Netflix readies for a public debut
Netflix, the world-renowned streaming giant, has revolutionised the way live content is delivered to audiences. The company's innovative approach combines advanced technology, infrastructure, and strategic planning to ensure secure, reliable, and high-quality live streaming experiences.
At the heart of Netflix's live streaming capabilities is its own Content Delivery Network (CDN), Open Connect. With servers in over 6,000 global locations, Open Connect is interconnected with Amazon Web Services (AWS) via a dedicated backbone network. This extensive deployment enables efficient content delivery near viewers, reducing latency and improving reliability.
For live streaming, Netflix employs HTTPS-based protocols rather than UDP-based ones. Although UDP can offer ultra-low latency, Netflix prioritises device compatibility and infrastructure integration, both strengths of HTTPS. It uses AVC and HEVC video codecs, transcoding streams at multiple quality levels ranging from Standard Definition (SD) up to 4K. Segment duration is optimised to about 2 seconds to balance compression efficiency, infrastructure load, and latency.
To meet viewer demand, Netflix relies on prediction-based capacity provisioning, using forecasts to pre-allocate cloud and CDN resources. These forecasts are shared with Internet Service Provider (ISP) and cloud partners to ensure readiness. During live events, Netflix employs reactive scaling of cloud systems to handle unpredicted viewership spikes.
Netflix acknowledges that network and server-side testing alone are insufficient for ensuring quality. They include post-device testing, monitoring live playback on real user devices to catch issues that don't appear in controlled environments or infrastructure logs. For example, playback problems tied to device Operating System (OS) updates or app interference are identified and resolved only through real-world monitoring.
The company's technology team prepared for live streaming for nine months before making its debut in early 2023 with a Chris Rock gig. Since then, Netflix has streamed various live events, including Beyoncé's halftime show during the Christmas Day 2024 NFL game, the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and last weekend's Taylor-Serrano fight, which had 6 million viewers.
Looking ahead, Netflix's team is building on their learnings ahead of streaming the FIFA Women's World Cup in 2027. The company is continually working to reduce latency further and improve playback stability, maintaining its focus on delivering the best possible streaming experience for its viewers.
For more details on Netflix's live streaming capabilities, readers can refer to the blog post discussing the topic, which is available online.
Technology plays a crucial role in enabling Netflix's live streaming capabilities, with their own Content Delivery Network (CDN), Open Connect, interconnected with Amazon Web Services (AWS) via a dedicated backbone network. To ensure efficient content delivery,Netflix employs advanced technology, such as HTTPS-based protocols, AVC and HEVC video codecs, and prediction-based capacity provisioning.
