Video Streaming Service

Click here to access video replays of the 2009 Class Day, Commencement and HAA Meeting ceremonies.

Please refer all inquiries concerning this page to bud_minahan@harvard.edu.

UIS has recently partnered with the Harvard Kennedy School’s StudioHKS MultiMedia Services Group to enhance our Video Streaming Service and offer additional services to our customers. Video Conferencing, Video Encoding, Video Editing and other services are now available. Visit http://www.hks.harvard.edu/studioksg/ for more information on HKS Video Services or call StudioHKS directly at 617-495-0493.

UIS Video Streaming Service Description

The UIS Video Streaming Service is a fully managed service offering storage and delivery of video content to locations worldwide. The service provides a robust video streaming server infrastructure and fast, easy access to video streaming content.

Account holders electronically transfer their encoded video files to the streaming server where they are made available for streaming automatically, usually within a one hour timeframe.

UIS Video Streaming Service Components

UIS provides facilities and management for the following components of the Video Streaming Service:

• Account Creation
• RealNetworks© Helix Producer for Content Delivery with an Unlimited User License
• User Friendly Graphical FTP Utility to deposit content
• Video Streaming Server w/URL access to Video Content
• 7x24 Service Monitoring & Content Backup Services provided by UIS Network and Server Operations Centers
• UIS Video Streaming Service does not support pre or post Video Production Work. However, we've partnered with the Kennedy School of Government to provide additional services such as Video Encoding and Editing. Please visit http://www.hks.harvard.edu/studioksg/ for more information on KSG Video Services or http://www.hks.harvard.edu/studioksg/pricing.htm for information on pricing.
• In addition, the Instructional Media Services (IMS) group within FAS offers a full range of production support to the Harvard Community. Please contact them at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~ims/index.html to learn of their services and fee schedules.
  

UIS Video Streaming Service Availability

Registration for new accounts is available by sending an email to noc-vss@harvard.edu. The REALNetworks Helix Producer Video Streaming Server is available 7x24x365, with the exception of planned maintenance as stated in the Service Policies below.

UIS Video Streaming Service Rate Schedule

• There is currently no charge for LIVE web streaming using the in-house UIS Video Services webcast server. Although this system has an unlimited license, the practical viewer limit is approximately 4,000 viewers. This server can be reached via the internet from locations worldwide.
• For events that will exceed the REALNetwork server’s 4,000 viewer maximum, UIS maintains a contract with Akamai, Inc., a commercial streaming company, to provide live streaming services. Akamai has a worldwide reach and can accommodate over 1 million viewers simultaneously. The fee for this service is based on the number of megabytes streamed. Please contact Bud Minahan at bud_minahan@harvard.edu for more information.
• UIS also maintains an on-demand viewing capability for video files stored on our system. The charge for this service is $65.00 per gigabyte of storage monthly, prorated for a portion of a gigabyte. Each video clip is assigned a unique URL for viewing at the convenience of your clients.
• Video Encoding and Editing services are available through the StudioHKS at the Harvard Kennedy School (5-0493). The charge for their services is at the rate of $40.00/hour during normal business hours. Additional rates and a fee structure for all StudioHKS services can be found at: http://www.hks.harvard.edu/studioksg/pricing.htm.
• The Instructional Media Services (IMS) group within FAS also offers production support to the Harvard Community. Contact them at: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~ims/index.html.

UIS Video Streaming Service Policies

The author/customer is responsible for the following components and procedures for the Video Streaming Service:

• Digital Master of the Encoded Content
• Obtaining all Necessary and Required Legal Releases
• Video Content on the video server not accessed in any six month period will be monitored and an informational email will be sent to the Designated Contact informing them of this inactivity. No action will be taken to remove the file from the server. To remove content, the Account owner may write to: noc-vss@harvard.edu and specify the files to be deleted. This action may also be performed by the user through the self-service capability of the NOC portal.

UIS Video Streaming Service - Getting Started

Getting started is easy - Write to: noc-vss@harvard.edu to apply for a Video Streaming Service Account. Please supply the following information:

• Contact Information: Name, School/Department, and e-mail address
• Preferred Account name and password for FTP utility (recommend school name as part of the account name)
• 33-digit Department Billing Code
• Billing Contact Name and Email Address
• FTP Content to Video Server using supplied FTP account and password (see below).

FTP Content to Video Server

Your video files must be one of the following formats in order to be stored and streamed from the UIS Video Streaming Server. File extensions permitted are as follows:

.rm	.smil
.rp	.mov
.smi	.rt
.mp3

To ensure proper transfer, send content in binary mode. Note that you will not be permitted to create new directories or change the directory structure on the server. Files transferred will stay with the directory structure of your account:

video2.Harvard.edu/YourAccountName/YourFilename

Once content has been transferred to the UIS Video Streaming Server, an email message will be sent, usually within an hour, to the customer account email address on file with UIS. This email will contain the link(s) to your video content. The video content is ready for streaming at this point, unless otherwise indicated in the email message. Please note that the link(s) content is case sensitive.

To FTP content:

• Invoke your FTP utility or client and connect to video2.Harvard.edu
  • Example: ftp video2.Harvard.edu
• You will be prompted for your Username and Password - Your username and password information was given to you by UIS when you set up your VSS account
• Send your digitized file (file will be placed in the existing directory structure)
• Exit FTP utility