Streaming distribution
When streaming distribution generally refers to the distribution of streaming media Offer Details via a network , in the strict sense, the dissemination via the Internet .
The economic dimension of Internet streaming is the decisive challenge for this young branch. While the classic broadcasting offers of broadcasting strive for the largest possible range from an economic point of view , streaming media offers are becoming more and more expensive as the number of subscribers increases.
In network technology , the multicast mode is known, in which a data stream originating from the streaming server can be sent to different recipients at the same time with a low network load. However, this is practically not used on the Internet to this day, since most routers do not transport multicast data packets.
Instead, so-called overlay networks are used for streaming offers with an expected mass audience - for example, broadcasts of the German Bundesliga or pop concerts - which make the data to be transmitted available at several locations at the same time, geographically viewed.
Such overlay networks are operated worldwide by specialist providers such as Akamai and Level 3 Communications . The data to be streamed is not delivered by a normal ISP , but via the respective overlay network. This evaluates the IP blocks of the requesting streaming client , compares them with a geographical database and forwards the request to the geographically closest server in the overlay network. The same content is quasi - completely transparently for the user - multiplied and distributed worldwide.