Streaming Media - 2008 Industry Sourcebook - (Page 83) choosing a CDN The questions you need to ask before you sign a contract by Dan Rayburn w hen it comes to online video hosting and delivery, I’ve written a lot of articles over the years about how to choose the right content delivery network (CDN) or regional service provider. With the service now being around for more than 10 years, you would think it should be pretty easy to compare one provider to another to decide what service is best for your needs. It’s a nice idea in theory, but in reality, it’s still not that simple for most customers. The CDN market is constantly changing, multiple distribution protocols are available, and online video formats and platforms are constantly evolving, ensuring that it will remain a complex task. But even with the confusion in the market, simply knowing what questions to ask a CDN and knowing what your specific needs are can make the process much easier. Before you talk to any service provider, you need to have a very clear outline of what it is you are looking for. You can’t simply call a CDN and say, “I need hosting. What does it cost?” expecting to get back any information you can actually use. Know What You Need Before you talk to any CDN or regional service provider, know what type of video delivery you need: streaming, progressive download, or both. Do you need on-demand delivery, live, or a combination? Are you supporting Flash, Windows Media, or multiple formats? How many hours of content do you think you have now or plan to add each month? Do the majority of your viewers come from the U.S., where there are many regional service providers, or do you need delivery from a CDN that focuses on global distribution? Are you a small- or medium-sized business that can benefit from a regional service provider that tends to have lower pricing and more localized delivery? Or are you a major media, entertainment, broadcast, or enterprise organization that requires a CDN that focuses on larger-volume customers with global content? How much delivery are you doing now, and how much do you expect to grow each quarter? These are the kinds of questions you need to resolve before you call any delivery provider. WWW.STREAMINGMEDIA.COM 83 buyer’s guide http://WWW.STREAMINGMEDIA.COM
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