CDN logs
Request records and delivery behaviour, connected into reconstructed playback sessions.
Suitable retained fields and log access. CMCD and an explicit session ID are not prerequisites for reconstruction.
SPECTRA Session context from CDN logs
SPECTRA harmonises streaming logs and telemetry, reconstructs playback sessions and connects delivery records with available player reports. FOCUS uses that context to investigate playback problems; your team can use the detailed data in its own tools.
No proprietary player SDK required
Start with CDN logs and reconstructed sessions. Add CMCD v1 or v2 player context where available.
Start with CDN logs Add player context when available
Suitable CDN logs provide a starting point without installing a proprietary analytics SDK in your player. SPECTRA can reconstruct sessions even when the logs contain no CMCD or explicit session ID.
We assess the retained fields and their coverage with you. CMCD adds information reported by the player, helping distinguish what delivery records suggest from what happened during playback.
SPECTRA in motionThree ways to build session context
Video playerReady to play0:00 / 0:30
Media requests
CDNDelivery + logs
CDN logs
Direct player events · CMCD v2 endpoint
CMCD v1 adds player context to requests. A larger purple dot highlights buffer starvation or a quality downshift.
Illustrative sequence. Timing and available signals depend on your configuration.
From individual requests to playback sessions
An isolated request shows a technical event. Session context lets an investigation examine what came before and after it, and which sessions share the same symptoms.
SPECTRA connects suitable records into playback sessions. FOCUS can then investigate a device cohort, content item, CDN PoP or combination of attributes, using the evidence available for that scope.
CMCD v1 and v2 What the player adds
Common Media Client Data (CMCD) is an open standard for reporting player context. Both v1 and v2 support request mode. v2 expands the available information and adds event mode for reporting independently of media requests.
Compatible player support and configuration determine which fields and reporting modes are available. Request data must be retained in the CDN logs; joining request and event reports requires a consistent playback session ID.
CMCD v1 request mode
Buffer level, bitrate and buffer-starvation signals travel with media requests.
CMCD enabled in a compatible player, with the relevant request fields retained in CDN logs.
CMCD v2 request mode
Adds player error codes, playback state and richer QoE context. Content IDs and non-rendered content flags help distinguish ad playback from background content loading in dynamic ad insertion (DAI) analysis.
Supported v2 fields enabled and retained in logs. Errors travel with a subsequent request; no new request means no new request-mode report.
CMCD v2 event mode
Player reports are sent independently of media requests. Ad-break and ad-start/end events add detail for DAI analysis.
Optional event-mode support enabled in the player and configured to send reports to an endpoint. SPECTRA provides a built-in, highly scalable CMCD v2 endpoint and joins both paths through a consistent playback session ID.
Choose when event reports are sent
Configure each reporting target for the detail and timing you need:
- Response reporting: capture each supported request outcome through response-received events
- Selected events: report errors, playback-state changes or ad events as they occur
- Heartbeats: send updates at a configured interval
Combine triggers, select fields and batch reports where supported. Short intervals and prompt event delivery can provide near-real-time QoE signals for multi-CDN control; batching and processing add latency.
Reporting can continue during a pause or a media-CDN outage, provided the player remains active and can reach the separate reporting endpoint. CMCD supplies signals; a connected control system makes CDN-switching decisions.
Explore the CMCD v2 standard and a dash.js configuration example.
How the CMCD reporting paths connect
Two reporting paths
CMCD v1 or v2 request mode
- Compatible player
- Media request + CMCD
- CDN request logs
- SPECTRA
CDN logs retain the client context alongside the delivery record.
CMCD v2 event mode
- Compatible player
- SPECTRA CMCD v2 endpoint
- SPECTRA
Configured response events, playback events and heartbeats arrive directly.
Consistent playback session ID
Connected session context for FOCUS investigations
Your data Your choice of tools
Use open standards for collection and retain access to the full-fidelity logs and telemetry processed for your service. Reuse that data in your own analysis, tools and other applications under the handling agreed for your deployment.
You can evolve collection, analytics and investigations as your requirements change.
Add evidence from your media chain
Suitable data from existing platforms can support investigations too. Encoder, packager and origin logs can add upstream context through integrations scoped to your service.
We agree the sources, available fields and investigation tools for the first scope.
Common Media Client Data resources
Read the standard and explore our practical CMCD work:
From session context to investigation
FOCUS uses this context to investigate affected cohorts and route findings with evidence. See how SPECTRA and FOCUS connect.
Start with one service or delivery path
Review your data sources and available player support, then evaluate the resulting session context and investigations. Hosted, customer-cloud and on-premises options can be scoped to your requirements.