March 2017 X-PLATFORM 31
Understanding the difference between cloud-native and cloud-enabled
In the second of a two-part series , Glodina Lostanlen , Imagine Communications ’ CMO , suggests the three foolproof questions to ask , in order to correctly distinguish the ‘ cloud-enabled ’ from the ‘ cloud-native ’ application .
First question : “ Is the application based on a microservices architecture ?” If the application is based on microservices , a buyer can be assured that it is cloud-native ( but also capable of running in on-premises or hybrid environments ). The reason behind this is that a micro services approach to application development is a deconstruction of monolithic appli cation design .
An application based on microservices is composed of small , mostly autonomous components that often perform a specific function or capability , such as encryption or compression . A cloudnative application may be composed of multiple microservices that interact through a shared fabric . A major advantage of microservices over monolithic design is the ability to troubleshoot , monitor and update on a service-by-service basis , rather than dealing with the entire application .
Second question : “ Does the application support continuous software delivery ?” Continuous software delivery , or innovation , is a more formal way of describing how cloud-native applications can remain perpetually updated . The component nature of an application that was born in the cloud makes it possible for media companies or their vendors to
The cloud , whether private or public , is not for everyone . As with migrating operations to IP , broadcasters should rely on business objectives to determine how and when they embrace the cloud . continuously improve their operations with the latest technology and advanced features .
Continuous software delivery is all about being able to augment applications with the latest technology without requiring a wholesale upgrade . If a technology vendor explains that support for a popular file-conversion option , for example , will not be available until after the next upgrade cycle , chances are that application is still dwelling in the cloud-enabled realm .
Third question : “ How long have you , Mr Supplier , been talking about SDN and cloud ?” Designing and developing cloudnative applications does not happen overnight and an authentic cloud-native application is likely the result of years of extensive research and development . Unless there is strong evidence that a technology supplier has been walking down the software-enabled , IP-based road for at least a couple of years , then it is very unlikely that it has made it far enough along the path to have completed a significant shift to the cloud .
Whether a broadcaster has already started down the path of shifting its operations to a software-centric model or is in the early planning stages of doing so , knowing the differences between cloud-native and cloud-enabled is the first fundamental step to securing the future of the business . And it is also important to stress that , ultimately , the cloud , whether private or public , is not for everyone .
As with migrating operations to IP , broadcasters should rely on business objectives to determine how and when they embrace the cloud .
Glodina Lostanlen is CMO at Imagine Communications .
A measured approach : The shift from SDI to IP
by mark moore
When it comes to the transition to IP for broadcast , there is a lot to be said . While commentators may get excited by IP and vendors actively push the latest products , we should move carefully ahead — adopting it where it makes sense , and where a strong case can be made for it in the natural equipment replacement cycle . For Asia , in particular , it is a different migration path to that of HD , which in many cases was driven by government mandates .
It is also worth remembering that IP is not the only technological revolution happening at present . With HD now well established , there is pressure to move to new levels of resolution . 4K / Ultra HD ( UHD ) channels are already appearing , and NHK , at least , will be transmitting in 8K by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics . We also have in
MegaFon . TV , an over-the-top ( OTT ) service offered by Russian telecom and mobile operator MegaFon , was relaunched at the end of 2015 as part of an extended subscriber offering .
Powered by a suite of video processing and delivery solutions from Elemental Technologies , MegaFon . TV is now available across multiple platforms , including mobile , Web and Smart TV , and offers a combination of subscription and video-on-demand ( VoD ) solutions .
Providing transcoding of VoD mezzanine files for MegaFon . TV is the Elemental Server ; the Elemental Live encoder provides compression of streamed content ; and the service is also supported terest in high dynamic range ( HDR ) and extended colour gamut , with perhaps higher frame rates on the middle horizon .
What does all this mean ? It means we have some difficult decisions to make when it comes to choosing where to invest in future technologies . Thanks to efforts by bodies such as ASPEN and AIMS , there is now a broad range of agreement on standards for IP , even in live production , which makes it practical to move forward .
But equipment renewal cycles mean that broadcasters will move to IP in a piecemeal fashion . The adoption of IP for the live production side — cameras , switchers and infrastructure — will be slower than that of IP network connectivity , because of the current inter operability issues , cost and complex service-level agreements that service the IT technology re
Dejero ’ s LIVE + family of transmitters use whatever IP connectivity is available , including cellular , Wi-Fi and satellite , to deliver signals back to base for broadcasters . quired ( which has a shorter lifespan than tradition baseband equipment ).
In Japan , for example — a country which is pushing 4K / UHD and 8K ahead of the rest of the world — the initial response has been to deploy 12Gbps SDI instead of IP technology , contrary to US broadcasters such as Fox and ESPN , who have already taken the end-to-end IP plunge .
We are likely to have IP islands of functionality , and I would argue that this is not a bad thing . Where IP connectivity can enable a better , faster , or even a new way of working , then why would you not seize the opportunity ?
IP within the media space was the first to establish itself in point-to-point signal transport . It is ideal for the delivery of finished programmes from a producer in Hollywood to a broadcaster in Kuala Lumpur , for example , or over-the-top ( OTT ) services .
In time and in a managed transition , the rest of the broadcast infrastructure will migrate from SDI to IP . While there is no rush to make the complete conversion , it makes sense to seize the advantages when they are valuable , readily available , and proven .
With cloud-managed technologies like that of Dejero ’ s , which are already able to support the gradual adoption of IP for facilities that currently operate in SDI , and future facilities that operate in IP only , the shift from SDI will happen . Until then , broadcasters can take a measured approach .
Mark Moore is Director of Sales , APAC , Dejero .
OTT service powered by Elemental
by Elemental Delta , which provides just-in-time packaging , wrapping video outputs in both MPEG- DASH with WideVine and HLS with Verimatrix rights management .
Andrey Kushnarev , head of video streaming at MegaLabs , the development division of MegaFon , said : “ With Elemental ’ s solution , we have created a reliable and scalable OTT platform that enables us to seamlessly support the expectations of our expanding user base .
“ It has proven its effectiveness during our three major seasonal advertising promotions that generated a huge increase in simultaneous connections to our OTT platform .”
This , he concluded , has allowed MegaFon to “ significantly extend ” its number of paid subscriptions , and to provide customers with a constant OTT stream quality at any time .