2002 - cesnet

21 Platforms for Streaming andVideo Content CollaborationOur group worked as a part of the strategic project entitled Multimedia Transmissionsin the CESNET2 Network in the first half-year. In the second half-year,our group separated and formed a standalone project. Our research objectivesremained unchanged throughout the year.21.1 Streaming ServerOur main task was to establish a streaming platform for a higher-quality video(PAL format). In the beginning, we considered purchasing a special MPEG-2streaming device (for example from vBrick or Optibase). However, such a stepwas assessed as inefficient. New versions of streaming systems that are alreadyrun by the association (Real Video 9 and Windows Media 9) allow PAL-qualitystreaming. That is why we rejected the special and proprietary hardware andconcentrated on the development of the existing platform of the association.During the year, we performed three broadcasts in PAL quality on our platform.The first one was the broadcast of the 10 Years of the Internet in the Czech Republicevent that was tainted by insufficient performance on the side of clients.The other two broadcasts (INVEX2002 and TERENA Mini Symposium) weredone with maximum satisfaction; hence, we can say that the CESNET’s streamingplatform is ready for PAL quality streaming.We have added an external disk array to the CESNET’s streaming platform toincrease its content capacity. The capacity of the disk array is approximately1.5 TB, which allows storage of about 1,500 hours of records in standard quality.This disk array utilizes inexpensive discs (ATA 133) with the u160 SCSI output inthe RAID5 setup. The performed tests showed that the read and write speed ofour setup is sufficient (read approx. 540 Mbps, write approx. 330 Mbps).Because large amounts of the multimedia material suitable for streaming (foreducational purposes, for example) started to emerge in CESNET and premisesof its members (as an example, the University of Veterinary and PharmaceuticalSciences in Brno), the manual content adding ceased to be satisfactory.We had to create a content adding system. Its primary parameter was the onlineconnection with the streaming server (no replication, data stored only at onelocation), linkage with CAAS (no user accounts outside CAAS) and preservationof flexibility during upgrades of the streaming server (running under Windows2000).High-speed National Research Network and its New Applications 2002205