Chapter 9. Introducing Streaming Media

Chapter Goals

In this Chapter, you will learn the basic concepts required to stream content on your network, which include the following topics:

• Streaming Media Files and Content PlaybackYou can encapsulate streaming media in container files. Users who request these container files can play back the content in their media players.

• Delivering Streaming MediaTo transport streaming media on your network, your streaming media application requires a real-time transport protocol, such as RTP. To enable further control and scalability of your network resources, you can configure quality of service (QoS) and IP Multicast.

Streaming media enables you to distribute digital voice, video, and data over an IP network and is analogous to conventional analog television broadcasting. With conventional TV, you see frames on the TV screen as they arrive from a cable or antenna feed. In the past, digital media files required you to download the entire audio, video, or data file before viewing the content. You can now format streaming media files such that your media player can display the content to you in smaller chunks, as you download them individually.

In the context of content networking, there are two components to streaming media.

• Streaming Files and Playback The first component includes the media file storage formats and client playback mechanisms.

• Delivering Streaming Media in Real-Time The second component contains the set of network protocols for delivering streaming content.

This Chapter covers both of these components. However, you can further optimize networks for streaming by using technologies discussed in Chapter 13, "Delivering Cached and Streaming Media."