System and method for providing media server redundancy in a network environment

• US 8,225,137 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2010
• Issued: 07/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: White, Christopher J., Scott, Jerry B., Cook, Daniel R., Morogan, Monica I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Maskulinski, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/876,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060052A1
• Time in Patent Office: 682 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 714/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2025 using centralised failover control functionality
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2033 switching over of hardware resources
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2038 with a single idle spare processing component
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2048 where the redundant components share neither address space nor persistent storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0663 Performing the actions predefined by failover planning, e.g. switching to standby network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/40 for recovering from a failure of a protocol instance or entity, e.g. service redundancy protocols, protocol state redundancy or protocol service redirection management of faults, events, alarms or notifications in data switching networks H04L41/06

Abstract

A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream. The first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server. The method also includes detecting an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages. The anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server. The method can also include activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly, and evaluating a second plurality of messages. The second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure. The failover media server can be deactivated based on the resumed active state. Media metadata can be communicated from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

evaluating a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream, wherein the first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server;

detecting an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages, wherein the anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server;

activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly;

evaluating a second plurality of messages, wherein the second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure;

deactivating the failover media server based on the resumed active state; and

communicating media metadata from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure, wherein the media metadata includes information related to backup recordings made when the failover media server was activated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media metadata includes a timestamp and a location for at least one of the backup recordings.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

recording the media stream in a first database associated with the media server if the failover media server is not activated; and

recording the media stream in a second database associated with the failover media server if the failover media server is activated.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request from an endpoint to view the media stream; and

directing the endpoint to the failover media server if the failover media server is activated.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the media stream is received from an analog matrix switch.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the anomaly is a media loss alarm for an analog port associated with an analog camera, and wherein the failover media server is activated to receive the media stream from the analog camera.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

communicating a last known recording data of the media server that experienced the failure to the failover media server; and

notifying an operations manager element when the failover media server is activated.

8. Logic encoded in one or more non-transitory media that includes code for execution and when executed by a processor operable to perform operations comprising:

evaluating a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream, wherein the first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server;

detecting an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages, wherein the anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server;

activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly;

evaluating a second plurality of messages, wherein the second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure;

deactivating the failover media server based on the resumed active state; and

communicating media metadata from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure, wherein the media metadata includes information related to backup recordings made when the failover media server was activated.

9. The logic of claim 8, wherein the media metadata includes a timestamp and a location for at least one of the backup recordings.

10. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

recording the media stream in a first database associated with the media server if the failover media server is not activated; and

recording the media stream in a second database associated with the failover media server if the failover media server is activated.

11. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a request from an endpoint to view the media stream; and

directing the endpoint to the failover media server if the failover media server is activated.

12. The logic of claim 8, wherein the media stream is received from an analog matrix switch.

13. The logic of claim 8, wherein the anomaly is a media loss alarm for an analog port associated with an analog camera, and wherein the failover media server is activated to receive the media stream from the analog camera.

14. The logic of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

communicating a last known recording data of the media server that experienced the failure to the failover media server; and

notifying an operations manager element when the failover media server is activated.

15. An apparatus, comprising:

a memory element configured to store code;

a processor operable to execute instructions associated with the code; and

a failover module configured to interface with the memory element and the processor such that the apparatus can;

evaluate a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream, wherein the first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server;

detect an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages, wherein the anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server;

activate a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly;

evaluate a second plurality of messages, wherein the second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure;

deactivate the failover media server based on the resumed active state; and

communicate media metadata from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure, wherein the media metadata includes information related to backup recordings made when the failover media server was activated.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the media metadata includes a timestamp and a location for at least one of the backup recordings.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

a first database associated with the media server, wherein the media stream is recorded in the first database if the failover media server is not activated, and wherein the media stream is recorded in a second database associated with the failover media server if the failover media server is activated.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the media stream is received from an analog matrix switch.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the anomaly is a media loss alarm for an analog port associated with an analog camera, and wherein the failover media server is activated to receive the media stream from the analog camera.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a last known recording data of the media server that experienced the failure is communicated to the failover media server, and wherein a notification is sent to an operations manager element when the failover media server is activated.