How Open Caching is Enabling Broadcast-Scalable Streaming Success
体育直播无疑是任何广播公司频道阵容中皇冠上的明珠. 纯粹的不可预测性和令人兴奋的紧张局势，现场体育节目提供了一个诱人的和迷人的经验，观众. 然而, 同样的不可预测性也适用于服务提供商，他们必须在预测直播活动需求的同时扩大网络容量，以确保无缝的流媒体体验.
This dynamic is already in play, as streaming has opened the door to direct-to-consumer (D2C) services, 在所有连接的设备上以最小的延迟推动观众对广播级质量流的期望. It’s also poised to come into play during the line-up of major live events scheduled for 2024, 尤其是2024年巴黎奥运会，预计将于7月开幕，成为历史上收视率最高的奥运会之一. 可能破纪录的全球用户为服务提供商优化其网络提供了关键时刻, 满足当今体育迷对直播赛事的不妥协的质量期望.
The Challenge of Peak Network Traffic
众所周知，随着技术的进步和观众行为的变化，体育直播消费也在不断发展. But while networks can prepare for some predictable spikes in traffic, there are moments when millions of users unexpectedly tune into the same unicast stream, causing monumental traffic peaks. Crafting a network that flawlessly delivers live streaming content is no small feat, 特别是当服务提供商为其托管内容服务过渡到全ip架构时. 他们发现自己要管理来自直播和OTT服务的不可预测的流量，这些服务与他们自己的流媒体服务竞争相同的网络和计算百家乐软件.
许多有远见的服务提供商正在采取措施，通过采用新技术来优化他们的网络, 比如开放缓存, 它有效地处理现场活动的高峰需求，并以无与伦比的体验质量(QoE)优于传统的商业内容交付网络(cdn)。. Beyond short-term advantages, Open Caching lays the foundation for long-term goals for service providers, 作为未来边缘计算用例的平台，这将不可避免地改变服务提供商的网络及其边缘云产品.
The Open-Caching Difference
Open Caching通过将流媒体内容放置在更靠近观看者的边缘缓存中，戏剧性地从服务提供商的核心网络中卸载了流媒体内容. 这种接近意味着更低的延迟、更高的吞吐量和更短的到达第一帧的时间. The result is a lower rebuffering rate and a higher average resolution, significantly enhancing the viewing experience.
Unlike traditional CDN nodes, which are centrally located in the mid-mile, Open Caching nodes are deployed as close as possible to the end-users, often mere miles or even blocks away. This closeness enables applications and content to bypass peering points, historically the largest roadblock to QoE. The tangible benefits are clear: smoother streaming, 更好的质量, and reduced frustration for sports enthusiasts. 在一起, 这些好处加在一起形成了一种类似广播的体验，确保观众更长时间地观看内容，并且不太可能因为延迟或缓冲问题的性能不佳而放弃服务.
Empowering Content Publishers
内容发布商敏锐地意识到确保现场活动交付能力的挑战. Ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Qwilt调查ed 300 content publishers on the main challenges they find when live-streaming large events at scale. The findings highlighted their concerns regarding CDN capacity and performance, especially during peak viewing times. 超过一半的受访者对其商用CDN的容量和整体性能表示担忧.
To deliver a successful live-streamed event to an audience of ten million or more, 调查参与者一致认为，需要多个商业cdn来确保峰值容量和高质量交付. As sports fans increasingly migrate to online platforms to enjoy their favorite content, including emerging applications such as virtual reality and cloud gaming, the choice of content delivery becomes a critical factor. 利用开放缓存的多cdn方法成为提供高质量观看体验的解决方案, avoiding the capacity and QoE limitations of traditional CDN models.
The Roadmap to Broadcast-Grade 在线直播
流媒体服务有充分的理由使用缓存服务，这些服务深深嵌入到服务提供商的网络中, 因此, as close as possible to consumers. 然而, 随着规模的增长，管理网络中的多个专有缓存可能会成为服务提供商的负担. 来自第三方内容提供商或传统cdn的专有或“黑匣子”缓存不能为服务提供商提供可见性或控制权，并增加了网络的复杂性. Here is where Open Caching rises to the occasion, 通过统一平台中的开放api，通过丰富的分析和控制为服务提供商提供可见性. 这种方法解决了直播中的可伸缩性问题，并简化了整个过程.
As streaming rapidly becomes the go-to medium for watching live sports, viewer expectations have risen to match those of traditional broadcasts. Ensuring a flawless quality stream now lies largely in the hands of service providers, 而Open Caching提供了一种卓越的架构和模型来满足这些期望，同时为网络边缘的未来创新铺平了道路.
Open Caching enables delivery of scalable live streaming, making it the driving force behind the transformation of the live sports broadcasting landscape. 服务提供商和内容发布商都认识到这项技术的巨大潜力——将它们结合在一起，以满足全球观众不断增长的需求, and guaranteeing an unrivalled live sports experience for the future.
[Editor's note: This is a contributed article from Qwilt. 流媒体 accepts vendor bylines based solely on their value to our readers.]
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