System Options

Overview

This chapter will cover global configuration options including:

• Setting administrative username and password

• Modifying web interface and stream server ports

• Configuring logging

• E-Mail alerts for error conditions

• Backup and restore of system configuration

• Management of services

• Date and Time/NTP

• Network interface configuration

• Software update

Options

Administrative username

The default administrative login is “user”. Although only one administrative login username is supported, this username can be changed if desired.

Administrative password

By default, this password is blank. It is highly recommended that this password be changed, particularly if the R/2 web interface will be accessible from the public Internet. Enter the password again in the “repeat password” field.

Web interface HTTP port

Modifies the port for the internal web server for security, port conflicts, or other reasons. Port 80 is the default, as with any other standard HTTP server.

Web interface HTTPS port

Modifies the port for the internal HTTPS (secure) web server for security, port conflicts, or other reasons. Port 443 is the default, as with any other standard HTTPS server.

HTTP stream server port

Modifies the port for the internal “test” HTTP stream server. The default is port 8888.

Note: Normally the default values for these ports are sufficient. Only change them if you have a specific reason to do so. Changes to port values will take effect after restarting R/2 or the R/2 service.

Stream server reconnect interval

Sets the interval for reconnect attempts to the stream server. The default value of 10 seconds should be sufficient in most cases.

Syslog server address

Syslog is a protocol designed for central logging of various events occurring on equipment within a network. If you wish to log R/2 events to a syslog server, enter the IP address for that server here.

Days to keep log files

Specify the length of time that logs should be kept on R/2, up to 360 days. The default is 30 days.

Local streams path

Specifies where HLS and other streaming files should be generated when stored locally. There is no local access to the R/2 file system, and generally this value should not be changed from the default. See the HLS streaming configuration examples from Chapter 8 for more details.

Email on error

When this box is checked, it enables additional settings for configuring e-mail alerts in the event of an error condition.

Email address for error notification

Enter an email address in this field. While emails may be sent directly to e-mail recipients, they can also be sent as text messages to mobile phones. If you are not familiar with how to do this, see the tutorial at http://sms411.net/how-to-send-email-to-a-phone/.

Sender name

The default is 'Z/IPStream R/2 application'. It will be useful to change this, if you have more than one R/2 running in your facility).

Sender email address

Enter the account username.

SMTP server address

You may enter either an IP address in the ###.###.###.### numeric format, or a name address (e.g. smtp.gmail.com). In order to resolve the name address, a working DNS server must be already configured on R/2 (see network configuration details later in this chapter).

SMTP server port

The default is 25, but you may change it if necessary. Many providers are now blocking SMTP on port 25. An alternative is port 587, which is also supported by most SMTP servers for non-secure SMTP traffic. Ideally, you will want to point to an SMTP server on your own network (or your ISP’s network) to prevent issues with relaying.

Use SSL connection

Checking this box will ensure that your SMTP communications are encrypted and secure from hackers but it will work only if your email service provider can accept SSL connections. A number of providers have switched from open SMTP servers (port 25) to SSL and authentication in order to cut down on SPAM.

Email send interval

Determines how frequently Z/IPStream sends you email alerts about a problem. The default is 3600 seconds (one hour). We suggest not setting it lower. You want to have a value large enough to give you enough time to resolve the situation before the problem repeats. Otherwise, in case of a persistent problem, you may end up having your email flooded with too many messages.

SMTP username

Enter the user name for your SMTP server here (if applicable).

SMTP password

Enter the password for your SMTP server here (if applicable).

Click the Save button to make the changes permanent. You will then be returned to the Control Panel page.

Backup and Restore

From the “Options” screen, click on “Backup” to access the Backup and Restore screen. This allows you to perform and restore complete backups of the R/2 configuration (including presets).

Refresh

Refreshes the displayed list of backups currently on the system.

Backup

Performs a backup of the R/2 configuration.

Upload

Uploads a previously downloaded backup.

Restore

Restores the selected backup from the list.

Delete

Deletes the selected backup from the list.

Download

Downloads the selected backup from the list.

Click “Options” to return to the system options screen.

Services

The various software components of R/2 run as “Services” on the system. While it should not be necessary under normal circumstances, this interface will allow each of the components to be restarted, stopped, or started as a troubleshooting measure. Note that stopping and restarting these services WILL temporarily disrupt operation of R/2 in various ways depending on which service is restarted.

Refresh

Updates the currently displayed status of these services. Green means go. A service will turn RED if it is not currently running. Contact support if a service is not running and will not restart.

Restart

Restarts the associated service.

Stop

Stops the associated service if started.

Start

Starts the associated service if stopped.

Service Descriptions

Frontpanel LCD UI

Service for the R/2 front panel interface. Restart in case of issues with the front panel.

Metadata server

Manages metadata services on R/2. Restart to troubleshoot metadata issues (i.e. if metadata stops working for some reason but there had been no other known changes).

Web Interface

Restarts the web interface service. This will log you out of R/2.

Z/IPStream R/2 encoder

Restarts the main R/2 encoder service. This is an alternative to completely rebooting R/2 and will restart all R/2 functions.

Axia Advertisement/GPIO Bridge/Routing

Livewire driver functions. GPIO Bridge and Routing are both dependent on Axia Advertisement. Restart these services in case of issues with the Livewire Driver.

Triton Digital Services

Controls the service that connects to Triton Digital Services.

Click “Options” to return to the system options screen.

Date and Time

Provides various parameters related to setting the date and time on the unit. Typically, the system time would be set via NTP (Network Time Protocol). While time can also be set manually, it is critical for logging and other purposes that the R/2 have an accurate time reference.

Set NTP Server

Refresh

Refreshes all values displayed on the “Set Date and Time” screen

Server

Specify an NTP server for R/2 to query. The default is pool.ntp.org, a public NTP time server pool. If your organization uses an internal NTP server, specify that address here.

Update interval

Specify the frequency of NTP queries. The default of 30 minutes is generally sufficient.

Last NTP update

Displays the last time the NTP server was successfully queried and the amount of correction. If everything is working properly, the correction value should be fairly small and the last update should be within the specified interval.

Click “Set” to confirm any changes.

Set Time Zone

Specify the local time zone to be used by R/2. Click “Set” to confirm.

Set Date and Time

Allows the time and date on R/2 to be set manually. Click “Set” to confirm.

Click “Options” to return to the system options screen.

Network Configuration

While the initial configuration of IP addresses is done from the front panel of R/2, the Network Configuration screen allows reconfiguration of network interfaces, as well as specifying DNS servers for each interface.

Note: Improper configuration of network parameters could disrupt connectivity to R/2. The front panel will always be capable of reconfiguring network interfaces, but in the case of remotely located units, it will require operator intervention at the front panel of the unit to restore connectivity.

Interface 1/Interface 2

Configures parameters for NIC 1 or NIC 2

Mode

Set to “Auto (DHCP)” to obtain an address via DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), “Manual” to specify IP address parameters manually, or “Disabled” to disable the interface entirely.

IP address

Displays current IP address if configured for “Auto (DHCP)”, or allows entry of a static IP address when configured for “Manual”.

Netmask

Displays current subnet mask if configured for “Auto (DHCP)”, or allows entry of a subnet mask directly when configured for “Manual”.

Gateway

Displays current network gateway (router) if configured for “Auto (DHCP)”, or allows entry of a gateway address directly when configured for “Manual”.

DNS 1

Displays current DNS (domain name) server if configured for “Auto (DHCP)”, or allows entry of a DNS server directly when configured for “Manual”. Note that this value cannot be entered via the front panel and must be entered through this configuration page.

DNS 2

Displays current secondary DNS (domain name) server if configured for “Auto (DHCP)”, or allows entry of a secondary DNS server directly when configured for “Manual”. Note that this value cannot be entered via the front panel and must be entered through this configuration page.

Click “Set” to confirm the values, then click “Options” to return to the main options page, or click “Ping/Traceroute” to access network diagnostic tools.

Network Tools

From the “Network Configuration” screen, click “Ping/Traceroute” to access the “Network Tools” interface. This screen provides ping and traceroute tools for network diagnostic purposes. These tools work like the equivalent tools on any other system…Ping checks the ability to access a specific host and displays the amount of time (latency) it takes to access that host, while traceroute traces the network path to a given host address across various routes. Both of these tools can be extremely valuable in troubleshooting network connectivity issues.

Ping

Enter the address of the desired host to ping, and click “Run”. The results will be displayed in the window.

Traceroute

Enter the address of the desired host to traceroute, and click “Run”. The results will be displayed in the window.

Click “Options” to return to the main options screen.

Software Update

Provides a mechanism for updating software and rebooting the R/2. There are two software “banks” on R/2, only one of which is active at any given time, while the other is available to receive a software update.

Click “Update software” to upload new software to R/2, then click “Run this version” to run the newly updated version.

Click “Reboot” to reboot the R/2.

Click “Options” to return to the main options screen, or “Main” to return to the main control panel screen.