Overview

In order to protect against device, link connectivity, or software failures, Zixi supports a variety of high-availability topologies by deploying redundant components. Zixi products feature failover mechanisms that utilize alternative components in the event of failure as well as redundant external encoder or decoder configurations.

Types of Redundancy

Hitless Failover

Zixi features hitless failover for inputs, enabling undisrupted streaming when switching from one source to another. The hitless failover feature is based on the SMPTE 2022-7 standard, which specifies “seamless” or hitless failover between binary-identical streams with synchronized RTP headers. Zixi's patent-pending hitless failover technology works by comparing the transport stream payload, without relying on sequences being synchronized. Zixi then applies a proprietary sequencing algorithm to identify missing parts and fill-in missing packets. The Hitless Failover feature is supported in the inputs of Zixi Feeder, Broadcaster, and Receiver.

Hot Redundancy

Hot redundancy, represented in the diagrams by a solid non-dashed arrow, involves two parallel active streams. This enables seamless failover transition between the two streams. It requires two live feeds, doubling the overall bandwidth.

Warm Redundancy

Warm redundancy, represented in the diagrams  by a dashed arrow, involves a primary active stream and a secondary backup stream that is ready to become active in the event of primary failure.

Cold Redundancy

In a cold redundancy configuration, a secondary path is available in a dormant state, requiring a manual switch over to activate in the event of a primary failure.

External Video Source Redundancy

Zixi can be configured to co-exist with redundant deployments of 3^rd party peripheral devices such as encoders or IRDs.

Source Encoder / Video Redundancy 

In the event of a loss of source signal, the recovery period of a Zixi Receiver or Zixi Broadcaster can stream from a secondary stream source or local file system. Typically used to stream a technical fault slate or message that the transmission will be resumed shortly.