Understanding Azure Media Service Core Components

Azure Media Service contains a few components. Let's look at an abstract.

You can find your existing components and their status by navigating to Link Resources in Azure Media Service.

Storage Account

Storage account is capable of storing media files that is uploaded to Azure Media service. Storage account is a Shared Resource which we can use for store other items through out the cloud. Storage Account is mapped to Cloud Storage.  You need to specify a existing account or you can create a new storage account when you are creating a Azure Media Service.

Single storage unit is called as Asset in the Azure Media Service. In the same time Asset is also refer as container in the Azure Storage context. Asset / Container is a group which can contains files.

When you go to Azure Media service you can view existing assets by navigating to CONTENT link in the azure.

Most people misunderstand Asset and Asset files. Though media service shows a publish URL; it doesn’t mean that you can view or download a asset. Actually it shows link to a Asset File inside the Asset.

Asset creation can be done using several security storage options.

• AssetCreationOptions.None (No encryption)
• AssetCreationOptions.CommonEncryptionProtected (Use for PlayReady protection )
• AssetCreationOptions.StorageEncrypted (Store encrypted files) 

Encoder

Encoder is used to encode media files to MP4 format. MP4 encoded files are used to deliver the assets in either on demand or downloadable link. Currently Encoder support only following file types to encode: .asf, .avi, .m2ts, .m2v, .mp4, .mpeg, .mpg, .mts, .ts, .wmv.

On Demand Streaming

This component responsible for provide on demand stream based on demand parameters. This component uses ism, ismc, isma, ismv files to provide the service.