Today’s dynamic and innovation-focused AV market is heavily reliant on delivering high-quality experiences. From corporate events and conferences to entertainment or educational settings, organisations also need scalable and secure technologies for both local and international audiences.
In this context, software-defined video networks (SDVNs) are becoming an important tech framework. They work by allowing users to manage and distribute AV content using software rather than traditional solutions that rely more heavily on hardware. The approach has become particularly valuable given the widespread adoption of cloud computing infrastructure and resources across the AV ecosystem.
Practically speaking, deploying resources in the cloud to handle video streams and other AV content depends on a range of capabilities, including dynamically allocating bandwidth and the availability of storage and processing power to meet the demands of various AV tasks. At the same time, cloud resources must also be used efficiently to balance performance with value for money.
For example, AV professionals rely on efficient compression techniques to maintain high-quality content whilst optimising bandwidth usage. This is especially important for events, conferences, and entertainment venues where high-quality audio and video are essential for audience engagement. By efficiently managing how these resources are orchestrated and distributed, organisations can maintain operational integrity and performance – even under varying load conditions – a capability which is crucial for large-scale video deployments.
In addition, AV users increasingly need to distribute content to various locations worldwide, such as multi-location corporate events or global conferences. The ability to scale across multiple endpoint locations ensures that AV companies can reach their global audience efficiently without compromising on security.
PRIMARY CONCERN
Security is now a primary concern for any organisation focused on the effective use of AV technologies, such as in corporate use cases which frequently share sensitive information or when content needs to be protected from the risk of piracy or manipulation.
SDVNs give organisations precise control over video content management and distribution, including encryption and geo-blocking, which are key to protecting content from unauthorised access. The technology also enables users to adhere to regional distribution regulations and respond quickly to emerging security risks, which are particularly important capabilities given the growing focus on content integrity, data protection and privacy.
As the volume and sophistication of cyber threats continue to increase, organisations will be under increasing pressure from both the risk of attack and the growing regulatory obligations they must adhere to. In fact, organisations should adopt a mindset where they don’t just prepare for the possibility of AV-related cyberattacks but how often these will occur.
Looking ahead, SDVN is becoming an important driver of AV design, implementation and delivery. As the adoption of cloud infrastructure continues to proliferate, the option of replacing private fibre and satellite services will give even more organisations the ability to deliver the kind of high-quality AV experiences that are propelling the industry forward.
