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WebFORCE® MediaBase:

Origin Family of Server Products
    Intelligent Media Streaming for intranets and the Internet

    Silicon Graphics® WebFORCE MediaBase defines a new class of scalable, reliable high-performance servers for innovative Web sites and applications. WebFORCE MediaBase addresses all aspects of enterprise media serving, including streaming delivery services and networking, content, and operations management, all from a Web-based console. Interactive, high-quality video and audio streams can be delivered to Web clients over a broad range of IP and ATM networks, enabling you to send high-impact information to consumers and your entire enterprise.

Diverse Data Types

WebFORCE MediaBase video and audio applications range from the consumer Internet to the high-quality film studio needs. WebFORCE MediaBase can handle many formats of video and audio data: MPEG-1 and -2, H.263, G.723, and popular Internet codecs. WebFORCE MediaBase integrates a low-bit-rate pump (RTP/H.263) for Internet and intranet applications starting at 28.8Kbps scaling up to 8Mbps. Any audio or video asset can be encoded at multiple bit rates or in different codecs for versatile playback, and still be referenced using a single name.

Integrated Content Management

O2 Workstation WebFORCE MediaBase provides sophisticated content management capabilities that leverage current object and relational database technology. The efficient media management makes it easier for system administrators to manage large volumes of data, track usage, and control access. End users benefit from the rapid media browsing options.

Diverse Capture and Playback Options

In conjunction with tightly integrated third-party encoding solutions, WebFORCE MediaBase can capture a live video stream-from a camera, television signal, or incoming cable service-and efficiently broadcast it over the Web to large numbers of heterogeneous client desktops. The same server can simultaneously store content for future playback using interactive VCR controls for optimal control. WebFORCE MediaBase guaranteed delivery of on-demand video and audio assets can be embedded in any Web application created with standard HTML authoring tools, and can be played back with Netscape NavigatorTM or Microsoft® Internet Explorer Web browsers.

Diverse Networks

WebFORCE MediaBase can address clients with multiple network interfaces and automatically select the appropriate video encoding, asset format, and highest bit rate for optimized streaming to the currently selected interface. WebFORCE MediaBase efficiently leverages today's high-performance network interfaces, including 10Base-T and 100Base-T EthernetTM, FDDI, and ATM. The MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and H.263 players provide flexible media streaming playback options for Apple® Macintosh®, Windows® 95 and Windows NT®, and various UNIX® clients.

RSVP support lets the server and clients negotiate and reserve IP bandwidth for streaming media. In addition to native ATM (AAL5) support, LAN emulation (LANE) and cable modem support further expand the list of network topologies that can benefit from WebFORCE MediaBase.

Reliable, Scalable Architecture

To maximize availability, WebFORCE MediaBase servers can also integrate the Silicon Graphics FailSafeTM solution. FailSafe for WebFORCE MediaBase provides maximum uptime for the media server and protects clients from hardware failures. WebFORCE MediaBase also supports RAID for storage of media content. WebFORCE MediaBase services are multithreaded processes with built-in software restart capabilities. Combining WebFORCE MediaBase with the linearly scalable server hardware from Silicon Graphics results in the most scalable and robust media streaming solution available today.

Product Features

  • Integrated low bit rate pump (RTP/H.263) to support low bandwidth (from 28.8 Kbps) Internet and Intranet applications
  • Other Internet video options available from our partners
  • MPEG to H.263 transcoding.
  • Audio only streaming
  • Support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 3.0 browser
  • Fail Safe: use any combination of Challenge or Origin systems to backup each other in the event of hardware failure
  • RAID (level 5) support
  • Native (AAL5) ATM support
  • LANE (LAN Emulation) support
  • RSVP support:
  • Cable modem support
  • Asset Transfer Service (ATS) to manage media data movement between distributed MediaBase servers, and to import/export data to file systems
  • Support for "composite," "parallel," "sequential," "view" assets and "dynamic" versions of some of these. Briefly:
    • composite: single handle to refer to an asset encoded at multiple bit rates or with multiple codecs
    • parallel: single handle for parallel streams, e.g., separate audio and video tracks
    • sequential: a list of assets to play in sequence (play list)
    • view: a subsection of an asset
    • dynamic: determined at runtime, e.g., a "dynamic sequential" is a play list that can be played immediately without installing it first into MediaBase
  • Integration with leading MPEG encoder vendors
  • Use the above to multicast live transmissions and archive for later on-demand retrieval or rebroadcast
  • "Client capability-based" streaming: MediaBase streams video over the network interface best suited for the client
  • Publish client APIs
  • Internationalised (I18n; Japanese) version of MediaBase
  • Structured asset name space with browsing support