Cloud Computing Bible

Chapter 19. Using Media and Streaming

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Learning about large scale streaming

• Understanding why cloud computing makes streaming easier

• Viewing examples of audio streaming

• Discovering the many cloud video services available

Streaming files is a way of delivering large content in pieces so playback can begin more quickly. Streaming is used for broadcasting current events, showing TV and movies on your computer or cell phone, listening to Internet radio, making phone calls, and using many other applications.

Cloud computing has a number of advantages that aid content providers and delivery systems. Cloud computing provides large storage for maintaining libraries, large networks where content can be deployed worldwide, compute power for streaming servers, and an engine for encoding/decoding/transcoding content. This chapter describes some of these advantages, introducing you to early products and services in this field.

Audio streaming was among the first media applications to find widespread use on the Internet. Cloud computing has expanded the use of streamed audio to make radio, Web casts, music sites, and other services widely available.

VoIP is a form of audio streaming with a set of specialized protocols. Cloud computing is bringing a whole new class of applications to Internet users. Two applications in this area, Skype and Google Voice, are highlighted in this chapter.

Broadband connections and low-cost infrastructure have made video streaming services widely available. ...