Audio over IP is an accepted standard for audiodelivery but there are further steps that can be taken toimprove reliability and add greater redundancy. In thispaper, I will set out four core techniques which, in variouscombinations, can create a type of audio ‘cloud’, a highlyresilient system suitable for many different audio transportapplications. The first technique is Redundant Streaming;the core on which any audio cloud is built. This is the abilityto stream multiple copies of the same audio packet overdivergent networks to protect against packet drop or loss ofconnections. Secondly, we explore Packet Forwarding ordrop and insert on IP. This is the ability to make each decodesite capable of supplying other decoders with audio packets.The third technique is Distributed Intelligence throughoutthe cloud; essentially the advanced control and monitoringfunctions needed to make the cloud function and self-healwith limited user intervention. The final component is that ofrelocating the Multicast or Multiple Unicast functionalityaway from the source encoder, reducing cost and improvingreliability. The paper will examine both real world andtheoretical scenarios based on the audio cloud componentsto produce highly resilient IP audio networks.
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