Adobe systems present the FMS - Flash Media Server - data and media server which is considered to be the leading solution for real-time communication and streaming video. Working with Flash Player provides you with possibility to create multiuser Rich Internet Applications implementing live interactive presentations, cam chats, multiplayer games and much more. Flash Media Server uses Real Time Messaging Protocol, and the server sends the information to connected users and receives it from them. The users are also allowed to get and publish net streams and view remotely stored flash videos.

There are several ways to start using Adobe Flash Media Interactive Server - purchase a license and configure your own server, hire an IT expert who will do necessary operations, rent datacenter and pay for Adobe support, or you can avoid handling all these manipulations and find a Flash Media Interactive Server hosting provider which will do all work for you. But before you choose your first FMIS hosting company you should familiarize with relevant information and be aware of FMS hosting peculiarities. So here is some terminology for you to be prepared with necessary knowledge for researching FMIS provider for hosting your flash web pages.

1. Simultaneous connections
This term refers to end-user connections of Flash Media Interactive Server and means the quantity of users who can connect to your media application at the appointed time. Thus each user is a connection, even if he is connected to several application instances or to multiple ones.
Simultaneous connection has its limit which can't be exceeded. So if the number of connected users has reached the allowed quantity, all additional connections would be rejected until someone disconnects.

2. Streaming
Streaming is also known as peak bandwidth and implies the speed rate of data passing between server and end-user connection in terms of kilobits or megabits per second. Streaming bandwidth predetermines the quality of sound and video, and delay time. As a rule, the stream of normal quality approximately begins at 384 kbps and depends on encoding. For example, you need to encode the video you want to stream at a necessary bitrate. 

3. Transfer of bandwidth
The bandwidth transfer means the amount of streaming data which is delivered from server to users and vice versa. It depends on the stream type - prerecorded stream pushes the data only from server to users while live one transfers data between server and users, and thus requires more bandwidth. It is important to know the streaming rate and approximate quantity of views per month to choose the most appropriate hosting plan for the content included in your flash template and avoid paying additional fees for each gigabyte of transfer which is beyond the plan configuration.

4. Application types
When choosing a FMIS hosting provider you need to learn the functionality of the applications you are going to run. Live and prerecorded streaming video and live user collaboration (conferencing, chats etc.) are considered to be common application types. Bandwidth transfer, disc space and connections will depend on the application type you use, so keep it in mind while selecting.

After you have received the necessary knowledge it is easier for you to select the FMIS hosting company for storing your multimedia data.