While video continues to form the center of this formal definition, this process also includes audio, metadata, streaming, analytics, and much more. OVPs play a very critical role in delivering online video content to the world. They enable media and entertainment companies including broadcasters, MSOs, publishers, and all types of content owners to publish, protect, manage, and monetize their digital video assets. OVPs also power online properties and Web sites of the world's largest enterprises, brands, and SMBs alike. From a technology standpoint, OVPs typically provide a one-stop shop for video conversion to any online video format and facilitate the delivery of these video files across multiple platforms and devices. In some cases, OVPs also provide integrated advertising, visitor and QoS analytics, and other key metrics. The transformation of the TV industry and the proliferation of TV Everywhere and Internet video-on-demand services has created a huge demand for OVPs. OVPs help media and entertainment companies to execute on OTT strategies, enabling the ingest, transcode, storage, management, and monetization of their video assets. The use of video at enterprises and educational institutions also continues to grow, driving the OVP deployments. However, the market for online video technologies is crowded and dynamic, and the competition is intense.
