# About video-on-demand streams using the Wowza Video REST API

A video-on-demand (VOD) stream is a recording viewers can replay at a
later date. After the broadcast is over and the live stream or
transcoder is stopped, Wowza Video creates the VOD stream and generates
a URL that you can use to configure playback in an HLS compatible player
or device. Alternatively, you can configure the stream so the VOD
playlist replaces the live playlist after the event and viewers can
re-use the live URL to access the recording. VOD streams capture up to
eight hours of content. If a live stream or transcoder runs for longer
than eight hours, the most recent eight hours are recorded.

Info
If you're a Wowza Video subscriber, VOD streams created
using the `vod_stream` parameter will not be available on the **Asset
Management** page. If you want to manage your VOD stream through asset
management, set the save_asset parameter to
`true` when creating a live stream. This will generate both a VOD
stream and a recording.

This topic provides general information about VOD streams, including
ways to secure them.

## Requirements

VOD streams have the following requirements:

- Available for Fastly stream
targets only.
- Available in v1.5 of the REST API and later.
- Not available for 24x7 streams.


## Storage

VOD streams stored in Wowza Video generate additional costs. Billing is
based on your peak storage, which is the greatest amount of recorded
content (VOD streams and recordings) stored in a given month. To help
you stay apprised of costs, you can check your peak storage at any time
using the Wowza Video REST API. For more information, see [View usage
data with the Wowza Video REST
API](/docs/wowza-video/guides/insights-and-analytics/view-usage-data).

Info
Wowza Video deletes VOD streams 90 days after an account is
suspended or terminated.

## Security

You can use the following features to provide security for VOD streams:

- **Disable playback** — To prevent viewers from playing a stream,
send a request to PATCH
/vod_streams/ID and set the `playback_enabled` parameter to `false`.
- **Require HTTP for playback** — See [Manage HLS playback over SSL
for Wowza CDN on Fastly with the Wowza Video REST
API](/docs/wowza-video/guides/stream-security/manage-hls-playback-over-ssl-for-wowza-cdn-on-fastly)
for more information.
- **Apply geo-block restrictions to allow or block access in certain
locations** — See [Geo-block Wowza CDN on Fastly stream targets with
the Wowza Video REST
API ](/docs/wowza-video/guides/stream-security/geoblock-wowza-cdn-on-fastly-stream-targets)for
more information.
- **Encrypt streams using token authentication** — See [Protect a
Wowza CDN on Fastly stream target with token authentication using
the Wowza Video REST
API](/docs/wowza-video/guides/stream-security/protect-wowza-cdn-on-fastly-stream-target-with-token-authentication)
for more information.


Info
If you update the security settings for a Fastly stream
target, those changes are automatically applied to the VOD streams
associated with the target.