streaming mp3s or more ways to max out your site

[Big Dog]

A major part of my site here at dathorn is used to html stream mps (m3u) files. Could you guys give me some guidance on how many simultaneous streams I can do without maxing out server memory or cpu usage. As a reseller I have the ability to watch my bandwidth and diskspace, so I am assuming that current server memory usage and cpu usage are the "hidden" limits I need to watch out for. I'd be interested in any relevent thoughts. Suppose for the sake of argument my mp3s were 64 kbps.

[Frank Hagan]

Log in via SSH and enter "top" at the command prompt (without the quotes, of course). The page will refresh every 2 seconds, and you should be able to see your username in the right column next to the process your site is running (for instance, you'll see "top" and your username, probably on the second page of the list). Then, start a streaming download and look at the numbers "top" is giving you.

[-Oz-]

You will never truely stream. Thus it shouldn't cause a problem because people are just downloading them then playing them off their computer.

[Big Dog]

Streaming

Never truely stream? I guess that depends by what meaning you pack into "streaming". To me it just means you throw a file at the client and they can start playing it before the entire file has been transmitted. This minimal definition does not have all the bells and whistles of for instance being able to negotiate dropping from a high bit file down to a lower bit file.

And I suppose the odd part of my definition is that the server does the same thing whether the file is being simply downloaded or "streamed". The "streaming" is entirely dependent on the client software "consuming" the file as it arrives.

What is your definition of streaming?

But even if we are just talking downloads, it seems each seperate downloading file would consume cpu cycles and memory, so to say "it shouldn't cause a problem" seems a little unrealistic.

[DomainDog]

As one Dog to another........

I believe the generally understood definition of "streaming" is content that PLAYS off the server, not that downloads then plays.

mp3 is not considered streaming, real audio is, and I believe requires dedicated streaming software. Mpeg Video quasi-streams in that it will begin playback before download is complete but is actually downloading as it plays from your computer.

Also- beware of copyright violations! Dathorn AUP is quite specific in NOT allowing copyrighted material to be downlaoded unless you have purchased the copyrights.

[Big Dog]

Tip about Top

Hi Frank,
Thanks for the tip about top. That looks real interesting.

[Big Dog]

Dog to Dog

Hi D. Dog,

Thanks for the tips. I have the copyright base covered. We are just a bunch of harmonica players listening to ourselves. Also, I make sure that we have full rights to all the backing tracks we use.