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Microservice-based Video Processing Pipeline

2 posts · Nov 2021 – Jan 2024

What this trail covers

Netflix is rebuilding its video processing pipeline on a next-generation microservice-based computing platform called Cosmos. This initiative aims to increase system flexibility and feature development velocity by decomposing the monolithic Reloaded platform into fine-grained, workflow-driven microservices. The Video Quality Service (VQS) is a key component of this evolution, enabling independent development and deployment of video quality algorithms and computations, such as VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM, decoupled from the encoding process. Bridging workflows manage the coexistence of Reloaded and Cosmos systems during migration, allowing for seamless operation and ubiquitous feature rollout.

All Netflix trails
  1. Rebuilding Netflix Video Processing Pipeline with MicroservicesThis post introduces the initiative to rebuild the Netflix video processing pipeline using microservices on the Cosmos platform. It details the limitations of the previous monolithic Reloaded platform, such as coupled functionality, monolithic structure, and long release cycles, which hindered development velocity. The post outlines the strategy for defining service boundaries in Cosmos, using the example of separating video encoding and quality assessment into distinct microservices (Video Encoding Service and Video Quality Service). It also lists the initial set of video services created as part of this rebuild.
  2. Netflix Video Quality at Scale with Cosmos MicroservicesThis post details the architecture and implementation of the Video Quality Service (VQS) within the Cosmos microservice platform. VQS decouples video quality computations (VMAF, PSNR, SSIM) from the monolithic Reloaded video processing system, enabling independent innovation and maintenance of quality algorithms. It describes the three-layer architecture of VQS (API, workflow, compute) and its integration with Cosmos subsystems. The post also outlines bridging workflows to manage the co-existence of Reloaded and Cosmos during migration, allowing VQS to serve both environments.