Icecast - Aug 2004 - how much horsepower will i need for streaming?

hi!

i'm putting together a streaming relay network for the linux audio 
developer's conference #2 (http://www.zkm.de/lad), and i was 
wondering how much cpu power will be required on the master server.

we need to record 2 48k stereo signals simultaneously and encode 
them into three streams each:

2x 54kbit/s 22k05 mono
2x 112kbit/s 48k stereo
2x 192kbit/s 48k stereo

it would be very nice if the same box could handle the streaming to 
between 5 and 8 relay servers, so that we have only one single point 
of failure.

how much cpu and memory do you think we'll need to be on the *very 
safe* side ?

thanks in advance,

jörn

<p>
-- 
"I never use EQ, never, never, never. I previously used to use mic
positioning but I've even given up on that too."
	- Jezar on http://www.audiomelody.com

<p>Jörn Nettingsmeier
Kurfürstenstr 49, 45138 Essen, Germany
http://spunk.dnsalias.org (my server)
http://www.linuxaudiodev.org (Linux Audio Developers)

<p><p>--- >8 ----
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Joern Nettingsmeier wrote:
> i'm putting together a streaming relay network for the linux audio 
> developer's conference #2 (http://www.zkm.de/lad), and i was wondering 
> how much cpu power will be required on the master server.
> 
> we need to record 2 48k stereo signals simultaneously and encode them 
> into three streams each:
> 
> 2x 54kbit/s 22k05 mono
> 2x 112kbit/s 48k stereo
> 2x 192kbit/s 48k stereo
> 
> it would be very nice if the same box could handle the streaming to 
> between 5 and 8 relay servers, so that we have only one single point of 
> failure.
> 
> how much cpu and memory do you think we'll need to be on the *very
safe*
> side ?
Icecast alone is very easy on the hardware, the source client is who's 
doing the hard encoding work. You'd want to check if your source client 
is capable of encoding those three streams easily in realtime (let it 
have overhead, so your stream doesn't get in trouble when a cronjob 
starts daily maintenance.)

On the server side, bandwidth is the limiting factor.

Also, relays get their streams from the master server, it's not the 
master server that connects to the relays to send it to them.

Just make some live tests on the master server, and while it runs, 
trigger any possible cronjobs and do other nasty things and see if the 
streams stay up. When you do the real thing, disable those cronjobs, 
don't do nasty stuff and you should be on the safe side. :)

<p>Moritz
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lists@scapa.dnsalias.net wrote:
> Joern Nettingsmeier wrote:
> 
>> i'm putting together a streaming relay network for the linux audio 
>> developer's conference #2 (http://www.zkm.de/lad), and i was
wondering
>> how much cpu power will be required on the master server.
>>
>> we need to record 2 48k stereo signals simultaneously and encode them 
>> into three streams each:
>>
>> 2x 54kbit/s 22k05 mono
>> 2x 112kbit/s 48k stereo
>> 2x 192kbit/s 48k stereo
>>
>> it would be very nice if the same box could handle the streaming to 
>> between 5 and 8 relay servers, so that we have only one single point 
>> of failure.
>>
>> how much cpu and memory do you think we'll need to be on the *very 
>> safe* side ?
> 
> 
> Icecast alone is very easy on the hardware, the source client is who's 
> doing the hard encoding work. You'd want to check if your source client
> is capable of encoding those three streams easily in realtime (let it 
> have overhead, so your stream doesn't get in trouble when a cronjob 
> starts daily maintenance.)
i should have mentioned that i will be using ices2. i can encode 
three streams on a dual p3/600 at about 85% load, but i'd like to 
have some data from other people as well...
> On the server side, bandwidth is the limiting factor.
the master will only be serving a limited number of relays. its 
maximum network output will be 5-10 mbit/s.
> Also, relays get their streams from the master server, it's not the 
> master server that connects to the relays to send it to them.
true, but the load on the master is the same, regardless of the 
connection procedure.
> Just make some live tests on the master server, and while it runs, 
> trigger any possible cronjobs and do other nasty things and see if the 
> streams stay up. When you do the real thing, disable those cronjobs, 
> don't do nasty stuff and you should be on the safe side. :)
it's a dedicated machine, there will be no cron running.

<p>
-- 
"I never use EQ, never, never, never. I previously used to use mic
positioning but I've even given up on that too."
	- Jezar on http://www.audiomelody.com

<p>Jörn Nettingsmeier
Kurfürstenstr 49, 45138 Essen, Germany
http://spunk.dnsalias.org (my server)
http://www.linuxaudiodev.org (Linux Audio Developers)

<p><p>--- >8 ----
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