When an encoder is providing a stream for your broadcast, it can initiate the connection to your streaming media server (push) ...

When an encoder is providing a stream for your broadcast, it can initiate the connection to your streaming media server (push) or your server can initiate the connection to the encoder (pull). Pushing the stream from the encoder is useful if the encoder is behind a firewall or if the encoder administrator needs to control the broadcast. Pulling the stream from the encoder is useful if your server is behind a firewall or if you want to minimize bandwidth usage between the server and encoder. If this computer is a distribution server in your streaming media network, it can initiate the connection to the encoder when it is ready to stream.