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How do I use a single external IP address to host multiple servers in my cluster?

If you have multiple MSR EdgeVis Servers behind a single Internet IP address this article explains how to open all servers to the Internet.

Updated over a week ago

Introduction

For multi-site resilience (MSR) each server publishes its external address and ports to all encoders and clients so they have a list of possible servers to connect to. By default, each server uses the same ports, so only one server can be port forward from your internet router.

Prerequisites

  • At least one server sharing the same IP address must use the standard EdgeVis network ports.

Overview

By default two servers at the same site would attempt to use the network ports and would not be able offer the same external IP address through the same router/firewall. To allow the servers to be accessible externally via the same IP address the router/firewall must forward a different set of ports for each server.

The standard set of ports for video access is as follows:

  • TCP - 9300 & 9301

  • UDP - 2048 & 9300

It is possible to reconfigure these ports on subsequent servers using the same external address.

For example:

Server 1 (default ports)

Server 2 (reconfigured ports)

  • TCP - 9300 & 9301

  • UDP - 2048 & 9300

  • TCP - 9400 & 9401

  • UDP - 2148 & 9400

Firewall illustration

Setup Steps

Step 1 - Deploy your EdgeVis cluster

Install your EdgeVis Server cluster as described in the installation instructions. When prompted, enter the same external address for each server behind the same router/firewall.

Step 2 - Select a set of ports for each server

Each server requires a set of unique ports, i.e. there must be no other EdgeVis Server (or other device) behind the same external address using it. A cluster must have at least one server using the default ports.

NOTE: The server listening on the default ports must be active when connecting new devices and clients for the first time.

Step 3 - Configure the router/firewall

Configure your router/external firewall to port forward each set of ports to the corresponding EdgeVis Server’s internal address.

NOTE: Refer to the manufacturer’s router/firewall documentation for further information if necessary.

Step 4 - Re-configure the network ports on EdgeVis Server

  • Log in to the Server’s management web interface on the server that won’t be changing ports (i.e. the server that will continue to use port 9300).

  • Navigate to the Multi-site resilience status page.

  • For each of the other servers at the site:

    • Click on the server to access its status page.

    • Click the Edit this server’s ports menu item button.

    • Enter the set of ports selected for that server in Step 2.

    • Submit the changes and the edited server will restart.

    • Repeat, if necessary, for all remaining servers at this site.

Illustration of configuration interface

Step 5 - Test the deployment

  • Configure a single encoder and client to connect to the cluster from the external network.

  • Take down all but one of the servers, and verify that the client can successfully stream from the encoder.

  • Repeat for each server; bringing it up, shutting down the previous server and checking that the client can stream.

Troubleshooting:

  • If the client isn’t able to connect then the issue will be with one of the Viewer control ports.

  • If the encoder isn’t able to connect then the issue will be with the Encoder port.

  • If both can connect and the video isn’t streaming then the issue is with the ‘Viewer video’ port.

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