1. How closely does your API’s architecture mirror that of AMS in terms of request/response patterns, URL structures, and data models?
The RMS API structure is a 100% mirror of the AMS API structure. The endpoints that are delivered in the October release are Assets, Jobs, Streaming Locators, Streaming Endpoints. The November release will include Transforms and Content Key Policies.
2. Do I need to re-encode all my videos?
No, you do not need to re-encode any videos. RMS can work with existing AMS assets without any issues.
3. Do I need to change the streaming URL or streaming locator?
RMS can use the existing streaming locator. The streaming URL will need to be changed, but you need to change only the host. For example, if you have a streaming URL like this: https://ams1.streaming.media.azure.net/5197ca71-3edc-42b0-adff-12570b48b4e4/video_3500000.ism/manifest(format=m3u8-cmaf) you would need to change ams1.streaming.media.azure.net to the RMS host. The RMS host domain can be customized to use your domain.
4. Do I need to change the streaming URL or streaming locator if I’m using a CDN?
No, all you need to change is your CDN origin so that it uses the RMS streaming domain and not AMS.
5. Do I need to make code changes in my application to use the RMS API?
Yes, but just a little bit. If you are using the Microsoft Azure SDK, you just need to tell the SDK to connect to RMS instead of AMS. We will provide code samples later. If you have your own implementation, you need to change only the host from AMS to RMS.
6. What streaming protocols do you support?
RMS supports HLS, MPEG-DASH and Smooth Streaming (fragmented MP4).
7. What encoding formats and codecs do you support?
RMS encoding supports a wide range of codecs and containers and can accept the same codecs and containers as AMS. If you have a need to encode an unsupported codec/container, we’ll add it.
The standard output asset is h.264/AAC in an mp4 container.
8. Can I use custom encoding presets similar to what I had in AMS?
Custom transforms will be added in the RMS 0.7 release (November 2023). For the October 2023 release (v0.6), we use a predefined transform equivalent to the AdaptiveStreaming transform that outputs an MP4 (h.264/AAC) auto-generated adaptive bitrate streaming set of files.
9. How would you migrate the streaming functionality for my current AMS assets?
When you initially configure the RMS deployment, you’ll be asked to provide information about your current AMS and storage accounts. Once RMS connects, it will import all of the streaming locators and asset information from AMS, and it will use the existing storage account as the source and destination for video streaming and encoding.
10. Do you provide any migration tools for transitioning from AMS to your platform?
Yes, migration is an automated process. After you provide the AMS and storage account information, RMS will automatically import all assets, and they will become available for streaming by RMS.
11. Where is the media content stored, and can it integrate seamlessly with my current storage account?
All media content is stored in your Azure Storage Account, following the existing AMS structure. No data copying is required.
12. How does your platform handle API authentication? Is it similar to the way AMS handles it?
We use JWT bearer token authentication, like AMS. RMS will not require Azure Active Directory service principal or Managed Identity.
13. Is there a sandbox or testing environment where I can verify the compatibility before going live?
Yes. Ravnur can set up a testing environment for you where you can run a POC. We can do this in your Azure tenant or ours.
14. How does your platform scale with increased demand?
The RMS application is engineered to scale both streaming and encoding to meet the demands of your users and viewers. The encoding management application monitors queues and jobs to ensure that jobs are efficiently allocated, and provisions encoders as needed. Streaming demand is managed by a combination of CDN and auto-scaling triggered by egress bandwidth and CPU monitoring
15. How is pricing structured for encoding, streaming, storage, and any additional features?
The pricing for RMS is comprised of two components. There is a fixed cost for support and updates, and there is a variable cost for Azure services. The RMS application is deployed to your Azure tenant from the Azure Marketplace as a managed application. This means that Ravnur manages the RMS application and the Azure services that provision the application.
Fixed cost. Support of the application and Azure environment, and regular upgrades for the RMS encoding and streaming solution begins at $499/month. When subscribed to from the Azure Marketplace, this can be paid for from your Azure commitment, or added to your Azure monthly invoice as a marketplace charge.
Variable cost. Because RMS runs in your Azure tenant, all encoding, streaming and storage costs accrue to your Azure expense. RMS uses VMs, Container Apps and Azure SQL (serverless), along with Azure Storage Queues and Tables. In RMS’s idle state, the encoding VMs are deallocated and not billing. The streaming servers running in Container Apps can be scaled to zero to minimize Azure expenses.
16. Are there any additional or hidden costs I should be aware of?
If you use DRM (Widevine, PlayReady, FairPlay), you will need to pay for DRM licenses. We partner with EZDRM for DRM licenses.
17. Do you support Encryption and DRM?
We support AES-128 encryption natively, and we use EZDRM for multi-DRM support.