System connections and configuration


This chapter contains the following topics:

Network connections and configuration

Refer to the following list of procedures, then perform the ones required to set up the Gigabit (1GBaseT) Ethernet network for your application:

Cable requirements

For making Ethernet connections, cabling must meet the following requirements:

About teaming Ethernet ports

The K2 Media Client has four Gigabit Ethernet ports: two on the motherboard and two on the Network Interface Card. The location of the ports is different for the SD and the HD/SD K2 Media Clients.

These ports are configured at the factory as two teamed pairs. The first port on the motherboard (Port 1) is teamed with the first port on the Gigabit Ethernet card (Port 3). This is the Control Team. Likewise, the second port on the motherboard (port 2) is teamed with the second port on the Gigabit Ethernet card (port 4). This is the Media Team.

Each teamed pair appears to the network as a single NIC, so there are two NICs presented to the operating system. This teaming configuration is required to support K2 Media Client automatic system recovery features.

Do not modify this teaming configuration. If you need to reset teaming to factory specifications, refer to the K2 Media Client Service Manual.

Connecting the Ethernet network cabling

This section is divided into two parts:

Configure Windows network settings for K2 Media Client with internal storage

Configure Windows network settings for K2 Media Clients with shared storage

Connecting the Ethernet network cabling for K2 Media Clients with internal storage

On a K2 Media Client with internal storage, port 1 (or ports 1 and 3 if redundant) is used to transmit command information, AMP protocols, etc., while port 2 (or ports 2 and 4 if redundant) is used for FTP transfers.

Control Network

Connect the control network to port 1, or to ports 1 and 3 if a redundant connection is required.

FTP network

Connect the FTP network to port 2, or to ports 2 and 4 if a redundant connection is required.

Connecting the Ethernet network cabling for K2 Media Clients with shared storage

In the K2 Media Client with shared storage, port 1 (or ports 1 and 3) is still used to transmit control information, but port 2 (or ports 2 and 4) is used for the iSCSI traffic, which is the recording or playing of media.

Control Network

Connect the control network to port 1, or to ports 1 and 3 for a redundant connection.

Media/iSCSI network

Connect the media/iSCSI network to port 2, or to ports 2 and 4 if a redundant connection is required.

Data and streaming for K2 Media Client systems

After making 1GBaseT network connections as described in Connecting the Ethernet network cabling, use the following procedure to configure the network settings. Once configured, you can perform the following tasks:

Setting up the K2 system for streaming transfer has the following network requirements:

This procedure guides you to relevant settings, but does not instruct you on the specific settings required for your network. It is assumed that you understand Ethernet networks in general and your particular network needs and that you can apply that understanding to make the required settings using standard Windows procedures. If you need help with these procedures, contact your network administrator.

Configure Windows network settings

The K2 Media Client ships from the factory DHCP configured. In the simplest possible scenario, no configuration should be necessary. (This assumes no need for a streaming/FTP network and that you are using the K2 Media Client serial number as the host name.)

However, if the Windows network settings for the K2 Media Client need to be configured, you must do so locally. You cannot configure these settings using the remote Control Point PC. You must have Windows administrator security privileges on the computer that you are configuring.

CAUTION: The K2 Media Client is not a general purpose Windows workstation. The Windows configuration on the K2 system has been specifically set for use as a real time device. To avoid partial or total system failure, do not modify any operating system settings unless approved by Grass Valley, including but not limited to the following:
— Do not use the User Manager
— Do not use the Disk Administrator
— Do not load any third party software
— Do not install any Windows updates other than “Critical Updates and Service Packs” without contacting Grass Valley Product Support. (See Security considerations.)

Configure Windows network settings for K2 Media Client with internal storage

  1. Connect keyboard, mouse, and monitor if you have not already done so.
  2. Open the Network Connections dialog box:
    • In the Windows Classic view, select Start | Settings | Network Connections
    • In the Windows XP view, select Start | Control Panel | Network Connections
  3. Continue with standard Windows procedures to configure the TCP/IP protocol properties. You can set up the network using DHCP, DNS, WINS, or other standard networking mechanisms.
NOTE: On small networks or networks with certain security policies a DHCP server or domain name server (DNS) might not be available. In this case you can set up a static IP address and create a Host file on each K2 system. The Host file specifies a device name for each IP address used on the network. Refer to the Windows documentation or your network administrator for more information.
  1. As per your connections, configure the Control Team for port 1 (or ports 1 and 3 if redundant) as shown in the following illustration..


  2. As per your connections, configure the Media Team for port 2 (or ports 2 and 4 if redundant). Assign an IP address that is on a different subnet from port 1.
CAUTION: Under no circumstances should you modify the loopback adapter. The loopback IP address is 192.168.200.200. Keep that IP address reserved on your network. Don’t assign it to any other device.(If this causes conflicts with your existing network, consult your Grass Valley representative.)
  1. If prompted, shutdown and restart Windows.
  2. If you are going to stream video between K2 systems, proceed to Streaming video between K2 systems; otherwise, the K2 system is ready for standard data networking tasks.

Configure Windows network settings for K2 Media Clients with shared storage

  1. Connect keyboard, mouse, and monitor if you have not already done so.
  2. Open the Network Connections dialog box:
    • In the Windows Classic view, select Start | Settings | Network Connections
    • In the Windows XP view, select Start | Control Panel | Network Connections
  3. Continue with standard Windows procedures to configure the TCP/IP protocol properties. You can set up the network using DHCP, DNS, WINS, or other standard networking mechanisms.
NOTE: If you do not use DHCP and DNS for the control network, you can set up a static IP address and create a Host file on each K2 system. The Host file specifies a device name for each IP address used on the network. Refer to the Windows documentation or your network administrator for more information.
  1. As per your connections, configure port 1 (or ports 1 and 3 if redundant). Refer to Cable requirements.
  2. If using shared storage, do not configure port 2 (or teamed ports 2 and 4), as these ports are reserved for the external storage media network and should only be configured using the K2 config application. Refer to the K2 Storage System Instruction Manual.
CAUTION: If you are using shared storage, be sure to configure only the connection that is labelled “Team Control” in the Device Name column. If you do not see the Device Name column, verify that you are in the Details view, and select Choose Details to modify the view settings.Under no circumstances should you modify the loopback adapter. The loopback IP address is 192.168.200.200. Keep that IP address reserved on your network. Don’t assign it to any other device. (If this causes conflicts with your existing network, consult your Grass Valley representative.)

  1. If prompted, shutdown and restart Windows.
  2. If you are going to stream video between K2 systems, proceed to Streaming video between K2 systems; otherwise, the K2 system is ready for standard data networking tasks.

Streaming video between K2 systems

As long as the GigE ports 1 and 2 (or teamed ports 1 and 3, 2 and 4) are on two different subnets, you can use DNS, DHCP, or static IP addresses and a hosts file. However, for the media (iSCSI) network on a K2 Storage System, static IP addresses and a hosts files are required. The following procedure describes how to set up hosts files.

Set up hosts files

Set up a hosts file located in c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts on each K2 system. If you include the names and addresses of all the K2 Media Clients on the network, then you can create one file and copy it to all the machines instead of editing the hosts file on each machine.

Each host name is listed twice, once for port 1 (or 1 and 3), once for port 2 (or 2 and 4). The host name for port 2 has the extension “_he0” after the name. The K2 Media Client uses this information to keep the control traffic separate from the streaming/FTP traffic.

To see an example of a K2 Media Client configuration setup and hosts file, refer to the Sample K2 Media Client configuration and hosts file. Otherwise, proceed with the following steps to set up your hosts file.

On each K2 system, set up the hosts file as follows:

  1. Open the following file using Notepad or some other text editor.
  2. c:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
  3. Enter text in two lines for each K2 system, including the local K2 system.
NOTE: If you are using DHCP to set IP addresses, skip steps a and b and proceed to step c.
    1. Type the IP address assigned to port 1 (the Control Team), then use the TAB key or Space bar to insert a few spaces.
    2. Type the machine name, such as K2-MediaClient. This sets up the host file for port 1. The machine name cannot have any spaces in it.
    3. Type the IP address of port 2 (the Media Team), then use the TAB key or Space bar to insert a few spaces.
    4. Type the machine name followed by the characters “_he0”. Be sure to use the zero character, not the letter ‘o’, as in the following example:
    5. 10.16.42.10    K2-MediaClient
      10.0.0.10      K2-MediaClient_he0
  1. Once you have added the host names for each of K2 systems, save the file and exit the text editor.
  2. Copy the new hosts file onto all the other machine to save you editing it again.

Sample K2 Media Client configuration and hosts file

The following diagram illustrates one possible configuration setup, with both a K2 Media Client with internal storage and a K2 Media Client with shared storage, as well as other Grass Valley systems.

Add network hosts names for streaming

You must add the host names of all peer K2 systems on the network that support streaming transfers. Adding host names is required to allow selection of networked K2 systems in the AppCenter user interface and to provide a successful network connection for streaming. The host names added will appear in the “Import” and “Send to” dialog boxes.

NOTE: By default, the K2 system host name is the same as the Windows computer name. To determine the K2 system computer name, right-click My Computer on the Windows desktop, then properties. Select the Network Identification tab and look for the “Full computer name”.

To add network host names:

  1. Start AppCenter, if it is not already running, using the desktop shortcut.
  2. In AppCenter toolbar, select System, then choose Configuration.
  3. Select the Remote tab.
  4. The Remote Settings dialog box displays, showing any network host names that have been added.

  5. Select Add, to open the Add Host dialog box, then do the following:
    1. Select the Host name field, then enter the computer name of a peer K2 system.
    2. Make sure to enter the exact computer name. Any differences will result in being unable to connect to the K2 system.



    3. If you are using AMP remote protocols to perform video network transfers, you must use the following steps to add a unique Controller ID for each host. Otherwise, you can ignore this step and proceed to the next step.
      • Select controller id field.
      • Enter the controller ID of the K2 system, then select OK. Use a number between 1 and 255 that is not assigned to any other K2 system.
    4. Select OK in the Add Host dialog box.
  6. Repeat the previous step for the remaining K2 systems.
  7. In the Configuration dialog box, select OK to save settings.
  8. Once the host names are added, the K2 system is ready for streaming operation. For information on transfer compatibility and supported formats, refer to Specifications. For procedures on transferring media, refer to the K2 Media Client User Guide.
NOTE: If you have trouble, try using the ping utility in the Windows command prompt using either the IP address or host name. Troubleshoot as needed. Also, refer to the K2 Media Client Service Manual for troubleshooting procedures.

Modifying network settings

When you receive a K2 Media Client from the factory, it has a loopback adapter installed. The loopback adapter allows the media file system to continue operating if an Ethernet cable is disconnected. Do not modify the loopback adapter. If you need to restore the loopback adapter, refer to the K2 Media Client Service Manual.

The loopback IP address is 192.168.200.200. Keep that IP address reserved on your network. Don’t assign it to any other device. (If this causes conflicts with your existing network, consult your Grass Valley representative.)

If you change the host name when using a shared storage system, AppCenter could have difficulty connecting. Grass Valley strongly recommends that you do not change the host name IP address unless following the documented K2 Config procedure. For more information, refer to the K2 Storage System Instruction Manual.

Using FTP for file transfer

An application writer may choose to initiate media file transfers via FTP. If you do not have a preferred brand of FTP software, you can use Microsoft Internet Explorer. The K2 FTP interface displays with a GXF folder and an MXF folder. Use the appropriate folder, depending on if you are transferring GXF or MXF.

If connecting to the FTP server on a K2 system from a third-party Windows PC, make sure that the PC has TCP Window scaling enabled. (For more information on TCP Window scaling, see the Microsoft Support Knowledge Base web site.)

The K2 FTP server runs on K2 Media Servers that have the role of FTP server. While it also runs on internal storage K2 Media Clients (stand-alone), it is important to understand that it does not run on external storage K2 Media Clients. When you FTP files to/from a K2 Storage System, you use the FTP server on the K2 Media Server, not on the K2 Media Client that accesses the shared storage on the K2 Storage System. If you attempt to transfer FTP files to/from one of the K2 Storage System clients, the transfer fails. For information on streaming/transfer procedures in general, see the K2 Media Client User Guide.

NOTE: When using FTP in a shared storage environment, please ensure that all FTP communication takes place on the FTP/Streaming network, and not on the Command/Control network.

The following section describes the supported FTP commands.

FTP commands supported

The following table lists the FTP commands that the K2 FTP server supports.



FTP command name
FTP command description
Streaming support requirement
USER
User Name
Supported
PASS
Password
Supported
ACCT
Account
Not supported
CWD
Change working directory
Supported
CDUP
Change to parent directory
Supported
SMNT
Structure mount
Not supported
REIN
Reinitialize
Not supported
QUIT
Logout
Supported
PORT
Data port
Supported
PASV
Passive
Supported
TYPE
Representation type
Supported
STRU
File structure
Not supported
MODE
Transfer mode
Not supported
RETR
Retrieve
Supported
STOR
Store
Supported
STOU
Store unique
Not supported
APPE
Append (with create)
Not supported
ALLO
Allocate
Not supported
REST
Restart
Not supported
RNFR
Rename From
Supported
RNTO
Rename To
Supported
ABOR
Abort
Supported
DELE
Delete
Supported
RMD
Remove directory
Supported
MKD
Make directory
Supported
PWD
Print working directory
Supported
LIST
List
Supported. Reports size in number of fields.
NLST
Name List
Supported
SITE
Site Parameters
Supported
SYST
System
Supported
SIZE
Size of file (clip)
Supported. Reports size in Bytes.
STAT
Status
Supported
HELP
Help
Supported
NOOP
No Operation
Supported

Connecting RS-422

You can control the K2 system with remote control devices and software developed for the K2 system that use industry-standard serial protocols: AMP, BVW, and VDCP. (AMP protocols can also use Ethernet connections.) You can connect up to four RS-422 cables to control K2 system channels depending on your remote control needs. Connect the RS-422 cabling as required, then refer to the K2 Media Client User Guide to configure the K2 system for remote control.

NOTE: The designations P1, P2, P3, P4 in this illustration refer to Port 1, Port 2, and so on. Do not confuse them with the HD/SD K2 Media Client Player channels P1, P2, etc.

RS-422 ports and channels

The following table lists how the RS-422 ports map to the channels of the different K2 Media Client models.

COM 3/Port 1 (P1)
COM 4/Port 2 (P2)
COM 5/Port 3 (P3)
COM 6/Port 4 (P4)
HD/SD model with two ingest channels, two playout channels
R1
P1
R2
P2
HD/SD model with one ingest channel, three playout channels
R1
P1
P2
P3
HD/SD model with one ingest channel, two playout channels
R1
P1
P2
--
HD/SD model with no ingest channel, four playout channels
P1
P2
P3
P4
HD/SD model with no ingest channel, three playout channels
P1
P2
P3
--
HD/SD model with no ingest channel, two playout channels
P1
P2
--
--
SD K2 Media Client
C1
C2
C3
C4

AMP TCP Interface

The following table lists the channel designations for the AMP protocol. When using AMP protocol with Ethernet, channels must always be identified as 'VTR1', 'VTR2', etc. When using AMP protocol with RS-422, the first channel maps to P1, the second channel maps to the P2, and so on. To configure AMP protocols, see the K2 Media Client User Guide.

NOTE: In reference to RS-422 connections, the terms P1, P2, etc., refer to Port 1, Port 2, and so on. Do not confuse them with player channels P1,P2, etc.

AMP Protocol (Ethernet)
VTR1
VTR2
VTR3
VTR4
AMP Protocol (RS-422)
P1 (COM3)
P2 (COM4)
P3 (COM5)
P4 (COM6)

Connecting GPI

The K2 system provides 12 GPI inputs, and 12 GPI outputs on a single DB-25 rear panel connector.

Also see the following related sections of this manual:

Refer to the K2 Media Client User Guide for GPI configuration procedures.


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