Database Benchmark for IPTV

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing

Applicable Industries

Telecommunications

Applicable Functions

Discrete Manufacturing

Use Cases

Process Control & Optimization
Real-Time Location System (RTLS)

Services

Data Science Services
System Integration

The Challenge

The challenge was the rapidly growing number of users simultaneously accessing the same TV programs and channels via Internet. In this application domain, the database must provide fast access to rather complex data, easy integration into an ever evolving application code, and support massive concurrent access from potentially millions of consumers. The Fraunhofer FOKUS Open IPTV Ecosystem was in need of a database system that could handle these demands efficiently.

About The Customer

The customer in this case study is the Fraunhofer FOKUS Open IPTV Ecosystem. IPTV stands for Internet Protocol Television, where television service is delivered using Internet Protocol over a broadband network. The evolving IPTV service has many advantages and potential over traditional broadcast TV service because it can provide a more personalized and interactive environment and experience. The FOKUS Open IPTV Ecosystem consists of IPTV Clients acting as IPTV Terminal Functions (ITF) and IMS User Agents (UA) that align with ETSI TISPAN Release 2, Open IPTV Forum Release 1 and DVB specifications. The software is available for Microsoft Windows platforms (Vista, XP, XP embedded), Linux and as Rich Internet Applications using Microsoft Silverlight and JavaFX.

The Solution

Fraunhofer FOKUS benchmarked the use of Versant Object Database and Oracle’s MySQL within the Fraunhofer FOKUS Open IPTV Ecosystem. The benchmark provides quantitative results to help compare and analyze performance, complexity, scalability and total costs of ownership of the tested ecosystem. The Versant Object Database supports a native object-oriented data model which allows managing application objects directly in the database. A VOD Server 8.0.1 with default settings was running on a local server machine (same server where the Sailfin App Server is running). Access to VOD was implemented via the Versant JDO application programming interface.

Operational Impact

The Versant Object Database achieved impressive results in the benchmark use cases versus the Oracle MySQL database.
Delivery of complex broadband content guide (EPG) information was eight times faster using Versant Object Database.
Researchers also noted a 50% improvement in speed while controlling IPTV services.

Quantitative Benefit

Delivery of complex broadband content guide (EPG) information was eight times faster using Versant Object Database.
50% improvement in speed while controlling IPTV services.