Amazon EC2 is a cloud-computing platform that virtualizes computing resources as virtual machines. A single virtual machine configuration is registered as an Amazon Machine Image (AMI).

EvoStream provides an Amazon Linux AMI with a preconfigured version of EvoStream Media Server that is ready to start using the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Management Console. You can use this AMI to launch EMS for EC2 instances, paying for your running instance time and bandwidth consumption only while the instances are running. You can launch EMS instances in specific geographical locations that are closer to your audience to reduce latency and in multiple geographical locations to provide high levels of redundancy.

This document describes how to install and configure EvoStream Media Server software on Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), an Amazon web service that provides resizable compute capacity in the cloud.

Low Latency Streaming on AWS Cloud

The EvoStream Media Server (EMS) is a highly efficient and scalable Live Streaming Media Server. Using the EMS on Amazon EC2 Instances through the Amazon Marketplace gives you unrivaled flexibility, scalability, and value through not only the highly competitive pricing of both the EMS and Amazon but also through the ease at which massive concurrent streaming can be achieved. You’ll find yourself saving money and spending far less time in building, growing and maintaining your streaming platform.

The most often used word used to describe the EMS is “FAST”:

  • FAST in terms of CPU and memory usage: Can handle at LEAST 400% the number of streams as conventional Java-based software when run on identical hardware.
  • FAST in terms of deployment: Integrate with the EMS over HTTP with JSON. Use any technology you wish: JavaScript, PHP, Perl, etc. EvoStream even provides FREE PHP examples of common integration topics
  • FAST in terms of stream latency: Deliver sub-second end-to-end to your viewers with RTSP, RMTP and MPEG-TS. When we say real time, we mean REAL-TIME!

The Efficiency of the EMS is a critical cost-saving driver for platform operators. Doing more with fewer EC2 instances not only reduces instance up-time costs but it also reduces the amount of time and resources that are required to maintain such a platform. The EMS is 400% more efficient than conventional Java based solutions. This means that each EC2 instance running the EMS can handle the load of 4 conventional instances! The EMS can even be run on Micro instances. Use fewer instances, use smaller instances, save money, save time.

Integration with the EMS could not be simpler. The EMS provides a full Runtime API designed to be used with any server-side code. Send HTTP posts to the EMS to issue commands like pulling streams, pushing streams, generating security aliases, querying usage and much, much more. On the flip side, get automatically notified via HTTP and JSON when critical events happen: Stream is lost, new stream is present, DASH chunk completed and again, much, much more. These dual mechanism provide simple, flexible, and incredibly powerful ways to integrate using traditional RESTful server-side programming!

The low latency streaming of the EMS makes it ideal for many different types of devices and deployment models. EvoStream is often used by Action Sport camera and Wearables vendors for streaming live in Consumer, Prosumer and Enterprise applications. Whether the stream is being sent from a dirt-bike rider to a fan in the stands, or the EMS is enabling real-time-chat between a wearable operator and a back-end expert, low-latency is absolutely critical. The EMS is also deployed in many Security Camera NVR Systems providing real-time viewing of cameras across the internet (with NAT reach-back!).

The bottom line: Scale your business with EvoStream and the Amazon EC2 Marketplace while saving both time, resources AND money!

Read white paper here.