Media delivery requirements are continually changing, driven by accelerating mobile, tablet, smart TV, and set-top technology advances. Broadcasters need agile solutions to the changing media and entertainment landscape that don't require multiyear projects with large upfront investments. In this session, we walk through Discovery Communications' migration of its broadcast playout and channel origination to AWS. Discovery Communications is a leader in nonfiction media, reaching more than 3 billion cumulative viewers in 220 countries and territories. Traditionally, broadcast origination for content delivered to telecommunications companies, cable TV, and satellite has existed only in on-premises data centers. In this session, we walk through Discovery's migration of broadcast playout supporting hundreds of channels worldwide to AWS. We show how Discovery has not only reduced their TCO but also has improved their agility by launching new channels on demand. We also walk through how channel origination is being deployed in a secure, automated fashion, and with a level of high availability that exceeds what is possible in a traditional data center.

1. © 2016, Amazon Web Services, Inc. or its Affiliates. All rights reserved.
Michael Raposa, Principal Consultant, AWS
Brinton Miller, SVP, Discovery Communications
Dave Duvall, SVP, Discovery Communications
November 2016
MAE303
Discovery Channel’s
Broadcast Workflows and Channel
Origination on AWS

2. What to expect from the session
M&E on AWS
AWS Professional Services overview
Broadcast on AWS
Discovery’s journey to AWS
AWS adoption
Content ingest & processing
Broadcast playout

3. Playout & Distribution
Visual Effects & Editing Analytics
DAM & Archive
Digital Supply Chain
Publishing
OTT
Acquisition
AWS Media Workloads

4. What is broadcast playout?
• Transmission of content
• Typically over satellite (broadcast)
• From broadcaster to affiliate (and ultimately
to the audience, e.g., set-top box)
• Largest generator of company
revenue

5. AWS Professional Services:
Accelerating the enterprise
IT transformation

6. AWS Professional Services
Partnering in your journey
Technical
specialists
Specialty practices for
AWS skills transfer,
security, infrastructure
architecture,
application
optimization, analytics,
big data, and
operational integration
Advisory
services
Portfolio strategy and
planning, cost/benefit
modeling, governance,
change management
and risk management
as it relates to
implementing the AWS
platform
Collaboration
Working together with
you and APN Premier
Partners you already
trust to provide you
with access to all
resources needed to
realize breakthrough
results
Proven process
Best practices and
patterns to help your
teams get the
foundation right, deploy
and migrate workloads,
and create a modern IT
operating model to
support your business

7. Focus on every aspect of cloud adoption
Prescriptive guidance and implementation
assistance across the stack:
• IT transformation leads focus on the business
aspects of cloud adoption
• Application architects help developers build
AWS-aware applications
• Big data/analytics specialists help you design
and deploy your analytics platform
• Infrastructure architects take your unique
landscape of application, network, and security
needs to the cloud
• Security leads provide well-proven designs to
meet your compliance needs
• Operational integration specialists help you
successfully adopt DevOps practices
Application
Optimization
Big Data & Analytics
Infrastructure
Architecture
Security,Risk&
Compliance
Operational
Integration
IT Transformation

8. Broadcast on AWS

9. Broadcast on AWS overview
Pre-rendered content
• Video
• Graphics
• Overlays
• Ads
• Etc.
Storage
Scheduler
GPU Playout
Live assembly of content
• Download all the pre-rendered pieces based on schedule
• Live assembles the pieces
• Outputs the stream
Injects schedule
into playout
Downloads
content
On-premises DC
50 mbps transmission
Affiliate
Users Users Users
Affiliate Affiliate

10. Broadcast challenges on AWS
• Live transcoding
• Designed for 99.999% availability
• Migration trifecta
• Hardware to software
• Bare metal to hypervisor
• On-premises to cloud
• Massive scale
• TCO
• Fixed bitrate output – NOT OTT ABR

11. NFS storage on AWS
• On-premises video assets stored on NFS
• Minimize changes to AWS
• EFS (Preview) performance testing
• 6.1 GBps read & 3.1 GBps write
• 375 clients
• “Three AZ replication is not cost effective for our
high-availability architecture.”
–Discovery
Amazon EFS

12. NFS storage on AWS
• Try Intel’s Lustre File System
• Lustre performance testing
• 6.1 GBps read & 3.1 GBps write
• 375 clients
• 0.0 dropped frames per 1M
• “We prefer a managed storage solution.”
–Discovery

13. NFS S3 storage on AWS
• Switch to S3
• New file system interface
• Refactoring
• S3 performance testing
• 19 GBps read & 20 GBps write
• 500 clients
Amazon
S3

14. NFS S3 storage on AWS
• S3 is TOO FAST!
• Afraid that it will conflict with 50 mbps out
• Wrote S3 rate limiter
• Control download/upload speed to S3
• Token bucket algorithm
• Multi-threaded, byte-range request for high
throughput
• GitHub Gist: http://bit.ly/2e1Nxf1
Amazon
S3

15. NFS S3 storage on AWS
• We need to replicate content across regions
• S3 cross-region replication – automated, fast, &
reliable
• Is it fast enough? Let’s test it:
• Single file xFer US-East to/from Dublin: 31 MBps
• Aggregate throughput (multiple xFers): 103
MBps
• 2,993 xFers with 0 failures
Amazon
S3

16. Clustering MySQL for Auto Scaling
• Using MySQL with Galera for multi-master
replication
• How do use Auto Scaling where
“instances” have different roles?
• Master
• First node in Auto Scaling group
• Starts a cluster
• Slave
• Second+ node in Auto Scaling group
• Joins an existing cluster
• Common pattern with other software, e.g.
RabbitMQ

17. Clustering MySQL for Auto Scaling
First
instance
in Auto
Scaling
group
Get instance ID
from instance
metadata
Using instance ID
determine Auto
Scaling group
membership
AWS API
Promote to master
Second+
instance
in Auto
Scaling
group
Get instance ID
from instance
metadata
Using instance ID
determine Auto
Scaling group
membership
Get IP of other
cluster nodes in
Auto Scaling group
Contact master &
join the cluster
curl http://instance-data/latest/meta-data/instance-id

18. Extracting technical metadata from S3 object
• Video assets being uploaded to an S3
bucket
• How do you quickly get the technical
metadata about the asset, e.g., bit rate,
audio codec, aspect ratio, etc.
• Use Lambda and Mediainfo
• Blog: Extracting Video Metadata Using
Lambda and Mediainfo
• Extracting Video Metadata using
Lambda and Mediainfo
S3 bucket
AWS
Lambda

19. Cross-account auditing
• Third party needs access to your AWS
account
• Ex: managed service provider
• You want to limit and audit access
• Solution: cross-account IAM roles
• But the IAM role looks “shared” – How
do I audit access?
3rd Party Account

20. Cross-account auditing
• Use CloudWatch Logs to audit
• Blog: How to Audit Cross-Account
Roles Using AWS CloudTrail and
Amazon CloudWatch Events
• NEW! - Shared EventIDs
• AWS CloudTrail Now Tracks
Cross-Account Activity to Its Origin
3rd Party Account

22. 22
Video removed for uploading; re-insert in
Speaker Ready Room

23. 23
The big opportunity…
Transition Discovery’s supply chain
and business systems to a scalable
and flexible infrastructure to improve
speed to market, increase quality of
services, and reduce costs
Storage and infrastructure
resources providing an
architectural platform
Content
distribution
Data
mgmt
Media
mgmt
Business
systems

24. 24
Global scale
• 6 data centers
around the globe
• Sterling, VA
• Silver Spring, MD
• Miami, FL
• London UK (2)
• Paris
• Singapore

25. 25
Why cloud? Why now?
Challenging information
Security threats
Growing business and commercial
opportunities, new platforms
Changing technology environment
Global company with
global supply chain

26. 26
Evaluation process
Educate & evaluate Dogfood/foundational
Cloud Tiger team
AWS architecture workshop
Financial case & scale
Foundational design
Cloud native app build
Hybrid app build/lift and shift
Financial analysis
Migration Factory
Media vendor research Monitoring & compliance

27. 27
Our view of the world: What can we move?
Linear
delivery
Storage
Delivery
encoding
Post/
customPlayout
Transcode
Incoming
content
Tech
eval
Yellow light:
• Industry newly defined
• Discovery in POC
Green light:
• Industry-proven
• Discovery tested
Red light:
• Industry to be defined
• Discovery untested
HR
systems
DR/data
center
Finance
systems
Collabora-
tion tools
Ad sales
systems
Affiliate
systems
Office and
portal tools
Content
systems
MEDIA TECH CORP IT
Key

28. 28
What workflows to move first?
• Corporate IT migration will be a combination of lift and shift and refactoring
apps. Focus is 80%+ over the next year
• Content pipeline has already moved.
• Cloud delivery has allowed us to normalize content delivery globally.
• Additional media workflows required content library in AWS.
• Linear playout starts moving now.
• 150 channels over the next 12 months.
• Required significant development by DCI and our vendors.
• Post Production – Soon.
• Content volume is a challenge.
• Software licensing is a challenge.
• B2B distribution (reduction of satellite footprint).
• Vendors are not motivated to change.
• POCs start in March.

29. 29
Network design for media
Bandwidth & interconnection
Security & inspection
Timing/latency
Resiliency/redundancy
Operational needs
Risks

30. 30
Network design for media
Bandwidth and interconnection
Redundant colocation Direct Connect sites
Playout traversing back to on-premises uplink
facilities
Timing and latency
PTP is a must for real-time video traffic
Account for latency to resync primary and
backup streams for playout

31. 31
Network design for media
Resiliency/redundancy
Redundant DirectConnect sites (Equinix,
CoreSite)
Juniper carrier grade routing design
(MPLS, Advanced QoS)
Security and inspection
VRFs used to isolate video traffic, SGs
used for service segmentation
Service-based routing - only subset of
traffic inspected by layer 7 firewall

32. Project On Ramp:
Moving our media supply chain

33. 33
Traditional delivery pipeline
Tape-based, labor-intensive
Delivery to air in weeks/months

34. 34
Cloud content factory
• Data-driven content
workflows
• Builds redundant
content repository in the
cloud
• Scale out infrastructure
eliminates needs to build
to ceiling
• Allows us to make
workflow decisions
based on the economics
of manufacturing in real
time

35. 35
Media Supply Chain
Inventory systems
and asset management
Infrastructure and resource
management
Video
processing:
file check, AV,
QC, Transcode
Antivirus
Content and status messaging to
regional MAMs
File delivery to S3
Media storage/cloud archive
Management
layer
File delivery
Storage

36. Linear playout

37. 37
Legacy hardware
NVISION
ROUTER
OMNEON SD/HD
PORTS
HY/BHB MAIN
S&W
QUASAR
UPCONV
EVERTZ
DWN
MIXER
EVERTZ
DWN
MIXER
MIRANDA
IMAGESTORE
IS750
INTUITION XG
EVERTZ
GPI
EMBEDDER
7721DE4H
EVERTZ
9084HD
XDS
VCHIP
INSERTER
EVERTZ
9084HD
XDS
VCHIP
INSERTER
OMNEON
DELAY
SERVER
ADVANCED
FEED
OMNEON
DELAY
SERVER
ADVANCED
FEED
EVERTZ
9084HD
CC ENC
EVERTZ
9084HD
CC ENC
MIRANDA
IMAGESTORE
IS750
INTUITION XG
MIRANDA
IMAGESTORE
IS750
INTUITION XG
MIRANDA
IMAGESTORE
IS750
INTUITION XG
EVERTZ
GPI
EMBEDDER
7721DE4H
EVERTZ
GPI
EMBEDDER
7721DE4H
EVERTZ
GPI
EMBEDDER
7721DE4H
S&W
QUASAR
UPCONV
OMNEON SD/HD
PORTS
HY/BHY BACKUP
S&W
QUASAR
UPCONV
EVERTZ
DWN
MIXER
EVERTZ
DWN
MIXER
S&W
QUASAR
UPCONV
HD
PGM
PVW
PGM
PVW
LINEAR ACOUSTIC
AERO.2000
UPMIXER
(FUTURE)
ARBITRON
ARBITRON
EVERTZ
FRAMESYNC
SCTE104
VANC EMB
HD ADV
CC HD ADV
PGM
REC
HD ADV
PGM
HD RLT
PGM
EVERTZ
GPI
DE-EMB
7721DD4H
ARBITRON WHAK-IT
ROSS
NIELSEN
ENCODER
NEW-3GA
EVERTZ
GPI
DE-EMB
7721DD4H
RLT
PGM
ADV
PGM
REC
ADV
PGM
HD
PGM
OUT
ADV
CC
7800AD8-3G+DMX
EVERTZ12x2
ROUTER
IN 01
IN 02
IN 03
IN 04
IN 05
OUT 1
OUT 2
IN 02
IN 04
IN 05
IN 01
IN 03
EVERTZ12x2
ROUTER
OUT 1
OUT 2
4 x 1
BYPASS
IN 01
IN 02
IN 03FROM ADV
TO WEST
IN PUT PATCH
20
22
21
191816
PGM
OUT
Marshal
Monitor
TO ADV
MASSLOGGER
TO ADV
MASSLOGGER
TO QC1 PATCH
TO QC1 PATCH
EVERTZ
AUDIO
DE-
EMBEDDER
DTMF DECODER
TO WEST
INPUTPATCH
ROUTER
ROUTER
1
7
8
10
11
9
14
54
19
18
15 16
4 5
10
7
8
9
11
14
1
17
TO MOTOROLA
TO MOTOROLA
TO DEM
20
22
21
TO MOTOROLA
TO MOTOROLA
EAST COAST
SIMULCAST
AERO2000
SIGNAL FLOW
3/10/14
SDequipment
RLT
ADV
MVP view
TOC MVP only
HD equipment
AUDIO
• Drawing to the right
represents a single
channel/air chain
• Each of the 64 icons
represents a device
• Represents 100K in cap
investment
• Takes months to deploy
• Support complexity
• Exiting equipment is end of
life and end of support

38. 38
Why playout in public cloud?
• Motivation to go fast was burning technology and real
estate issues in a few facilities around the globe
• How do we support the fast changing world of Discovery?
• Stand up 6 feeds for 2.5 weeks every other year in support of the
Olympics
• Support for new digital products

39. 39
Challenges getting there
• Traditional media vendors
• Most have not embraced software only solutions.
• Those that have still focused on “private cloud”
• Industry challenges
• Measurement tech slow to port to software.
• Economic challenges
• Shift from capex to opex
• Must go all-in for a great financial story
• Public cloud architecture challenges
• Networking – egress, multicast support, storage, SLAs or lack of
• Freaks the hell out of the staff

40. 40
Move key functions to software
Video
Server
Video
Mixer
Graphics
Insert
V-chip
(Parental
ratings)
Delay
Server
Video
Switcher
GPI Box
(MVPD
commercial
insertion)
Audio
Mixer
Nielsen
watermark
CC/Subtitle
Encode
Distribution
Encoder
Stat
Mux
Sat
Uplink
 Hardware Layer
 Software Layer
Distribution Infrastructure Remains Hardware
Housed in Discovery Data Centers
Video
Server
Video
Mixer
Graphics
Insert
V-chip
(Parental
ratings)
Delay
Server
Video
Switcher
GPI Box
(MVPD
commercial
insertion)
Audio
Mixer
Nielsen
watermark
CC/Subtitle
Encode

41. 41
Move to cloud
Vide
o
Serv
er
Video
Mixer
Grap
hics
InsertGPI
Box
(MVPD
commercial
insertion)
V-
chip
Dela
y
Serv
er
Video
Switc
her Audi
o
Mixe
r
Niels
en
water
mark
CC
Enc
US – East
Coast
EU - Ireland
Vide
o
Serv
er
Video
Mixer
Grap
hics
InsertGPI
Box
(MVPD
commercial
insertion)
V-
chip
Dela
y
Serv
er
Video
Switc
her Audi
o
Mixe
r
Niels
en
water
mark
CC
Enc
Distribution
Encoder
Stat
Mux
Sat
Uplink

42. 42
COLO/TELCO/VRF
“Air chain”
US EAST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
EU WEST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region

43. 43
COLO/TELCO/VRF
Broadcast reliability
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3 AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region
US EAST REGION EU WEST REGION

44. 44
COLO/TELCO/VRF
Broadcast reliability
US EAST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
EU WEST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region
AZ #4

45. 45
COLO/TELCO/VRF
Broadcast reliability
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3 AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region
US EAST REGION EU WEST REGION

46. 46
COLO/TELCO/VRF
Broadcast reliability
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region
EU WEST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
US EAST REGION

47. 47
COLO/TELCO/VRF
Broadcast reliability
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
Unicast to Multicast
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
IP To Video
Conversion
2X1
Distribution
Encoding
Stat Mux
US Region
EU Region
EU WEST REGIONUS WEST REGION
AZ #1 AZ #2 AZ #3

48. 48
Monitoring

49. What’s next

50. 50
This is just European distribution…….

51. 51
• B2B distribution
• Statistical Multiplexing as a Service?
• MVPD support for come meet me approach? Cloud or colo?
• Similar but different egress issues
• Encryption: Do we need industry-specific encryption tech?

52. Thank you!

53. Remember to complete
your evaluations!

54. Industry Pre-Day: Monday 11/28
• MAE304 - High Performance Cinematic Production in the Cloud
• MAE302 - Turner's cloud native media supply chain for TNT, TBS,
Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, CNN
• MAE301 - Accelerating the Transition to Broadcast and OTT
Infrastructure in the Cloud
Regular Conference: Tuesday – Thursday 11/29 – 12/1
• ARC406 - Encoding Artifacts to Emmy Awards: Taking on Terabyte-
Scale, 1-Gbps, 4K Video Processing in the Cloud
• CMP312 - Powering the Next Generation of Virtual Reality with
Verizon
• CTD305 - Media Delivery from the Cloud: Integrated AWS Solutions
for Premium Over the Top (OTT) Content
• STG302 - Deep Dive on Amazon Glacier
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