In recent years, the demand for leveraging cloud computing power at the terminal level has surged, transforming various industries and scenarios such as secure offices, remote collaboration, design and modeling, education and training, and more.

Alibaba Cloud's Elastic Desktop Service (EDS) is at the forefront of this transformation, a key product of Alibaba Cloud Workspace. EDS is designed to empower workspaces with secure, open, and affordable cloud computers. Central to EDS is Alibaba Cloud's self-developed Adaptive Streaming Protocol (ASP), which offers excellent performance, high reliability, and enhanced security for streaming.

In this blog post, we delve into the design philosophy and key technologies of ASP, along with the challenges and opportunities it brings to the future of cloud computing.

Competitive Landscape

As the market for cloud-based terminal computing expands, competition is intensifying with major players like Alibaba Cloud, Microsoft, and Amazon. Each of these giants brings innovative solutions to the table:

AWS: Initially utilized the PCoIP protocol, later acquired NICE DCV, and eventually developed the WSP protocol.
Microsoft: Evolved the Citrix ICA protocol into its proprietary RDP, with ongoing enhancements such as RemoteFX.

Despite the maturity of commercial protocols like Citrix, practical application scenarios often reveal limitations that necessitate in-house development. For Alibaba Cloud Workspace, developing ASP is a strategic move to ensure:

Accelerated Iteration: Control over the entire process allows for rapid customization to meet diverse customer needs.
Differentiation: Unique business forms and customer needs can be addressed, creating competitive advantages.
Cost Control: Significant savings on licensing and authorization fees.

Introducing ASP

ASP stands for Adaptive Streaming Protocol, embodying three core meanings:

Alibaba Cloud’s Self-developed Protocol: Tailored specifically for Alibaba Cloud's needs.
Adaptive: Adjustable to various scenarios, networks, and terminal devices.
App-oriented: Designed for cloud application flows, including graphics command, image, and audio-video streams.

ASP aims to provide a high-performance, reliable, secure cloud-to-edge protocol, ensuring ultra-low latency and high-quality real-time interaction.

Challenges in Public Cloud

Designing ASP for a public cloud environment presents unique challenges compared to private clouds:

Diverse Network Conditions: Public cloud networks exhibit different conditions. The transport protocol must adapt to weak networks and resist jitter.
High Concurrency and Scalability: Public clouds support high concurrency and large-scale environments.
Universal Access Terminals: ASP must support a wide range of devices (PCs, mobile devices, web terminals, etc.) and various display resolutions.
Bandwidth Efficiency: Optimizing bandwidth usage is critical for reducing latency and costs.
Security: End-to-end security solutions are crucial in public cloud environments, covering connection and data transmission.

ASP: A Comprehensive Solution

ASP integrates key technologies to create an efficient protocol suited for public cloud environments:

Streaming Engine: Manages the flow of screen content and user input between client and server.
Screen Content-Encoding: Optimizes encoding for computer-generated content, which differs from traditional image and video content.
Network Transmission and QoS: Ensures real-time interaction even under network jitter and weak conditions.
Real-time Audio and Video: Relies on advanced audio-video encoding, real-time engines, and adaptive network transmission.
Multi-platform SDK: Facilitates integration across various terminal types, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and Web, ensuring instant access to Alibaba Cloud Workspace.

Future Directions

As the market continues to grow, the opportunities for innovation and improvement are boundless. However, technical challenges remain, presenting both hurdles and opportunities:

Audio and Video Call Support: Optimizing for audio and video calls in office scenarios to prevent issues like dropped sound and excessive delay.
3D Design and High-performance Scenarios: Balancing high resolution, frame rates, and low latency for complex 3D design tasks.
Peripheral Compatibility: Ensuring support for various peripherals, including those with proprietary protocols and high latency requirements.
User Experience: Providing a seamless user experience that rivals local PCs.

Conclusion

The development of ASP by Alibaba Cloud marks a significant milestone in the evolution of cloud computing at the terminal level. By addressing the unique challenges of public cloud environments and leveraging cutting-edge technologies, ASP strives to deliver a top-tier experience for users across diverse industries.

Learn more about ASP and Elastic Desktop Service and its impact on the cloud computing landscape. The journey has just begun, and the possibilities are endless!

Exploring the Future of Cloud Computing with Alibaba Cloud's Adaptive Streaming Protocol