A query around using Engage to configure an sACN system for an ETC Eos family control setup.
I have previously manually configured a Lighting VLAN using various M4250 range products and I am now looking at using Engage (Version 2.016) to configure a new system so as to leave it more understandable for staff who are less experienced at using the main UI.
The system consists of 4 GSM4212PX on the lighting side as part of a wider combined system with other sound & video VLANs.
Are the settings that are used in the presets on the AV UI or Engage documented anywhere? I can understand a degree of commercial reasoning for not sharing them but was wondering about to what degree they follow the ETC recommendations for sACN networks taken from the ETC guidance (.pdf)
To be more particular and in case the presets aren't documented publicly I would normally setup IGMP VLAN & snooping with the following:
The switches are set with querier election at the main switch that runs the desks and then cascading down to the signal racks as 1.1.1.1 > 2.2.2.2 etc.
Generally this is a mix of the ETC guidance and from Wayne Howell's articles from when he was still boss of Artistic License (which I acknowledge might now be outdated.)
So effectively am I far away from what the presets provide or close enough that I'm not going to notice a difference with the system?
We are not certified at ETC Lighting with the current Lighting profile (AV UI and Engage are the same, they share the same profiles).
But we went through the process and we have a new ETC profile in the works that should be live when we publish a new Maintenance Release (Engage and switch firmware's) during the first week of January.
For now, you can reach out to the NETGEAR ProAV Design team (email at ProAVDesign@netgear.com) but I can give you these directions in Engage:
- Use the Default VLAN 1 if you can, as it's already a Layer 3 VLAN (IP Interface on it) - ETC requires a Layer 3 VLAN
- If you have other AV VLANs to do, you can create other VLANs using other AV templates, no problem
- In Engage, under Site Settings, edit the Default VLAN 1 and assign the Dante Audio template to it, it's the closest currently to what ETC future profile will do
- Apply and Save
- In Engage, go to the list of Managed Devices, and click "Configure"
- Go to the Interface Configuration, select all ports, and Disable the Broadcast Storm Protection
- Click Apply
- Then Save at the top
You should be ready to go on the Default VLAN 1 for the ETC Lighting.
All IT settings applied can be visualized in the IT GUI, should you want to take a look - but to me there is no need!
We are not certified at ETC Lighting with the current Lighting profile (AV UI and Engage are the same, they share the same profiles).
But we went through the process and we have a new ETC profile in the works that should be live when we publish a new Maintenance Release (Engage and switch firmware's) during the first week of January.
For now, you can reach out to the NETGEAR ProAV Design team (email at ProAVDesign@netgear.com) but I can give you these directions in Engage:
- Use the Default VLAN 1 if you can, as it's already a Layer 3 VLAN (IP Interface on it) - ETC requires a Layer 3 VLAN
- If you have other AV VLANs to do, you can create other VLANs using other AV templates, no problem
- In Engage, under Site Settings, edit the Default VLAN 1 and assign the Dante Audio template to it, it's the closest currently to what ETC future profile will do
- Apply and Save
- In Engage, go to the list of Managed Devices, and click "Configure"
- Go to the Interface Configuration, select all ports, and Disable the Broadcast Storm Protection
- Click Apply
- Then Save at the top
You should be ready to go on the Default VLAN 1 for the ETC Lighting.
All IT settings applied can be visualized in the IT GUI, should you want to take a look - but to me there is no need!
- In Engage, go to the list of Managed Devices, and click "Configure"
- Go to the Interface Configuration, select all ports, and Disable the Broadcast Storm Protection
- Click Apply
Just to confirm I'm presuming this is on all the ports used on the lighting VLAN (now VLAN 1), not all the ports used for the other VLANs as well?
I will also reach out to the design team next week for further information as well.
Its not an urgent requirement the new system isn't being deployed until mid January so potentially I could wait for the maintenance release. Not being that familiar with Engage is it possible to change a profile on a VLAN once it has been set as part of the initial deployment?
If not it could potentially be useful for things beyond this application like changing between a Dante profile & the Shure profile used with their Dante compatible radio mics with control on the same VLAN.
Yes, the Broadcast Storm Protection should be removed on ports belonging to the ETC (Dante Audio) VLAN 1 only, on all four switches, as well as at the core - don't forget the trunks/uplinks (Auto-Trunk, Auto-LAG).
Yes, with Engage, you can edit centrally any VLAN/profile and change AV templates back and forth without any problem.
The Shure Converged and Dante Audio templates are identical in terms of Dante.
You're welcome at the NETGEAR ProAV Design team anytime, just an email away mailto:ProAVDesign@netgear.com
