1 Topic by r.kemp

  • r.kemp
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  • From: Birmingham, UK
  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 17

Topic: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

Hey everyone.

I'm working on a CobraNet system with around 50 Cobranet devices and as part of network upgrades I could do with adding "syslocation" information to all my cobranet devices so that when using Disco they are easier to trace.

For NioNodes I can edit the information from within CNet Disco, however after a power cycle the information is gone. Any idea why this might be? Is that something that is set at the factory and non modifiable.

Secondly - It would be great to assign IP addresses to older CAB devices (8i 8o 16i 16o etc) but this appears to be completely un-editable within Disco.

Any thoughts on this? Creative and smart ideas welcome

It already sounds better

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2 Reply by Lee Freer

  • Lee Freer
  • PCA Application Engineer - EMEA
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  • From: Peavey - Corby, UK
  • Registered: 2007-10-03
  • Posts: 35

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

Hi Richard,

I think enabling the Persistence feature after setting the SysLocation field in Disco should solve the Power cycle problem for you - certainly in older Cab devices and I'm pretty sure this is the same for Nion.

Its found in Disco by right clicking on the specific device and choosing Options > Configure > Advanced  - You can set the SysLocation field name then Enable the Persistence check box and click Apply.  All being well it takes about a minute to write but certainly it remembers the value after a power cycle.  (I've just tested it on one of our Nions)

I think this is also applicable to IP Addresses - although I didn't test that part.

Drop me a mail if you need some more assistance sir!  8)

Lee Freer's Website

3 Reply by JoshM

  • JoshM
  • JoshM
  • Recording Engineer at Burnt Orange Studio
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  • From: Meridian, MS
  • Registered: 2007-08-13
  • Posts: 1,498

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

Hi Lee, I hate to say this, but enabling Persistence on any of the old 1RU CAB's is a good way to make them fail prematurely. The problem is that it wears out the EEPROM on the CobraNet mezzanine board. This isn't such a problem with devices that are based on the CM-1 and CM-2 platforms, but it should NEVER be done with the old style CAB's.

Hi Richard, The NIONs are unique creatures in that they write all the values to the CobraNet card. You will find that the sysName in the NIONs is made up of the Hostname of the NION plus the descriptor " cm1". Generally you should be changing the Hostnames of your NIONs anyway so they are not all just named "nion". In this way you can have specific descriptors for each of the NIONs in your system and each CM-1 card as it shows up in Disco.

What are you hoping to gain by giving the CAB's fixed IP addresses? You can control them directly from NWare to make them do most anything, even advanced sub-channel mapping.

Generally, I recommend the use of Disco as a troubleshooting tool for MediaMatrix systems. The systems should be primarily configured using only NWare. This way when they are powered down and back up, they come back up the right way every time.

Josh Millward
Burnt Orange Studios

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4 Reply by r.kemp

  • r.kemp
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  • Posts: 17

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

Hi Guys, thanks for the info.

I wanted to assign IP's basically as a mean of identifying from Disco which CAB is which as we have around 20 on the network.

We're just working with some network guys who aren't particularly great at what they do and so trying to aid our troubleshooting process by trying to provide ourselves with as much information as we can. Currently if I look in disco I'll see around 20 CAB devices - some old 1RU other 4n and all their IP's are 0.0.0.0 so it's hard to trace if they fall off the network because of network issues. Giving them an ID or a sysLocation field would mean I can identify quickly that a particular device or area is having issues.

I can't seem to write any information to these devices at all - I haven't tried persistence since your comment Josh. But I don't recall ever being able to write information to CAB devices via DISCO - just wanted to check.

Lee - thanks for the input. I may well be in touch - I've started comms with James Kennedy as I may need some support on this project here.

It already sounds better

r.kemp's Website

5 Reply by Fergy

  • Fergy
  • MM Tech Support
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  • From: The Home Office--Meridian
  • Registered: 2007-08-15
  • Posts: 334

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

With persistence on, try using SNMP (Disco has SNMP tools, you just need to turn them on) to make the change to the SYSNAME.  After you make the change, reboot the CN Device, as it doesn't always "take".  If it doesn't, try to set the value a second time, until it "sets".

Good luck.
Fergy

Make it intuitive, never leave them guessing.

6 Reply by r.kemp

  • r.kemp
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  • Registered: 2008-11-25
  • Posts: 17

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

FYI I got this all sorted in the end gentleman. See you in the bar for beer.

i'll be there from 7pm tonight wink

It already sounds better

r.kemp's Website

7 Reply by phils

  • phils
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  • Registered: 2007-08-15
  • Posts: 322

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

Hi,
Thanks for sharing your pain big_smile, but what would be really interesting would be to learn what you figured out.
Often it's just some small thing that can transfer to others of us scratching our heads about similar things.
I looked for you in the bar...
Thanks!!

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place."
                                                                                        - George Bernard Shaw

8 Reply by r.kemp

  • r.kemp
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  • Registered: 2008-11-25
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Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

I must have been in the rest room?!

I think partly it was user error in Disco;

Initially 1RU CAB devices were showing IP addresses of 0.0.0.0 but once I set within disco preferences that the range should be within my chosen range and then selecting "auto assignment" all of the 1ru CABs and all my other CAB 4n devices came to life and I was able to quickly edit with SNMP the sys location. But like Josh had mentioned in a previous comment this wasn't really necessary for a lot of these devices as their relevant device ID pretty much helped be locate where they are situated within the theme park.

Some devices had obtained odd IP addresses that weren't in my range but if changed the IP of my computer to the same range I would then be able to access those - change them via SNMP and then revert back to my old and correct IP.

61 Cobranet devices - all running beautifully and being monitored. What a joy big_smile

Sorry you missed me in the bar, better luck next time

It already sounds better

r.kemp's Website

9 Reply by ivorr

  • ivorr
  • ivorr
  • DSP Geek
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  • From: West Des Moines, IA
  • Registered: 2007-08-17
  • Posts: 56

Re: CobraNet - Assigning IP and other information through Disco

CobraNet modules rely on BOOTP to get their IP addresses. Disco has a BOOTP server built in. IIRC, somewhere in the Disco directory is a list of MAC addresses and associated IP addresses. Once the list is populated, Disco hands the same IP address to each module every time. Leave Disco running on your CobraNet LAN, and your modules should get the same address every time. I reserve the right to be wrong on this one, but it seems to work that way.

Last edited by ivorr (2013-08-09 18:20:18)

The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing. -Socrates

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