Red5 on OCI vs AWS IVS: Why Oracle Cloud Infrastructure is an Excellent Choice for Live Streaming

As organizations evaluate live streaming solutions, Amazon Interactive Video Service (IVS) has emerged as a managed streaming option. However, while IVS serves basic streaming needs, organizations requiring enterprise-grade capabilities are increasingly choosing Red5 on Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) for superior performance, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness. Let’s explore why Red5 on OCI provides a more comprehensive solution for serious streaming applications.

Understanding AWS IVS: Basic Streaming for Simple Use Cases

AWS IVS works well for:

• User-generated content platforms requiring basic functionality
• Small to medium deployments with minimal customization needs
• Applications where standard video quality meets requirements
• Quick proof-of-concepts and MVP development

However, IVS has limitations that become apparent as streaming needs grow more sophisticated:

Limited Flexibility and Customization

IVS operates as a black-box service with minimal control over the underlying streaming infrastructure, restricting applications requiring specific configurations or advanced features.

Quality Constraints

While IVS delivers acceptable video quality for general use cases, it may not meet the stringent requirements of professional broadcasting, gaming, or enterprise applications where every frame matters.

Red5 on OCI: Enterprise-Grade Streaming with Cost Advantages

Red5 addresses these limitations while leveraging OCI’s superior price-performance benefits:

Red5 Cloud: Managed Excellence on OCI

Red5 Cloud, hosted on OCI, offers the convenience of a managed service while providing greater control over streaming configuration. Organizations benefit from:

• Superior price-performance ratio with OCI’s competitive compute costs
• Significantly lower egress fees compared to AWS
• Enhanced control over streaming parameters
• Detailed analytics and customization options

Red5 Pro: Complete Control with OCI’s Global Infrastructure

For organizations requiring full control over their streaming infrastructure, Red5 Pro on OCI enables:

• On-premises and cloud deployment flexibility
• Complete data sovereignty
• Custom streaming workflows
• Air-gapped deployments when required
• Regulatory compliance capabilities

Feature Comparison: AWS IVS vs Red5 on OCI

Feature	AWS IVS Real-time	Red5 on OCI
Audience Size	25,000 Max	Unlimited (regularly tests 100k plus with each release)
Quality	720p Max	4K and flexible
ABR Support	Simucast ABR only (with quality limitations)	Multi-level with serverside transcoding or simulcast
Deployments	Fixed regions	Runs on customer tennent, Multiregion
Mixing (server side compositing)	Fixed layouts (limit to 6 videos)	Flexible layouts and extensive API, (unlimited number videos)
Stage vs Studio	Limited functionality (closed source)	Flexible (open source)
Instant Stream Switching/Zapping	No	Yes
Metadata	Text only (web socket, separate from video)	Support for KLV, JSON, frame accurate syncing across multiple videos
Ingest Protocols	WebRTC (WHIP), RTMP	WHIP, Zixi, RTSP, RTMP, SRT, MPEG TS
Real-time Transcoding	No	Yes
Interstial and Ad insertion	No	Yes
DRM support	No	Yes
SDKs	Web, iOS, Android	Web, iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, Unity, Unreal Engine, and more
Ingest scalability	Limited	Unlimited
Restream to Social	No	Yes
Pricing Model	Usage based	Licensing, and uses OCI Compute
Shared Architecture	Yes	No

When to Choose Red5 on OCI Over AWS IVS

Enterprise Applications

Organizations requiring enterprise-grade streaming capabilities benefit from Red5’s advanced features and OCI’s cost-effective infrastructure.

High-Quality Streaming Requirements

For applications where video quality is critical—such as professional broadcasting, medical streaming, or gaming—Red5’s advanced capabilities combined with OCI’s robust infrastructure deliver superior results.

Cost-Sensitive Deployments

OCI’s competitive pricing structure, particularly for compute resources and egress bandwidth, provides significant cost advantages for large-scale streaming

Try Red5 For Free

🔥 Looking for a fully managed, globally distributed streaming PaaS solution? Sign up for Red5 Cloud today! No credit card required. Free 50 GB of streaming each month.

Looking for a server software designed for ultra-low latency streaming at scale? Start Red5 Pro 30-day trial today!

Not sure what solution would solve your streaming challenges best? Reach out to our team to discuss your case.