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SMPTE & OSA on Fast Track to Release Industry’s First Media Microservices Standards

November 19, 2020

Accelerated Creation, Review, and Formalization Process Brings Much-Needed Standards to End Users in Record Time

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.Nov. 19, 2020 — SMPTE® and the Open Services Alliance (OSA) today announced major progress toward the creation of the industry’s first two media microservices standards. Through a collaboration formed to provide timely solutions in the area of media microservices, the two organizations have published a new public Committee Draft (public CD) (SMPTE ST 2125) that documents a standardized IMF Registration API and a second public CD (SMPTE ST 2126) that standardizes status reporting and logging for media microservices. Both SMPTE ST 2125 and SMPTE ST 2126 are available for download free of charge to implementers who would like to build initial implementations. And as public CD document types, they are available for public review and feedback.

Recognizing the value of the Interoperable Mastering Format (IMF) in bringing efficiencies to content distribution, SMPTE and OSA began work on a standardized IMF Registration API just six months ago.

“Work began on this API within the OSA about six months ago. A focused project group agreed on an approach and quickly produced a document to SMPTE, who then continued the rapid pace of getting a draft into the hands of implementers,” said Chris Lennon, OSA founder and executive director and CEO of MediAnswers. “Utilizing SMPTE’s new public Committee Draft (CD) process, the contribution from the OSA underwent a thorough but accelerated review by SMPTE’s Media Microservices Drafting Group, reporting to the 34CS Technology Committee, which is focused on media systems, control, and services. We expect this to be the first of many opportunities for collaboration.”

smpte OSA on fast track to media microservices standards

SMPTE ST 2126 took a similar path from the OSA through SMPTE. The project focused on the fundamental challenge of implementing multivendor, multicloud, microservice-based solutions, which lacked a standardized, common means of reporting back the success (or failure) of their execution. The OSA used input from the IETF and EBU to design a flexible yet standardized framework for status reporting and logging, and contributed the resulting draft to SMPTE, which created the public CD.

Public CDs are open documents that are distributed for review and comment by the professional community for a limited time. The process satisfies several needs, some of which include:

  • Orient public CDs toward published business-driven requirements.
  • Lightweight and nimble process.
  • Allow public comment (not just the SMPTE Standards Community) to encourage wide review (and trial implementation).
  • Make easy-to-follow rules – without a cumbersome manual – and provide a checklist of actions.
  • Make it easier for trade bodies to work with SMPTE.

“The balance of rigor and speed of the public CD process to push solutions out to implementers is invigorating,” said Bruce Devlin, SMPTE standards vice president and Mr MXF founder. “I understand this to be the core reason the OSA identified SMPTE and our public CD process for bringing uniformity and interoperability to service-oriented software architecture. Our software-minded colleagues tell me that the public CD process fits well with the agile, iterative way they’re accustomed to working.”

SMPTE is an internationally recognized standards-developing organization with members in more than 64 countries on six continents. SMPTE’s Engineering Documents, including Standards, Recommended Practices, and Engineering Guidelines, are prepared by SMPTE’s Technology Committees. Participation in these Committees is open to all with a bona fide interest in their work. SMPTE cooperates closely with other standards-developing organizations.

OSA is online at www.openservicesalliance.com, and SMPTE is online at SMPTE.org. More information about the organizations’ standards efforts — and how to get involved — is available at smpte.org/standards/about or by email to chris@openservicesalliance.com or svp@smpte.org. 

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 About SMPTE®
SMPTE is the global society of media professionals, technologists, and engineers working in the digital entertainment industry. The Society fosters a diverse and engaged membership from both the technology and creative communities, delivering vast educational offerings, technical conferences and exhibitions, the SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal, and access to a rich network of colleagues essential to their career success. As an internationally recognized standards organization, SMPTE also provides a vital technical framework of engineering standards and guidelines that allow the seamless creation, management, and delivery of media for art, entertainment, and education worldwide.

About OSA
The Open Services Alliance (OSA) is a member-supported organization focused on improving interoperability among microservice-based media systems. It comprises a global set of media companies, vendors, industry organizations, and platform providers, all supporting the establishment of standards, best practices, registers, industry awareness, and education to further the goal of a better-integrated multivendor microservice environment for media.

All trademarks appearing herein are the properties of their respective owners.

Link to Word Doc
Link to Photo
Photo Caption: SMPTE® and the Open Services Alliance (OSA) announced movement toward the creation of the first two media microservices standards.

Agency Contact:
Sunny Branson
Wall Street Communications
Tel: +1 801 326 9946
Email: sunny@wallstcom.com 

Chris Lennon

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