Link | Streaming Server (CDNish) | 302 Redirect | m3u8 file | DNS Level implementation |
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Description | Files are stored locally and streamed upon request. | The server receives the request, figures out where the associated ad is hosted and redirects the caller to that URL. | The server figures out where the ad should be based on URL arguments, it figures out what it the creative and return it as a m3u8. | Based on the requested creative we put logic at the DNS level to send the viewer to the right CDN creative. |
Pros | * You are in control of your destiny. * should work for any type of device. | * Gives you the ability to support multiple CDNs as primary, secondary, etc. * Ability to add tracking. | * You can have more than one video as part of the response. * The server load is pretty light so you would not need too many servers to support it. * We can easily switch from one CDN to another. | * We can support multiple CDNs we control it at the DNS layer. * We save an extra hop. * Should work for any type of device. |
Cons | * Can't use 3rd party CDN * Need to build all of the CDN features. | * Add extra latency for the redirect. * Some players/browsers will not support redirect or will have it disabled. | * Some platforms may not be supporting it. * The players would need to make an extra call to load the videos. * We do not have a direct view on which videos are loaded by whom unless we add tracking parameter. * 302 is not supported within a m3u8 by JWPlayer. | * DNS TTL are not always respected. * DNS updates can be lagging. * Unconventional way of doing it. |