TABLE OF CONTENTS As we discussed in the preceding chapter, a number of technologies can be used to protect content from being copied when public networks are being used. In this chapter, we are going to look at providing security for content through the use of secure transport technology. This is one of the best ways to provide security for high-value content, such as raw footage or first-run movies. Secure transport may also be a necessity for corporate video networks, particularly for those that carry videoconferences between senior executives.
We'll begin by discussing how IP packets can be transported over some popular private network technologies, including Frame Relay, ATM, and optical technologies. We'll follow this with a look at how private IP networks can be constructed on public IP network facilities, through the use of technologies called tunneling and IPSec. By the end of this chapter, readers should have a basic understanding of some of the ways that secure transport facilities can be used to provide content protection.
A network is considered to be private when a single person or organization controls all the content (voice, data, and video) flowing over the network. Sometimes, the circuits that make up the network are privately owned and operated; other times, the circuits are leased from a network provider. In most cases, the network is permanently connected so that data can flow without having to wait for a network connection to be set up.
Before the Internet arrived on the scene, pretty much...
