Lone Eagle Systems: Multimedia Server Performance Evaluation

Multimedia Server Performance Evaluation

Everywhere organizations are using video and multimedia technology to supply new products and services to an increasingly computer-savvy clientele. Hotels are utilizing small video-on-demand networks for guest services. Corporations are prototyping in-house multimedia learning centers. Regional telecommunication companies are deploying large-scale video and interactive multimedia systems.

Server Performance Is Key

Most digital multimedia networks are implemented using servers, networks, and intelligent set-top terminals. Applications supported on these networks depend on reliable, high-speed, data transfer between servers and set-top terminals. Server performance is key for multimedia networks because it is up to them to supply video, image, and program data:

Isochronous Delivery of MPEG-encoded audio and video data is essential for jitter-free video playback.
Low Latency is demanded by interactive applications for digital data, still images, sound and video clips.

It is important to characterize server performance in order to know in advance whether application-specific latency requirements for data delivery will be supported. It is equally important to characterize server capacity in terms of the number of video streams or interactive applications that are supported without performance degradation. Capacity can only be measured through load-testing--and insights into server performance under load can be used to size configurations appropriately for the user base, as well as determining whether price/performance targets are met.

Experience

Lone Eagle^TM Systems has experience with multimedia server performance evaluation, from the development of measurement tools to load-testing and data analysis. Lone Eagle Systems knows that accurate results are obtained by measuring server responses to representative workloads at increasing levels of concurrency, thus determining the range of acceptable server performance. When the timing of each operation is observed, statistics and graphs can be generated to characterize server performance in minute detail. In fact, using technology to apply repeatable workloads to multimedia servers, results can be used for tuning servers for greater efficiency, as well as debugging and hardening systems and networks in advance of deployment.

Drawing on years of experience developing performance measurement tools, techniques, and benchmarks, Lone Eagle Systems has been successful in planning and launching performance characterization projects, working with third-party vendors, developing appropriate measurement and analysis software, and transitioning technology to clients, where projects can continue independently.