Adobe Flash Media Server

Last updated
Adobe Media Server
Adobe Media Server v5.0 icon.png
Developer(s) Adobe Systems
Stable release
5.0.15 [1] / November 27, 2017;16 months ago (2017-11-27)
Operating system Microsoft Windows, Linux
Type Enterprise Server
License Proprietary commercial software
Website www.adobe.com/products/flashmediaserver/

Adobe Media Server (AMS) 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. Prior to version 5, it was known as Flash Media Server. In February 2019, Adobe Systems Incorporated granted Veriskope LLC rights to further develop, resell, and extend distribution of the software product.

Server (computing) computer to access a central resource or service on a network

In computing, a server is a computer program or a device that provides functionality for other programs or devices, called "clients". This architecture is called the client–server model, and a single overall computation is distributed across multiple processes or devices. Servers can provide various functionalities, often called "services", such as sharing data or resources among multiple clients, or performing computation for a client. A single server can serve multiple clients, and a single client can use multiple servers. A client process may run on the same device or may connect over a network to a server on a different device. Typical servers are database servers, file servers, mail servers, print servers, web servers, game servers, and application servers.

Macromedia American graphics and web development software company headquartered in San Francisco, California (USA).

Macromedia was an American graphics, multimedia, and web development software company (1992–2005) headquartered in San Francisco, California that produced such products as Flash and Dreamweaver. It was purchased by its rival Adobe Systems on December 3, 2005.

ActionScript object-oriented programming language

ActionScript is an object-oriented programming language originally developed by Macromedia Inc.. It is a derivation of HyperTalk, the scripting language for HyperCard. It is now a dialect of ECMAScript, though it originally arose as a sibling, both being influenced by HyperTalk.

Contents

History

On March 16, 2002, 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 [2] 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 [3] giving the server HTTP Tunneling, Linux support and a free developer edition.

Linux Family of free and open-source software operating systems based on the Linux kernel

Linux is a family of free and open-source software operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution.

Version 2.0 was released on November 15, 2005. [4] 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.

On2 Technologies small publicly traded company

On2 Technologies, formerly known as The Duck Corporation, was a small publicly traded company, founded in New York City in 1992 and headquartered in Clifton Park, New York, that designed video codec technology. It created a series of video codecs called TrueMotion.

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.

XML Markup language developed by the W3C for encoding of data

Extensible Markup Language (XML) is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. The W3C's XML 1.0 Specification and several other related specifications—all of them free open standards—define XML.

Version 3.0 was released on December 4, 2007. [5]

Version 3.5 was released on January 13, 2009. It also includes a free "development" server. [1]

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. [6]

Version 5.0 was released on October 8, 2012. [7]

Usage

Function

Adobe Media Server is a hub. Flash based applications connect to the hub using Real Time Messaging Protocol (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 calls (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.

See also

Related Research Articles

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Real-Time Messaging Protocol (RTMP) was initially a proprietary protocol developed by Macromedia for streaming audio, video and data over the Internet, between a Flash player and a server. Macromedia is now owned by Adobe, which has released an incomplete version of the specification of the protocol for public use.

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References

  1. 1 2 Adobe Media Server - Updaters
  2. ↑ Communication Server 1.0 Press Release Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  3. ↑ Communication Server 1.5 Press Release Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Media Server 2 Press Release Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Flash Media 3 Press Release
  6. ↑ Flash Media Enterprise Server 4 Datasheet Archived May 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
  7. ↑ Announcing Adobe Media Server 5 and Adobe Access 4
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