Apple QuickTime Streaming Server Darwin Streaming Server Example for a one-hour 300-Kbps stream

Example for a one-hour 300-Kbps stream:

300,000 / 8 bits * 3600 = 135,000,000 bytes = 135 MB file size

Many local networks these days include redundant arrays of independent disks (RAID) storage systems, which provide much larger amounts of hard disk space.

If you use a storage location for streaming files different from the QTSS default (/Library/QuickTimeStreaming/Movies), you’ll need to enter the path to that location in the General Settings page of Streaming Server Admin. Place any Session Description Protocol (SDP) files referencing live webcasts in the same location so they can be recognized by QTSS.

In our example setup, all archived streaming files and SDP reference files reside in the default Movies folder of the streaming server.

Does the streaming server have an adequate network card?

The network card is a critical component of your streaming server, since it provides Ethernet connectivity between the server and your audience. An Ethernet card should provide a minimum of 100 megabytes (about 0.8 gigabit) per second of throughput.

Where will the streaming server be located on the network? And what about a firewall?

The streaming server must be located where it will be accessible to users (in our example, students) logging on from both the local network and the Internet. It also should be protected by a firewall against unauthorized access to the server and to the archived media files.

Mac OS X Server includes IP Firewall service, which scans incoming IP packets and rejects or accepts these packets based on a set of filters you create. For instructions on setting up this service, see “Firewall Service” in Mac OS X Administrator’s Guide.

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