Formerly Flash Communication Server, the rechristened platform focuses on rich media, eliminates the need for an application server and reduces bandwidth requirements.Macromedia Inc. will up the ante in the streaming media software market Thursday when it releases new server software that will eliminate the need for additional applications that track content.
The company will introduce Flash Media Server 2, which was formerly known as Flash Communication Server. Macromedia is best known for its Flash technology for animated Web presentations. Flash content already reaches 97.6 percent of Internet "viewers," according to the company.
Flash Media Server 2 is expected to ship in late October. It combines traditional streaming media capabilities and a development environment for developing media application, including Flash, MP3 streaming, video-on-demand and others.
"In the past, media servers haven't been aware of what content actually exists," said Chris Hock, Macromedia director of product management for Flash video. That meant developers would be forced to store content information in a database and employ an application server to access it. "[Flash Media Server 2] combines this functionality into one system."
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For IT personnel, Macromedia is positioning Flash Media Server 2 as a solution that simplifies rich media management and delivery. For consumers, the product simplifies the "bewildering array of options" that confront a user when he or she tries to access rich media on the Internet.
"Right now, you have to select whether you'd like to see a video in Quicktime or Windows Media Player, at high speed or low speed. It's complicated," said Hock. "Flash Media Server let's you simplify that."
Flash Media Player 8, which is used to play back media on the server, automatically detects the user's bandwidth connection and adjusts accordingly.
Other features incorporated into Flash Media Server include the high-quality video codec in Flash Media Player 8, stream logging and a Server Access Control API that prevents "deep linking" to content for unauthorized use on another site.
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The API also provides for custom interactivity and user authentication.
With this release, Macromedia is also stressing a specialized version of Flash Media Server 2 for "origin and edge server deployment" that lets content producers deploy video over multiple servers. This product configuration obviates the need for replicating content on multiple servers. Media is transferred from the origin server, where all media resides, to the edge servers as needed.
The origin and edge server deployment also provides for failover, load balancing and simplified clustering.
Macromedia expects to release a public beta in mid-September. Prices begin at $4,500 for a two-CPU server. For more information, see the press release.
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