Digital Video ExtraOrdinaire

Introduction to CDN and VOD Principles

featuring DVEO IPTV & OTT Product Line
Overview
(v1.2)

Computer Modules, Inc.

DVEO Division
11409 West Bernardo Court
San Diego, CA 92127, USA
Telephone: +1 858 613 1818
Fax: +1 858 613 1815
www.dveo.com

Copyright 2015 Computer Modules, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

DVEO is a trademark of Computer Modules, Inc.
Specifications and product availability are subject to change without notice.

CDN and VOD

Content Delivery Networks and Architectures
Introduction
This document describes the principles of high-bandwidth networks for delivery of broadcast quality video
services. It provides an overview of the typical architecture and the type of equipment used in deploying such
networks, followed by a list of typical services offered to the end-users, or consumers, of the video services.
The document concludes with an overview of DVEO products that operators can take advantage of to
implement high video services that feed into CDNs or, conversely, which can process CDN transmitted video
services for final delivery to the consumers.

VOD Infrastructure Model Content Delivery Network

The Content Delivery Network (CDN) concept originates from the web delivery system on the Internet, where a
hierarchical storage and content caching system is overlaid on the traditional IP network to achieve fast
content access, timely content ingest, and better overall bandwidth utilization.
While the Internet CDN works reasonably well for most web content, several specialist vendors have leveraged
their years of experience in video-on-demand (VOD) equipment and infrastructure, and focused on designing
CDNs for high quality video delivery. The result is an architecture with a rich set of interfaces that not only
allow multiple vendors to integrate in an end-to-end video delivery system, but also leave ample room for each
company to innovate and develop best-of-breed components.
The VOD Server and CDN model is designed specifically for network service providers to enable high
bandwidth delivery of all video formats, both stored and live content, to end clients. CDN delivers innovations
integrated with advances in data caching that provide flexibility, scalability, efficiency, reliability, and broad
media compatibility.

CDN Server Types for VOD

A typical CDN deploys three kinds of servers as will be described in the following:

Origin Server
Regional Cache Server, and
Edge Streamer

Origin Server
The Origin Server is a very large capacity storage server where the source content will be placed and
originate from. It houses the VOD Media Library and is the repository of the primary copy of all available
content, or media assets. An external content management system controls what content is stored in the
library, and makes the content metadata available to video service operator head-end systems, such as
middleware and electronic program guide (EPG) servers, for presentation to the users.
Content is ingested from various sources such as studios/content providers, content aggregators, networkattached storage (NAS) and Storage Area Networks (SAN), via FTP, or real-time encoders. Content is
delivered downstream on request.
Regional Cache Server
Large capacity, distributed proxy caches are placed in the regional layer for delivering often-requested
("popular") downstream content from cache, to reduce the load on the central site. Content is pulled
reactively from the origin server in response to user requests, or proactively as determined by policy.
Content is delivered downstream on request.
Redundant servers can be configured depending on downstream load and available bandwidth from the
central library.
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CDN and VOD

Edge Streamers
Medium-capacity, high-bandwidth caching edge streamers deliver popular content from cache to the UDP
QAMs (or other last mile delivery components) with precise timing and user playback control. Content is
pulled reactively from the origin or regional cache server in response to user requests, or proactively as
determined by policy. Content is delivered to the users under VOD back office control.
In the case of content requested infrequently, it is streamed through to the end clients without caching.

Figure 1: Typical CDN Architecture

A CDN system has at least one origin server and some edge streamers. Regional caching gateways may or
may not be needed, and can be placed in any intermediate tier, depending on the load, network topology,
and network bandwidths of the system. Library capacity, caching capacity, and streaming capacity can all
be scaled independently.

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CDN and VOD

Video-Centric Cache Management
All regional caches and edge streamers selectively cache fragments reactively and proactively, using locally
managed technologies to achieve load balancing, redundancy, and automatic failover.
Selective Caching
The cache handles requests from downstream for each fragment of an asset by checking the local cache.
On a miss, the cache reads the fragment from the upstream cache or central library, and passes it
downstream. The fragment may or may not be stored in the cache, based on historical popularity of both
the specific fragment and the total asset. Popular fragments are immediately cached to avoid multiple
cache fill reads from the network, while less requested fragments are not stored since they would else
displace valuable cached fragments, waste cache bandwidth, and even shorten drive life.
Fragment Caching
Assets are managed as fragments so they can be individually cached. This allows efficient caching of assets,
which are not played in their entirety, including VOD "trick files" and HTTP adaptive streaming files.
Empirical data shows that a 70% fragment cache can achieve the same cache hit percentage as a 100%
whole asset cache. UDP VOD and progressive download cache fragmentation and reassembly are handled
at the edges of the CDN network by the input cache and edge streamers respectively. Adaptive HTTP cache
fragmentation and reassembly are handled by the packaging software for the particular format and the
client application.
Reactive and Proactive Caching
Reactive caching algorithms provide the required content distribution with minimal network load for
unpredictable usage patterns. A proactive component allows the management system to preload the
cache with content that is not currently requested but will be so within the preload time window. This
avoids a large network spike that would result from many non-cached assets suddenly being requested,
such as when new releases are added to the VOD EPG. It prepares the caches ahead of time and sets the
preload time window to include the launch period. This reduces the cache fill network cost by smoothing
peak usage, hence reducing the required bandwidth allocation.
Load Balancing and Redundancy
Downstream caches can consistently distribute fragments by reading them across multiple available
upstream sources. Redundancy can be switched on at certain popularity levels, so that a failed edge or
regional server does not force a large amount of traffic to go to the upstream network and servers.
Failover to a new source is performed by the downstream target, reacting quickly to servers that are
running slowly due to overload or minor problems. Controlling the load balancing and redundancy with
downstream targets means there is no centralized management function needed to ensure smooth, highbandwidth, fault-tolerant cache operation.

VOD Service Models

Subscription Video-on-Demand (SVOD) is a service offered by cable systems, which charges their
subscribers a monthly fee for accessing unlimited programs.

Near Video-on-Demand (NVOD) is a pay-per-view (PPV) consumer video technique used by multichannel broadcasters using high-bandwidth distribution mechanisms such as satellite and cable
television. Multiple copies of a program are broadcast at short time intervals (typically 1020 minutes)
providing convenience for viewers, who can watch the program without needing to tune in at a
scheduled point in time. This type of service is bandwidth intensive and is generally provided only by
large operators with a great deal of network capacity. It is becoming less common as true VOD is
implemented.

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CDN and VOD

Push VOD is a technique used by a number of broadcasters on systems that lack two-way connectivity
to provide true VOD, and by broadcasters wishing to optimize their video streaming infrastructure by
pre-loading the most popular content on the consumer device, typically a personal video recorder
(PVR). The PVR will be used to store a selection of content, often transmitted in spare network
capacity overnight or all day long at low bandwidth ("trickle feeding"). Users can watch the
downloaded content at the time they desire, immediately and without any buffering issue. As content
occupies space on the PVR hard drive, downloaded content is usually deleted after a period of time to
make way for newer programs. The limited space on a PVR hard drive means that the selection of
programs is usually restricted to the most popular content. Newer Push VOD solutions use efficient
error correction mechanisms, and can therefore free up bandwidth and deliver more types of content
than just video, e.g. magazines and interactive applications.

IVOD (Interactive VOD) is the standard version of VOD services where consumers have the following
features at their disposal:
1. Play/Resume Start a program/movie from the beginning or resume after temporarily stopping
the show.
2. Stop Temporarily or permanently stop the presentation of the program.
3. Pause Freeze the picture.
4. Jump forward Jump to a particular time in the program in a forward direction.
5. Jump backward Jump to a particular time in the program in a backward direction.
6. Fast Forward (FF) Browse through the program in the forward direction with picture and sound
on.
7. Slow Down Going forward at a lower rate than normal but with picture and sound.
8. Reverse Playing the program in the reverse direction with picture and sound.
9. Fast Reverse Browse the program backwards with picture and sound at a faster speed than
standard reverse.
10. Slow Reverse Go backward at a slower speed, with picture and sound.
11. Other interactive features include the ability to avoid or select advertisements, to investigate
additional details about news events and to browse, select, and purchase goods.

EVOD (Exclusive VOD) is when a particular VOD service operator offers a function, service and/or
program that nobody else can provide.

IVOD (Impulse VOD) is now typically referred to as VOD but in the past this term referred to the ability
to order a VOD service without having to first phone in the order to the pay-TV operator.

QVOD (Quasi VOD) is the same as Near VOD except that the programming only will be presented if a
minimum number of subscribers sign up for it.

TVOD (Transactional VOD) is the opposite of Subscription VOD. With TVOD the customer pays for each
individual VOD program. Secure TVOD authenticates the device/user to the video server to verify
payment and authorize the service based on IP address. Scale Engine Virtual Usher Ticket System
authenticates for several TVOD distributors. With its opposite, SVOD, typically the subscriber pays a set
amount (often monthly) for a set amount of - or unlimited - VOD. Netflix is the world's largest SVOD
operator. Today TVOD is mostly referred to as VOD.

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CDN and VOD

DVEO Products for IPTV and OTT Applications
High-Performance Media Encoding, Transcoding and Delivery
DVEO provides software-defined encoders/transcoders, decoders, video servers, digital signage and ad
insertion solutions. DVEO is increasingly focusing on carrier grade IPTV and OTT streaming solutions, together
with patent pending IP gateway technology ensuring error-free delivery of video traffic over UDP. All solutions
utilize Linux OS on industry standard hardware platforms to ensure 24x7 reliability, and feature DVEOdeveloped software for maximum flexibility, upgradability and cost effectiveness.
Until recently, broadcasters and enterprises have had to make significant investments in fragmented systems
for high-performance media encoding and delivery. Now, all of that has changed. With the DVEO Encoder,
Transcoder and Server Family, organizations get everything they need from one company at affordable cost.
The DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family is an affordable way to encode, transcode and deliver the highest-quality
live and on-demand media with outstanding performance for IPTV, OTT and more. Offering proven technology
built on the Intel Xeon platform it provides extremely low latency and efficient content distribution to help any
organization become more competitive.
Utilizing the family's advanced capabilities and integrated with proven content security and digital rights
management (DRM), organizations can respond with confidence to a constantly evolving media landscape.
Moreover, couple that with the DOZERbox technology, an integrated option in the DVEO Encoder Transcoder
Family, for error-free UDP video transport over any type of IP network.

Advantages

Encode and deliver live and on-demand services

Provide outstanding reliability and performance
Improve content security
Increase efficiency of content distribution
Support IPTV, OTT and more
Benefit from extremely low latency
Reduced CAPEX and OPEX investment

Features
Linux OS Reliability 24x7
Linux is universally acknowledged as the most reliable and efficient OS for mission
critical applications. It also happens to be extremely cost effective.
Multi-network Content Distribution Architecture
Efficiently deliver live and on-demand media via multicasting and unicasting, featuring multi-protocol
and multi-wrapper IP output (UDP, RTP, and multiple HTTP protocols), live grooming, optional forward
error correction (FEC) or DVEO's patent pending Automated Packet Recovery technology, DOZERbox.
Scalable Encoding
Encode large numbers of HD and SD channels at various quality levels from a single, Linux-based
appliance (please refer to the comparison table on page 8).
Low Latency
Benefit from a low latency that meets or exceeds industry standards.
Live Cloud Encoding
Encode content directly from the cloud to reduce CAPEX requirements.

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CDN and VOD

DRM Protection
Integrated with industry leading content security, such as the Verimatrix Video Content Authority
System (VCAS), to protect content and service revenues across various adaptive bitrate streaming
protocols: HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), MPEG-DASH, and Microsoft Smooth Streaming.
Media Distribution Ecosystem
Connect to any streaming architecture and network types while accommodating diverse sets of live
ingest and on-demand content, and deliver to multiple device types, including iOS and Android smart
phones and tablets, PCs, Macs, and smart TVs.
Support for various input formats such as SDI, HD-SDI, HMDI, GigE and 10 GigE.
Tested and confirmed compatible with leading CDNs and video streaming service providers: Akamai
(incl. Octoshape), Limelight, Ustream, Verizon (incl. Edgecast), etc.

DVEO Server Products

Atlas Media Server
Powerful IP Video Distribution Server with live grooming
Multi-channel grooming for Live and VOD applications
Ingests MPEG-2, H.264, H.265/HEVC live streams over IP
Grooms" streams by adding wrappers: HLS, DASH, etc.
Multi-protocol IP input/output; three sizes and capacities
Ideal for IPTV/OTT operators, closed circuit apps, CDNs
DelayServer IP/IP
Multichannel TS or HLS delay for Time Shifting; unicast and multicast
Multi-protocol IP input/output, SD/HD, MPEG-2 or H.264
Time shifting IPTV/OTT services by ISPs/CDNs
Uses Intel High End SSD in lieu of bulky RAIDs
Real-time, embedded Linux, 1 RU, standards compliant

Infinity IP Grooming Server

IPTV in a box: Plays 50 IP web channels continuously or using preset schedule via built-in
scheduler and remote GUI (product picture on this document's cover page)
IP out: UDP, RTP, HTTP unicast and multicast TS with HLS, HTTP Smooth, or RTMP (Open Flash), in
any video resolution
Great for ISPs, websites, hospitality and digital signage
Supports Verimatrix VCAS and other rotating key servers
Real-time, embedded Linux,1 RU, standards compliant
Support for various input formats such as SDI, HD-SDI, HMDI, GigE and 10 GigE.
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CDN and VOD

DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family Comparison
DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family is offered in a range of models as listed in the table below to support a wide
variety of broadcasting requirements and budgets.
Mamba
Form Factor

No.
Output
Channels

MultiStreamer

Gearbox

Gearbox II

Brutus V

Portable Unit

1RU

3RU

3RU

1RU

HD 1080p

10

30

HD 720p

20

40

SD 480p

16

40

120

SD 360p

12

12

24

60

160

SD 240p

16

16

32

80

180

4-6

Click here

Click here

Click here

Click here

Click here

No. Input Boards

PDF Product Sheets

Technical Specifications

Inputs

Outputs

Video

SDI, HD-SDI w/genlock, HDMI, DVB-C, Digital QAM (Annex A, B, C), DVB-S/S2, DVB-T,
DVB-ASI, 8VSB (SMPTE 310), Analog (component/composite)

Audio

SDI Embedded, AC3 Embedded, AES/EBU

IP Inputs

UDP, RTP, RTSP, HTTP, HTTP Live Streaming (HLS), FTP, RTMP, Windows Media Video 9 with
HTTP/ASF

Video

SDI, HD-SDI (input monitoring)

Codecs

H.264, AAC, ogg Vorbis, MPEG-1 Layer II, MP3, Dolby Digital AC3, H.263, VC1

Formats

mp4, flv, f4v, 3gp, 3gp2, wmv, QuickTime, RealAudio, RealVideo, mp3, SmIl

Protocols

UDP,RTP, SDP, RTSP, HTTP, HLS, Smooth Streaming, MPEG-DASH, RTMP, RTMPT, RTMPS, FTP, MMS,
Windows Media Video 9 with HTTP/ASF, IP-Unicast, IP-Multicast
80GB Internal SSD for OS and application
External Storage: USB, nFS, Samba, iSCSI, Fiber channel

Storage
Security
Admin.

Qualys

Certified to Level 2 for Critical Vulnerabilities

Access

Web interface
SSH access

Monitoring

SNMP

Figure 2: Mamba (left) and MultiStreamer ('mini' model)

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CDN and VOD

DVEO Application Examples

Figure 3: Mamba DIG-IP Portable Encoder and Streamer for Live Events

Figure 4: MPEG Gearbox II 10-80 Channel Transcoder for HD and SD Content

Figure 5: Brutus V IP-IP TELCO Large Capacity Server

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CDN and VOD

DVEO Perfects IP Video Transmission via "DOZER" Automated Packet Recovery Technology
Video operators need to deliver high-quality services at the lowest possible cost, which increasingly leads them
to IP network based approaches including the public Internet. However, neither the Internet nor dedicated
networks are optimized for time critical streaming video delivery during periods of high packet volume, thus
impacting video service quality.
The UDP real-time data delivery protocol was designed for streaming video applications and assumes network
nodes are not congested. However, IP network routers will simply drop UDP packets when overloaded,
without notifying the sender. This is the most critical problem with video delivery over IP networks, and
especially when UDP video has to compete with TCP/IP data traffic. It is well understood that streaming video
using UDP is affected by TCP traffic and its demanding flow control mechanism whenever TCP and UDP share a
node, and hence the UDP transmission may experience packet loss. Since TCP traffic accounts for 75% of all
Internet traffic, the potential problem is obvious.
Therefore, delivering studio quality video over IP networks represents a formidable challenge to achieving a
high quality television experience that consumers are accustomed to from traditional broadcasting.
Enter the award winning 1 "DOZER" technology, integrated in a wide range of DVEO encoders/transcoders and
receivers. DOZER routes video through all types of IP networks, including the public Internet, in a deterministic
way thanks to its ability to correct for UDP packet loss, thereby enabling a broadcast quality TV experience.
DOZER literally bulldozes through routers and enables IPTV/OTT operators to improve the user experience
by ensuring smooth, low latency UDP video services.
DOZER is a real-time IP gateway technology featuring an end-to-end
error correcting protocol that delivers time critical video reliably over
UDP, whether unicast or multicast. It enables smooth MPEG-2 and H.264
SPTS and MPTS delivery of both SD and HD services by implementing
DVEO patent pending Automated Packet Recovery algorithms for
alleviation of packet delay variation or outright packet loss, and reordering out-of-sequence packets.
DOZER is available in three versions:
1. DOZERbox II IP/IP, a compact stand-alone product (pictured)
2. DOZER Racks IP/IP, 1 RU form factor
3. DOZER APR: LIC, a software license for third-party products, and an option in DVEO
encoders/transcoders and receivers

About the DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family

The DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family helps organizations encode, manage and securely deliver media to users
on a wide range of platforms, formats and devices. This fully-supported, end-to-end solution allows
organizations to automate the creation and delivery of high-definition, live and on-demand media. Easily
integrated and managed, this solution helps educators, governments, enterprise organizations, broadcasters,
carriers and OEMs reach more people with the content they want through a solution that saves money by
streamlining the entire media delivery process. Couple that with the DOZER technology, an integrated option
in the DVEO Encoder Transcoder Family, for error-free UDP video transport over any type of network.

Contact Us
Call DVEO at +1 858 613-1818 or visit www.dveo.com
1

Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) Technology Award 2014 for DVEO's DOZER IP video traffic smoothing technology

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