Building Consensus on Enterprise Video
By Kevin Towes, Senior Product Manager at Adobe Systems and Greg Pulier, President of MediaPlatform, Inc.
Abstract: The use of online video in the enterprise is not a new subject, but it seems to have an endless ability to
create friction amongst key stakeholders in the organization. Though every company has a different dialogue under way about video, the typical discussion involves line of business (LOB) managers, media professionals, and IT managers. Each group has its own distinct and serious point of view on the topic, and true agreement is rare. The media department generally favors expanded capacity for video, as demand for the medium in the corporate space is growing dramatically. At the same time, the IT department has a legitimate concern that more video use will create problems in the network infrastructure. And, LOB people may be reluctant to foot the bill for the video capability, especially if quality and reach are uncertain. This three-way tug of war begins to look different, however, in light of recent developments in multicast technology. This paper will explore how the advent of multicast fusion on the Adobe® Flash® Platform brings a new perspective to this familiar dynamic, offering a solution that satisfies the business and technical needs of each stakeholder group.
Introduction
The use of online video in the enterprise environment has reached an inflection point. It’s no longer an optional or “nice to have” feature of corporate life. It’s a key ingredient of communication, training, collaboration, and management. This development is not necessarily viewed as good news by everyone involved in the delivery of video in the enterprise, however. While media professionals may be pleased that video is becoming increasingly prevalent, two other stakeholder groups are potentially stressed by the increase in video consumption. Video is often perceived as a costly hassle by the Information Technology (IT) department, which is tasked with delivering video through constrained infrastructure, and line-of-business (LOB) managers who must pay for the infrastructure upgrades necessitated by video. These three groups – media professionals, IT, and LOB
managers – must come together to reach a consensus on how to proceed with video in the enterprise. It is no longer a topic that can be relegated to futuristic visions. Video is here now. How much video will the enterprise really consume? How much infrastructure will be required? How much will it cost? And of course, who will pay for it? These are important questions that must be answered. The price tag for video is potentially staggering: According to Gartner, companies that want to keep up with the building demand for video will have to increase their network capacity by a factor of 100!1 Yet, this need not be the case. The good news is that recent developments in video streaming technology,
in particular the new multicast fusion capability on the Adobe® Flash® Platform, changes the rules of this discussion. While previously, there was a clear correlation between increases in video consumption and infrastructure investment, this need not be the case any longer. Multicast fusion enables pervasive
1 Steinert-Threlkeld, Tom – “Video Will Require 100X Boost to Corporate Nets, Gartner Says” – Securities Technology
Monitor, 17 November, 2010
The use of online video in
the enterprise environment
has reached an inflection
point. It’s no longer an
optional or “nice to have”
feature of corporate life.
penetration of video and significant streaming capacity without requiring commensurate increases in network capacity or cost. This paper will examine the underlying factors driving the discussion and highlight possible ways for the three stakeholder groups to reach consensus on video and move forward with clarity and unity of purpose.
Enterprise Video Today
The use of online video is growing rapidly within corporations. Industry data shows that video consumption inside the corporate firewall is growing at an unprecedented rate, following consumer trends of the past few years. Approximately 12% of large enterprises were generating more than 100 hours of video content per month in 2009, up from 9% in 2008. The number of corporations generating 25-100 hours of video jumped from 21% to 29% in the same period.2 At that rate, a company could have amassed a 6,000-hour library of video since 2005. In the consumer public, video as a percentage of Internet traffic is projected to reach 91% by 20143, with corporate network traffic likely to mimic that consumer pattern. Gartner
Research projects that 25% of content that workers see in a day will be dominated by pictures, video, or audio by 2013.4 The surge in video production affects both live and on-demand (VOD) uses of the medium. Video has crossed the boundary between “nice to have” and “have to have.” The jump in video use is driven by advances in video technology as well as recent shifts in business operating patterns and workplace behavior. As corporations grow more global and virtual, information workers have a greater need to collaborate and communicate through rich media. In many cases, video is the best way to achieve a specific business result, such as training, on a limited budget. Cuts in travel budgets, as well as
environmental pressure to reduce travel and facilities costs, are also driving video consumption. And, it’s not just young people who are turning to video for collaboration and communication processes. Consumer behaviors, encouraged by YouTube and other popular media experiences, are influencing the workplace and people of all ages.
Stakeholder Dynamics Surrounding Enterprise Video
At the risk of being too simplistic, it’s possible to identify three core stakeholder groups that are typically involved in the discussion of enterprise video. Media professionals are tasked with producing videos, webcasts, virtual meetings, and comparable business applications of rich media. LOB managers run the business units that drive the creation of rich media. LOB managers oversee information workers who use video in their collaboration and communication processes. They use video for marketing, training, and executive communication. IT managers are responsible for the network, and the related IT infrastructure, that supports video throughout the enterprise.
The dynamics between these three groups are potentially fractious. Each group has a different set of constraints and business incentives that puts them out of alignment on the subject of video. Media
2Interactive Media Strategies Executive Web Communications Survey, Q4 2009
3 Cisco Visual Network Index 2009 4 Gartner Data 2008
The jump in video use is
driven by advances in video
technology as well as recent
shifts in business operating
patterns and workplace
behavior.
professionals generally favor video and encourage its expansion. Overall, LOB managers appreciate video and want to see it used appropriately, especially if it benefits productivity and corporate cohesion. At the same time, LOB managers are usually circumspect about the kind of IT investment that has traditionally been required to keep up with growth in video use. IT managers, in turn, are frequently conflicted about video. They may or may not like it as a technology, but they want to provide the services that LOB clients request. However, the costs involved are substantial, and the pressure to deliver a service that requires massive investment is stressful.
Current Technological Limits to Video in the Enterprise
Network capacity is the number one issue affecting the three-way dialogue about video. Online video is not a friend of the corporate network. Video’s massive bandwidth consumption can disrupt network traffic and hog infrastructure resources. And, of course, it’s growing. According to Gartner, video communication accounted for 30% of corporate network traffic in 2010, up from 15% in 2008.5 That volume is projected to grow to 40% in the coming year. What will this mean for those who manage corporate networks?
According to the same Gartner analyst, companies that want to keep up with the building demand for video will have to increase their network capacity by a factor of 100.6 That kind of upgrade represents a huge investment that not every organization is prepared to make in the current economic environment, no matter how valuable video is to the business.
To understand the network problem, and hence the root of tensions between the three stakeholder groups, it is necessary to delve into the detail of how video moves across a corporate network. There are a myriad of challenges involved in getting a corporate network ready to handle such a high volume of video data.
Unicasting
Unlike the public Web, where global content distribution networks (CDNs) such as Akamai Networks, can do the heavy lifting of distributing big video files from intelligently and dynamically determined media servers to the end viewers, a corporate network must manage video on its own. Video files tend to require more bandwidth than any other data
moving around on a network. If many people are watching different video streams simultaneously, this can cause serious traffic congestion on most networks. Most organizations first start streaming video through
5Steinert-Threlkeld, Tom – “Video Will Require 100X Boost to Corporate Nets, Gartner Says” – Securities Technology Monitor, 17
November, 2010
6 ibid
Figure 1 - Unicasting of video causes severe network congestion for a location with limited bandwidth.
According to Gartner,
companies that want to
keep up with the building
demand for video will have
to increase their network
capacity by a factor of 100.
unicast delivery. Unicast is a one-to-one transmission between the client and the server. That means that for each end user watching a video stream, the server must originate and deliver a unique stream.
As Figure 1 shows, unicasting can wreak havoc on a location with limited bandwidth. In this case, a T1 line is overwhelmed by 5 requests for a 500 kbps stream. Unicasting is so inefficient that IT managers often simply ban unicast video rather than allow this kind of network congestion. However, banning video is not a viable option today, as it antagonizes the other two stakeholder groups. Media professionals, of course, want to be able to stream video. LOB managers also need it. The tension on this point is easy to
understand. The IT manager is effectively trapped. If he or she bans video, the other two stakeholder groups will be unhappy. If video is allowed, but disrupts the network, everyone will be displeased, especially the IT manager.
IP Multicasting
To solve the unicast problem, many organizations turn to IP multicast, a networking technology that enables a single video stream to reach all viewers on that network. Figure 2 illustrates how IP multicast would work in the T1 office scenario depicted in Figure 1. IP multicast, though effective, is entirely reliant on hardware upgrades, router configurations, and other network related factors, which makes it difficult
and costly to implement. Additionally, in most companies there are frequent changes in network topologies, due to internal reorganizations or mergers and acquisitions, which greatly complicate the maintenance effort needed to sustain IP multicast enablement. As a result, very few companies have succeeded in IP multicast-enabling their entire network, which means at least some, or even many, employees simply can’t get video.
IP multicast, as well as various WAN acceleration technologies, is effective at easing the network burden of video. However, it only offers a partial resolution to the tension between the three stakeholder groups. IP multicast implementation is almost always incomplete. And, even when a network is completely multicast enabled, certain remote locations will always be bandwidth constrained and unable to support multicasting. In practical terms, it is very rare to find a 100% multicast-enabled network. Even if such a network was fully enabled, it probably wouldn’t remain that way.
Figure 2 - IP multicasting enables a single stream to reach multiple end users
IP multicast, though effective, is
entirely reliant on hardware
upgrades, router configurations,
and other network related
factors, which makes it difficult
and costly to implement.
Platform Issues
Enterprise video also runs into platform problems in most current corporate deployments. While
enterprises predominantly use Windows-based PCs, there are enough Apple devices, mobile devices, and Linux boxes to make pervasive enterprise video nearly impossible to deliver. Given the increase of video usage and its growing relevance to corporate life, platform incompatibility is now a serious problem. Each stakeholder group will likely have a different perspective on platform issues. Media professionals tend to be agnostic, wanting universal distribution of media. IT managers face constraints on how many
platforms and devices they can support, though in reality they often end up supporting all of them unofficially. For example, when the CEO has a problem with an unsupported device and needs help,an IT manager has to jump in and fix the problem. IT managers face pressure from LOB managers to support more recent technologies, especially popular new devices, such as tablets. As a result of these pressures, an enterprise video solution needs to offer cross-platform functionality without adding to overall systemic complexity.
Multicast Fusion: A New Solution Approach
Multicast fusion is a new approach to enterprise video based on the Adobe® Flash® Media Enterprise Server. It solves the cost and complexity challenges of supporting both live and on-demand video to the enterprise audience. By introducing a new form of multicast, which combines a secure peer-assisted model of video distribution and IP multicast, a video stream can reach virtually everyone on the network using
existing bandwidth and infrastructure. Multicast fusion finally unlocks the full potential for video within the enterprise by combining IP and peer-assist multicast to deliver enterprise-grade streaming media using the most efficient algorithms in a dynamic self-optimizing topology. It radically reduces the correlation between video growth and infrastructure upgrades. As a result, it has the potential to change the terms of the discussion between media professionals, LOB managers, and IT managers.
Multicast fusion enables corporations to keep up with growing video
demand while cutting expenses across several cost centers.
Figure 3 - Multicast fusion, a combination of IP multicast and peer-assisted content delivery with Flash Player 10.1.
Based on the new edition of Flash® Media Server and the Flash® Player 10.1, multicast fusion enables corporations to keep up with growing video demand while cutting expenses across several cost centers. IT managers will appreciate it for the ability to deliver the greatest level of video service while minimizing the need for additional media servers, upgrading networking gear, managing networking configuration, adding edge caching devices, eCDNs, and WAN acceleration hardware. And by having less hardware to install throughout the network, Flash® Media Server promises a shorter deployment cycle than existing video streaming technologies and lower ongoing IT maintenance and support costs.
Multicast fusion is of primary benefit to live video streaming in the enterprise. However, the technology also benefits video on-demand in several ways. The same network efficiencies that multicast fusion confers on live video also work for video on-demand. There is also the added economy and simplicity of having just one server handle all live and VOD traffic.
Multicast fusion provides a further benefit in that Adobe® Flash® technology is compatible with all operating systems, so corporations can now stream video to Macs, PCs, and Linux machines with relative ease. It’s compatible across all popular browsers, making the video experience seamless for users of Internet Explorer®, FireFox®, Chrome®, Safari®, and Opera®. Media producers will no longer have to produce video in multiple streaming formats when a corporate video event is intended for both internal and external audiences, which is potentially a huge money and time saver.
The peer-assisted delivery capability in multicast fusion also enables some new architectures. As shown in Figure 4, a Flash® Media Server can be hosted in the cloud.
However, it can stream video through the firewall, where the stream can then be shared through the peer-assisted mode of delivery. This is a potential driver of cost savings, as it reduces the investment in video infrastructure inside the firewall.
Peer-assisted delivery of video with Flash® Media Server is quite different from conventional peer-to-peer communication on the public Internet. Like IP multicasting on Flash® Media Server, which provides multiple layers of security and a protected stream, peer-assisted content delivery in multicast fusion is secure and well governed. Flash® Media Server acts as a “rendezvous” server and controls who can talk to whom so that there is no haphazard, random peer-to-peer traffic that might shut down the network. It is all very carefully controlled and network traffic can be even be encrypted with a 128-bit cipher. Then, the client is required to know the name of the stream and have the Peer ID of the publisher before it will play the stream. The Peer ID is a 256-bit value unique to the publisher. The publisher must accept a peer request
Figure 4 - Cloud/On-Premise video streaming options with multicast fusion
before a connection can be made. The whole system can be mapped to LDAP for compliance with access controls. These measures mitigate the risk of poorly controlled peering, which could affect network performance.
Satisfying the Stakeholder Groups with Multicast Fusion
While there are no magic bullets in corporate IT, multicast fusion does offer an approach to enterprise video that will mitigate many of the factors that create tension amongst the stakeholder groups. Media professionals will like the flexibility of the Flash Platform for enterprise video. Flash is cross-platform, enabling the audience to experience the video on a variety of devices, browsers, and operating systems. Flash is also the dominant mode of video on the public Web, so producers can create a single stream that will serve all viewers. (In many corporate video scenarios today, the producers must stream a Flash version for public consumption and an alternative format for internal audiences. This adds overhead, complexity and error risk.) LOB managers should appreciate multicast fusion, as it makes video available without requiring the kind of IT investment needed for alternative streaming formats.
IT managers should appreciate that multicast fusion makes the most efficient possible use of the network for streaming video. With its blending of IP multicast and well-governed, peer-assist media delivery, multicast fusion can deliver video to virtually everyone on the network without requiring infrastructure upgrades. As video demand grows, the correlation between video consumption and infrastructure expansion is far less onerous than it can be with traditional approaches to video. The IT manager can do more with less, which is always an appealing proposition for this stakeholder group. With multicast fusion, video does not have to be the factor that drives network upgrades in the enterprise.
The Business ROI for Multicast Fusion
Estimating return on investment (ROI) for enterprise technologies is always tricky, given the subjective nature of each deployment scenario. However, it is possible to approach an ROI thought process for multicast fusion on the levels of both hard dollar financial figures and intangible business value. The following table summarizes some key ROI factors for multicast fusion. In a simple sense, the cost of a 100X network capacity upgrade should exceed the investment in a multicast fusion solution by orders of
magnitude. For that reason, the ROI is implicit and extremely clear. However, every company’s process for upgrading its infrastructure is going to be different, so it is necessary to show that multicast fusion confers additional financial benefits, such as reduced support costs for video events, and intangible values such as including remote locations in all video communications.
While there are no magic
bullets in corporate IT,
multicast fusion does offer
an approach to enterprise
video that will mitigate
many of the factors that
create tension amongst
the stakeholder groups.
Financial ROI Intangible Business Value
Financial impact of deferring, reducing or avoiding a large scale (up to 100X) network upgrade to keep pace with video growth.
Reduce support costs due to
improvements in platform compatibility and a single public/private streaming format.
Simplified production management for enterprise video, driven by single streaming format.
Video growth with low business impact.
HR/Training/Collaboration/Communication benefits of pervasive video distribution.
Inclusion of remote offices in corporate-wide video experience.
Conclusion
Establishing technology strategy in the corporation is almost always driven by human, not technical, factors. This is particularly true for enterprise video, where the stakes are high and the potential for disagreement spans multiple stakeholder groups. As media professionals, LOB managers, and IT managers come together to find consensus on video and find a mutually satisfactory way forward, multicast fusion offers a number of promising options. By enabling growth in video consumption without the level of correlated expense and investment typically required for video, multicast fusion makes possible a path to consensus amongst the stakeholder groups. With multicast fusion, it is possible to satisfy the business and technological needs of each group.
Additional Resources
Flash® Media Server Security Video: http://tv.adobe.com/watch/max-2010-develop/secure-enterprise-video-streaming-with-flash-media-server-and-p2p
Flash® Media Server Security Papers: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashmediaserver/security.html Flash® Media Server Hardening Guide:
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About the Author s
Gr eg Pulier a founder and president of MediaPlatform and has spent the last ten years developing rich media webcasting software products. He has previously worked at the Harvard Robotics Laboratory, the NYU Robotics Laboratory, and as CTO of Radiant Enterprises. Mr. Pulier has experience managing software teams and developing new technologies in the streaming media industry leveraging his knowledge of neuroscience and brain processing. Greg holds a B.S. in Physics from Harvard University.
K evin T owes is the Senior Product Manager at Adobe Systems Incorporated, responsible for Flash Media Server. Prior to Adobe, Mr. Towes spent 13 years working as a prime consultant enabling customers with Flash-based communication, collaboration, social media and video streaming solutions using Flash Media Server. His FMS Live Video work with Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) led to an Emmy nomination in 2004.
About MediaPlatfor m®
MediaPlatform, Inc. delivers best-in-class webcasting and media management technology to global enterprises and digital media producers. MediaPlatform’s webcasting software enables high-impact presentations for lead generation, corporate communications and training. The company offers organizations the ability to take advantage of scalable cloud-based computing, as well as on-premises deployment, to present and manage rich media. With media management tools built on its platform, the company helps clients derive long term archive value from their investment in media content.
