Enhanced Streaming Service

 

ITServices is implementing a new "front end" for our streaming service that will make it easier for users to manage content in a variety of ways:

 

• Users can now easily upload video and audio files in any format. Ensemble will resize and transcode the files automatically.
• uploading content to the streaming server will be simplified (an SFTP client such as FileZilla will no longer be required);
• playlist functionality (known as "web destinations") will be available to make it easier to display media content to external sources such as Moodle;
• staff and faculty members will no longer have to fill out a request form for the creation of personal accounts - they will be generated automatically; and
• account quotas will be increased.

Timeline

 

The go-live date for the new service is scheduled for December 4, 2012. This date was chosen to ensure that there will be no service changes during fall classes, and to give instructors an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the new service before classes resume in January 2013.

 

Prior to go-live, users will be able to get comfortable with the new service in a number of ways:

 

• a demo version of the new service will be available in November;
• documentation for the new service will be available when the demo version is released;
• users will be able to get assistance by dropping in to the Emerging Technology Centre when the demo version is released; and
• a lecture-style presentation demonstrating the new service will be scheduled for November.

Migration Process

 

In order to implement the enhanced streaming service, current streaming content must be migrated to a new server. ITServices will be managing this process to minimize end user impact as much as possible:

 

• ITServices will migrate all of the existing streaming content - users will not have to move anything; and
• ITServices will update all URLs in Moodle that point to streaming content - no broken links will be caused, and users will not have to fix/change any URLs in Moodle.

Viewing Content on Current Streaming Server

 

When the enhanced streaming service goes into production on December 4, all content on the current system will be "frozen" but will continue to be viewable. This means that any links to content on the current streaming server will continue to work for an interim period. Links to content on the current streaming server will no longer function after the 2012/2013 academic year. Users will be notified well in advance of this change and support will be available on how to update these links to point to the new server.

 

Changes to Account Types

 

Three different account types exist for the current streaming service: Personal, Course, and Departmental. With the enhanced streaming service, Course accounts will be eliminated. This is because in most instances, the instructor of an academic course is the owner of the course content, and thus that course content should reside in the instructor's Personal account.

Migration of Account Types

1. Content in each existing Personal account will be migrated to a Personal account on the new server.
2. Content in each existing Departmental account will be migrated to a Departmental account on the new server.
3. Content in each existing Course account will be migrated to a Personal account on the new server (the account of the person who sponsored the Course account in the existing service).

Questions?

 

If you have any questions about this project, please email pr@queensu.ca.

 

 

Updated 14 December 2012