Architecture for high availability conferencing

1. A non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for a backup signaling server to provide high-availability video conferencing, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor to:

monitor a signaling server, wherein the signaling server facilitates video conference signaling between endpoints and media servers, wherein the media servers provide media support for video conferences between the endpoints, including providing one or more of: receiving, decoding, mixing, compositing, encoding, or transmitting media streams to and from endpoints participating in the conferences;

detect that the signaling server has failed;

facilitate video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers in response to detecting that the signaling server has failed.

2. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein the signaling server maintains scheduling data and call context data for video conferences supported by the media servers, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

maintain the scheduling data and the call context data for the video conferences supported by the media servers.

3. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1 ,

wherein the program instructions for monitoring the signaling server are further executable to periodically receive a heartbeat signal from the signaling server;

wherein the program instructions for detecting that the signaling server has failed are further executable to detect an absence of the heartbeat signal from the signaling server.

4. The non-transitory computer accessible memory medium of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions for facilitating video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers are further executable to:

register the media servers;

establish calls with the endpoints;

select media servers to provide media support for video conferences for the endpoints;

monitor the media servers for failure.

5. A method for providing high-availability video conferencing, wherein the method is implemented by a backup signaling server, the method comprising:

monitoring a signaling server, wherein the signaling server facilitates video conference signaling between endpoints and media servers, wherein the media servers provide media support for video conferences between the endpoints, including providing one or more of: receiving, decoding, mixing, compositing, encoding, or transmitting media streams to and from endpoints participating in the conferences;

detecting that the signaling server has failed;

facilitating video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers in response to detecting that the signaling server has failed.

6. The method of claim 5 ,

wherein the signaling server maintains scheduling data and call context data for video conferences hosted by the media servers;

wherein the backup signaling server also maintains the scheduling data and the call context data for the video conferences hosted by the media servers.

7. The method of claim 5 ,

wherein monitoring the signaling server comprises periodically receiving a heartbeat signal from the signaling server;

wherein detecting that the signaling server has failed comprises detecting an absence of the heartbeat signal from the signaling server.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein facilitating video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers comprises:

registering the media servers;

receiving calls from the endpoints;

selecting media servers to host video conferences for the endpoints based on receiving calls from the endpoints;

monitoring the media servers for failure.

9. A backup signaling server computer system configured to provide high availability video conferencing, the backup signaling server comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions executable by the processor to:

monitor a signaling server, wherein the signaling server facilitates video conference signaling between endpoints and media servers, wherein the media servers provide media support for video conferences between the endpoints, including providing one or more of: receiving, decoding, mixing, compositing, encoding, or transmitting media streams to and from endpoints participating in the conferences;

detect that the signaling server has failed;

facilitate video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers in response to detecting that the signaling server has failed.

10. The backup signaling server computer system of claim 9 , wherein the signaling server maintains scheduling data and call context data for video conferences supported by the media servers, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

maintain the scheduling data and the call context data for the video conferences supported by the media servers.

11. The backup signaling server computer system of claim 9 ,

wherein the program instructions for monitoring the signaling server are further executable to periodically receive a heartbeat signal from the signaling server;

wherein the program instructions for detecting that the signaling server has failed are further executable to detect an absence of the heartbeat signal from the signaling server.

12. The backup signaling server computer system of claim 9 , wherein the program instructions for facilitating video conference signaling between the endpoints and the media servers are further executable to:

register the media servers;

establish calls with the endpoints;

select media servers to provide media support for video conferences for the endpoints;

monitor the media servers for failure.