The demand for streaming is growing, which means that viewers want more quality and fewer interruptions during video streaming. For government, OTT operators, broadcasters such as TVALB, and content providers, this demand shows that they should invest more in technical equipment and draw more resources.
The higher bitrates and resolutions are requested, the more information the stream needs to send. It means that more resources are necessary for the delivery. If you broadcast leveraging your server, you can experience bottlenecks.
One of the solutions to this problem is CDN (Content Delivery Network). Let’s talk more about the content delivery process and the importance of CDN.
The Content Delivery Process: Basics
When a viewer requests a video to play, the video is delivered from a server to a receiving device. The user experiences a constant and smooth video stream, while actually, the video is delivered in small packets (chunks) instead of one single asset.
The speed of delivering a video will partly depend on the distance between a server and a device. Occurred delays are called latencies. Latency happens, for example, if a viewer from the USA requests a video stored on a server located in Germany. So, if you want to ensure the best quality of experience, you need to deal with latency.
Such issues as routing, conversions, internet connection, and video protocols can also influence video streaming.
A vital part of the video streaming process is buffering. It is about preloading a video before the actual playback. Buffering helps to decrease the number of playback disruptions.
CDN is a Solution
CDN (Content Delivery Network) is what can help handle latency and long distances between an origin server and a user.
What is a CDN? It is a network of servers distributed across the world. After the user makes a request to play a video, the video is delivered from an edge server that is located closer to them. This also helps a content provider to deal with the increased traffic of viewers as edge servers decrease the load from an origin server. As a result, the streaming process is reliable and smooth.
Moreover, the packet loss is reduced. When data is transmitted across a long distance before reaching an end-user device, some might get lost. This can increase latency or damage the order in which information should arrive. It influences the quality of user experience, and a CDN can help you deal with that.
There are other aspects that make CDN essential for a video streaming business:
#1 Handling the increase in traffic
When a large number of viewers use your service to watch your content, the server can become overloaded and fail to operate. CDN can help you handle the load by distributing the requests across multiple edge servers.
A result is promising for content providers: your service keeps working, viewers receive the best experience possible, and you don’t lose your customers and growth your OTT advertising strategy.
#2 Worldwide streaming
You can stream videos to local viewers or reach people around the world. In both cases, a CDN might help you ensure a better quality of experience for your audience. Leveraging it allows you to deliver uninterrupted video streams to viewers in any part of the world. For example, TVALB delivers TV shqiptare from Albania to people in the USA and Canada.
#3 Security
A content delivery network can also provide security and protection to your video streaming business. It is crucial, especially if you store users’ sensitive data and original content.
A CDN can secure your service from a DDoS attack, the sudden spike in the number of requests on your service aimed at disabling it. Also, you receive encryption and protection against unauthorized access.
Drawing the Line
Since the demand for video streaming is huge among viewers and businesses, it is necessary to take measures to ensure the best quality of experience possible. One of the solutions to frustrating latency and interruptions is a content delivery network that stores cached content on edge servers. When a user wants to watch a video, it is transmitted from the closest server instead of the origin one.
