This application is used to encode live broadcasts from an analog or digital source. The video encoder back-hauls encoded video to the distribution server for real-time distribution.

The distribution service receives streams from the video encoders to distribute. The distribution can be unicast, multicast or both. The distribution server can be linked together with an authentication and licensing server to limit distribution to clients that have been authenticated.

The authentication and licensing server provides licenses to authenticated clients which allows the clients to access streams they have the rights to use. It authenticates the users against the information stored in the system’s main database and also retrieves information about rights. The authentication and licensing server is also responsible for logging the individual clients usage which is done each time a user starts and stops access to a stream.

Provides a web service interface to the database and other back-end functionality.

This server provides the client with a configuration file that specifies how the client can access the service. The information provided includes URL’s for licensing server and client update server, a list of available channels, and transport mode for the streaming.

Provides all the basic functionality for administration of customers and users, and is used with different privileges by VMX personnel, carrier personnel and administrators at the customers’ sites.

Collects user data on programs watched and specific user preferences. Identity of user is fully protected.

The current main database is Oracle running on a Red Hat Linux 5 server.

Middleware front-end servers provide application and data to the set-top-box user interface.