Streaming, Content Delivery and Networks Dr Angus Hay

The old paradigm… Telephony Mail Photos Music Newspapers TV Film Communications Media

… disrupted... Telephony Mail Photos Music Newspapers TV Film Communications Media

… creating a new paradigm Content Aggregation Distribution Devices and software Media/Communications

The Internet Around 30000 unique BGP4 Autonomous Systems 50% of traffic on 150 ASs More than 5 Exabytes of traffic carried monthly 680 million host computers 1.5 billion unique users 444 million (fixed line) broadband connections “ IP over everything & everything over IP” Neotel is a member of the Internet Service Providers Association (ISPA)

Around 30000 unique BGP4 Autonomous Systems

50% of traffic on 150 ASs

More than 5 Exabytes of traffic carried monthly

680 million host computers

1.5 billion unique users

444 million (fixed line) broadband connections

“ IP over everything & everything over IP”

The Internet in South Africa Six Regional Tier 1 (Tier 2) providers* Around 150 ISPs of various sizes and tiers Internet Transit and Peering Two public Internet exchanges (JINX and CINX) 900 Mbps exchanged publicly; probably 5 Gbps privately 4,6 million unique Internet users (2008) 700 000 dial-up connections (still!) 1,69 million broadband connections (Q1 2009) South African definition includes fixed and mobile South Africa ranked 61 st on Broadband Quality * Neotel / Tata Communications Global Tier 1 network is present in South Africa Sources: World Wide Worx, MyADSL, Oxford Broadband Quality Study, ISPA, ispmap.org.za

Six Regional Tier 1 (Tier 2) providers*

Around 150 ISPs of various sizes and tiers

Internet Transit and Peering

Two public Internet exchanges (JINX and CINX)

900 Mbps exchanged publicly; probably 5 Gbps privately

4,6 million unique Internet users (2008)

700 000 dial-up connections (still!)

1,69 million broadband connections (Q1 2009)

South African definition includes fixed and mobile

South Africa ranked 61 st on Broadband Quality

* Neotel / Tata Communications Global Tier 1 network is present in South Africa

The distribution bottleneck Content Aggregation Distribution Devices

The changing world of broadband Broadband access becoming standard Applications drive bandwidth requirements Cost of bandwidth must decline over time Broadband 2.0 Higher bandwidth, low contention ratio Symmetrical access and Quality of Service High-definition video speeds (20+ Mbps) Multiple sources of content, peer-to-peer Two worlds of broadband Wireless for personal broadband access Optical fibre for fixed Broadband 2.0 access Copper access becoming a legacy technology Wireless will dominate broadband in Africa

Broadband access becoming standard

Applications drive bandwidth requirements

Cost of bandwidth must decline over time

Broadband 2.0

Higher bandwidth, low contention ratio

Symmetrical access and Quality of Service

High-definition video speeds (20+ Mbps)

Multiple sources of content, peer-to-peer

Two worlds of broadband

Wireless for personal broadband access

Optical fibre for fixed Broadband 2.0 access

Copper access becoming a legacy technology

Wireless will dominate broadband in Africa

SA Population and Internet Users Sources: UNISA Bureau of Market Research & World Wide Worx, extrapolated

Content on the Internet Internet is at an inflection point – Connectivity to Content Web Applications, Cloud Computing, and Content Delivery Networks Traffic Trends % of peer-to-Peer traffic is reducing in favour of Video / Streaming Video is fastest growing, now accounts for 25% of all Internet traffic Google alone (including YouTube) accounts for 6% of all traffic Video Content Delivery Conventional video, IPTV or walled garden (dedicated network) Live or server content streamed (RTMP/RTSP) over the Internet Progressive download (HTTP, pseudo-streaming) over the Internet Trend to HTTP and Flash (RTMP), % Windows Media (RTSP) falling Typical streaming speeds 500-750 kbps in developed markets Sources: Frost & Sullivan, ATLAS Internet Observatory

Internet is at an inflection point – Connectivity to Content

Web Applications, Cloud Computing, and Content Delivery Networks

Traffic Trends

% of peer-to-Peer traffic is reducing in favour of Video / Streaming

Video is fastest growing, now accounts for 25% of all Internet traffic

Google alone (including YouTube) accounts for 6% of all traffic

Video Content Delivery

Conventional video, IPTV or walled garden (dedicated network)

Live or server content streamed (RTMP/RTSP) over the Internet

Progressive download (HTTP, pseudo-streaming) over the Internet

Trend to HTTP and Flash (RTMP), % Windows Media (RTSP) falling

Typical streaming speeds 500-750 kbps in developed markets

The New Internet Concept from ATLAS Internet Observatory “ Hyper Giants” Large Content, Consumer, Hosting CDN Tier 2 Regional ISP Tier 2 Regional ISP Tier 1 Global Transit Backbones IXP IXP IXP Customer Networks

Conventional web page retrieval Any content can be transferred via HTTP/TCP, without QoS Web page css, js, xml Image files (jpg, png, gif …) Flash (swf) file web page (html, php) URL URL URL HTTP Servers (web servers) Initial request

Any content can be transferred via HTTP/TCP, without QoS

Streaming / Progressive download Compiled application / runtime plug-in (e.g. Flash), downloaded by the browser, that runs locally, fetches and plays a remote video file, starting before it is finished downloading, using either a streaming protocol (RTSP/RTMP) or progressive download (HTTP) web page (html, php) URL http HTTP Servers (web servers) Flash video player Flash video (FLV, MP4) URL Streaming Media Server http RTMP(T,E) OR AND

Compiled application / runtime plug-in (e.g. Flash), downloaded by the browser, that runs locally, fetches and plays a remote video file, starting before it is finished downloading, using either a streaming protocol (RTSP/RTMP) or progressive download (HTTP)

Video – factors to consider Client requirements (player) RTMP requires Flash player (so does HTTP), any platform RTSP requires ActiveX control in Internet Explorer, or an RTSP/RTP compliant set top box, or Windows Media Player Server features (independent of protocol) Security features, Digital Rights Management (DRM) Seeking (fast forward, skipping to a point in the video) For true streaming, must match bitrate of user’s connection Video coding and quality Trend towards H.264 standard, but multiple codecs exist Quality depends on the resolution (e.g. HD), and frame rate BitRate (kbps) = FrameRate (fps) x FrameWeight (kb/frame) Live or server encoding and ingestion of content

Client requirements (player)

RTMP requires Flash player (so does HTTP), any platform

RTSP requires ActiveX control in Internet Explorer, or an RTSP/RTP compliant set top box, or Windows Media Player

Server features (independent of protocol)

Security features, Digital Rights Management (DRM)

Seeking (fast forward, skipping to a point in the video)

For true streaming, must match bitrate of user’s connection

Video coding and quality

Trend towards H.264 standard, but multiple codecs exist

Quality depends on the resolution (e.g. HD), and frame rate

BitRate (kbps) = FrameRate (fps) x FrameWeight (kb/frame)

Live or server encoding and ingestion of content

Content Delivery Networks Developed to cache (mirror) files across the Internet Concept pioneered by Akamai in the late 1990s Many CDNs, but a few dominate Akamai Limelight Level 3 Panther BitGravity Today account for 10% of all Internet traffic CDNs today carry more varied traffic, including streaming Video is about a third of the traffic, but not of the economic value The video CDN market will grow to around $1bn by 2012 Sources: Frost & Sullivan, ATLAS Internet Observatory

Developed to cache (mirror) files across the Internet

Concept pioneered by Akamai in the late 1990s

Many CDNs, but a few dominate

Akamai

Limelight

Level 3

Panther

BitGravity

Today account for 10% of all Internet traffic

CDNs today carry more varied traffic, including streaming

Video is about a third of the traffic, but not of the economic value

The video CDN market will grow to around $1bn by 2012

Content Delivery Networks Why use a Content Delivery Network? Distributed servers, distributed bandwidth Consistent local performance, close to users Optimised for content e.g. video delivery Google, Apple, Microsoft can build their own, but most content owners prefer to use a CDN Role of the telecoms carrier Historically, CDNs were customers of carriers Trend towards carriers in the CDN space Amongst majors, Level 3 is the only carrier Tata Communications part-owns BitGravity Network is a key factor in competitive pricing Source: Frost & Sullivan

Why use a Content Delivery Network?

Distributed servers, distributed bandwidth

Consistent local performance, close to users

Optimised for content e.g. video delivery

Google, Apple, Microsoft can build their own, but most content owners prefer to use a CDN

Role of the telecoms carrier

Historically, CDNs were customers of carriers

Trend towards carriers in the CDN space

Amongst majors, Level 3 is the only carrier

Tata Communications part-owns BitGravity

Network is a key factor in competitive pricing

FTTx – The new alternative local loop Metro Ethernet Ethernet point-to-point Speed up to 1 Gbps Highly scalable Cost effective Jo’burg CBD Randburg Sandton Rosebank Germiston Brixton Killarney Midrand Pretoria CBD Durban CBD Umhlanga Umgeni Pinetown Mt Edgecombe Cape Town CBD Epping Milnerton N1 City Newlands Observatory Tygerberg

Metro Ethernet

Ethernet point-to-point

Speed up to 1 Gbps

Highly scalable

Cost effective

Why optical fibre? Almost infinite bandwidth 25.4 Tbps (160 x 160 Gbps wavelengths) demo 600 Gbps on a single wavelength in laboratory Commercial Terabit per second cables High reliability and availability vs copper Highly scalable bandwidth using DWDM

Almost infinite bandwidth

25.4 Tbps (160 x 160 Gbps wavelengths) demo

600 Gbps on a single wavelength in laboratory

Commercial Terabit per second cables

High reliability and availability vs copper

Highly scalable bandwidth using DWDM

SEACOM – Live July 2009

Submarine cables – 2011 WACS E Λ SSy

Tata Communications A global player, delivering a new world of communications Home base in developing markets: India, South Africa, Far East Tier 1 IP network carrying 15% of the Internet ’s traffic Among the top 5 Global IP transit providers, 132Gbps of peering Largest carrier of international wholesale voice minutes >20 billon voice minutes per year, 1400 interconnection agreements Amongst the largest owners of submarine cable capacity Presence in 195 countries, across the 5 continents Neotel’s international PoP in Johannesburg forms part of the global Tata Communications network, delivering: Tier 1 Internet transit and value-added services International voice transit and value-added services NeoLink Global leased lines, including Direct Global Ethernet NeoVPN Global MPLS virtual private networks

A global player, delivering a new world of communications

Home base in developing markets: India, South Africa, Far East

Tier 1 IP network carrying 15% of the Internet ’s traffic

Among the top 5 Global IP transit providers, 132Gbps of peering

Largest carrier of international wholesale voice minutes

>20 billon voice minutes per year, 1400 interconnection agreements

Amongst the largest owners of submarine cable capacity

Presence in 195 countries, across the 5 continents

Neotel’s international PoP in Johannesburg forms part of the global Tata Communications network, delivering:

Tier 1 Internet transit and value-added services

International voice transit and value-added services

NeoLink Global leased lines, including Direct Global Ethernet

NeoVPN Global MPLS virtual private networks

Tata Communications Global CDN Node 1 Node 2 Node 3 Bitcast_IP Load balancer AS6453 global, united, worldwide & consistent Customer ISP ISP ISP upstream AS6453 peer BGP announce Bitcast_IP BGP announce Bitcast_IP BGP announce Bitcast_IP Load balancer Load balancer Bitcast_IP Bitcast_IP BGP announce Bitcast_IP

Neotel: Infrastructure for content New high bandwidth national optical fibre backbone New international submarine optical fibre cable systems High quality national and international Internet / IP Carrier-class voice on IP core New access networks Optical fibre (FTTC) Expanding to FTTH/FTTB 3G wireless (CDMA2000) Fixed wireless (WiMAX) Cisco Powered Metro Ethernet Jo’burg CBD Randburg Sandton Rosebank Germiston Brixton Killarney Midrand Pretoria CBD

New high bandwidth national optical fibre backbone

New international submarine optical fibre cable systems

High quality national and international Internet / IP

Carrier-class voice on IP core

New access networks

Optical fibre (FTTC)

Expanding to FTTH/FTTB

3G wireless (CDMA2000)

Fixed wireless (WiMAX)

Cisco Powered Metro Ethernet

Neotel and content delivery Wholesale Tier 1 Global IP Transit (AS6453), as well as SA / Regional IP Transit Deployment of Tata Communications CDN planned in Johannesburg Enterprise NeoVPN – South Africa’s only end-to-end, top-to-bottom MPLS IP Virtual Private Network, national optical core, access up to 1Gbps An enabler of corporate CDNs – Bandwidth and QoS are critical NeoInternet – Dedicated or shared, fixed-bandwidth leased line Internet connection; Global Tier 1 Internet blended with local transit NeoPresence – Public or private Telepresence rooms, global network Connectivity and Hosting NeoMetro Link – Optical fibre Metro Ethernet, up to 1 Gbps available NeoHost – Range of hosting services in world-class Data Centres

Wholesale

Tier 1 Global IP Transit (AS6453), as well as SA / Regional IP Transit

Deployment of Tata Communications CDN planned in Johannesburg

Enterprise

NeoVPN – South Africa’s only end-to-end, top-to-bottom MPLS IP Virtual Private Network, national optical core, access up to 1Gbps

An enabler of corporate CDNs – Bandwidth and QoS are critical

NeoInternet – Dedicated or shared, fixed-bandwidth leased line Internet connection; Global Tier 1 Internet blended with local transit

NeoPresence – Public or private Telepresence rooms, global network

Connectivity and Hosting

NeoMetro Link – Optical fibre Metro Ethernet, up to 1 Gbps available

NeoHost – Range of hosting services in world-class Data Centres

Hosting and Data Centres Data Centres increasingly house content Makes sense as bandwidth prices decline National, International, CDN Connectivity Neotel’s NeoHost Services (phased) Collocation Managed servers Virtualisation: Multitenant Managed applications On-demand / SaaS Midrand and Cape Town Data Centres Meet-me room access for any carrier Collocation: SEACOM customers (Midrand) Driving the hosting homecoming revolution

Data Centres increasingly house content

Makes sense as bandwidth prices decline

National, International, CDN Connectivity

Neotel’s NeoHost Services (phased)

Collocation

Managed servers

Virtualisation: Multitenant

Managed applications

On-demand / SaaS

Midrand and Cape Town Data Centres

Meet-me room access for any carrier

Collocation: SEACOM customers (Midrand)

Driving the hosting homecoming revolution

Thank You