🌐 Origin Servers

Origin Servers host and deliver packaged streaming content to CDNs and client devices.

Table of contents

1. Overview
   1. Key Functions
2. Origin Server Architecture
   1. Component Integration
   2. Storage Structure
   3. Deployment Considerations
3. Adding a New Origin
   1. Prerequisites
   2. Creation Steps
4. Configuration Parameters
   1. Media Directory Configuration
5. Origin List Display
6. Origin Actions
7. Viewing Origin Details
   1. Top Action Buttons
   2. Information Display
   3. Media Directory Usage
8. Editing an Origin
   1. Editable Fields
   2. Edit Workflow
9. Enabling / Disabling Origins
   1. Toggle Operation
10. Deleting an Origin
    1. Delete Operation
11. Playback URLs
    1. URL Structure
    2. CDN Integration
    3. Direct Client Access
12. Performance and Capacity
    1. Disk Space Planning
    2. Network Bandwidth
    3. Server Resources
13. Monitoring and Maintenance
    1. Health Checks
    2. Alerts
    3. Regular Maintenance
14. Troubleshooting
    1. Origin Not Serving Content
    2. Disk Space Full
    3. High Latency
    4. Inconsistent Content
15. Best Practices
    1. Deployment
    2. Storage
    3. Network
    4. Security
    5. Operations
16. Related Documentation

Overview

Origin Servers are the final component in the streaming pipeline, responsible for hosting packaged media segments and serving them to Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) and direct client requests. Origins store the output from AES, DASH, and HLS packagers and provide HTTP access to manifests and segments.

Key Functions

• Storage: Host packaged media segments and manifest files
• Delivery: Serve content via HTTP/HTTPS to CDNs and clients
• Accessibility: Provide playback URLs for viewer consumption
• Integration: Bridge between packagers and content distribution
• Performance: Enable efficient content delivery at scale

Origin Server Architecture

Component Integration

Input Stream → Transcoder → Packagers → Origin Server → CDN → Viewers

Storage Structure

Origins host content in a directory structure organized by:

• Content ID
• Packaging format (AES, DASH, HLS)
• Segments and manifest files

Deployment Considerations

• Same Server as Packagers: Typical deployment for simplicity
• Dedicated Origin Servers: For high-traffic scenarios
• Geographic Distribution: Multiple origins for global reach
• CDN Integration: Origins as source for edge servers

Adding a New Origin

Prerequisites

• Server with sufficient disk space for media storage
• Network connectivity to packagers
• Available network interface with internet access
• Packagers already configured and generating output

Creation Steps

1. Navigate to Origins from the left sidebar
2. Click Add Origin button (top-right)
3. Select Server:
   • Typically the same server hosting packagers
   • Ensure sufficient disk space for segment storage
   • Verify network connectivity to packagers
4. Select Server Interface:
   • Choose primary network interface
   • Verify interface has internet connectivity
   • Confirm interface is properly configured
5. Choose Deployment Version (optional):
   • Select specific version if required
   • Use default version if unsure
6. Set Media Directory:
   • Standard path: /opt/es/media/packager
   • This is where packagers write output segments
   • Ensure directory exists and is writable
   • Verify sufficient disk space available
7. Enable Origin: Toggle Enable = ON to activate
8. Click Save to finalize origin creation

Configuration Parameters

Media Directory Configuration

Important Points:

• Shared with Packagers: Use the same directory where packagers write output
• Writable: Must have appropriate permissions for web server
• Disk Space: Monitor usage and plan for growth
• Path Consistency: Must match packager configuration exactly

Typical Structure:

/opt/es/media/packager/
├── content-001/
│   ├── aes/
│   ├── dash/
│   └── hls/
├── content-002/
│   ├── aes/
│   ├── dash/
│   └── hls/
└── ...

Origin List Display

Once created, origins appear in the list with the following information:

Origin Actions

Available actions for each origin:

Viewing Origin Details

Top Action Buttons

• Disable / Enable: Temporarily stop or start origin service
• Edit: Modify origin configuration
• Back: Return to origin list

Information Display

Media Directory Usage

The media directory serves multiple purposes:

• Storage Location: All packaged media from AES, DASH, HLS packagers
• Organization: Directory structure by content and stream format
• Write Access: Packagers write segments to this location
• Read Access: Origin serves content from this directory
• Shared Resource: Multiple packagers may write to same directory

Editing an Origin

Editable Fields

The edit page allows modification of:

• Server: Server hosting the origin
  • Typically the same server hosting packagers
  • Changing requires proper server preparation
  • Verify new server has media directory access
• Server Interface: Primary network interface
  • Must have connectivity to CDN and clients
  • Verify IP address configuration
• Deployment Version: Origin service version
  • Select specific version if needed
  • Coordinate with platform updates
• Media Directory: Absolute path for segment storage
  • Example: /opt/es/media/packager
  • Must exist and be writable by packagers
  • Requires sufficient disk space
  • Changing may require data migration
• Enable Origin: Activation toggle
  • Enable: Activate origin immediately
  • Disable: Keep configured but inactive

Edit Workflow

1. Navigate to origin details page
2. Click Edit button
3. Review all modifications carefully
4. Click Save to apply changes
5. Click Cancel to discard without saving
6. Monitor origin status after updates

Enabling / Disabling Origins

Toggle Operation

The toggle action controls the origin service state without removing configuration.

Use Cases:

• Temporary maintenance windows
• Testing and validation
• Resource optimization
• Planned downtime

Workflow:

1. Navigate to Origins list
2. Click toggle (Enabled/Disabled) icon
3. Review confirmation message
4. Click Ok to enable/disable
5. Click Cancel to discard action

Effect:

• Disabling stops content serving immediately
• Active viewers may experience playback interruption
• Packagers continue writing to media directory
• Configuration is preserved

Deleting an Origin

Delete Operation

Permanently removes the origin from the platform.

Warning: This does not delete media files from disk. Only the origin configuration is removed.

Before Deleting:

• Ensure no active viewers are using the origin
• Disable the origin first
• Consider if media files should be preserved
• Update CDN configurations if needed
• Document reasons for removal

Workflow:

1. Navigate to Origins list
2. Click Delete (bin) icon
3. Review confirmation message
4. Click Ok to remove origin
5. Click Cancel to discard action

Playback URLs

URL Structure

Origins serve content through HTTP/HTTPS URLs with the following structure:

AES Playlist:

http://origin-server.example.com/content-id/aes/playlist.m3u8

DASH Manifest:

http://origin-server.example.com/content-id/dash/manifest.mpd

HLS Master Playlist:

http://origin-server.example.com/content-id/hls/master.m3u8

CDN Integration

Origins typically serve as source for CDN edge servers:

Client → CDN Edge → CDN Origin Shield → Origin Server

Benefits:

• Reduced load on origin servers
• Lower latency for global viewers
• Improved scalability
• Better reliability

Direct Client Access

For testing or low-traffic scenarios, clients can access origins directly:

Advantages:

• Simpler setup
• No CDN costs
• Direct control

Limitations:

• Limited scalability
• Higher origin load
• No geographic distribution
• No edge caching

Performance and Capacity

Disk Space Planning

Calculation Factors:

• Number of concurrent channels
• Segment duration (affects segment count)
• Retention/buffer window (typically 10-60 minutes)
• Multiple packaging formats (AES, DASH, HLS)
• Multiple quality renditions

Example Calculation:

For 1 channel with:

• 3 formats (AES, DASH, HLS)
• 4 renditions per format
• 10-minute buffer
• 6-second segments
• ~2 MB per segment average

Total: ~100 segments × 12 formats/renditions × 2 MB = ~2.4 GB per channel

Recommendations:

• 100 GB minimum for small deployments
• 500 GB - 1 TB for medium deployments
• 1+ TB for large deployments
• Monitor usage and expand as needed

Network Bandwidth

Considerations:

• Aggregate bitrate of all streams
• Number of concurrent viewers (if serving directly)
• CDN pull bandwidth
• Peak load scenarios

Best Practices:

• Use CDN to reduce origin bandwidth
• Monitor bandwidth utilization
• Plan for peak events (3-5x normal load)
• Implement rate limiting if needed

Server Resources

Typical Requirements:

• CPU: Minimal (serving pre-packaged content)
• Memory: 4-8 GB
• Disk I/O: Important for many concurrent requests
• Network: 1 Gbps+ for medium/large deployments

Monitoring and Maintenance

Health Checks

Monitor these indicators:

• Status: RUNNING vs STOPPED
• Disk Space: Available storage capacity
• Request Rate: HTTP requests per second
• Response Time: Time to serve segments
• Error Rate: 404s and 500s
• Bandwidth Usage: Outgoing traffic

Alerts

Set up notifications for:

• Origin status changes to STOPPED
• Disk space below 15%
• High error rates (>1% 404/500 errors)
• Unusual bandwidth spikes
• Service restarts or crashes

Regular Maintenance

Weekly Tasks:

• Review disk space usage trends
• Check for orphaned media files
• Verify all origins are RUNNING
• Review access logs for issues

Monthly Tasks:

• Analyze bandwidth usage patterns
• Clean up old or unused content
• Review and update capacity plans
• Test failover procedures

Quarterly Tasks:

• Review deployment versions
• Plan infrastructure upgrades
• Conduct capacity planning
• Update documentation

Troubleshooting

Origin Not Serving Content

Symptoms:

• 404 errors for playlist URLs
• Segments not accessible
• Playback fails immediately

Debug Steps:

1. Verify origin status is RUNNING
2. Check media directory exists and is accessible
3. Confirm packagers are writing to correct directory
4. Test direct file access on origin server:

   curl http://origin-server/content-id/aes/playlist.m3u8
   

5. Check web server configuration
6. Review origin service logs
7. Verify file permissions on media directory

Disk Space Full

Symptoms:

• Origin stops responding
• Packagers cannot write new segments
• Errors in packager logs

Resolution:

1. Identify large or old files:

   du -sh /opt/es/media/packager/*
   

2. Remove old or unused content
3. Increase disk capacity
4. Implement automatic cleanup policies
5. Monitor disk space continuously

High Latency

Symptoms:

• Slow segment loading
• Buffering during playback
• Delayed playback start

Debug Steps:

1. Test segment download times
2. Check origin server CPU and disk I/O
3. Verify network connectivity
4. Review web server configuration
5. Consider CDN implementation
6. Check for bandwidth throttling

Inconsistent Content

Symptoms:

• Some segments accessible, others not
• Playback stutters or stops
• 404 errors intermittently

Debug Steps:

1. Verify packagers are running properly
2. Check disk space and I/O performance
3. Review file permissions
4. Test segment creation and deletion
5. Check for filesystem errors
6. Review packager and origin logs

Best Practices

Deployment

✓ Deploy origins on same servers as packagers initially ✓ Use dedicated origin servers for high-traffic scenarios ✓ Implement CDN for production deployments ✓ Configure HTTPS for secure content delivery ✓ Use consistent paths across all components

Storage

✓ Use fast storage (SSD) for media directories ✓ Monitor disk space continuously ✓ Implement automatic cleanup of old segments ✓ Plan capacity based on content and retention needs ✓ Use RAID for reliability in production

Network

✓ Configure appropriate bandwidth allocation ✓ Use dedicated network interfaces for high traffic ✓ Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse ✓ Monitor bandwidth usage patterns ✓ Plan for peak load scenarios

Security

✓ Use HTTPS for all content delivery ✓ Implement access controls for admin interfaces ✓ Restrict direct origin access (use CDN) ✓ Monitor for unauthorized access attempts ✓ Keep deployment versions updated

Operations

✓ Set up comprehensive monitoring and alerts ✓ Document all configuration changes ✓ Test failover procedures regularly ✓ Maintain backup origins for critical content ✓ Conduct regular capacity reviews

Related Documentation

• Input Streams - Configure source streams
• Transcoders - Set up transcoding
• Packagers - Configure stream packaging
• Best Practices - Optimization guidelines
• Troubleshooting - Resolve common issues