Distributing Large Video Files

[WOPG TV]

I recently came across Bit Torrent Sync and started to wonder if this was the simple answer to a lot of our problems. So before I launch into questions, I'd like to explain our current setup....

Myself and a colleague in the USA, maintain a distribution system for delivering large video files of TV programmes to around thirty countries worldwide. These files range from 2GB to 20GB. At the moment we use a combination of Wuala and Google cloud services. Both cost money, can be buggy on downloading large files and don't really offer much in the way of logging file transfers, maintaining user lists etc. Security is not great since links can be forwarded etc without our knowledge.

Not everyone on our list of users has great internet, we send to places like West Africa, South Africa, Australia and Malaysia, where download speeds and upload speeds can vary tremendously.

I have use torrents before and found they are an extremely robust way of downloading large files.

But I'd appreciate some advice on how we could best set up a network of Sync clients amongst ourselves that leveraged the best of Bit Torrent.

One question I have, would it be essential to have several master clients? By this I mean several users who have good speeds, who can maintain a full library of files. If that is the case, I imagine the storage systems would have to be on 24/7 and possibly in a RAID configuration.

Are there any helpful tips from other Sync users who can help us set this up in the most secure and well organised fashion.

I thank you for reading this long message and welcome comments.

[Catsrules]

But I'd appreciate some advice on how we could best set up a network of Sync clients amongst ourselves that leveraged the best of Bit Torrent.

One question I have, would it be essential to have several master clients? By this I mean several users who have good speeds, who can maintain a full library of files. If that is the case, I imagine the storage systems would have to be on 24/7 and possibly in a RAID configuration.

Are there any helpful tips from other Sync users who can help us set this up in the most secure and well organised fashion.

I thank you for reading this long message and welcome comments.

 

Yes I would definitely use "master clients", maybe setup some Virtual servers, I know Digital ocean is good and cheap. (You may run in to storage limitation with them .  In the end It would really depend on how many TV programmers you have that can help seed your sync.

I think I would set up your sync like this, I am assuming you send the same video files all over the world no matter what language,

Make a sync for each TV show you have. so say you have 3 TV shows

Stargate SG1 Has it's own key

Stargate Atlantis Has it's own key

Stargate Universe Has it's own key

 

I would have 1 Giant Master Server this will have all of your content you ever want your clients to access. I would recommend a backup solution of some kind if not already in place.Then I would host a few smaller servers on virtual private servers all around the globe. These would only host the newest files so they will not take a lot of disk space.

Your TV programmers can seed your sync as long as they keep the videos in the sync folder, and there computers are online.

I would only use Read Only keys. This way videos can be deleted on the clients and or TV programers computers and it will not delete it off your Master Server. Only deleting videos off the master server will delete the files on all of the synced computers)

On the new sync 1.4 you can set approvals so you at your master server will have to approve each computer that tries to connect to your sync this will stop people from "sharing" you keys to who ever they want because you will need to approve every computer that want to join your sync.

 

But yes bittorrent is extreamly robust, doesn't matter how crappy of internet you have it will download it for you. (It just may take along time. )

Oyeah just kinda a interesting idea, you may want to look in to owncloud, if for some reason your TV programs need a normal HTTP download. This will give them a nice web interface. similar to drop box.