Available NetCache e-Commerce technologies

Overview of NetCache e-Commerce technologies

NetCache e-Commerce technologies provide features that enable you to monitor, manage, and control user streaming activity. These technologies are fundamental to providing new opportunities for generating revenue.

The following table shows some examples of how NetCache e-Commerce technologies can benefit service providers and enterprises.

If you are...	Example of use
A service provider	User activity data for billing applications Pay-Per-View video on-demand and live streaming
An enterprise	Accounting by department

NetCache e-Commerce technologies are based on a set of protocols on the appliance that enable the appliance to work in conjunction with application servers to monitor and control user streaming activity. (An application server is defined in this document as a server such as a monitoring server or a billing server.) Application server developers program their servers to use the NetCache APIs, which enable the servers to communicate with the appliance. Configuration on the appliance enables the appliance to communicate with application servers.

As the following illustration shows, the appliance works in a partnership with application servers in monitoring, controlling, and accounting for user streaming activity.

Benefits of using NetCache solutions for application servers

Caching is an already-proven technique for saving bandwidth and delivering high-quality streams to end users. NetCache provides a variety of benefits in addition to caching objects to support e-Commerce deployments, including the following:

NetCache maps user events from different media players into a common format that represents a "universal media player."
As a result, application servers can be programmed for a single generic media player that includes generic characteristics for type and version. No reprogramming of an application server is required when new media players are introduced to the market or a type of media player is changed.
Application developers write to a single NetCache API for current and future streaming protocols.
Previously, application server developers have had to write to several separate streaming server APIs (for example, to one interface for MMS, to one interface for RealNetworks® RTSP, and to one interface for QuickTime^TM RTSP). This process has been complex and time-consuming. With the NetCache approach, application server developers write to only one NetCache API for all streaming protocols. When streaming protocols are added later, no reprogramming of the application servers is needed to accommodate the protocols.
Extensive authentication support (See About protocols in the NetCache e-Commerce technology suite.)
The ability to monitor user streaming activity in real time using XML-based technology
The ability for the appliance to communicate with multiple application servers, thereby supporting redundancy
Seamless integration with existing accounting applications and Digital Rights Management (DRM) technologies
Scalable deployment that accommodates your organization's needs as your user base grows
Minimal impact to your network