Multicast for Enterprise Video Streaming
What is a Video Streaming Server?
A video streaming server is a web server with built-in RTSP functionality designed to provide live or on-demand video to internet-enabled devices.
With video streaming software, the video has to be encoded and converted into a data format. Then, the information must be sent as a data stream from your origin server to your viewer’s computer.
With cloud-based server streaming, the viewer doesn’t need to store the video file on their computer on their hard drive. Instead, the cloud server delivers data as they can stream and watch the video while the file is in progress.
Who Needs a Video Streaming Server?
Anyone who wants to share videos online and allow end-users to watch those videos needs a streaming server. A streaming server is required for broadcasting live or on-demand videos over the internet.
You can make your own server for video streaming, use a third-party server, or work with a video hosting platform that provides access to servers and other tools.
How to Build a Live Streaming Server
Building your own live video streaming server is possible with the right online video hosting platform technology.
There are some drawbacks to creating and using your own live streaming server instead of using a server hosting through a professional streaming solution.
We’ll provide you with the technical know-how and basic information you need to build a live-streaming server. You need technical knowledge and troubleshooting skills to build and maintain your own server.
Creating your own video streaming server will require you to use other operating systems to fulfill your streaming needs. Making your own video server doesn’t free you from using other people’s programs; it does free you from specifically paying for video hosting.
Let’s quickly look at how you can build your own live server streaming video.
1. Get Clean on Requirements
Before you learn how to build a live streaming server, it’s important to know what you want out of your live streaming server.
- How big is your audience?
- How important is the streaming quality?
- Are you using Windows, Linux (Ubuntu), or Mac OS? What are your operating system requirements?
- Who will have access to the video stream?
- Will you need to save copies of your video stream?
Knowing the answers to these questions will determine the specific next steps. For example, the steps for setting up a streaming server on Windows will differ from how you set up a live streaming server on Linux. Knowing these details will help you learn how to build and run your own servers.
Once you’ve gotten clear on the answers to all those questions, it’s time to learn how to build your video streaming server.
2. Choose an Open-Source Project
Why spend time and resources when many top-class open-source projects are free? To build your server, you’ll need access to a library of pre-existing code.
Choose an open-source project that supports your preferred media player and delivery protocols. There is no need to create your own code when open-source software exists to help you build your own video server.
A popular and proven pick is the Nginx web server, which can run on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS. Nginx web server also easily integrates with both HLS and RTMP via the Nginx-RTMP module. For a refresher, HLS and RTMP are two common video streaming protocols.
You can then use the library on the Ngnix web server to build a live streaming server that specifically fits your video streaming needs.
That allows you to integrate many tools and features into your video streaming server.
- Security tools
- Monetization tools
- Video controls (fast forward, rewind, etc.)
- Custom video player configurations to match your branding
- Adaptive bitrate streaming
These are just a few customizations you can make using the library feature on an Nginx web server.
3. Download OBS Studio
OBS Studio is a great media server software resource. Once your server is ready, you’ll set up your live-streaming software. OBS Studio is a free, open-source live-streaming server software that you can use for encoding and other live-streaming functions.
The correct version of OBS studio to download will depend on your operating system. After choosing the right operating system, you should run the Auto-Configuration Wizard. This wizard will test your system and adjust your settings accordingly.
To begin your video stream, you’ll need your stream key. Once you have that, go to the “Media” option and click on “Open Network Stream”. Now type in your stream key. The steam key is a specially generated code for viewing any particular stream.
Many developers recommend using OBS Studio to run with your DIY server-to-server to ensure everything works out properly.
4. Create a CDN
The next item on the list is a Content Delivery Network. CDN addresses issues of latency. In broadcasting, latency is the delay in a live stream or on-demand video. In other words, a powerful video stream CDN is essential for delivering high-quality live streams to viewers near and far.
To build your own CDN for your video streaming server, you must first decide if you’ll push your delivery through the cloud or physical remote servers. Physical servers are typically more reliable, but a cloud streaming server may be more realistic, depending on your available resources.
Once you conclude a cloud vs. physical, you’ll need to choose technology for ISP, caching software, and routing. Then, you’ll arrange the placement of your origin server and PoPs. Building a reliable CDN network is essential for your video streaming server to work.
We recommend downloading Varnish, a CDN-building tool to help tie everything together.
Leave a Comment