Video Transcoder Failover via Buffering and Location State
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current video transcoding systems in large-scale live video broadcast applications face reliability issues when the transcoding backend fails, leading to potential black screens or stuck video displays due to the lack of seamless switchover mechanisms, resulting in low reliability and prolonged disruptions.
Innovation Solution
A video transcoding system that includes a main transcoder and a backup transcoder, where the backup transcoder buffers the input video and takes over transcoding upon the main transcoder's failure, using transcoding location information to ensure seamless continuity by decoding and re-encoding video streams, thereby maintaining smooth video playback and enhancing system reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single transcoder is used for video transcoding, then the device complexity is low, but the system reliability deteriorates when the transcoder fails
Solution Approach 1:
The backup transcoder is pre-configured and ready to take over immediately when the main transcoder fails. The system maintains transcoding location information and buffers video data in advance, enabling seamless switchover without interruption to the video stream.
Solution Approach 2:
A backup transcoder is created as a copy of the main transcoder with identical functionality. The backup transcoder mirrors the main transcoder's state including transcoding location information, allowing it to seamlessly take over the video transcoding task when the main transcoder fails.
2Reliability
If a backup transcoder is introduced for failover, then the system reliability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The backup transcoder is pre-configured and ready to take over immediately when the main transcoder fails. The system maintains transcoding location information and buffers video data in advance, enabling seamless switchover without interruption to the video stream.
Solution Approach 2:
A switching mechanism acts as an intermediary between the main transcoder and the backup transcoder. This mediator manages the failover process by detecting main transcoder failures and redirecting video streams to the backup transcoder, abstracting the complexity from the user perspective.
3Loss of time
If the backup transcoder waits for main transcoder failure to start buffering, then the device complexity is low, but the loss of time increases during failover
Solution Approach 1:
The backup transcoder starts buffering video data in advance before the main transcoder fails. This preliminary action ensures that when failure occurs, the backup transcoder already has the necessary video data ready for immediate processing, eliminating delays during failover.
Solution Approach 2:
The backup transcoder continues buffering video data even when the main transcoder is operational. This continuous useful action ensures that the backup transcoder is always ready to take over immediately, maintaining uninterrupted video stream processing during failover events.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present application provide a video transcoding system and method and a related product. The system comprises: a main transcoder and a standby transcoder. The main transcoder acquires an input video, transcodes the input video, and sends the transcoded video to a receiving device. The standby transcoder acquires the input video, buffers the input video, acquires transcoding location information of the main transcoder when the main transcoder is down, transcodes the buffered input video according to the transcoding location information to acquire an output video, and sends the output video to the receiving device.