3. Configuration and Use of the Smart Edge Capture Device™

3.1. Welcome

This document assumes a familiarity with the NexLog DX-Series™ platform and does not go into full detail of every configuration option. Just like NexLog DX-Series™, the Smart Edge Capture Device™ is configured from its Configuration Manager, using a subset of options present in the NexLog DX-Series™ Configuration Manager. Your experience with NexLog DX-Series™ transfers over directly, and everything unique to the Smart Edge Capture Device™ is explained in this document.

Some differences in and clarifications about the Smart Edge Capture Device™ platform:

  • There is only an Eventide User, no other users can be added. This account is used for administration and configuration only. The default password is the serial number of the Smart Edge Capture Device™; we recommend changing this to something unique. The minimum password complexity is 8 characters in length, and at least character must be a digit (0-9).

  • There is no recall screen nor direct client access. Instead, recordings are forwarded to a NexLog DX-Series™ recording solution where they can be accessed with MediaWorks DX™. Inputs can be auditioned from the Recording Interfaces page while in progress, so settings can be adjusted correctly.

  • Media Forwarding: This page is where you configure the transfer of recordings from this Smart Edge Capture Device™ to a NexLog DX-Series™ recording solution. It is covered in depth below.

  • The Smart Edge Capture Device™ is not intended for long term media storage; instead it forwards it’s recordings along to a NexLog DX-Series™ for extended storage, where it can further be archived to blu-ray or NAS for long-term archival storage.

  • Retention: Retention settings are always set to 7 days, and the retention warning time is 6 and a half days. This means an alert will trigger if the transfer time (Archive Pointer) falls behind current real time by 12 hours. If the transfer time falls behind the 7 day retention time limit, media will be deleted before it has been transfered, so it is crucial to avoid this situation.

  • The recording interfaces are configured using the Recording Interfaces page on the Smart Edge Capture Device™, not on the target NexLog DX-Series™ systems.

  • Similarly, for email-alerts to work, Email must be configured on the Smart Edge Capture Device™.

  • The option to enable the Encrypted Terminal (SSH) has been moved to Networking: System Identification.

  • The page to configure and enable SSL has moved to Networking: SSL.

  • The available IP Recording Templates are:

    • SIPREC

    • Cisco CallManager Built-in-Bridge

    • SIP Trunk (SPAN or Recorder as Endpoint)

3.2. Initial Set Up

Before connecting the recording boards or configuring media input, we recommend connecting a mouse, keyboard, and monitor, booting up the Smart Edge Capture Device™ and then:

  • Check that the time and timezone are correct and configure the same Time Sync source as the NexLog DX-Series™ Recorder(s) this Smart Edge Capture Device™ will connect to.

  • Configure Networking. This is essential for the core feature, Media Forwarding, to work, and it also makes all future configuration easier, as you can reach the recorder remotely via the web rather than connecting a mouse, keyboard, and monitor.

To do these, you’ll need to Login.

3.3. Login

After powering on the system and connecting a mouse, keyboard and monitor, you will see a login screen like this:

Login Page

Fig. 3.1 Login Page

The default username and password for the Smart Edge Capture Device™ is Eventide/serial number. We recommend changing this password after first login.

Once you are logged in, the page will change to the Home page:

3.4. Home

The home page gives you Smart Edge Capture Device™ status at a glance.

home

Fig. 3.2 The Smart Edge Capture Device™ Home Page

To the left, there’s the menu for quick access to every page of Configuration Manager. To the right, there’s a live status diagram, showing the Smart Gateway and its the channels activity, and information about the speed and current time of the most recent media transfers between the Smart Edge Capture Device™ and its target NexLog DX-Series™ recorders.

Mouse Over Information

Fig. 3.3 Mouse Over for More Information

You can mouse over the Smart Edge Capture Device™ to see additional detail, including Serial, Firmware, Time, Timezone (TZ), networking ports and IPs, number of recording channels, and uptime status.

|NL| Not Found

Fig. 3.4 NexLog DX-Series™ Not Connected

If the Smart Edge Capture Device™ cannot connect to a configured NexLog DX-Series™ recorder, you will see a red alert as in the above image.

3.5. Media Forwarding

Media Forwarding is where you configure the destination NexLog DX-Series™ recording solution for this Smart Edge Capture Device™. All Smart Edge Capture Devices™ can send media to at least one NexLog DX-Series™ recorder; to configure more than one destination requires an additional add-on license. Media Forwarding operates similarly to a Centralized Archive drive on a NexLog DX-Series™ system, but is always archiving while on; there is no need to start or stop, once configured it will connect to the NexLog DX-Series™, and forward all recordings along to the NexLog DX-Series™, starting with the oldest available recording on the Smart Edge Capture Device™.

Media Forwarding

Fig. 3.5 Media Forwarding

To add a destination NexLog DX-Series™ recorder, click the Add NexLog DX button. You need to know the IP address of the NexLog DX-Series™ recorder and valid login credentials for a User with the Centralized Archive - Login permission. Both the user name and password are case sensitive. The NexLog Display Name field allows you to name this recorder so that you don’t have to distinguish it solely by ip address.

The SSL option requires that SSL first be configured and enabled on the destination NexLog DX-Series™ recorder, with the Centralized archive connections setting on the SSL page’s SSL Settings tab set to both or SSL only.

Add a Media Forwarding destination

Fig. 3.6 Add a Media Forwarding destination

To modify an existing destination, click the Modify button.

Modify a Media Forwarding destination

Fig. 3.7 Modify a Media Forwarding destination

A destination can only be deleted if it is inactive, so to delete, first click the Modify button and set the destination to Off, then wait for any in-progress transfers to complete. The delete button will be available only once the current transfers are finished. Click Delete and then confirm the prompt.

Deleting a Media Forwarding destination

Fig. 3.8 Deleting a Media Forwarding destination

3.6. Alerts

The alerts specific to Smart Edge Capture Device™ (and Centralized Archives more generally) that are especially important are:

  • 2404 (Active): The archive time for (Name of Media Forwarding NexLog DX-Series™ recorder target) is currently behind the call retention warning limit. Recordings are in danger of being deleted before transfer.

    • This alert means that the media currently being transfered was recorded at a time that is now older than 12 hours. If this alert is triggered, it suggests that this destination is turned off, the Smart Edge Capture Device™ has lost its connection to the NexLog DX-Series™, or there is severe network congestion between the Smart Edge Capture Device™ and NexLog DX-Series™. This requires immediate attention as a healthy Smart Edge Capture Device™ to NexLog DX-Series™ set up is capable of archiving up to real time, all the time, and should only be behind in cases of outages or temporary network congestion.

    • This alert may also be triggered in few benign scenarios, and should quickly resolve thereafter:

      • The Media Forwarding Destination was recently added to the Smart Edge Capture Device™. The inital default transfer time is 1989-01-01, and immediately moves forward to the oldest call on the Smart Edge Capture Device™. If there are already more than 12 hours of recordings on the Smart Edge Capture Device™, this alert will remain active until the transfer has caught up to the latest 12 hours.

      • Similarly, if you decide to change the transfer time on an existing Media Forwarding Destination, this alert can be tripped for much the same reason as above. Under normal circumstances, the transfer time will move forward and this alert will resolve.

    • In both situations, the best practice is to check in on the transfer’s progress over the course of a day, or longer if needed. If it is moving forward faster than real time, and incoming recording volume is steady, you can be sure it will catch up.

  • 2404 (Resolved): The archive time for (Name of Media Forwarding NexLog DX-Series™ recorder target) is now ahead of the call retention warning time. Recordings are no longer in danger of being deleted before transfer.

    • This alert means the situation that was causing the Active version has been addressed and the transfer speed is now outpacing real time.

  • 2403 (Active): The archive time for (Name of Destination Recorder) is behind the call retention period of X days. This means calls will be deleted before they can be archived.

    • This alert is the situation that 2403 is intended to warn you about. This alert means that the transfer time has fallen behind the retention limit; perhaps the Media Forwarding Destination was turned off in settings, the network has died, or the NexLog DX-Series™ itself was incapacitated. This means that retention will start to delete recordings that have not been transfered yet, resulting in lost recordings.

  • 2403 (Resolved): The archive time for (Name of Destination Recorder) is now ahead of the call retention period of X days. Calls are no longer being deleted before they can be archived.

    • When resolved, the transfer time is now ahead of the retention limit and recordings are not being deleted before they transfer.