Policy Keys

Introduction

The policy key is used to retrieve video and playlist content from your Video Cloud library using the Playback API. Since the policy key is set on the player, it allows you to restrict access to your content at the player level. You can also control content availability at the video level by using the Video Cloud Studio Media module.

When you create a Brightcove Player, a policy key is automatically generated for each player. This key is associated with your Brightcove account and controls which videos can be viewed and when they can be viewed, with the condition that the videos are stored in Video Cloud. For instance, policy keys are needed to limit access based on:

• Account
• Domain restrictions, if used
• Geo-restrictions, if used

For a more detailed information on policy keys see the Overview: Policy API document.

Getting the policy key

The policy key is automatically generated and managed for you. So, in most cases you will not need to request it or manage it. The easiest way to retrieve your policy key is to do the following:

1. Open the PLAYERS module and either create a new player or locate the player to which you wish to add the plugin.
2. Select the link for the player to open the player's properties.
3. In the left navigation menu, select JSON Editor.
4. In the displayed JSON code, you will see the policy key:

   

Every Video Cloud account comes with a default player, so even if you have not created a player in your account, you can use the Policy Key for the default player.

You can also use the Policy API to create a Policy Key. This API is needed to create a key a search-enabled Policy Key.

Using policy keys

The policy key can be used to authenticate requests to the Playback API. The Playback API is for use at runtime in web pages or mobile apps for general media management and integration with other systems. For more details, see the Playback API index page.

Policy keys vs. API credentials

The policy key is used to access the Playback API, whereas API credentials are used to access your content in the other Video Cloud API's.

Policy keys

The policy key is used for client-side retrieval of your Video Cloud library assets. Here are the details:

• Access your video/playlist data using the Playback API
• Read-only
• Your video/playlist data is cached on the server by the Playback API
• Use the Policy API to do the following:
  • Create policy keys. You need to contact customer support to revoke a policy key.
  • Set domain restrictions and set geographic restrictions at the policy level. Restrictions are enforced by players that use the policy key.

API credentials

API authentication credentials (also called client credentials) allow server-side applications to manage your Video Cloud library assets. Here are the details:

• Access your data using the Video Cloud APIs. You will need client credentials for the account and API(s) that you wish to use.
• Read, insert, update, delete
• Your video/playlist data is not cached on the server by the CMS API
• Use Video Cloud's API Authentication UI to create and manage API credentials

Managing policy keys

You can manage your policy keys as follows:

Obtaining

There is no way to update a policy key. You can either get the policy key from an existing player in your Video Cloud account, or you can create a policy key by using the Policy API.

Revoking

To revoke a policy key, you need to contact customer support.