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Status, settings and adding streamers

Streamer statuses

The Health menu section in the Watcher web UI allows the Watcher administrator to monitor streamer and disk statuses as well as configure and add streamers. By default, the local streamer is added to Watcher.

Streamer status

The streamer list includes:

  • TYPE: installation type on the server, i.e. Watcher (managing server) or Streamer.
  • FLUSSONIC VERSION: installation version on the server, should be the same on all servers for the best experience.
  • STREAMS: the number of active vs. total streams. Click the number in this column to open the Cameras page with filter by streamer enabled.
  • CPU: percentage of the CPU load on the server.
  • RAM: percentage of the RAM usage on the server.
  • TRAFFIC IN/OUT: total incoming and outgoing bitrate on the server.
  • DEFAULT: the flag in this column indicates that the streamer will be selected as default when you add cameras (see the settings below).
  • FAILOVER: the flag in this column indicates that the streamer can be used as backup (see the settings below).
  • UPTIME: period of time since the last Flussonic Watcher restart on this server.

Adding and configuring streamers

Before you add streamers to Watcher Cluster, you need to prepare them as described here. If you use Watcher Single, just configure the local streamer as needed by clicking its name to open the form described below.

To add streamer servers to Watcher:

  1. Click the Create a streamer button. The streamer settings page appears.

    Streamer settings

  2. Specify the streamer settings:

    • API URL – this URL is used for internal communication between the Watcher server and the streamer. It shall conform to the specifications of the FQDN.

    • Public URL – this URL is for connecting with streams at the streamer when you use the embed link. Note that the streamer's public URL must start with https:// if you plan to use the embed links over HTTPS because the public URL is inlined in the player page and you cannot call HTTP URLs from HTTPS page.

      The public URL shall conform to the specifications of the FQDN.

    • Cluster key – the cluster key used in the cluster (the cluster_key option in the configuration file). If the streamer’s and Watcher's cluster keys are identical, there is no need to fill this field.

    • DVR path is the path to the root folder (the Root parameter) as in the global DVR settings set on the streamer (Flussonic Media Server). This parameter is set when you install Watcher.

      The global DVR settings may include Flussonic RAID for DVR or just a path to the directory (the Root parameter without any other settings). When you specify only the path without other RAID settings, the archive of all cameras on the streamer will be stored in the specified path.

      Recording to the software RAID allows you to distribute archive fragments across several disks thereby ensuring uniform degradation of records in case of disk failure. Thus, you can avoid losing all the archive of any particular camera. So make sure to configure the disk array in the watcher global DVR settings as instructed at Flussonic RAID for DVR if you want to enjoy Flussonic RAID advantages.

    • Bitrate limit – use if you need to limit the data transfer rate through the streamer, for example, when using it as a backup (failover).

    • Vision – select the analytics mode.

    • Default – when you have added a number of streamers, you must select the default one. Check the Default box for one of the created streamers. All new cameras will be added to the default stream server.

  3. Click Save.

The streamer appears in the list. Click the streamer host name to edit streamer settings.

Warning

Identical date and time must be set on all servers in the cluster.

Resolving errors and warnings

If Watcher detects some errors or warnings in the server operation, the red or orange icon is displayed to the left of the hostname. Click the icon to view the error list, then click RESOLVE to fix the problem(s).

Streamers list