The Cisco® Content Delivery System (CDS) is an integrated system with a network-based architecture that transcends existing streaming solutions. It incorporates both TV streaming applications for content delivery to digital televisions and set-top boxes (STBs) as well as Internet streaming applications for content delivery to IP-enabled devices such as PCs and Wi-Fi connected mobile phones.
The Cisco CDS product line includes the Cisco Content Delivery Applications (CDAs), which enable service providers, broadcasters, content owners, and enterprises to stream and download rich-media content to their customers' Internet-connected devices. Cisco CDS technology incorporates three main functions: content ingest, service routing, and content delivery.
Content Delivery Applications for Internet Streaming
Table 1 lists the individual Cisco CDAs in the suite of Internet streaming applications. Figure 1 provides an overview of the Cisco CDS.
Table 1. Cisco Content Delivery Applications
Content Delivery Applications
Description
Cisco Content Acquirer
The Cisco Content Acquirer application provides content ingest and storage functionality.
It supports both a pull- and push-based model to ingest content from a variety of sources including the web.
Cisco Internet Streamer
The Cisco Internet Streamer application provides edge caching, content streaming, and download to subscriber IP devices such as PCs.
Cisco Service Router
The Cisco Service Router application is used to mediate requests from the subscriber IP devices. It is responsible for choosing the most appropriate Internet streamer based on location and load conditions of individual Internet streamers.
Cisco Content Delivery System Manager (CDS Manager - Internet Streaming)
The Cisco Content Delivery System Manager is a graphical, browser-based application designed to manage the elements of a Cisco CDS network. It offers a workflow-based approach, automating and centralizing the major system management functions, including configuration, monitoring, troubleshooting, reporting, and maintenance.
Figure 1. Cisco Content Delivery System (CDS) Overview
Internet streaming functions include the following:
Content Ingest
Content ingest is the process of taking in content from the Internet for distribution to devices throughout the Cisco Content Delivery System. The system makes use of standard Internet protocols (such as FTP, HTTP, HTTPs, and CIFS) to acquire content from Internet sources. It supports both "pre-ingest," where popular content is ingested before it is needed, as well as "dynamic ingest" where it is acquired in real time. The Cisco CDS is therefore able to quickly adjust to changes in content demand; when a new piece of user-generated content becomes hugely popular, it will be automatically cached for very scalable distribution to a large number of users.
Service Routing
Service routing is the process of intercepting subscriber requests for content and ensuring that content is delivered appropriately by using a streaming device that is in close proximity to the end user, passing automated health checks, and running at acceptable load. Multiple standard HTTP, Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP), and Routing Table Maintenance Protocol (RTMP) redirection methods are supported. Service routing makes the Cisco CDS scalable, flexible, reliable, and efficient. It also enables "location independence," meaning that subscribers can be served regardless of where they are on the network.
Content Delivery
For final delivery to the end user, content is either streamed or transferred (downloaded) to the subscriber. Content can be streamed or downloaded to the subscriber in multiple formats - such as Microsoft Silverlight, Windows Media/ VC1, Adobe Flash, H.264, Move Networks, and QuickTime - for maximum client compatibility. Cisco has also partnered with Adobe to provide enhanced Adobe Flash streaming capabilities. Together, Cisco CDS and Adobe Flash Media Server bring together powerful building blocks to deploy resilient and highly scalable streaming solutions with extremely wide reach (Figure 2). Cisco makes it easier to build a delivery infrastructure without the customer needing to perform extensive integration or customization to integrate and enhance support for native Flash (RTMP) streaming. A sophisticated caching protocol dynamically fetches content from other devices in the system when it is required. Popular content typically remains in the cache, thereby maximizing efficiency and reducing operating expenses (OpEx).
Figure 2. Cisco CDS: Internet Streaming Overview
Applications
Using these Cisco Content Delivery Applications, service providers can deploy a variety of next-generation, value-added video entertainment services, including the following:
Cost-Effective Content Delivery Service
The Cisco Internet Streamer application enables a service where broadcasters and content owners can publish content to be cost-effectively viewed by a wide audience. The hierarchical design of the Cisco CDS enables the system to scale distribution as content popularity grows, and to deliver the content to the device type appropriate to the user. Cisco CDS Internet streaming provides such customers a broadband video distribution network that is very easy to build and manage and that reduces the total cost of ownership and time to market.
Live and VoD TV Streaming Service for IP Devices
Live and video-on-demand (VoD) content ingested for delivery to STBs can be redirected by the Cisco Internet Streamer to provide a "live TV" or a "TV VoD" service that can be viewed on any IP- and streaming-enabled device, thereby allowing subscribers to view their cable or IPTV service anywhere and anytime. And Cisco CDS is QoS-enabled through integration with various QoS mechanisms, such as PacketCable™ Multimedia, for high-quality delivery. Furthermore, VC1 and MPEG4/AVC can be used to minimize bandwidth consumption.
Webcasts of Company Events and VoD Content
Cisco CDS Internet streaming supports efficient delivery of video and web content across WAN links. By supporting stream splitting at the remote offices, CDS Internet streaming can enable high-quality reception of live broadcast events. CDS Internet streaming supports pre-positioning and automatic caching of popular VoD content at remote sites, hence optimizing the WAN link. It also supports simultaneous delivery of different-bit-rate content across a wide variety of devices and clients, such as Adobe Flash clients on a Linux machine and Windows Media on a PC running Microsoft's operating system.
Scalable Adobe Flash Streaming Service
Cisco CDS Internet streaming enhances the rich functionality of Adobe Flash Media Server by adding powerful infrastructure features to make it easier to deploy, manage, and scale solutions for streaming to the Flash platform. The Cisco CDS solution also has the capability to provide interactive applications that are created by Cisco. Every Cisco CDS Internet Streamer (Version 2.1 and later) ships with base-level support for streaming to Adobe AIR, and Adobe Flash Lite clients. Customers can optionally purchase upgrade licenses from Cisco.
Wholesale Services
Cisco CDS Internet streaming allows an operator to create a content delivery infrastructure. The operator can logically partition the Cisco CDS to offer wholesale services to multiple customers such as content owners. The CDS operator can allow content owners to manage and publish content into the CDS system by using a variety of publishing tools and interfaces. Extensive logging and analytics by CDS, provides content owners with detailed reports on content usage, which can serve the CDS operator as a basis for billing.
Music Streaming Service
Cisco CDS Internet streaming can provide either live or on-demand music streaming services. Using this service, subscribers can have access to CD-quality, QoS-guaranteed music channels on either IP devices or the television.
File Distribution
Cisco CDS Internet streaming provides highly efficient, scalable distribution of any file or file type using standard protocols such as HTTP, and support for secure, QoS-enabled file distribution. Service providers can use this capability as a means of delivering software updates for devices either inside the service provider network or inside the subscriber's home (for example, STB software).
Features and Benefits
Key benefits of Cisco CDS Internet streaming include:
• Enables delivery of Video 2.0 applications
• Supports a hierarchical deployment model that enables service providers to scale their offerings to millions of subscribers
• Supports multiple streaming protocols and file transfer protocols, enabling service providers to converge to a single multipurpose infrastructure for distribution and delivery of rich media
• Sophisticated management software simplifies operations and reduces OpEx
• Provides a flexible platform with application-layer intelligence that can serve as the basis for both existing and future service offerings
Table 2 summarizes features and benefits.
Table 2. Features and Benefits
Feature
Benefits
Content Ingest into the Cisco Content Delivery System
Ingest predefined content
The digital assets such as long- and short-form video can be acquired from a variety of sources using different protocols and placed in resilient storage. This allows the operators to honor content agreements and provide a wide variety of content to subscribers.
On-demand content caching
Reduces operational complexity of ingest and delivery. The operator can offer long-tailed content, which is ingested based on content demand without knowing popularity in advance.
Live stream splitting
A single stream entering the Cisco CDS network can be efficiently split to serve multiple subscribers, allowing the operator to offer live streaming in a manner that scales.
Content Distribution to Subscribers
Static content download using HTTP
Enables serving of long- and short-form content and offering services such as download-to-own.
Enables content streaming to variety of PCs and mobile devices with Flash, AIR, and Flash Lite clients. RTMPE enables 128-bit encryption without use of certificates to help secure streamed media and communication.
Progressive content download using HTTP
Enables offering of video services using progressive rendering that avoids download time on web browser-based clients.
Content streaming using RTSP/RTP/MMS-over-HTTP
Allows streaming of video to commonly deployed PC clients such as Windows Media.
Streaming using RTP/RTSP
Allows content streaming using standard Rapid Transit Protocol (RTP) and RTSP protocol to clients such as QuickTime and 3GPP-compatible handsets.
Cisco CDS Service Router for Load Balancing, Location Independence, and Resiliency
Load balancing
The Cisco CDS Service Router supports several routing methods to best determine which Cisco Internet Streamer should be used to serve content based on dynamic loading conditions.
Location independence
Allows serving any content to any place by factoring in the location of the requesting client to determine the choice of Cisco Internet Streamer.
System resiliency
Provides system resiliency against network and device failures by dynamically detecting and routing requests to alternative Cisco Internet Streamers.
Cisco CDS Manager as a Single Point of Management
Management as a single system
Management is simple, with a single, easy-to-use GUI to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot the Cisco Internet Streamer applications throughout the entire system. Management simplicity contributes to reduction in OpEx.
Product Specifications
Table 3 lists product specifications.
Table 3. Product Specifications
Description
Specification
Protocols
Content acquisition:
• HTTP
• HTTPS
• FTP
• CIFS
• RTSP/RTP
• Acquisition from local disk (for example, user upload)
• Content delivery:
• Web content via HTTP
• Adobe Flash streaming via RTMP (T/E)
• Windows Media VC-1 via RTP/RTSP, via MMS over HTTP, or via HTTP Progressive Rendering
• Streaming MP3, MP4(H.264), MOV, M4V and 3GP(3GPP) content via RTP/RTSP
Components
Cisco CDS components involved in a minimal setup:
• Internet Streaming Manager
• Service Router
• Internet Streamer with Content Acquirer
• Optional components include:
• Standby Internet Streaming Manager
• Extra Cisco Service Routers for load balance and failover
• Extra Cisco Content Acquirer or Internet Streamers for load balance and failover
• Managed live events and rebroadcast of scheduled events
• Encoder failover
• SMIL-based client-side playlists
• Live-stream splitting, including:
• Multicast in and multicast out
• Multicast in and unicast out
• Unicast in and multicast out
• Unicast in and unicast out
• Hierarchical caching proxy
Windows Media
WMT server and proxy:
• Codec WM 7, WM 8, WM 9, VC-1
• Protocols
• RTP/RTSP UDP
• RTP/RTSP TCP
• MMS over HTTP, or
• HTTP Progressive Rendering
• Container files: ASF, WMV, WMA
• Client-side playlist
• Fast Start and Fast Cache
• Managed live events and rebroadcast of scheduled events
• Live channel priming
• Live channel fast start
• Live-stream splitting, including:
• ·Multicast in and multicast out
• Multicast in and unicast out
• Unicast in and multicast out
• Unicast in and unicast out
• Hierarchical caching proxy
• PacketCable Multimedia integration
• Pass-through authentication
• Wi-Fi streaming of VC-1
Content acquisition and storage
Acquisition modes supported:
• Pre-ingest of content known to the operators ahead of the delivery time (for short-tail content)
• Dynamic ingest of content not known to the operators until the end-user requests (such as caching proxy, for long-tail content)
• Pre-ingest via HTTP, HTTPS, FTP, CIFS, or from local disk (for example, user upload)
• Dynamic ingest via HTTP and RTSP
• Centralized content removal to quickly delete problematic or illegitimate content throughout Cisco CDS
Distribution modes supported:
• Caching proxy from the origin server
• Hierarchical caching proxy within Cisco CDS
• Hierarchical live streaming routing within Cisco CDS
• Storage management:
• Sharing a single storage abstraction across various protocols going through a Cisco Internet Streamer
• Popularity-based cache replacement algorithm across different protocols
Table 4 shows the product performance.
The Cisco CDE200 model uses the following configuration (Table 4):
• Configuring four Gigabit Ethernet interfaces into a single port-channel bonding interface. Ethernet Port Channel provides instantaneous failover between ports. Port channel load balancing algorithm is set as "destination IP" (that is, the client IP).
• The remaining two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces are configured for management traffic exclusively (either standby or port-channel mode is ok).
The Cisco CDE100 and CDE205 use the following configuration (Table 4) unless noted otherwise:
• Configuring two Gigabit Ethernet interfaces into a single port-channel bonding interface. Ethernet Port Channel provides instantaneous failover between ports. Port channel load balancing algorithm is set as "destination IP" (that is, the client IP).
• This bonding interface is also used for management traffic.
Table 4. Product Performance
Description
Specification
Storage
For CDE200:
• Total of 6 TB space spanning 12 SATA disks of 500 GB each (where 1 KB = 1000 bytes)
• 1 TB used for system partitions, fully mirrored, yielding 500 GB effective useable space
• 5 TB used as content cache, spanning 10 disks, with automatic failure detection and bypass
• Up to 3 million unique assets in the content cache
• For CDE100:
• Total of 292 GB space spanning 4 SCSI disks of 73 GB each (where 1KB = 1000 bytes)
• 146 GB used for system partitions, fully mirrored, yielding 73 GB effective useable space
• 146 GB used as content cache, spanning 2 disks, with automatic failure detection and bypass
• Up to 3 million unique assets in the content cache
• For CDE205:
• Total of 1.5 TB space spanning 3 SATA disks of 500 GB each (where 1 KB = 1000 bytes)
• 100 GB used for system partitions, fully mirrored, yielding 50 GB effective useable space
• 1.4 TB used as content cache, spanning 3 disks, with automatic failure detection and bypass
• Up to 3 million unique assets in the content cache
Service routing
(TPS stands for transaction per second.)
For CDE200:
• 9000 maximum TPS for HTTP redirection including WMT ASX redirection (load-based)
• 7000 maximum TPS for RTSP redirection (load-based)
• 800 maximum TPS for RTMP redirection, for Flash streaming (load-based)
• 6947 maximum TPS for HTTP redirection (20% geo-location-based, plus 80% load-based)
For CDE205:
• 20998 maximum TPS for HTTP redirection including WMT ASX redirection (load-based)
• 8499 maximum TPS for RTSP redirection (load-based)
• 2020 maximum TPS for RTMP redirection, for Flash streaming (load-based)
• 8470 maximum TPS for HTTP redirection (20% geo-location-based, plus 80% load-based)
Windows Media -
VoD streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, cache hit, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 3-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
• 1.345Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, 50% unique streams
• 1.2-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-TCP, non-unique streams
• 0.899-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-TCP, 50% unique streams
• 14,000 maximum concurrent WMT sessions, non-unique 100-Kbps streams
For CDE100:
• 880-Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
For CDE205:
• 1.9-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
• 0.96-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, 50% unique streams
• 1.25-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-TCP, non-unique streams
• 763-Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-TCP, 50% unique streams
• 14000 maximum concurrent WMT sessions, non-unique 100-Kbps streams
Windows Media -
live streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, live, unicast in to unicast out, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 2 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, a single incoming stream
• 1.7 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, 20 incoming streams
For CDE100 over 1 Gigabit Ethernet port:
• 800-Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, unicast-in/unicast-out
For CDE205:
• 1.3 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, a single incoming stream
• 1.168 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, 20 incoming streams
Flash Media - VoD streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, 20-minute duration, cache hit, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 1.56-Gbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams
• 1.03-Gbps maximum throughput, 50% unique streams
• 3000 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 200-Kbps streams
For CDE100:
• 840-Mbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams
• 748-Mbps maximum throughput, 50% unique streams
• 3000 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 200-Kbps streams
For CDE205:
• 1.8-Gbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams
• 830-Mbps maximum throughput, 50% unique streams
• 9200 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 200-Kbps streams
Flash Media - live streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, 20-minute duration, live, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 970-Mbps maximum throughput, a single incoming stream
• 1.17-Gbps maximum throughput, 20 incoming streams
For CDE100:
• 896-Mbps maximum throughput, 20 incoming streams
For CDE205:
• 1.1-Gbps maximum throughput, a single incoming stream
• 1.83-Gbps maximum throughput, 20 incoming streams
Cisco Movie Streamer -
VoD streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, cache hit, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 1.4-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
• 0.6-Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, 50% unique streams
• 4800 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 100-Kbps streams
For CDE100:
• 600 Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
• 400 Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, 50% unique streams
• 3200 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 100Kbps streams
For CDE205:
• 1.5 Gbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, non-unique streams
• 190 Mbps maximum throughput for RTSP-UDP, 50% unique streams
• 7000 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique 100Kbps streams
Cisco Movie Streamer -
live streaming
All measurements use 1-Mbps streams, live, unicast in to unicast out, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 1.3 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, a single incoming stream
• 1.5 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, 4 incoming streams
For CDE100:
• 500 Mbps for RTSP-UDP, a single incoming stream
• 480 Mbps for RTSP-UDP, 4 incoming streams
For CDE205:
• 1.4 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, a single incoming stream
• 1.48 Gbps for RTSP-UDP, 4 incoming streams
HTTP progressive download and streaming
This category applies to long-form HTTP sessions that last more than a couple minutes, and is typically used for streaming or for large file downloads. All measurements use cache hit, unless otherwise noted.
For CDE200:
• 2-Gbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams, server-side pacing at 1 Mbps
• 1.061 Gbps maximum throughput, 50% unique streams, server-side pacing at 1 Mbps
• 6000 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique streams, using 100-Kbps streams
For CDE100 over 1 Gigabit Ethernet port:
• 795-Mbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams, with 740 sessions at an average of 1 Mbps per stream
For CDE205:
• 1.8 Gbps maximum throughput, non-unique streams, server-side pacing at 1 Mbps
• 450 Mbps maximum throughput, 50% unique streams, server-side pacing at 1 Mbps
• 4560 maximum concurrent sessions, non-unique streams, using 100-Kbps streams
Table 5 shows Internet streaming application support for Cisco CDEs.
Table 5. Internet Streaming Application Support for Cisco CDEs
Cisco Content Delivery Engine Model
Service Router Application
Internet Streamer and Content Acquirer Applications
Cisco CDS Manager - Internet Streaming
Cisco CDE100
-
Yes
Yes
Cisco CDE200
Yes
Yes
-
Cisco CDE205
Yes
Yes
Yes
Please refer to the Cisco Content Delivery Engine data sheet for additional details on the Cisco CDE specifications and part numbers.
Ordering Information
To place an order, visit the Cisco ordering homepage. To download software, visit the Cisco Software Center. Table 6 lists ordering information.
Internet Streamer Application - Content Acquirer (Release 2.0) (optional component with Internet Streamer application)
CDAISTR-CA-2.0-K9
Internet Streamer Application-Enhanced Streaming Edition (2.3 release)
CDAISTR-E-2.3-K9
100 Mbps upgrade of Windows Media streaming
CDAISTR-WM100M
500 Mbps upgrade of Windows Media streaming
CDAISTR-WM500M
Upgrade Web engine for 500 concurrent HTTP sessions
CDAISTR-WEB500
Upgrade to <500 Mbps, 500 streams> (whichever is lower) of Cisco Movie Streamer (RTP/RTSP)
CDAISTR-CM500M
Flash RTMP streaming license upgrade up to 1000 streams for CDE100/CDE205 (no bandwidth limits)
CDAISTR-FLS-U-CDE1
2000 TPS upgrade for Service Router lookups
CDASR-LKP2000
Flash RTMP 100Mbps; 1 yr term from shipment for wholesale use cases
CDAISTR-FL-1-100M
Flash RTMP 1Gbps; 1 yr term from shipment for wholesale use cases
CDAISTR-FL-1-1G
Windows Media, Cisco Movie Streamer, HTTP, Flash (no wholesale) - for CDE200 only
CDAISTR-UL200
Table 7 summarizes the differences between the basic and enhanced editions of Cisco Internet Streamer.
Table 7. Cisco Internet Streamer: Basic and Enhanced Streaming Editions
Product Description
Basic Edition
Enhanced Edition
PCMM Support
No Policy Server integration
Support for third-party PCMM Policy Server for HTTP and WMT
HTTP Rules Engine
Basic (no URL alteration)
Basic with URL rewriting/manipulation and URL blocking
Multicast Reception and Distribution
Not supported
Supports multicast join and multicast streaming over RTP/RTSP
Service and Support
Using the Cisco Lifecycle Services approach, Cisco and its partners provide a broad portfolio of end-to-end services and support that can help increase your network's business value and return on investment. This approach defines the minimum set of activities needed, by technology and by network complexity, to help you successfully deploy and operate Cisco technologies and optimize their performance throughout the lifecycle of your network.
