A streaming server is a dedicated Web server or streaming server software in a Web server that delivers live or on-demand multimedia content to client devices (clients) over the Internet or an intranet, which play the content as it arrives over an Internet Protocol (IP) network without buffering or storing it.
Streaming servers are distinguished from media servers, which deliver pre-recorded content to users over IP networks by copying the content from storage devices; this distinction can be blurred by the fact that some streaming servers also provide stored content, either to supplement live streams or as a backup in case of streaming problems.
The origin of streaming servers
A streaming server is a dedicated web server or software in a web server that delivers live or on-demand multimedia content to client devices. The first known use of the term streaming media was in 2000. In early 2000, RealNetworks, Inc. introduced the term streaming media to describe its RealPlayer G2 product.
The company used the term to mean that its product could be used to view live or on-demand video and audio content from the Internet on personal computers running Microsoft Windows.
The original meaning of the word streaming has nothing to do with video. It came from old English words like streame (to flow) and stream (a current). These words come from an old Germanic root meaning to trickle.
What is the use of a streaming server?
A streaming server is a dedicated Web server or streaming server software in a Web server that delivers live or on-demand multimedia content to client devices. The most common use of a streaming server is to stream audio or video content, although they can also be used to stream other types of data like live broadcasts of events or conferences.
To understand how a streaming server works, it’s first important to understand the basics of how the Internet works. When you visit a website, your computer sends a request to the server that hosts the website.
The server then sends back the files that make up the website, and your browser displays them on your screen. That's all well and good for text, images, and other static media, but what about things like music or videos? These are usually streamed from a different kind of server called a streaming server. Streaming servers provide the same kind of service as normal servers but are designed specifically for delivering media over networks such as the Internet.
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