHz, 1 GB RAM, 1 Gigabit Ethernet NIC
6
Extensibility
What’s important for streaming
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Automate Server with COM/DCOM
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Extend Server through Plug-ins
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Change server configuration
List client and server connections
Authentication and Authorization
Event notification and control
Use Windows Media SDK and
Visual Basic, Visual C++, etc
Caching And Distribution
Third party Windows Media solutions
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Caching
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Intercept Live and On-Demand streaming
Windows Media third party supported
includes Inktomi, Network Appliance,
Infolibria
Distribution
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Pro-actively push content close to user
Windows Media third-party support
includes Akamai, iBEAM, Digital Island
Content Distribution Networks
Optimized for Unicast & Multicast
Central
Content Site
Windows
Media Server
IP Multicast
Cache /
Distribution
Sites
Dial Up
or VPN
Playback
UDP, TCP,
HTTP
IP Multicast
CDN - Edge Services
Lower Costs, Great Quality, Improved Scalability
Central
Content Site
Windows
Media Server
Edge
Distribution
Sites
Cable
Playback
DSL
Dial Up
Cached
Windows Media
Content
Call to Action
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Read “Inside Windows Media”
Install Windows 2000 Server including
Windows Media Services
Resources
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Windows Media Product Site
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http://microsoft.com/windowsmedia
Windows Media Developer Center

http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsmedia
Summary
Windows Media Services
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Has all the features you need
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Highly reliable and scalable
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Highest quality streaming audio/video
Live or On-Demand, Unicast or Multicast
Industrial strength server
Industry leading performance
The best platform for your business
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Solutions for Commerce and Advertising
Strong partnerships for Caching
and Distribution
Windows Media @TechEd

Windows Media 7: Platform Overview
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Incorporating Windows Media Into Web Sites
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Thursday 6/8 315pm
Digital Rights Management
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Wednesday 6/7 430pm
Windows Media SDK: Under the Hood
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Tuesday 6/6 315pm
Creating Skins for the Windows Media Player 7
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Monday 6/5 5pm
Hosting Windows Media: Best Practices
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Monday 6/5 12noon
Thursday 6/8 430pm
Windows Media Authoring: Capturing from Screen, Live &
Pre-Recorded Media
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Thursday 6/8 615pm