Creating and distributing streaming media will get easier this summer

That's because of something called Akamai Stream OS.

Streaming media solutions provider Akamai Technologies will offer reference designs for this new rich-media distribution system beginning this summer.

I'm excited about Stream OS for two big reasons.

Stream OS, which has just been released, will simultaneously output video and other rich media in multiple formats. That means that streaming media creators (large media as well as dabblers such as yours truly) will not have to encode separately for each platform such as Windows Media or Flash.  

Here's how Akamai says Stream OS' "smart application interface" will work:

Assets are organized using a customizable directory structure. Upon upload, file information and metadata is extracted.Content can then be downloaded orstreamed live or on-demand over the Akamai platform via optimal servers and paths.

User requests for Live Event content are delivered via a content link whichreturns a playlist to the Akamai server closest to the user. Content is sent to theuser’s media player, employing replication, redundancy, and initiating reportingfor every transaction.

Content in Stream OS can be controlled and protected by applying businessrules such as token authentication, bandwidth controls, geographic ortime-based restrictions.

For content delivered via feeds, RSS feeds are created and can be updatedautomatically using Stream OS. Content can be added statically per item,or dynamically by applying a rule to a directory that automatically updatesa feed every time a directory is updated.

CBS is already on board. Must be because Stream OS also offers metadata options that will let producers auto-code and distribute video to content partners while automating scheduled updates as well as managing link-based syndication to other websites and even RSS-enabled blogs and MySpace-type sites. Distribution-enabling widgets are also available in Stream OS.

The metadata involved in Stream OS also eases rich media searchability by incorporating a description option for the content. Search engines love that, you know.

And if search engines love it, so do I.