Adding a Tesira expander to an existing system
This article explains how to add a Tesira Expander-class device (EX-IN, EX-OUT, EX-IO, EX-MOD, EX-LOGIC) to a live Tesira system without interrupting audio in the existing portions. The article begins assuming that you have a computer with the Tesira software that is on a compatible subnet with the existing Tesira system.
Identify system type
First, we need to determine if the rest of your Tesira devices use static IP addresses or obtain IP addresses automatically via DHCP.
Start by identifying the network parameters of the existing system. This is done by starting the Tesira software and choosing device maintenance under the System→Network→Perform Tesira Device Maintenance menu (or the wrench icon in the Network Toolbar). This brings up the Device Maintenance dialog:
Select a Server-Class device in the Device List and click on the Network Settings button.
Look at the Interface IP Configurations section (bottom) of the resulting dialog to determine your system type:
- If the radio button for "Use the Following IP Address" is selected, proceed to the next section of this article, Configure a Temporary DHCP Server.
- If the radio button for "Obtain an IP Address Automatically" is selected, skip the next step and proceed to the Add new device to Equipment Table section.
Configure a temporary DHCP server
All Tesira devices are set to obtain an IP automatically via DHCP when they leave the factory. If the servers within your existing Tesira system have static IP's, then a DHCP server must be used to assign the new expander to an address on the same subnet as the other members of the system.
To configure the DHCP server, you must find an open IP address that is not used by any other device on the network. If you're not sure of the addresses of all Tesira devices (including expanders), look at the network settings of all units (expanders are found by clicking the Remote Devices button) within the Device Maintenance dialog of the Tesira software. If you're not sure what other IP's are being used by other devices on the network, contact the network administrator.
In this example, the addresses currently in use are 172.18.16.1, 2, 3. Therefore, the address 172.18.16.4 is open for assignment. Attempting to use an IP address that is already in use by another device will create an IP conflict, which will cause problems.
Tftpd32
To run a temporary DHCP server on your PC, download Tftpd32, a freeware application (http://tftpd32.jounin.net/tftpd32_download.html). There are both 32 and 64-bit version of the program for download. Once installed, run the program and choose the DHCP server tab. Click the Settings button. To use the program only as a DHCP server, make sure only the DHCP Server is checked in the configuration:
Now choose the DHCP tab:
Set the IP pool starting address to the first available address on the network that you would like to assign. If adding one expander, the size of the pool can be 1. If adding multiple expanders, set the size of the pool to the number of devices to be added. If a DNS Server or Default Router are being used, fill in the appropriate addresses in the fields, else they stay at 0.0.0.0. Finally, add the Subnet Mask of your system in the Mask field. If the computer being used has multiple NICs, make sure the correct one is chosen in the Bind DHCP to this address field. Click OK. The program will prompt you to restart it...DO NOT restart the program, as there is no need.
Now connect the Tesira Expander-class device(s) to be added to the system (if it was already connected, reboot it). The new device should an IP when it boots up. This can be verified in the Tftpd32 program window:
With this accomplished, exit the Tftpd32 program. Do not reboot the expander(s) until the steps in the next section are completed.
Discover new device
Once the new device has a compatible IP address, a Server-class device can discover and configure it. This can be confirmed by returning to the Tesira Device Maintenance dialog. Click the Remote Devices button and the new Expander-class device(s) should be seen on the network:
Since the other Tesira devices in your system have static IP addresses assigned, you'll want to assign static IP addresses on the new expander(s). You can do this from the Remote Device Maintenance screen shown above. Click the Network Settings button to assign a static address to each new device:
Add new device to Equipment Table
At this point, your new expander(s) should have an IP address that is compatible with the other Tesira devices on the network. You should be able to discover your Tesira devices in Tesira software.
Once discovered, now the new device can be added to the Tesira system. With the Tesira configuration file open, choose the System→Equipment Table menu item:
Click the Add Unit button. Click on the new entry in the table in the Device column. Choose the device type from the drop-down menu:
- Remote Expander - EX-IN, EX-OUT, EX-IO
- Rack-mount Expander - EX-MOD
- Logic Box - EX-LOGIC
Now click in the new entry in the table under the Serial Number column. Select the serial number of the new device here. Finally, select a Proxy Host Name for the unit by clicking in that column in the table. The complete entry should resemble this:
Click OK to confirm the assignments. Now DSP Input/Output blocks can be inserted for this device into the Tesira signal flow. Once the updated configuration file is sent to the system, the new expander device(s) should be active.
Any partitions of your partitions that are modified will briefly suspend their audio while their configuration file is updated. Any other unmodified partitions will have uninterrupted audio while the other partitions are updated.