Web Server Vs Streaming Server

It’s over the Web, the streaming process has created an explosion in the use of audio and video media. Further, which has promoted the development of two different methods of streaming. One is the use of a standard Web server : as those used to host the bulk of the sites on the Web, and the other involves a server which has been specifically tailored to the delivery of media files.

Web Server

Streaming Server

Web Servers are cheaper and are easy to use

Far more powerful way of delivering media

Upto the mark user experience

Improved user experience

The only way to deliver audio and video on the Web was through downloading: the user would download an entire file to their computer, then play it back through a local media player.

The user clicks on a file, it begins to play almost instantaneously; while the user is watching or listening to the file, it is being delivered “in the background” at the same time.

Files were inherently large, took a long time to download, and then provided a very short and unsatisfying user experience

As long as the media is delivered online faster than it is being played by the viewer’s media player, it provides a continuous experience for the user.

Steps for Uploading and Storing :-                 

1. First, the deliverer compresses the audio and/or video into a combined media file, slated for delivery over a specific bandwidth.

2. the producer uploads those files onto the same server that hosts on web pages. The producer needs to add a link to any one of those media files from web pages.

Media produced for dedicated streaming servers is also compressed and then transferred to a specialized servers. Links to that media are then placed on web pages which exist on a standard web server.

Media player begins playing stored portion of the file, while still collecting the rest of the file from the web server. Because there is a small stored portion of data, the media player can continue to play the file, even though the speed of delivery may vary.

Streaming servers employ an intelligent flexible and dynamic methodology that involves delivering their data at a rate tailored to the compression of the audio and video files.

Web Server does not maintain close and active contact with the clients

Unlike standard web servers, streaming media servers can receive feedback from the clients, and act accordingly

Two technologies involved in web server streaming: Hyper Text Transport Protocol (HTTP), and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

In addition, streaming servers can use alternate technologies such as User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Much faster than the traditional TCP technology

Advantage - Utilize existing infrastructure. No new software infrastructure needs to be installed or managed

Advantage -
Supports advanced features such as: VCR controls, detailed reporting of played streams, live video delivery, Adaptive Bit-Rate streaming

Both methods are used widely throughout but have advantages and disadvantages. Web servers and dedicated streaming media servers offer unique capabilities to producers and end users, in terms of how simple they are to set up and manage on the producer’s end, and what the experience is like on the user’s end. Choose your server as per your preference