Archive notice: This article was originally published on September 9, 2005. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
At IBC (Stand 7.118), Macromedia is presenting Flash Media Server 2, the next generation of Flash Communication Server, which combines conventional streaming-media capabilities with a flexible development environment for creating and deploying interactive video applications. Flash Media Server 2 thus complements the recently announced Flash Professional 8 and Flash Player 8 products and establishes the “Flash Platform” as the leading solution for the development and distribution of interactive rich-media applications across browser and operating-system boundaries.
Through the very high penetration of Flash Player, which according to Macromedia is now installed worldwide on over 98 percent of all computers with an Internet connection, the new Flash Media Server 2 reaches a broad audience – regardless of available access bandwidths, platforms used and browsers. This allows news portals, TV broadcasters and media companies, for example, to integrate video films directly into their web content without losing control over playback, interactivity and corporate design.
Flash Media Server 2 forms the basis for applications such as video on demand, live web radio, MP3 streaming, video blogging and video/audio chats. The new product also works with the scalable server from the American company Edge Origin, which optionally provides an enterprise architecture for video applications. Its performance features include load balancing, failover and clustering, in order to guarantee a high degree of availability and arbitrary scalability of the streaming-video applications even with large access numbers at peak times.
A powerful API provides Flash Media Server 2 with a programmable streaming environment that includes code control of video transmissions as well as automatic bandwidth control, user authentication and extensive possibilities for interaction. Flash Video Server 2 runs on all standard Windows or Linux servers and can be connected to existing databases as well as web and data services. The management of XML-based media metadata is thus just as possible as access to local system resources. Login control and reporting as well as close integration with existing media recording and management systems are also supported.
Prices for Macromedia Flash Media Server 2 depend on the respective configuration and number of licenses. A configuration with two CPUs costs 4,500 dollars. According to company information, the successor to Flash Communication Server will be available from October, and a beta version for testing will be provided later this month. Users with a current maintenance agreement for Flash Communication Server receive a free upgrade to Flash Media Server 2.
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