Windows Azure is an excellent platform for distributing media content across multiple endpoints. I will provide an overview of current Windows Azure parts applicable for media distribution (e.g. storage, CDN, load balancing, Media Services etc). I will also demonstrate a case story of a video distribution solution. The case story covers the Windows Azure-based service and a Windows Store client.
2. About the the presenter
• Karl Ots, Technical Consultant at Symbio
• Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 trainer
• Windows Azure Insider
• Co-founder of Young Developers Finland
• Microsoft Student Partner
3. Agenda
• This session is focused on building media applications with Windows
Azure
• We’ll talk about storage, content distribution and media services
• Demos
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5. Storage in the Cloud
Scalable, durable, and available
Anywhere at anytime access
Only pay for what the service uses
RESTful Web Services
Use from Windows Azure Compute
Use from anywhere on the internet
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7. Windows Azure Storage
Windows Azure Benefits:
Tables Non-relational structured storage
Massive scale-out
Benefits:
Windows Azure
Big files
Blobs
Windows Azure Benefits:
Persistent Async Messaging
Queues Enqueue, Dequeue
Windows Azure SQL Benefits:
Relational database
Database Highly available
Managed for you as a service
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8. Blob Storage
Highly available, scalable and secure file system
Blobs can be exposed publically over http
Continuous geo-replication across datacenters
Enterprise document share; Social networking sites- share pictures,
video etc.
Big Data Analysis - Store raw data and benefit from large compute
available in cloud
Backups – device, computer backups
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10. Windows Azure Blobs
• Copy Blob
• Asynchronous copy – copy between accounts
• Snapshots
• Read only version of a blob
• Promote a version as base blob
• Sharing Scenarios
• Private access
• Public access
• Shared Access Signatures (Signed Url)
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15. Architecture
• Media content stored in
Windows Azure Blob
Storage
• Client accesses Storage
through Web service that
acts as a proxy
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16. Media purchase flow
• User buys videos via IAP
• IAP receipts are sent to the web service
• Client requests video content
• Web service checks if user has bought the content
• Web service creates a signed URL (SAS) for the video content
and shares that to the client
• Client accesses the video content via the signed URL
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17. Consuming the video
• Download the video via Background Transfer
• Any encrypting/decrypting/ licence checking if needed
• Play the video in MediaElement control
• Customize the control if necessary
• Enhance with Windows 8 features
• Play To
• Subtitles
• Multi-audio support
• Roamed settings
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20. Windows Azure CDN Node Locations
US locations EMEA Locations Asia-Pacific/Rest of World
• Ashburn, VA • Amsterdam, NL • Hong Kong, HK
• Bay Area, CA • Dublin, IE • São Paulo, BR
• Chicago, IL • London, GB • Seoul, KR
• San Antonio, TX • Moscow, RU • Singapore, SG
• Los Angeles, CA • Paris, FR • Sydney, AU
• Miami, FL • Stockholm, SE • Taipei, TW
• Newark, NJ • Vienna, AT • Tokyo, JP
• Seattle, WA • Zurich, CH • Doha, Q
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21. Windows Azure CDN Node Locations
CDN
Azure
Data
Center
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22. Régis
Demo Laurent
Director of Operations,
Global Knowledge
Windows Azure CDN Competencies include:
Gold Learning
Silver System Management
25. Scenarios for Windows Azure Media Services
• Building end-to-end workflows
• Building hybrid workflows
• Providing cloud support for media players
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26. Ingestion
• Allows you to upload media into the cloud
• Pre-encrypt files prior to uploading(AES 256)
• Secure HTTPS upload
• Network level peering for fast HTTP into Azure
• Fast upload using UDP with Aspera (available as a service from Azure
Store)
• Bulk ingest support
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27. Windows Azure Media Encoder
• Microsoft Expression encoder in the cloud
• Enables you to convert .MP4 to Smooth Streaming, and convert
Smooth Streaming to Apple Http Live Streaming
• Partner SDK for enabling custom encoders
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28. Windows Azure Media Encryptor
• DRM protection for your content
• Sources from Smooth Streaming or Apple HLS
• Integration support for DRM partners
• Azure will handle the encryption, but you will have to manage
keys – either yourself or via a service, such as 3rd party DRM
provider or PlayReady from Microsoft
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29. Windows Azure Media Origin
• On-demand streaming on the cloud
• Supports MP4, Smooth Streaming and HLS
• Guaranteed bandwidth. Auto recovery/redundancy. High
Availability
• Integrated Azure CDN support
• Dynamic Remux support for standard MP4 files
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30. Thank you!
Time for feedback and a quick raffle!
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