Abstract: Management instructions for a particular managed server within an administrative domain are generated according to an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers. A determination is made regarding which rules within the set of rules are relevant to the particular managed server. Function-level instructions are generated based on the rules that were determined to be relevant. A determination is made regarding which managed servers within the plurality of managed servers are relevant to the particular managed server. The function-level instructions and information regarding the managed servers that were determined to be relevant are sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: A change to a state of a particular managed server within an administrative domain is processed. The administrative domain includes a plurality of managed servers that use management instructions to configure management modules so that the configured management modules implement an administrative domain-wide management policy that comprises a set of one or more rules. A first description of the particular managed server is modified to indicate the particular managed server's changed state, thereby specifying a second description of the particular managed server. The unmodified first description is compared to the second description, thereby specifying a description change. A determination is made, based on the description change, regarding whether to update management instructions previously sent to the particular managed server.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating an active state of a media server configured to capture a media stream from one or more media sources. The method also includes determining a failure associated with the media server, and activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the failure. The method further includes replicating configuration data associated with the media server that experienced the failure. The configuration data can be provisioned in a suitable database. The failover media server is configured using the configuration data.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream. The first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server. The method also includes detecting an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages. The anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server. The method can also include activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly, and evaluating a second plurality of messages. The second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure. The failover media server can be deactivated based on the resumed active state. Media metadata can be communicated from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes receiving a signal to record a media stream, and recording the media stream in a first file that has a preconfigured length. If the media stream being recorded exceeds the preconfigured length then a second file is used to continue recording the media stream. The second file can have the same preconfigured length as the first file. The method also includes receiving a signal to stop recording the media stream, and storing metadata associated with the media stream in a database. In specific implementations, the metadata can include a unique file name associated with the media stream, a directory name of a disk directory, a first time indicative of when the recording started, and a second time indicative of when the recording ended.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating a first plurality of messages from a media server configured to receive a media stream. The first plurality of messages is indicative of an active state for the media server. The method also includes detecting an anomaly associated with a portion of the first plurality of messages. The anomaly is associated with a failure of the media server. The method can also include activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the anomaly, and evaluating a second plurality of messages. The second plurality of messages is indicative of a resumed active state for the media server that experienced the failure. The failover media server can be deactivated based on the resumed active state. Media metadata can be communicated from the failover media server to the media server that experienced the failure.

Abstract: A method is provided in one example embodiment and includes evaluating an active state of a media server configured to capture a media stream from one or more media sources. The method also includes determining a failure associated with the media server, and activating a failover media server to receive the media stream based on the failure. The method further includes replicating configuration data associated with the media server that experienced the failure. The configuration data can be provisioned in a suitable database. The failover media server is configured using the configuration data.

Abstract: One embodiment in accordance with the invention is a method. For example, the method can include receiving a plurality of control plane messages. A determination can be made as to whether a processor card of a router is experiencing sustained congestion from the plurality of control plane messages. Provided the processor card is experiencing sustained congestion, a source of the sustained congestion can be identified. A correction phase can be entered in order to respond to the source of the sustained congestion.