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Loud and clear: AccuRadio abandons bare-metal servers in favor of consistently stable streaming through Linode’s cloud
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Storage Services
Applicable Functions
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Remote Asset Management
- Predictive Maintenance
- Real-Time Location System (RTLS)
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
- Testing & Certification
The Challenge
As an online radio service, AccuRadio faced unique infrastructure challenges due to fluctuating usage rates and the need for flexibility and constancy. Daily usage spikes during lunch and coffee-break times, and listenership varies significantly during events like March Madness and the holidays. Any obstacle preventing users from accessing their favorite channels could lead to dissatisfied users, reduced usage, and revenue loss. AccuRadio's previous infrastructure was non-customizable, inhibiting the ability to measure and interact with its audience effectively. The company needed a flexible and affordable infrastructure to launch new ideas, scale up when necessary, and manage its 1,000-plus channels efficiently. Additionally, as a small company with a dedicated but small tech team, the cloud host had to be reliable and not slow down operations.
About The Customer
AccuRadio is an expertly-curated Internet radio service offering over 1,000 customizable channels of various music genres, including rock, pop, country, R&B, jazz, classical, Broadway, classic rock, and oldies. Founded in June 2000, AccuRadio was one of the earliest pioneers in online radio and focuses on listeners aged 35 to 64. With a global audience of more than two million users, AccuRadio is among the top three 'pureplay' Internet radio stations according to Triton Digital. The service has been the fastest-growing rated webcaster in the US for the past year and boasts the highest-rated music app in the iOS and Android app stores. AccuRadio's chief technology officer, Michael Schmitt, provided insights for this case study.
The Solution
AccuRadio migrated to Linode’s cloud, which far exceeded the storage, memory capacity, processing power, and I/O bandwidth of its previous infrastructure. Linode’s utilities suite, add-ons, and customer support facilitated AccuRadio’s streaming and provided peace of mind. Using Linode Manager, AccuRadio could create and deploy new servers instantly without getting tied up in a sales process. Linode’s server-clone utility, Images, allowed for fast and painless server scalability to handle audience fluctuations. For example, during a security vulnerability patch in March 2015, AccuRadio used Images to clone servers at different datacenters, avoiding downtime. Linode’s customer support team provided proactive alerts and real-time status tracking, enabling AccuRadio to address issues promptly. Access to Linode’s multiple datacenters supported AccuRadio’s global reach and growth. Linode’s utility billing saved AccuRadio $2,000 per month compared to its previous cloud service. Additionally, Linode’s Longview Pro app provided real-time system metrics, helping AccuRadio monitor and predict audience levels, track RAM usage, and compare real-time to past performance.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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