L. Atzori, J. Delgado, and D. Giusto (Eds.): MOBIMEDIA 2011, LNICST 79, pp. 168–179, 2012. © Institute for Computer Sciences, Social Informatics and Telecommunications Engineering 2012 The Role of Log Entries in the Quality Control of Video Distribution Ismo Hakala, Sanna Laine, Mikko Myllymäki, and Jari Penttilä University of Jyväskylä, Kokkola University Consortium Chydenius P.O. Box 567, FIN-67701, Kokkola, Finland {ismo.hakala,sanna.laine,mikko.myllymaki, jari.penttila}@chydenius.fi Abstract. Diversification of university teaching with the help of video lectures has become much more common during the past few years. Once videos have become an essential part of teaching arrangements, whoever organizes the teaching must also pay attention to factors related to videos in quality system work for teaching. In the video production process it is the factors related to video transmission that exert influence on the usability of videos and set limitations for their production. A lot of information about those factors can be obtained from the media server log files. The particular focus of this paper is on the functionality of the connection between a server and a client and its effect on users. The paper deals with information obtained from a media server’s log file, describes the activities around collection and handling of log data, and introduces a preliminary classification for monitoring video transmissions. The results obtained from the media server’s log files are presented in accordance with that classification system at the end of the paper. Keywords: Quality of Service, log file, streaming video lecture. 1 Introduction During the last few years there has been a strong increase in the use of video lectures in many universities. The motivation behind this increased use of videos has typically been the desire to make studying more flexible as regards time and place. The idea is to provide students who live in places that are geographically distant better chances for studying and, at the same time, ensure that the lectures are available also for temporarily absent students. These arrangements also allow students to revise any difficult or complicated lecture items and topics. Diversification of face-to-face teaching, by delivering it as real time video and by providing recorded (on-demand) videos alongside it, makes it possible for a student to study solely with the help of videos without a need to participate in any traditional type of contact teaching. In teaching arrangements, the organizer of the education must then, in addition to video production, pay attention to the possibilities that the student has for viewing videos and to the factors related to video transmission.