VSF Releases Specification for RIST Relay

11th July 2023 – The Video Services Forum (VSF), has further enhanced the Reliable Internet Streaming Transport (RIST) protocol by incorporating a RIST Relay function to address the issue of firewall traversal for RIST devices. This feature, detailed in TR-06-4 Part 3, is the third release in a series of ancillary features for RIST specifications.

The RIST Relay provides a connection service to RIST devices using the RIST Advanced Profile. RIST devices connect to the RIST Relay as a rendezvous point, and the RIST Relay either facilitates a direct connection between the RIST devices, or relays the traffic between them. The RIST Relay is also capable of supporting group operation (many-to-many communication).

Developed jointly by a group of experts using a standards-based approach, the RIST protocol is designed to reliably transport video over unmanaged networks such as the Internet. It provides an open, interoperable and technically robust solution for low latency video contribution. It can be used for any use case where video needs to be transported over the Internet, but is typically used for professional media workflows, such as news and sports contribution, remote production, affiliate distribution and primary distribution.

"The RIST Relay function allows devices to connect simply and securely across firewalls, without needing to open ports in advance. Using a proxy device that is external to the organization and a SIP like mechanism to connect peers and organizations, RIST Relay massively simplifies connectivity, solving many real-life broadcast problems. The RIST Relay is an exciting development that brings much needed functionality to the market, enabling many new user applications."
Adi Rozenberg, CTO and Co founder, Alvalinks and RIST Forum Director

Technical recommendations are freely available from the VSF website for all to download and make use of.