Alain Nochimowski, Chief Technology Officer at Viaccess-Orca, explains why the right choice of cloud deployment is critical to success

The implementation of cloud-native applications for TV service delivery is gaining momentum. This approach can not only improve deployments, including on-premises, with cloud-based innovations such as continuous delivery and granular scaling, but also enables operators and service providers to take advantage of multiple environments (i.e. on-premises, public cloud, private cloud and multi-cloud) to optimize both price and performance while minimizing risk.

However, cloud-native architectures are complex, and with that complexity comes the need to rethink deployment and operating models. Beyond mere application improvements, a transformative TV platform enables service providers to realize the full benefits of cloud-native architecture by redesigning the often overlooked underlying tools and redefining the line of responsibility between TV service providers and platform providers.

The advantages of a cloud-native solution

There is a strong business case for adopting a cloud-native approach, as more and more operators and service providers are adopting cloud-native architectures to enable a faster pace of innovation for their TV platform and reduce operational costs. For example, cloud-native architectures (and even more so serverless architectures) enable agile approaches that help service providers stay competitive and respond quickly to market changes, as well as easy scaling based on viewer demand. In addition, the introduction of microservices and containerization in cloud-native architectures supports more granular and modular application designs, enabling frequent updates and innovation.

Choosing a cloud-native deployment model

As the use of cloud-native TV platforms continues to grow, different deployment models are emerging, each meeting the different needs of operators and service providers. In a SaaS model, a cloud-native TV platform runs in a public cloud under the tenant of the technology provider. Operators and video service providers pay a monthly fee, and the technology provider takes care of all deployment and operational aspects, providing a fully managed service.

Another option for operators and video service providers is to deploy a TV platform in the public cloud under their own tenant model.. Here, the cloud-native TV platform runs in a public cloud, but under a shared responsibility model. The operator leverages its own cloud provider’s discounts and grants the technology provider access to manage and operate the platform within its tenant.

An on-premises cloud-native model is another deployment option suitable for operators and service providers with significant capital investments in their own data centers, or those who need to keep workloads on-premises for sovereignty or other reasons. To fully realize the benefits of cloud-native and containerization technologies in these environments, defining a clear responsibility matrix between the service provider and the technology provider and adapting DevOps practices and tools to an on-premises environment is necessary.

To fully exploit the benefits of cloud-native TV platforms, further development is necessary

Under the traditional paradigm, TV service providers operated software-based TV platforms on-premises. However, the complexity of cloud-native systems requires providers to take on more responsibility, especially in terms of organization and tools. The new cloud-native paradigm requires technology providers to play an active role in managing components, including on-premises if necessary. This shift in responsibility places a greater burden on technology providers to ensure the success of cloud-native implementations.

To counteract this, it is critical to partner with a technology provider that not only masters its application stack but also offers cutting-edge cloud-native tools and DevOps best practices. This enables operators and service providers to unlock the full potential of cloud-native applications, reduce complexity, streamline deployments and optimize service management.

Cloud-native TV platform providers must not only have DevOps expertise, but also deploy infrastructure as code and leverage cutting-edge CI/CD toolchains. Technology providers that focus not only on application code, but also on the necessary scripts and surrounding elements, ensure that the code runs and functions effectively.

Diploma

The TV industry is in the midst of a transformation process. Technology providers are working hard to develop cloud-native operating and business models, with clearly defined requirements for platform scalability, operating models (e.g. SaaS, managed services), FinOps and DevOps/DevSecOps toolchains. This development will significantly increase the profitability and agility of TV companies over time.

Adopting a cloud-native TV platform with cutting-edge DevOps practices brings numerous benefits to service providers, including an accelerated pace of innovation that enables the rapid launch of new features and services. Operational efficiency is significantly improved, especially when managing financial operations. Service providers also gain more precise control over scaling – allowing them to scale resources up or down as needed – and simplify the upgrade process. Ultimately, these benefits lead to financial savings, improved innovation, and simpler operations.

To fully realize these benefits, a partnership approach based on a shared responsibility for delivery and operations model between service providers and technology providers is a prerequisite.