It was only five months ago that Amazon added an SLA and more edge locations to their CDN offering CloudFront, and last night Amazon took the service a step further with the announcement that CloudFront now supports live streaming of Flash video. Content owners can now use Amazon CloudFront with Amazon EC2 running Adobe's Flash Media Server and Amazon Route 53 (AWS's DNS service) to deliver live video via AWS.

As with all of Amazon's Web Services, customers will only pay for the AWS resources they consume, and content owners have full control over their live streaming origin server, Adobe's Flash Media Server running on Amazon EC2, so they can configure it any way they want. While all of the major CDNs have been supporting live Flash streaming for years, most don't allow the customer to have any control over the origin Flash server during live events, so Amazon is offering something unique in that regard. Content owners who wanted more control of their live Flash server typically had to move away from the major CDNs and use a specialist hosting provider like Influxis, or use one of Wowza Media's hosting partners.

In my opinion, Amazon is one of the most under-rated companies in the market when it comes to CDN services and Wall Street and others should take notice of what they are doing. Far too many people think Amazon only has small customers for their CDN services or that Amazon can't compete with the larger CDNs, but that's no longer the case. In fact, I see Amazon has recently published a case study showcasing how PBS Interactive is now streaming all of their on-demand video via Amazon. All of that PBS business use to be with one of the other major CDNs before Amazon Limelight. (see comments section)

About eighteen months ago, when Amazon announced they were adding support for Flash streaming I wrote that Amazon, "Will Disrupt The Market" and since then, we've seen Amazon's CloudFront service grow up very quickly. I am now starting to see Amazon take some share of the commodity video delivery business from other CDNs and I expect Amazon to compete for more of that business steadily over the course of this year. While the business Amazon is in today with their CDN services is not the high-margin value add services business that all of the CDNs are trying to capture and grow, CloudFront and Amazon Web Services (AWS) should not be underestimated. It's only a matter of time before Amazon starts offering more value add services themselves and the company is in a great position to compete in this market for the long-term.

I wasn’t able to attend the NAB Show last week and was also offline dealing with a family member in the hospital, so I’m just now catching up on all of the news from NAB. Here’s a list of all the releases I read about over the weekend, some of which I am working on blog stories for. I’ve highlighted the ones that I think are most interesting or are considered to be big news.

• Demand for Securing Premium Content on Any Device Drives Rapid Growth for Irdeto
• Microsoft and thePlatform Enable Delivery of Protected, High-Quality, Premium Online Video
• Encoding.com Intros Instant Encoding, Speeds Cloud Video Service
• Digital Rapids Unveils Quartet of New Products for Live Multi-Screen Encoding and Streaming
• EdgeCast, Kulabyte, and Sorenson Media Demonstrate Live Cloud Transcoding and Delivery
• BuyDRM Previews Content Security In The Cloud Powered By The Windows Azure Platform
• ADS Introduces Next-Generation Digital Asset Management
• Ooyala Intros Ooyala Everywhere at NAB; Streamlines OTT Delivery
• MPS Broadband Announces the Launch of Peer2View – Enabling Infinite Live Streaming in Windows Azure
• EdgeCast Announces General Availability of Application Delivery Network
• Blinkx Acquires Burst Media
• Internap Speeds Delivery of Web and Mobile Content across its CDN with XIP Acceleration
• Vidyo Introduces First H.264 SVC-based Broadcast Platform for Managing Live News, Sports, Entertainment and IP Feeds
• Verizon Unveils Advanced Digital Media Management and Distribution Platform for Entertainment Industry to Capitalize on New ‘Content-to-Consumer’ Experiences
• VSS and Viprinet Demonstrate H.264/SVC, Error Resilient, Real-Time HD Video Streaming Over Multichannel 3G and 4G Network
• Media Excel and Verimatrix Help Accelerate and Secure Premium OTT Service Delivery
• Telestream Unveils Wirecast Live Webcasting Software Features at NAB Show
• Digital Rapids Previews Next Generation of High-Volume Transcoding Software with Cloud Support, Intelligent Automation and More
• Vaddio Launches Squiggle IP at NAB 2011
• DIRECTV to Launch HBO GO and MAX GO, April 12th
• Cotendo Announces Patent-Pending Cloudlet Platform, The First CDN Integrated High Performance Cloud Application Environment
• Wowza Media Systems and Verimatrix Partner; Preview Secure Any-Screen Streaming Solution at 2011 NAB Show
• Octoshape and Kulabyte Combine the Power of High Quality Signal Acquisition with Live Video Transcoding in the Cloud
• VideoSurf Announces $16M in Funding; Gains Search Patent
• Envivio 4Caster C4 Propels Launch of Prisa TV’s New DIGITAL+ OTT Service
• Level 3 to Acquire Global Crossing
• Influxis Hosts Wowza Media Server for Live and On-Demand Streaming to All Media Platforms
• VMIX Introduces Vidcinity iPhone App for Location-based Video Capture and Discovery
• KIT digital Acquires ioko, Solidifies Position as Global Leader in IP Video Management and Delivery
• Sorenson Media Opens New Los Angeles Office to Meet Growing Media Industry Demand
• ZiXi Announces $4 Million Investment Round
• ViewCast Announces Two New Osprey Video Capture Cards for Multi-stream, Multi-platform Delivery
• AEG Digital Media Expands With Cisco Streaming Technology to Provide an On-Ramp to Videoscape Experiences
• AT&T Delivering Web Content Faster With New Content Delivery Network Solution
• FreeWheel Expands to the United Kingdom
• Octoshape Details New Delivery Opportunities for Web TV
• Adobe Launches Creative Suite 5.5 Web Premium
• TubeMogul Launches Brand-Focused Demand Side Platform for Video Advertising
• Fox Digital Media Selects Kaltura to Power Online Video for Fox Networks Group
• KIT digital Partners with LiveU to Deliver Wireless HD Live Broadcasting Across Multiple Devices
• Qube Cinema Launches Qube KeySmith at NAB
• VUDU Launches Browser-Based Streaming of Expansive Content Library on VUDU.com
• Envivio and Sezmi Team Up to Demonstrate Multi-Screen TV Solution at NAB 2011
• Global Takeoff Powers First Instantaneous Video Distribution and Monetization Service for TVs, PCs, Smartphones, and Internet Tablets 
• Cloud-based Video Encoding Pioneer Zencoder Secures $2 Million in Funding
• NewTek Integrates Apple Mobile Device Support Into TriCaster 850 Extreme
• Envivio Introduces Halo Network Media Processor, Optimizing Delivery of Multi-Screen Content for TV Everywhere
• Microsoft Announces Partner Ecosystem to Lead Media and Entertainment Industry to the Cloud
• mgMEDIA Selects Limelight Networks Media Delivery Services to Provide Platform for OTT Multi-Device Distribution
• Qumu announces the addition of Convergent Media Systems, as a global solution integrator of Qumu products and technologies
• SeaWell Networks Announces Intelligent Adaptive Streaming Solution
• Microsoft continues HTML5 commitment and leadership with the first platform preview of Internet Explorer 10
• Vanguard Software Solutions (VSS) Releases Next Generation H.264 AVC, MVC and SVC CODEC at the NAB2011 conference

We're only three weeks away from the Content Delivery Summit, taking place May 9th in conjunction with the Streaming Media East show, and I'm pleased to announce that Barry Tishgart, VP of Comcast Cable will be the second keynote speaker at the event. As everyone knows, Comcast plays a major role in video distribution and Barry's presentation will take a look at the market from varying perspectives – as an ISP, content provider and CDN operator.

The economics of moving video over the Internet are complex and Barry will discuss the pertinent issues as the volume of video traffic increases and its impact on Comcast's core and access network. Barry will also discuss how innovations in online video have positive or negative effects on the overall economics of video.

In addition to keynotes by Comcast and Cisco, we have a great lineup of speakers already confirmed for the CDN Summit including executives from:

Additional speakers are being placed and you can check out the full conference agenda here. We'll have round table sessions, demo presentations on transparent caching and application acceleration, and presentations from end-user customers and content owners. I'll also be personally doing one-on-one networking between attendees and speakers and there are multiple networking receptions and dinners taking place after the summit.

Readers of my blog can take advantage of special pricing by registering using the promo code of DAN to attend the CDN Summit for only $395. Taking a look at the pre-register attendee list we have carriers, telcos, ISPs, MSOs, content owners and vendors coming from all over the world. This is the event to be at if you are in the content delivery business.

Sorry for all the calls and emails I have yet to return over the past five days, but I've been dealing with a sick family member and am away from home. A lot of news has taken place in the last few days and I have a quite a few voice mails and emails asking me about the impact of Level 3 buying Global Crossing, KIT Digital acquiring ioko and all of the other news that's come out of NAB. I promise I will return all calls and emails by this weekend and have some blogs posts up next week with my thoughts.

On Tuesday, April 12 at 9:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. PT, Streaming Media editor Eric Schumacher-Rasmussen will be moderating a session at NAB sponsored by NewTek called "Broadcast Minds 2011." Panelists will include Adam Carolla, whose "Adam Carolla Show" is one of the most downloaded podcasts of all-time; Leo Laporte, the "Tech Guy" who started TWiT.TV, whose podcasts were downloaded 50 million times in 2010; Steve Hellmuth from the NBA; and Mark Fratto from St. John's University.

The event will be streamed live on the home page of StreamingMedia.com (read "Adam Carolla, Leo Laporte Among the 'Broadcast Minds' at NAB" for more information) Each of the speakers is using NewTek's TriCaster to deliver live video directly to their audiences more cost-effectively than they could via traditional broadcast technologies. It should be an informative and entertaining hour.

Here's a video from NewTek previewing the event:

Today at 2pm I'll be moderating another StreamingMedia.com webinar, this time with RealNetworks on the topic of "Creating a YouTube-like Experience Within Your Organization". If you have used popular video sites on the web, such as YouTube, creating your organization's media library will be a simple and familiar experience. Viewers can access and play videos from their desktop, iPad, iPhone, tablets and mobile devices. Learn how to:

• Upload and convert existing media files like MPEG, AVI, MP3, Windows Media or QuickTime files
• Embed video and audio content created by your media library in your existing training or learning environment
• Stream video and audio to desktops, mobile devices and tablets
• Secure your organization's media assets utilizing existing authentication structures
• Customize your organization's media library

Register here and bring your questions for the presenters for the live Q&A portion of the event.

Today at 2pm I'll be moderating another StreamingMedia.com webinar, this time with Microsoft presenting the workflow for delivery of live video with Expression Encoder and IIS Media Services, using Microsoft's adaptive streaming technology, Smooth Streaming. Microsoft will walk you through the steps to understand the capabilities of your machine, select and configure hardware and software, and customize your video so that you deliver a compelling experience to your target audience.

We'll have a live Q&A session so register for the webinar and bring your questions about your live workflow setup.