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EINBLIQ.IOs Content Steering Server: The first quality-aware multi-CDN switch

Content Steering demo comparing two client playback sessions.

Keeping up with the ever-growing streaming demand remains a challenge for content providers. This is why they use large-scale Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) – specialized server infrastructures that are capable of distributing all that video content to their users. But at peak times, even these infrastructures might not be able to deliver all video streams in a decent quality. For example, some CDNs do not perform well with specific Internet Service Providers (ISP), which leads to a bad experience for the affected users.

In this blog post, you will learn about:

  • Practical application examples of Content Steering (for technology basics see Part I)

  • EINBLIQ.IO’s quality-aware multi-CDN Content Steering implementation

  • Advantages for content providers

Recap: What is Content Steering?

In a nutshell, Content Steering is a mechanism for dynamically switching video streaming sessions between Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). This is done by a steering server, which decides for each individual stream to which CDN it should be routed to. The server is regularly contacted by client video players and responds with a so-called “Steering Manifest”, a JSON payload that describes which CDN should be used.

Originally introduced for HLS in 2021, Content Steering has also been specified for MPEG-DASH. Supporting implementations include native Apple playback and web-player frameworks such as hls.js and dash.js; deployment compatibility depends on player version and configuration.

For content providers, Content Steering marks the dawn of a new era in streaming delivery. It gives control, flexibility and near real-time responsiveness to content providers while being compatible with the chosen player and manifest setup. By enabling dynamic and intentional decision making, Content Steering can have a significant business impact.

Learn more about the Content Steering basics in our recent article

More control, more flexibility: Content steering benefits for content providers

Content Steering offers three main advantages to content providers:

  • More control: A steering service can prioritise delivery paths using the metrics and policies available in the integration.

  • More flexibility: Compared to a conventional DNS-based approach, streams can be switched individually. Only those that are experiencing issues are moved to another CDN.

  • Real-time responsiveness: Combined with real-time analytics, sessions can be steered automatically when they experience problems or when specific CDNs’ threshold capacities are reached.

The EINBLIQ.IO Steering Server implementation

From numerous projects and interviews with our customers, we have learned what content providers dream of: Being able to spin up a multi-CDN environment where each stream is steered in real-time to the best Content Delivery Network (CDN) available, taking into account the specific device, location, ISP and content type. The aim is to retain the ability to switch supporting clients to another CDN during playback.

Based on these insights, we developed our steering server implementation, a 2-in-1 solution that enables the handling of steering requests from both HLS and MPEG-DASH clients out-of-the-box. The solution comes with an inbuilt decision logic, which can automatically steer streaming delivery based on granular CDN quality evaluations, prices or other desirable criteria. The goal is to empower providers to make content delivery decisions, not only in a more dynamic and intentional, but also in a smarter way.

Open the Content Steering demonstration.

Next-level Content Steering with EINBLIQ.IO

By opting for EINBLIQ.IO’s steering API, content providers reap three main benefits:

  • HLS and MPEG-DASH support: The implementation handles the steering requests of supporting clients in both formats, reducing the need to build separate server-side logic.

  • Quality awareness: In scoped implementations, a decision engine can use available quality signals and agreed delivery policies to prioritise CDNs. The inputs and validation determine which criteria it can support.

  • Fallback safety: Fallback paths can improve resilience when supported and configured for the deployment.

Reliability and sustainability with Content Steering

Content Steering provides a mechanism for more granular delivery control. Its practical benefit depends on the player support, data quality, delivery paths and operating policies in each integration.

Curious to know more? Contact us at: team@einbliq.io