What Streaming Protocols Do The Major CDNs Support?

As a followup to the previous article on which streaming protocols are supported by the major media servers, here is a list of which protocols are supported by the major CDNs. These are the premier partners implementing the Flash Video Streaming Service or FVSS, and AT&T for comparison. The RTMP protocol and the variants listed below are what enable streaming, which enjoy several advantages and disadvantages versus basic progressive download over HTTP. Akamai and Limelight have long been involved with Flash, and Akamai engineers have spoken at Adobe Max events in the past.

Keep in mind that there are many factors to consider when choosing a CDN. For example, there might be Flash license fees if you partner with a CDN beyond the cost of basic service. Relative newcomer Level3 reportedly has a pricing advantage, although every individual quote and contract may vary, so do your own research. It's also important to note that the CDNs, through the FVSS, support downstream content only. They do not support recording of content from clients.

• [A] Source: Akamai sales
• [B] Source: http://www.limelightnetworks.com/limelightstream.htm
• [C] Source: Level3 sales
• [D] Source: http://www.corp.att.com/abs/serviceguide/docs/icds.doc
• [E] Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS123152+12-May-2009+BW20090512
• [F] Source: http://www.level3delivers.com/download/CDN%20Newsletter%201Q09.pdf

Further Reading

Check out this very useful comparison of server and service options to help understand what you get and how much it might cost.