Beginning with Enterprise Manager version 24.03.0.0 (or 23.09.124), downgrading will fail due the update of an underlying resource. We now utilize Django v3.2.23, which necessitated a change to the database schema. This will cause downgrade database migrations to fail.
Prior to upgrading from 23.09 or lower, it is recommended to complete a Backup. Instructions for scheduling a backup can be found in the exacqVision Enterprise Manager User Manual HERE.
NOTE: If you are using Postgres DB, you will only need the backup file. If using MS SQL, you will also need to create a DB backup utilizing Microsoft utilities. More information can be found HERE.
On occasion, Exacq Support is asked about using a USB network interface (NIC) on their system. This is more frequently asked by those with smaller units which may have only one network interface and a user is attempting to add additional network interfaces to span networks or attempt to increase network throughput by bonding/teaming multiple NICs.
Regardless of the system model or size, Exacq does not support or test USB NICs.
Exacq Support will also not recommend any specific NICs for this usage. Even NICs connected externally using USB 3.0 or USB-C may encounter issues, therefore Exacq only supports internally connected network interface cards and does not troubleshoot issues with third-party devices added by users.
An event, such as OS failure, requiring a reimage of your Exacq NVR may leave you with unlicensed exacqVision Server software. If you cannot locate a copy of the emailed license key from the time of purchase, or an exported copy of the .KEY file to use, what should you do?
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Import from Exacq.com
Perhaps the simplest method is to follow the steps below.
Provide an internet connection to the system.<br><br>
Open the exacqVision Client.<br><br>
Select the cog wheel icon in the upper-left to enter the Configuration screen.<br><br>
From the navigation tree along the left side, locate the server name and expand this option.<br><br>
Beneath the server name, select Configure System.<br><br>
On the System tab, locate the License area. Press the Import button and select ‘From exacq.com‘.<br><br>
This method will automatically import the most recent license from Exacq. Note, that if the license key is expired you may need to change your installed exacqVision Server version to one released prior to the license’s expiration date.
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If the import fails or you are in need of other licensing information, contact Orders as directed below.
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Contact Orders
Orders may be contacted by phone or email. Please be prepared to offer the system’s serial number or licensed MAC address.
+1-317-845-5710 select option 3 for Orders when prompted.
This document will guide you through step-by-step procedures for keyboard use and suggested button mappings.
Product
Axis TU9001 Control Board
TU9002 Joystick
TU9003 Keypad
The Axis TU9001 Control Board consists of the combination of the TU9002 Joystick and the TU9003 Keypad.
IMPORTANT: The TU9002 and TU9003 appear to the operating system as separate devices. As of Client version 24.03 only one Joystick device may be enabled on a workstation at a time. This article will be updated in the case of further enhancements.
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Setup
Follow the Installation Guide from Axis for the steps to attach the two devices and connect the corresponding USB cables.<br><br>
Plug the keyboard’s USB cable into the USB port on the Client viewing machine, where the keyboard will be operated from.<br><br>
Navigate to the Joystick configuration page within the exacqVision Client.
Select the cog wheel icon in the top left-hand corner of the Client window to enter Configuration settings.
Expand Client from the navigation tree on the left-hand side.
Select Joystick from the tree to load the Joystick configuration page.<br><br>
Select the joystick that appears from the drop-down menu. If the device fails to appear, close and re-open the exacqVision Client instance. <br><br>
Select the Calibrate button to zero out the joystick positioning.<br><br>
Adjust the sensitivity to your liking.
X/Y Axis controls camera Pan/Tilt, while Z Axis controls zoom.
Suggested settings include increasing the sensitivity on the X/Y Axis and Z Axis.
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Pressing any of the buttons on the keyboard will highlight that number in the button menu to help you find the corresponding mapping. You may need to scroll the window if you do not see the button highlighted when pressed. <br><br>
Once you have located the button, you may use the drop-down menu to select the action you wish to assign to the button.<br><br>
After applying changes to the keyboard configuration, return to the Live camera view and the controls will be available for use.
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Buttons on the TU9002 Joystick
The TU9002 features 7 buttons across the top of the device and 2 buttons on top of the joystick. The center Toggle button along the top acts as a Function Key. When pressed this will highlight button 17 in the button map, but you should notice the illuminated LEDs shift on the device. This toggles the ability to assign additional actions to each of the other buttons on the device.
For example, when the buttons are illuminated above, pressing J1 will highlight button 1 in exacqVision. If the center button is pressed, the illumination shifts below the buttons. Pressing the same button now highlights button 9 in exacqVision. The actions available in exacqVision Joystick settings do not align with the rewind, play/pause, forward symbols indicated on the device.
The TU9002 Joystick also features the ability to switch between joystick and mouse modes. The default mode is set to act as a joystick. Switch to mouse mode by pressing and holding the center Toggle button then press the J1 button. Moving the joystick now moves the mouse cursor. While in mouse mode the J1, J5, and left joystick button act as a left-click. The J2, J6, and right joystick button act as a right-click. Press and hold the Toggle button then press the J1 button again to revert back to joystick mode.<br><br>
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Troubleshooting
Check that the device is recognized by the operating system.
Windows – Navigate to Start > Control Panel > Game Controllers
Ubuntu/Linux – Open Terminal and run ‘lsusb’ to see if the devices are listed
A valid power source is connected to the PSU and the PSU is operational.
Amber (Blinking)
Indicates an issue with the PSU.
Not Lit
Power is not connected to the PSU.
Green (Blinking)
PSU firmware is being updated.
WARNING: Do not disconnect power or unplug the PSU while firmware is updating. Interruption of this process could lead to PSUs ceasing to function.
Green (Blinking and powers off)
When hot-plugging a PSU, it will blink 5 times at a rate of 4Hz then power off. This indicates a mismatch due to efficiency, features, health status, or supported voltage.
WARNING: If two PSUs are installed, both PSUs must have the same type of label. Mixing PSUs is not supported, even if they have the same power rating.
WARNING: If two identical PSUs receive different input voltages, this can cause different output wattage and trigger a mismatch.
CORRECTION: When correcting a PSU mismatch, remove all power from the system then replace the PSU with the blinking indicator.
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System Health and ID Indicators
The left control panel on the front of the system acts a button and provides an LED indicator. System ID mode, activated by pressing the control panel on the front of the system, or the ID button on the rear of the system will flash these LEDs to make identification in a server rack, from either side, easier.
LED Indicator
Description
Blue (Solid)
The system is powered on, healthy, and system ID mode is not active. Press the system ID button to switch to system ID mode.
Blue (Blinking)
System ID mode is active. Press the system ID button to switch to system health mode.
Amber (Solid)
The system is in fail-safe mode and should be inspected for issues or troubleshooting.
Amber (Blinking)
The system is experiencing a fault. Check the System Event Log for error messages. Look up specific error codes using Quick Resource Locator.
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Drive Indicators
The LEDs on the drive carrier indicate the state of each drive. Each drive carrier has two LEDs: an activity LED (green) and a status LED (bicolor green/amber). The activity LED blinks whenever the drive is accessed.
Drive status LED indicator
Drive activity LED indicator
Drive capacity label
LED Indicator
Description
Green (Solid)
Indicates the drive is online.
Green (Blinks twice per second)
Indicates the drive is being identified, or preparing for removal.
Off
Indicates the drive is ready for removal.
NOTE: Drive status indicator remains off until all drives are initialized after the system is powered on. Drives are not ready for removal during this period.
Green/Amber (Blinks green, ambers, then powers off)
Indicates that there is an unexpected drive failure.
Amber (Blinking 4 times per second)
Indicates the drive has failed.
Green (Blinking slowly)
Indicates the drive is rebuilding.
Green/Amber (Blinks green 3 seconds, amber 3 seconds, then powers off after 6 seconds)
Indicates that the rebuild has stopped.
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iDRAC Direct (micro USB) Indicators
LED Indicator
Description
Solid green for 2 seconds
Laptop or tablet is connected.
Blinking green (on for 2 seconds, off for 2 seconds)
Illustra Flex4 Indoor PTZ with bubble showing distorated images on zoom.
Product
Illustra Flex 4 PTZ all firmware
Steps to ReproduceÂ
Turn off the Tilt Limit in the camera PTZ settings
Expected Results
Camera zoom shows in focus and sharp
Actual Results
Camera zoom is slightly disorted and out of focus
Solution
This is working as designed.
The camera datasheet indicate the tilt range is -15 to -90.
When you disable the tilt limit and move above -15 degree, you will see image distortion at zoon due to the camera looking through the ‘transition region’ of the bubble.
Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC) is a proprietary technology that allows IT administrators to remotely manage and monitor Dell-built servers. This includes software and hardware components.
The Exacq X-Series NVRs include iDRAC micro ports on the front of the system and iDRAC network interfaces on the back. The location of these is noted on the X-Series Quick Start Guide.
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Out of the Box
iDRAC ports are not enabled out of the box. To enable either, or both interfaces, you must access the Lifecycle Control Center on the system.
Enabling iDRAC Ports
During boot up of the system, watch for the boot options to appear on screen.<br><br>
When shown, press the F10 key to boot into the Lifecycle Control Center. <br><br>
The Lifecycle Controller automatically begins a network configuration wizard if it has not been configured before. You may select the Back button to exit the wizard.<br><br>
From the Lifecycle Controller Home screen, navigate to System Setup > Advanced Hardware Configuration. <br><br>
Select iDRAC Settings. Continue to Step 6 to enable iDRAC Direct on the iDRAC micro port. Skip to Step 7 to enable iDRAC networking.<br><br>
To enable the iDRAC micro port, select Media and USB Port Settings. <br>
Beneath USB Management Port, locate the iDRAC Direct: USB Configuration XML setting.
The default setting is ‘Enabled while server has default credential settings only.’ However, for the security of your system, these credentials are changed before shipping from the factory.
Change the above-mentioned setting to ‘Enabled‘.
Select the Back button.<br><br>
To enable the iDRAC network port on the rear of the system, select Network.
NOTE: A VLAN is recommended as a best security practice when iDRAC is in Dedicated or Shared LOM mode, to isolate network access to iDRAC’s management interfaces. Technologies such as VLANs and firewalls help ensure that only authorized users can access network resources.<br><br>
Beneath Network Settings, change the Enabled NIC setting to ‘Enabled‘.
Leave the NIC Selection set to ‘Dedicated‘.
Scroll down to the IPv4 Settings section. The default settings are as follows:
Enable IPv4: Enabled
Enable DHCP: Enabled
Static IP Address: 0.0.0.0
Static Gateway: 0.0.0.0
Static Subnet Mask: 0.0.0.0
Use DHCP to obtain DNS server addresses: Disabled
Static Preferred DNS Server: 0.0.0.0
If you plan to connect this interface to a network with a DHCP server, you may leave the settings as they are.
If you wish to use a static IP address for the iDRAC interface, change the Enable DHCP setting to ‘Disabled‘ and enter the proper Static IP address settings in the fields below.
Select the Back button when done.
Press the Finish button to save your changes and return to the System Setup menu.<br><br>
Press Finish again to return to the Lifecycle Controller main menu.<br><br>
Leave the Lifecycle Control Center and boot to the operating system by selecting the Exit option in the corner of the screen.
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Accessing the iDRAC9 Dashboard
The iDRAC9 Dashboard is accessible using any modern web browser, but there are various methods available to reach it: Local, Network, and USB (iDRAC Direct). <br>
Local Browser Access
Accessing the iDRAC9 Dashboard locally requires a keyboard, mouse, and monitor connected to the system.
Log into the system’s operating system (Windows or Linux).<br><br>
Open a web browser.<br><br>
In the browser address bar, enter: https://169.254.1.1<br><br>
Use the browser’s advanced settings to continue past the warning message. This message appears because the SSL certificate is self-signed.<br><br>
Log into iDRAC using the proper credentials.
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Network Access
iDRAC network interfaces support RJ45 jacks, with 1G BASE-T Ethernet Cat5/6 cables.
The Lifecycle Control Center provides the ability to set the iDRAC network interface to DHCP or static IP address.
If set to a static IP address, a site administrator should be able to provide the configured address.
If configured for DHCP, but a DHCP server is not available, or has no available addresses to offer, this interface should fall back to 192.168.0.120. Otherwise, you may need to determine what address the DHCP server assigned to the system.
Whether using a static or dynamically allocated IP address, you will enter this address into the browser’s address bar.
Example: https://172.10.10.4
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USB Access (iDRAC Direct)
iDRAC Direct allows you to utilize the front-facing iDRAC micro port to connect directly to the system over USB, say from a laptop, which makes ad hoc management in a server room/stack easily accessible.
iDRAC micro ports couple with a USB 2.0 Micro-A or Micro-B connector. You will need a cable with either of these interfaces to connect between the X-Series system and your laptop/workstation. Cable length should not exceed 3ft (0.91m). Cable quality could affect performance. The iDRAC micro port is a Micro-A type port, which will accept either Micro-A or Micro-B connectors, but will not accept USB 3.0/SS Micro-B.
Before beginning, you MUST disable all other network or wireless interfaces on the laptop/workstation you wish to connect from.<br><br>
Make sure the iDRAC micro port is enabled, see Step 6 of Enabling iDRAC Ports above.<br><br>
Turn the flat side of the USB micro connector to the right, so that the beveled side of the USB micro connector faces left, then insert the connector into the iDRAC micro port.<br><br>
Wait a few moments and the laptop/workstation should detect a new virtual network interface.<br> This can be seen using the ipconfig command on Windows, or ifconfig command on Ubuntu/Linux.<br> The IP assigned to this interface should be 169.254.0.4.<br><br>
Open a web browser on the laptop/workstation. In the browser address bar, enter the IP of the iDRAC micro port: https://169.254.0.3<br><br>
Log into the iDRAC Dashboard with the proper credentials.
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Logging into the iDRAC9 Dashboard
When logging into the iDRAC9 Dashboard, use the following credentials
Username: root
Password: admin256
Consider changing your iDRAC Dashboard password using the steps below.
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Changing the iDRAC credentials
Most system users will probably only use the default root user account and factory set password. However, up to 16 local users may be configured in iDRAC with specific access permissions.
If you are already connected to the iDRAC9 Dashboard, you may do this using the following steps:
Select the iDRAC Settings menu.<br><br>
Select Users from the menu drop-down, or from the tabs on the iDRAC Settings page. <br><br>
Select Local Users. <br><br>
Edit an existing account or add a new user account.
If you are not connected to the iDRAC9 Dashboard, you will need physical access to the system.
During boot up of the system, watch for the boot options to appear on screen.<br><br>
When shown, press the F10 key to boot into the Lifecycle Control Center. <br><br>
The Lifecycle Control Center automatically begins a network configuration wizard if it has not been configured before. You may select the Back button to exit the wizard.<br><br>
From the Lifecycle Controller Home screen, navigate to System Setup > Advanced Hardware Configuration. <br><br>
Select iDRAC Settings. <br><br>
Scroll down to find and select User Configuration. <br><br>
Select the text field beside Change Password to enter a new password. <br><br>
When done, select the Back button.<br><br>
Click the Finish button to save your changes.
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iDRAC9 Dashboard Basics
The iDRAC9 Dashboard provides a quick overview of the system. Describing all aspects and controls is outside the scope of this document. The items you should pay the most attention to are your system and drive health.
The Dashboard home page shows a high-level overview of System Health and Drive Health.
Clicking on Details for either of these will bring you to the corresponding pages. You may also reach these pages by selecting System or Storage from the top menu bar.
The System > Overview page displays the status of many hardware components, such as memory, CPU, power supplies, and cooling (system fans). Selecting any of these will provide greater detail on each.
The Storage > Overview page lists the number of physical disks, virtual disks, and graphics of drive status. 2U systems will also display a graphic of the system’s front panel to help identify the drive bays.
Each Virtual Disk is comprised of multiple Physical Disks. These are listed on the corresponding Virtual Disks and Physical Disks pages.
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Virtual Console
iDRAC9 provides a Virtual Console feature which provides a desktop environment as if you were sitting in front of the system. This negates the need to also configure RDP or VNC to configure the system using a GUI.
IMPORTANT: Do not use the Virtual Console for client monitoring of cameras. This method may be used to configure exacqVision software only: add and configure cameras, managing licensing, check system statuses and logs, etc. For regular camera monitoring, install the exacqVision Client on a client workstation suitable for this purpose. See system hardware requirements.
NOTE: Virtual Console performs better when connected via the iDRAC network interface than when connected using iDRAC Direct using the micro USB port.
Enabling the Virtual Console
Virtual Console is disabled by default. Once logged into the iDRAC9 Dashboard, you may enable this feature for use.
From the iDRAC9 Dashboard, locate the Virtual Console panel. The message in this panel indicates the feature is currently disabled for use. <br><br>
Click on the Settings option above the empty panel.<br><br>
From the Virtual Console settings page, change the Enabled setting from ‘Disabled’ to ‘Enabled’, then press the Apply button below. <br><br>
Return to the Dashboard and note that the Virtual Console panel will display an image from the system based on its current state.<br><br>
Select the inset image or press the Start the Virtual Console bar below to open a Virtual Console session.
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Virtual Console Basics
Virtual Console will open a session in a new browser window. Note that the frame rate of the console display is included in the window’s title bar. The console provides some of the following features from the menu buttons. <br><br>
Menu Item
Description
Boot
Chooses what the system will boot to on the next boot up. Options include the Lifecycle Controller, as well as physical or virtual media.
Power
Allows the user to remotely power cycle or shutdown the system.
Chat
Provides a chat window for use when more than one person is using the machine’s Virtual Console.
Keyboard
Displays a virtual keyboard. May be useful when attempting to enter multi-key commands such as CTRL+ALT+DEL.
Screen Capture
Allows the user to save a screen capture PNG image to their local machine.
Refresh
Refreshes the console window.
Fullscreen
Displays the Virtual Console in fullscreen mode. Press ESC to exit fullscreen mode.
Virtual Media
Virtual media allows the managed server to access media devices on the management station or ISO CD/DVD images on a network share as if they were devices on the managed server.
Select Connect Virtual Media to begin, select your chosen media. Use Disconnect to remove that media from the machine’s console connection.
Disconnect Viewer
Closes the console session and window.
Console Controls
Provides settings for viewing, including a virtual clipboard for copying text between the managed server and the management workstation.
As part of the exacqVision 24.03 software release, we are announcing the deprecation of specific installers that were previously part of the collection of software downloads available on the Exacq web site, https://exacq.com.
What installers are being retired?
On both Windows and Ubuntu – the 32-bit installers, also known as “x86” installers, of server, client, and web service will no longer be made available for new releases. The Enterprise Manager 32-bit installer had been deprecated from the 21.12 release. In addition, Illustra 610 and 825 (Edge), and ARM Debian (M-Series) installers will be retired as well.
Why is Exacq taking this step?
This change helps address cyber security/robustness concerns by removing support for those installations that are potentially deployed on operating systems no longer fully supported by the vendor. Additionally, retiring support for older/obsolete technology helps Exacq to streamline engineering resources to focus their efforts on faster delivery of customer outcomes that are needed now and in the future.
What if I have been using 32-bit installers for exacqVision all the time? How do I update to the 24.03 release?
If a customer is currently using 32-bit installers, they would have to move to the 64-bit installers – provided the hardware and the operating system are 64-bit enabled. 32-bit and 64-bit installers cannot co-exist. To move to the 64-bit installation, the 32-bit installation should be uninstalled.
So as to not lose the current configuration, it is recommended that the current configuration be backed up – then restored after the 64-bit installation has been deployed. Please refer to this user guide section for understanding how to do a backup and restore of the exacqVision Server configuration.
If Enterprise Manager is deployed, you may refer to this video to understand how to backup and restore configurations across multiple servers at once.
How do I know if the hardware and operating system on my NVR is 64-bit capable?
It will depend on how old the NVR is.
If the NVR was built by Exacq and is a Windows machine – Any system that shipped on or after May 2013 is capable of running a 64-bit installer.
If the NVR was built by Exacq and is a Ubuntu machine – Any system that shipped on or after August 2017 is capable of running a 64-bit installer.
If the NVR was not built by Exacq, please contact your IT department or the manufacturer of the NVR to assess if it is capable of running a 64-bit installer. As a reference point, Windows started 64-bit support from Windows Vista, with mainstream support adopted in Windows 7, and Ubuntu from Ubuntu 16.04. So it is more than likely that the NVR in question is 64-bit capable. With that said, please double-check with relevant departments and resources to be sure.
NOTE: Operating system vendors, whether or not they support 64-bit, have set time tables for end-of-life (EOL). It is not recommended to use a system for which critical cyber security patches are no longer available. For example, Microsoft no longer supports Windows 7 or 8. Ubuntu does not support systems older than 14.04 today – and they will continue to obsolete older versions as they release new ones.
I can see my NVR is not capable of running a 64-bit installer. What is the recommended course of action?
It is likely that you are running an old NVR that is probably not in compliance with the cyber security standards of your IT department. In addition, you will not benefit from new features, integrations, cyber security patches, and bug fixes that make up the 24.03 and future exacqVision releases. Our recommendation is that you upgrade to newer hardware and operating system for your NVR. Please reach out to your local exacqVision dealer or call Exacq Inside Sales for better understanding of your options.
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