Windows Media Services (WMS) isstreamingmedia server software that allows aWindows Server administrator to generatestreaming media (audio/video). OnlyWindows Media,JPEG, andMP3 formats are supported. WMS is the successor ofNetShow Services.[1]
In addition to streaming, WMS also has the ability tocache and record streams, enforceauthentication, impose various connection limits, restrict access, use multipleprotocols, generate usage statistics, and applyforward error correction (FEC). It can also handle a high number of concurrent connections making it suitable for content providers. Streams can also be distributed between servers as part of a distribution network where each server ultimately feeds a different network/audience. Bothunicast andmulticast streams are supported (multicast streams also use aproprietary and partiallyencryptedWindows Media Station (*.nsc) file for use by a player.) Typically,Windows Media Player is used to decode and watch/listen to the streams, but other players are also capable of playing unencryptedWindows Media content (Microsoft Silverlight,VLC,MPlayer, etc.)
64-bit versions of Windows Media Services are also available for increased scalability. The Scalable Networking Pack for Windows Server 2003 adds support for network acceleration and hardware-based offloading, which boosts Windows Media server performance. The newest version, Windows Media Services 2008, forWindows Server 2008, includes a built-inWMS Cache/Proxy plug-in which can be used to configure aWindows Media server either as a cache/proxy server or as areverse proxy server so that it can provide caching and proxy support to other Windows Media servers.[2] Microsoft claims that these offloading technologies nearly double the scalability, making Windows Media Services, according to the claim, the industry's most powerful streaming media server.[3]
Windows Media Services 2008 is no longer included with the setup files for theWindows Server 2008 operating system, but is available as a free download.[4] It is also not supported onWindows Server 2012, having been replaced withIIS Media Services.[5]
