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Summary of Contents for Oracle Video server
- Page 1 ™ Oracle Video Server Introducing Oracle Video Server Release 3.0 February 1998 Part No. A53956-02...
- Page 2 It shall be licensee's responsibility to take all appropriate fail-safe, back up, redundancy and other measures to ensure the safe use of such applications if the Programs are used for such purposes, and Oracle disclaims liability for any damages caused by such use of the Programs.
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Page 3: Table Of Contents
Concepts What Is Streamed Digital Video? ....................1-1 How Is Streamed Video Better than Traditional Media?............1-2 What Is a Digital Video Server?....................... 1-4 What is the Oracle Video Server?....................1-5 OVS within the Network Computing Architecture (NCA) ..........1-5 Tier 1: Client ........................... - Page 4 Beyond the Basics ..........................1-20 Maintaining an OVS System ..................... 1-20 Creating Applications ........................ 1-21 Chapter 2 System Architecture Oracle Video Server (OVS) ....................... 2-2 Content ............................2-2 Physical Content ........................2-2 Compression Formats....................2-2 MPEG (Motion Pictures Experts Group) ..............2-3 Container (Mux) Formats....................
- Page 5 Sessions ............................2-21 Sessions in Symmetric Networks ..................2-22 Sessions in Asymmetric Networks ................... 2-23 How Client Devices Connect to the OVS................2-23 How the OVS Delivers Video ....................2-24 Components of Oracle Video Server and Oracle Media Net ........... 2-25...
- Page 6 Oracle Media Net Name Server....................2-26 Oracle Media Net Address Server.................... 2-26 Oracle Media Net Event Logging Daemon................2-27 Oracle Media Net Event Log Reader ..................2-27 Oracle Media Net CORBA Event Service................2-27 Oracle Media Net CORBA Naming Service ................2-28 Session and Circuit Service......................
- Page 7 2–8 OVS system hardware ......................2-20 Communication in a symmetric network ................ 2-22 2–9 2–10 Communication in an asymmetric network..............2-23 An OVS system round trip....................2-24 2–11 2–12 Components of Oracle Video Server and Oracle Media Net ........2-25...
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Page 9: Redwood Shores, Ca
Introducing Oracle Video Server, Release 3.0 Part No. A53956-02 Oracle Corporation welcomes your comments and suggestions on the quality and usefulness of this publication. Your input is an important part of the information used for revision. Did you find any errors? -
Page 11: Preface
Preface Introducing Oracle Video Server provides basic conceptual information about the Oracle Video Server system. This tour is not a technical explanation of how the software works, but an overview of the basic concepts behind the Oracle Video Server system. -
Page 12: Related Documents
Oracle’s unique video server implementation. This part is intended for anyone who would like to learn more about the Oracle Video Server and its capabilities. - Page 13 We encourage you to use this form to tell us what you like and dislike about this manual or other Oracle manuals. If the form is not available, please use the following address or FAX number.
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Page 15: Chapter 1 Concepts
Concepts This chapter is intended to introduce you to streamed digital video and video servers in general, as well as the advantages offered by Oracle Corporation’s unique implementation of video server technology. While this chapter deals primarily with higher-level conceptual information, it also presents enough details of video server architecture to understand the technology and its capabilities. -
Page 16: How Is Streamed Video Better Than Traditional Media
More than this, though, streamed digital video is scalable. Many people can view the same video—not just multiple copies of the same movie title—at very nearly the same time. The difference in these delivery mechanisms is illustrated in Figure 1–1. 1-2 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 17: Traditional Digital Video Vs. Streamed Digital Video
This important feature of streamed digital video and video server systems is called video-on-demand, and it means that you can configure the video server to enable your clients to watch what they want to when they want to, choosing any title that has been digitized and stored for delivery. -
Page 18: What Is A Digital Video Server
This is where a video server comes in. A server machine is designed to offer the storage and throughput capacities needed for timely and reliable delivery of digital video. -
Page 19: What Is The Oracle Video Server
What Is a Digital Video Server? What is the Oracle Video Server? The Oracle Video Server (OVS) system is a unique implementation of video server technology for networked computers which store, manage, deliver, and display digital multimedia data (real-time, full-screen video and high-fidelity audio) on demand. -
Page 20: Tier 1: Client
OVS services, clients, and content. (VSM need not be installed on every client machine.) For more information about the VSM, see Beyond the Basics on page 1–20 of this document, and Getting Started with Oracle Video Server Manager. Tier 2: Application Server... -
Page 21: Tier 3: Data Server
The Data Server tier contains the target services which the client needs to access to get application-specific data. In the OVS system environment, the Data Server tier consists of the Oracle database (optional). A database is a reliable repository for persistent storage of structured data. The OVS system can use the Oracle database to write and query database tables associated with OVS processes, including logical content, clips, and schedules. -
Page 22: Customizing The Video Client
What Are the Challenges of Digital Video? Customizing the Video Client The Oracle Video Client can do more than simply request and display digital video. Its true power lies in its ability to act as a platform that enables you to develop completely customized video applications for use in computer-based training, information kiosks, Web sites, and corporate information repositories. -
Page 23: How Is Digital Video Used
(physical storage space into which you can temporarily transfer content in the event of a disk failure) and use hot-swapping (a technique to transfer digital-video data to a spare disk without bringing down the video server system or losing video service). -
Page 24: Logical Content Assembled To Create A Single Cartoon Show
You can also write OVS applications that define logical content titles dynamically. These applications can customize logical content based on users’ interests and viewing history. For example, the application could program the advertisements that show during a movie based on the interests of the viewers. 1-10 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 25: Real-Time Feeds
Where is Digital Video Used? You can learn more about logical content, clips, and the differences between the video server computer (where OVS resides) and the database server computer (where an Oracle database stores logical content definitions) in Chapter Real-Time Feeds... -
Page 26: Asynchronous Transfer Mode (Atm)
DSL is actually a continuum of a variety of transport systems that can carry about 1 to 6 Mbps. In general, the faster the DSL, the shorter the distance it can reliably cover. The fastest DSLs can cover only a few miles; the slowest can cover farther. 1-12 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 27: Enterprise
Examples of enterprise usage of Oracle Video Server, over switched Ethernet, would include: Delivery of corporate training videos at a time convenient to the employee or least disruptive to work schedules, rather than as a single scheduled event with many employees in a single room at a time. -
Page 28: Internet
(as in an “online newspaper”) but full-motion digital video of breaking stories. Site tours. Some sites, especially those for large academic institutions, are large and complex enough that they offer video orientation to the Internet site, the institution itself, or both. 1-14 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 29: Putting It Together: The Video Round Trip
This section illustrates that process, known as the video round trip, by showing typical configurations in each of three video environments: broadband, enterprise, and Internet. You can learn more about streamed-video round trips in the online Oracle Video Server Manager Quick Tour. All Environments At its most fundamental, a streamed-video round trip functions as shown in Figure 1–4... -
Page 30: Scenario 1: Broadband Environment
ATM multiplexers. 1-16 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 31: Typical Atm Network For The Broadband Delivery Environment
Putting It Together: The Video Round Trip Figure 1–5 Typical ATM network for the broadband delivery environment Client Device To/From add’l clients (Hybrid-Fiber Coaxial) cable Individual Homes 1. In an ATM Neighborhood environment, the neighborhood hub receives messages Neighborhood To/From from, and delivers or Area add’l hubs... -
Page 32: Scenario 2: Enterprise Environment
Figure 1–6 An enterprise (Switched Ethernet) OVS system LIENT EVICES Workstations Up to 155 Mbits/sec ETWORK To/From LAN, To/From add’l routers, and Switched Ethernet hubs add’l Ethernet hubs Ethernet hubs Up to 155 Mbits/sec ERVERS OVS and Database Database Server 1-18 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 33: Scenario 3: Internet Environment
Putting It Together: The Video Round Trip No “membership subscription” is required to the corporate network. The client device is a computer which is also used for other purposes, rather than a set- top box. The delivery network is also not solely dedicated to video. The client application used for video display might be deployed as part of another application such as an e-mail or groupware package. -
Page 34: Beyond The Basics
Defragmenting MDS volumes to minimize unusable empty disk space To learn more about VSM, begin with Getting Started with Oracle Video Server Manager, then continue with the online Oracle Video Server Manager Quick Tour and Help system. -
Page 35: Creating Applications
Java- and JavaScript-based versions for deployment on a variety of operating systems a plug-in for use in Web pages You can learn more about the OVC and its extensibility in the Oracle Video Client Developer’s Guide. The server is designed to provide an out-of-the-box solution to your delivery needs for digital video. - Page 36 Beyond the Basics 1-22 Introducing Oracle Video Server...
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Page 37: System Architecture
System Architecture This chapter is an overview of the architecture used in the Oracle Video Server (OVS) system. The information in this chapter is intended to expand on the basic digital-video overview provided in Chapter 1, “Concepts”. If you are not familiar... -
Page 38: Oracle Video Server (Ovs)
Oracle Video Server (OVS) Oracle Video Server (OVS) The Oracle Video Server (OVS) is a scalable video software engine that stores video on a video server computer and can deliver the video to multiple concurrent clients in real time. This chapter uses the term video to refer to any data streamed in real time, including digitized video and/or audio. -
Page 39: Container (Mux) Formats
Oracle Video Server (OVS) MPEG (Motion Pictures Experts Group) The OVS supports these compression formats defined by MPEG: MPEG-1 video MPEG-2 video MPEG audio MPEG formats provide full-motion (up to 60 frames per second), full-screen video with high fidelity/stereo audio playback. - Page 40 OVS reads the associated tag file to determine which parts of the content file to deliver to the client. When you use Oracle Video Server Manager (VSM) to load a content file into the OVS, VSM automatically creates a tag file for the content file. The OVS also provides utilities to: create tag files for MPEG content files...
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Page 41: Tag Files
Oracle Video Server (OVS) Continuous Real-Time Feeds The OVS can store the most recent portion of a continuous real-time feed, or an endless stream of one-step encoded video. A continuous real-time feed enables a client to search the most recent portion of ongoing video, such as the last 12 hours of a 24-hour-a-day news broadcast. -
Page 42: Storage
files or modify existing ones. Storage The OVS stores physical content in the Oracle MDS (Media Data Store), a real-time file system for storing and delivering uninterrupted video in real time. This section describes the MDS. -
Page 43: Write Consistency
Oracle Video Server (OVS) Write Consistency The MDS enforces write consistency on all MDS files: A file can be written by only one client at a time. A file cannot be renamed, removed, truncated, or locked into read-only mode while it is being written. -
Page 44: Raid (Redundant Arrays Of Inexpensive Disks) Protection
The number of disks in each RAID set is called the RAID size. The RAID size must be consistent across all RAID sets in a volume, so the number of disks in a volume must be a multiple of the RAID size. 2-8 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 45: A Raid Stripe
Oracle Video Server (OVS) In a striped volume, the set of stripes that have the same logical location on the disks of a RAID set is called a RAID stripe. Figure 2–4 shows a RAID stripe within the dotted rectangle. -
Page 46: Space Allocation
If a file is deleted from a volume, the MDS can reclaim that file’s space by storing one or more new files that fit there. The MDS cannot distribute a file over noncontiguous RAID stripes. The defragmenter utility can make the noncontiguous empty RAID stripes contiguous. 2-10 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 47: Spare Disks
A spare disk is not part of a RAID set. On a video server computer that does not support hot-swapping disks (replacing disks while the computer is online), a volume must contain a spare disk to support rebuilding data while delivering video. -
Page 48: Mds Utilities
files from tertiary storage to the MDS before clients need to access them archive files from the MDS to tertiary storage if clients will not need them for a period of time, to make room in the MDS for other files 2-12 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 49: Remote Access
The alternative, an FTP transfer from the remote computer to the video server computer host file system and then a transfer to the MDS with an MDS utility, would require an additional copy operation. Delivery The OVS can deliver a video stream to a client in real time on demand. A stream of video is played by the client as it is delivered by the OVS, rather than completely downloaded by the OVS and then played by the client. -
Page 50: Rate Control
The OVS can loop, or continuously repeat playback of a logical content title. Looping content can be useful for displaying a moving logo or for filling the time between the end of a scheduled film and the beginning of the next with advertisements or public service announcements. 2-14 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 51: Network
files scheduling and playing videos For more information on VSM, see Getting Started with Oracle Video Server Manager. Graphical User Interface The VSM application provides a Java-based user interface. It is designed for ease of use so you as the administrator can effectively manage the OVS system quickly with minimal training. -
Page 52: Oracle Media Net
Oracle Media Net Oracle Media Net Oracle Media Net is a networking infrastructure that enables the OVS and its clients to communicate in a distributed computing environment. Using heterogeneous network protocols, Oracle Media Net enables connectionless communication among the various OVS system components running on different platforms. -
Page 53: Objects, Interfaces, And Servers
Definition Language) file. Oracle Media Net provides an IDL compiler for creating C programming language files from your IDL files. Oracle Media Net also provides an IFR (interface repository) that you can load with object interface definitions. You can then write applications that use DII (dynamic invocation interface) to query the IFR at run time and construct requests for objects defined there. -
Page 54: Oracle Video Client (Ovc)
Java application that runs with the appletviewer or from the command line. Oracle Video ActiveX Control The Oracle Video ActiveX Control is an ActiveX control that enables you to embed video in compliant 32-bit multimedia applications, such as Microsoft Visual Basic, Developer 2000/Oracle Forms, and Oracle Power Objects, that start, stop, and seek locations within video streams from the OVS. -
Page 55: Run-Time Capability
Oracle Video Client (OVC) Run-Time Capability At run time, OVC software runs on the client device and: connects to the OVS accepts input from the client application requests video and audio from the OVS receives video and audio in MPEG or OSF format and displays it Specialized third-party software or hardware decoders decompress video data. -
Page 56: Ovs System Hardware And Network Architecture
• symmetric — upstream and downstream traffic use the same physical network connection Optionally runs the Oracle Server • asymmetric — upstream and downstream traffic use for the database for logical content different connections and scheduling 2-20 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 57: How The Ovs System Communicates
In a production environment, to ensure real-time delivery with no glitches, the video server computer must be dedicated to running the OVS: If you use logical content or scheduling, the Oracle Server for the database must run on a separate database server computer. -
Page 58: Sessions In Symmetric Networks
Figure 2–9 Communication in a symmetric network Client Device Control Messages Video Application Browser Oracle Video Client Video Server Oracle Computer Audio/Video Media Decoders Oracle Media Net Network Oracle Video Server All IP (Internet Protocol) networks are symmetric by definition. 2-22 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 59: How Client Devices Connect To The Ovs
A client connects to the OVS by following these steps: OVC obtains a Media Net address from the OVS. This address allows the client to communicate with components of the OVS through Oracle Media Net. OVC establishes a session with the OVS that includes one or more circuits so that the OVS can send and receive control messages to and from the client and deliver video to the client. -
Page 60: How The Ovs Delivers Video
• streams encoded video 6 Client application to client in real time displays titles for user 12 Client application: • receives video Database 7 User requests • decodes video a title to play • displays video 2-24 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 61: Components Of Oracle Video Server And Oracle Media Net
2–12. Figure 2–12 also shows typical paths of communication for connecting to Oracle Video Server and delivering video. Many messages that do not appear in the figure pass between Oracle Video Server components and client devices via the ORB daemon. -
Page 62: Oracle Media Net Orb Daemon
Oracle Media Net Name Server The Oracle Media Net name server maps the names of ORB daemons to their Media Net addresses. When an ORB daemon is started, it registers its name and Media Net address with the name server. -
Page 63: Oracle Media Net Event Logging Daemon
Oracle Media Net CORBA Event Service An event is data that indicates a change in an object. The Oracle Media Net CORBA event service provides for the notification of clients when an event occurs. When something of note occurs in an object, an event may be generated to notify clients of the occurrence so each client can react. -
Page 64: Oracle Media Net Corba Naming Service
The CORBA naming service associates objects with names and organizes these object names hierarchically in contexts similar to the way a file system organizes file names in directories. For example, the Oracle Media Net CORBA event service uses the CORBA naming service to name event channels. -
Page 65: Oracle Mds Remote File Service
The MDS FTP service listens for requests from remote clients on a dedicated port. The MDS FTP service only accesses files in the MDS, not on the video server computer host file system. Host files can be accessed through the video server computer host FTP service which listens for requests on a different dedicated port. -
Page 66: Video Pump
Components of Oracle Video Server and Oracle Media Net Video Pump The video pump reads video files from the MDS and delivers them to the network in real time. When a client requests video, the video pump receives a message from the stream service, reads the appropriate portion of the file from the MDS, and... -
Page 67: Broadcast Data Service
Networking in the OVS System Broadcast Data Service The broadcast data service manages broadcast scheduling information in the database. The broadcast data service reads broadcast scheduling information, such as schedules, from the database and writes it to memory where it can be read by the scheduler service and by exporter services, such as the NVOD exporter service. -
Page 68: Pstn
The rest of this section explains why an OVS system using a LAN requires switched Ethernet and discusses these topics: Ethernet Demands of Video on LANs 2-32 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 69: Ethernet
For Oracle Media Net packets, the receiving computer gathers the packets it receives and reassembles them based on the packet sequence in the header. The receiver can identify missing packets based on information in the headers of the received packets and corrupted packets based on the checksum information in their headers. -
Page 70: Demands Of Video On Lans
Video cannot be interrupted by other network traffic such as large file transfers. The network must be capable of sustained data transfer rates that support the maximum video encoded rate multiplied by the number of concurrent video streams. Switched Ethernet meets both of these requirements. 2-34 Introducing Oracle Video Server... -
Page 71: Broadband Network
Networking in the OVS System Broadband Network In a broadband environment, one broadband network delivers video from the OVS to clients and another carries messages in both directions between clients and the OVS. The network may use various protocols, such as ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) or X.25 (for control messages only), depending on the network protocol. - Page 72 Networking in the OVS System 2-36 Introducing Oracle Video Server...
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Page 73: Index
Index circuits asymmetric connections, 2-23 accessing files, 2-7 broadband networks, 2-23 remote computers, 2-13 defined, 2-21 address server, 2-26 symmetric connections, 2-22 addresses, 2-26 client (defined), 2-16 failed processes, 2-27 client applications, 2-30 advertisements, 2-14 client connections, 2-23 allocating sessions, 2-28 multiple, 2-25 applications, 2-16, 2-17 client requests, 2-26, 2-29... - Page 74 requesting, 2-29 spare disks, 2-11 storing, 2-6 downstream circuits, 2-21 content files, 2-4 See also tag files mappings, 2-30 encoding, 2-2, 2-4, 2-30 playing, 2-29 encoding software, 2-2 content service, 2-30 enterprise environments, 1-13 continuous real-time feeds, 2-5, 2-30 environments CORBA broadband, 1-11 event service, 2-27...
- Page 75 MDS ( Media Data Store) object request broker, 2-26 striping, 2-8 one-step encoding, 2-4, 2-30 supported file types, 2-6 Oracle Media Net, 2-16 to 2-17 MDS directory server, 2-28 address server, 2-26 MDS files, 2-28, 2-29 CORBA MDS FTP server, 2-29...
- Page 76 2-4, 2-5 Oracle Video Server Manager, 2-15 rebuild utility, 2-10, 2-12 Oracle Video Web Plug-in, 2-18 rebuilding files, 2-10, 2-11 ORB daemon See under Oracle Media Net reliability, 2-8 remote access, 2-13 remote applications, 2-16 remote server, 2-29...
- Page 77 non-redundant data, 2-9 delivering, 2-13 to 2-14 parity information, 2-9 reading, 2-30 space allocation, 2-10 storing, 2-3, 2-10 video files, 2-3, 2-10 video pump, 2-30 storage compression ratio (MPEG), 2-3 video streams, 2-13, 2-34 stream service, 2-29 viewing streams, 2-13, 2-34 continuous, 2-14, 2-30 stripe (defined), 2-7 volumes, 2-7, 2-10...
- Page 78 Index-6...
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