Adobe Flash Media Server
Encyclopedia
Flash Media Server is a proprietary data and media server
from Adobe Systems
(originally a Macromedia
product). This server works with the Flash Player runtime
to create media driven, multiuser RIAs (Rich Internet Applications
). The server uses ActionScript
1, an ECMAScript
based scripting language
, for server-side
logic. Prior to version 2, it was known as Flash Communication Server.
released Flash Player 6. This version included all the functionality for a yet to be released server called Flash Communication Server MX.
Version 1.0 was released on 9 July 2002 and included all the basic features that make up the product, including the NetConnection, SharedObject and NetStream objects.
Version 1.5 was released on 27 March 2003 giving the server HTTP Tunneling, Linux
support and a free developer edition.
Version 2.0 was released on November 15, 2005. The server was renamed to Flash Media Server for this build to better illustrate what the server does; however, the version numbers were not reset. Version 2.0 brought support to stream the new video codec in Flash Player 8, On2’s
VP6
. However the Flash Player (as of version 10.1) can still only encode to the Spark
codec. Version 2.0 also introduced edge-origin servers, an optional enterprise architecture that simplifies load balancing. The server side Actionscript
runtime also received updates with support for XML
, XMLSocket
, SOAP
and File operations.
Version 3.0 was released on December 4, 2007.
Version 3.5 was released on January 13, 2009.
Version 4.0 was released on September 13, 2010 and introduced full 64-bit support, more secure multiprotocol streaming, IP multicast broadcast, multicast fusion, peer-assisted networking, enhanced buffer, absolute timecode, RTMP QoS improvements, simplified player development, faster switching with RTMP Dynamic Streaming and integrated HTTP server.
(RTMP). The server can send and receive data to and from the connected users with live web FLV player installed. Connected clients can make Remote procedure call
s (RPC) on the server-side
and the server can call methods on specific clients. A SharedObject can be used to synchronize complicated data structures and call remote methods on multiple clients in one go by having clients subscribe to a shared object. Standard ActionScript objects are transported across the NetConnection using the Action Message Format
(AMF) which is handled transparently by the server and flash client.
The server also allows users to receive and publish net streams. When viewing a net stream the user can either create their own to view a remotely stored Flash Video (FLV) or the server can instantiate a net stream and play a video on it, the latter method means that every user will be at the same point in the video when they subscribe to it as they are all viewing the same stream.
Pages about the old Flash Communication Server:
Server (computing)
In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
from Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
(originally a Macromedia
Macromedia
Macromedia was an American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. Its rival, Adobe Systems, acquired Macromedia on December 3, 2005 and controls the line of Macromedia...
product). This server works with the Flash Player runtime
Run-time system
A run-time system is a software component designed to support the execution of computer programs written in some computer language...
to create media driven, multiuser RIAs (Rich Internet Applications
Rich Internet application
A Rich Internet Application is a Web application that has many of the characteristics of desktop application software, typically delivered either by way of a site-specific browser, via a browser plug-in, independent sandboxes, extensive use of JavaScript, or virtual machines...
). The server uses ActionScript
ActionScript
ActionScript is an object-oriented language originally developed by Macromedia Inc. . It is a dialect of ECMAScript , and is used primarily for the development of websites and software targeting the Adobe Flash Player platform, used on Web pages in the form of...
1, an ECMAScript
ECMAScript
ECMAScript is the scripting language standardized by Ecma International in the ECMA-262 specification and ISO/IEC 16262. The language is widely used for client-side scripting on the web, in the form of several well-known dialects such as JavaScript, JScript, and ActionScript.- History :JavaScript...
based scripting language
Scripting language
A scripting language, script language, or extension language is a programming language that allows control of one or more applications. "Scripts" are distinct from the core code of the application, as they are usually written in a different language and are often created or at least modified by the...
, for server-side
Server-side
Server-side refers to operations that are performed by the server in a client–server relationship in computer networking.Typically, a server is a software program, such as a web server, that runs on a remote server, reachable from a user's local computer or workstation...
logic. Prior to version 2, it was known as Flash Communication Server.
History
On March 16, 2002, MacromediaMacromedia
Macromedia was an American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. Its rival, Adobe Systems, acquired Macromedia on December 3, 2005 and controls the line of Macromedia...
released Flash Player 6. This version included all the functionality for a yet to be released server called Flash Communication Server MX.
Version 1.0 was released on 9 July 2002 and included all the basic features that make up the product, including the NetConnection, SharedObject and NetStream objects.
Version 1.5 was released on 27 March 2003 giving the server HTTP Tunneling, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
support and a free developer edition.
Version 2.0 was released on November 15, 2005. The server was renamed to Flash Media Server for this build to better illustrate what the server does; however, the version numbers were not reset. Version 2.0 brought support to stream the new video codec in Flash Player 8, On2’s
On2 Technologies
On2 Technologies , formerly known as The Duck Corporation, was a small publicly-traded company , headquartered in Clifton Park, New York, that designs video codec technology. They created a series of video codecs called TrueMotion...
VP6
VP6
On2 TrueMotion VP6 is a proprietary lossy video compression format and video codec. It is an incarnation of the TrueMotion video codec, a series of video codecs developed by On2 Technologies. This codec is commonly used by Adobe Flash, Flash Video, and JavaFX media files.- Overview :The VP6 codec...
. However the Flash Player (as of version 10.1) can still only encode to the Spark
Sorenson codec
Sorenson codec may refer to either of three proprietary video codecs: Sorenson Video, Sorenson Video 3 or Sorenson Spark. Sorenson Video is also known as Sorenson Video Codec, Sorenson Video Quantizer or SVQ...
codec. Version 2.0 also introduced edge-origin servers, an optional enterprise architecture that simplifies load balancing. The server side Actionscript
ActionScript
ActionScript is an object-oriented language originally developed by Macromedia Inc. . It is a dialect of ECMAScript , and is used primarily for the development of websites and software targeting the Adobe Flash Player platform, used on Web pages in the form of...
runtime also received updates with support for XML
XML
Extensible Markup Language is a set of rules for encoding documents in machine-readable form. It is defined in the XML 1.0 Specification produced by the W3C, and several other related specifications, all gratis open standards....
, XMLSocket
XMLSocket
XMLSocket is a class in ActionScript which allows Adobe Flash content to use socket communication, via TCP stream sockets. It can be used for plain text, although, as the name implies, it was made for XML...
, SOAP
SOAP
SOAP, originally defined as Simple Object Access Protocol, is a protocol specification for exchanging structured information in the implementation of Web Services in computer networks...
and File operations.
Version 3.0 was released on December 4, 2007.
Version 3.5 was released on January 13, 2009.
Version 4.0 was released on September 13, 2010 and introduced full 64-bit support, more secure multiprotocol streaming, IP multicast broadcast, multicast fusion, peer-assisted networking, enhanced buffer, absolute timecode, RTMP QoS improvements, simplified player development, faster switching with RTMP Dynamic Streaming and integrated HTTP server.
Usage
- Video on DemandVideo on demandVideo on Demand or Audio and Video On Demand are systems which allow users to select and watch/listen to video or audio content on demand...
, streamingStreaming mediaStreaming media is multimedia that is constantly received by and presented to an end-user while being delivered by a streaming provider.The term "presented" is used in this article in a general sense that includes audio or video playback. The name refers to the delivery method of the medium rather...
video stored on the serverServer (computing)In the context of client-server architecture, a server is a computer program running to serve the requests of other programs, the "clients". Thus, the "server" performs some computational task on behalf of "clients"...
to the flash client.
- Real Time Communication, an application which requires collaboration between multiple clients, such as a chat room or multiplayer games.
Function
Flash Media Server is a hub. Flash based applications connect to the hub using Real Time Messaging ProtocolReal Time Messaging Protocol
Real Time Messaging Protocol was initially a proprietary protocol developed by Macromedia for streaming audio, video and data over the Internet, between a Flash player and a server...
(RTMP). The server can send and receive data to and from the connected users with live web FLV player installed. Connected clients can make Remote procedure call
Remote procedure call
In computer science, a remote procedure call is an inter-process communication that allows a computer program to cause a subroutine or procedure to execute in another address space without the programmer explicitly coding the details for this remote interaction...
s (RPC) on the server-side
Server-side
Server-side refers to operations that are performed by the server in a client–server relationship in computer networking.Typically, a server is a software program, such as a web server, that runs on a remote server, reachable from a user's local computer or workstation...
and the server can call methods on specific clients. A SharedObject can be used to synchronize complicated data structures and call remote methods on multiple clients in one go by having clients subscribe to a shared object. Standard ActionScript objects are transported across the NetConnection using the Action Message Format
Action Message Format
Action Message Format is a binary format used to serialize objects graphs such ActionScript objects and XML, or send messages between an Adobe Flash client and a remote service, usually a Flash Media Server or third party alternatives....
(AMF) which is handled transparently by the server and flash client.
The server also allows users to receive and publish net streams. When viewing a net stream the user can either create their own to view a remotely stored Flash Video (FLV) or the server can instantiate a net stream and play a video on it, the latter method means that every user will be at the same point in the video when they subscribe to it as they are all viewing the same stream.
See also
- Real Time Messaging ProtocolReal Time Messaging ProtocolReal Time Messaging Protocol was initially a proprietary protocol developed by Macromedia for streaming audio, video and data over the Internet, between a Flash player and a server...
- Red5 media server
- Wowza Media SystemsWowza Media SystemsWowza Media Systems, Inc. is a media server software company headquartered in Evergreen, Colorado, USA. The company was founded in 2005 by two former Adobe Systems employees, David Stubenvoll and Charlie Good, to focus on creating media server software optimized for streaming of live and on-demand...
- WebORB Integration ServerWebORB Integration ServerWebORB is an integration server developed and maintained by Midnight Coders Incorporated. It is used in SOA/Rich Internet Application development projects to connect browser clients and mobile clients with backend services and databases...
External links
- Adobe Flash Media Server product page
- Adobe Flash Media Server Developer Center
- Installing Flash Media Server on Ubuntu
- Red5 : Open Source Flash Server
- FluorineFX: Open Source .NET based Flex/Flash Remoting
- Helix Universal Streaming Server
- Wowza Media Server
- Comparison Wowza vs FMS vs Red5
- WebORB for Java
- WebORB for .NET
Pages about the old Flash Communication Server: