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Table Of Contents
Release Notes for Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.4
Root Content Engine Failover and Fallback Support for a Cisco Streaming Engine Live Program
Configuring Root Content Engine Failover
Interoperability with IP/TV Broadcast Server
Open Caveats in IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4
Resolved Caveats in IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4
Cisco Product Security Overview
Reporting Security Problems in Cisco Products
Obtaining Technical Assistance
Cisco Technical Support & Documentation Website
Definitions of Service Request Severity
Obtaining Additional Publications and Information
Release Notes for Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.4
January 23, 2005
Note
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Contents
These release notes contain information about Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.4. These release notes describe the following topics:
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Introduction
Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV (commonly known as IP/TV Program Manager) is a Linux-based application that comes preinstalled on the Cisco Content Engine models CE-565, CE-566, CE-611, CE-7305, CE-7306, and CE-7326. You can access IP/TV Program Manager from a web browser to set up and manage IP/TV scheduled or on-demand programs, channels, recordings, and file transfers among IP/TV Servers.
You can access IP/TV Program Manager from Netscape Versions 4.5x through 4.7x, or Microsoft Internet Explorer Version 5.5 or later. The browser must have Java and JavaScript enabled.
IP/TV Program Manager helps you manage IP/TV Broadcast Server and clients such as IP/TV Viewer. It also allows you to set up interoperability with a Cisco Application and Content Networking System (ACNS) network when IP/TV is installed as part of an ACNS network.
This document contains the new features, limitations, caveats, and other important information regarding Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.4.
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New and Changed Information
This section describes the new and changed information in IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4.
Root Content Engine Failover and Fallback Support for a Cisco Streaming Engine Live Program
Cisco IP/TV Program Manager Release 5.4 supports failover and fallback mechanisms for the root Content Engine to ensure seamless streaming of a Cisco Streaming Engine live program in an IP/TV-integrated ACNS network. If a primary root Content Engine fails, the failover mechanism supports the election of a backup root Content Engine. Fallback occurs when the primary root Content Engine regains its primary position.
Root Content Engine failover requires that both the primary and backup Content Engines be located in the same root location and receive multicast streams from the Cisco IP/TV Broadcast Server. When the primary root Content Engine fails, the backup root Content Engine assumes control of the live program streaming, and the live program continues without interruption. The Content Engine elected as the location leader in the child location continues to receive the live stream from the backup root Content Engine. This process is transparent to user.
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Root Content Engines can fail for any of the following reasons:
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Fallback occurs when the primary root Content Engine regains its primary position. Normally, when the primary root Content Engine resumes functioning after a failure, it receives the live stream from the active secondary root Content Engine and does not try to regain its primary position. The fallback mechanism occurs under the following circumstances:
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Configuring Root Content Engine Failover
To configure root Content Engine failover using the IP/TV Program Manager GUI, choose the Multicast mode of stream delivery to the root Content Engine while scheduling a new program using the New Scheduled Program window. Alternatively, you can choose Multicast mode of stream delivery when you edit an existing program from the Edit Scheduled Program window.
To disable failover to the root Content Engine, choose the unicast mode of stream delivery to the root Content Engine when you edit an existing program from the Edit Scheduled Program window.
For more information about setting up root Content Engine failover support for scheduled programs using the IP/TV Program Manager, see Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV User Guide, Release 5.4
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Limitations and Restrictions
This section contains limitations and restrictions for Cisco IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4.
Interoperability with IP/TV Broadcast Server
Cisco IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4 requires Cisco IP/TV Broadcast Server, Release 5.2 or later for the proper functioning of its features. You may not be able to make use of features such as the scheduled rebroadcast of IP/TV programs over an ACNS network if you are using an IP/TV Broadcast Server release lower than Release 5.2.
Caveats
Caveats describe unexpected behavior in ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.4. Severity 1 caveats are the most serious; severity 2 caveats are less serious. Severity 3 caveats are moderately severe caveats. Only select severity 3 and severity 4 caveats are included in this note.
Open Caveats in IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4
This section lists the open caveats in Cisco IP/TV Program Manager Release 5.4.
IP/TV Plug-Ins
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Symptom: The IP/TV plug-in does not function when you use Silent Install mode to install the software.
Condition: This problem occurs when you do not copy the required files to the Plugins folder of the browser. When running in Silent Install mode, the installation package fails to find the path where the browser is installed.
Workaround: Copy the following files from the location: [Program Files Folder] \default\plugins folder of the installation package to the Plugins folder of the browser (For example: C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer):
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Symptom: The IP/TV plug-in does not play SlideCast streams from an on-demand program containing SlideCast streams, and audio and video streams. The IP/TV plug-in plays only audio and video streams, whereas the QuickTime plug-in plays both SlideCast and video on top of each other in a single window.
Condition: This problem occurs when you use plug-ins to play on-demand programs that contain SlideCast streams, and audio and video streams.
Workaround: There is no known workaround.
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Symptom: Slidecast stream loses audio when you play a scheduled program containing a live SlideCast stream as well as audio and video (live or file-based) streams using the IP/TV plug-in.
Condition: This problem occurs when the audio and video streams are rendered before the SlideCast stream.
Workaround: Restore the audio by activating the video window. Use the audio control buttons to activate the window.
IP/TV Program Manager
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Symptom: IP/TV Program Manager OnDemand Program Listings window does not list a configured on-demand program, if the associated media file is not available.
Condition: This problem occurs only when you remove the media file associated with the on-demand program from the original location.
Workaround: Do not remove or change the media file location in IP/TV Broadcast Server after configuring on-demand programs that use the media file. If you must remove or change the media file location, then you must edit all programs that use that file to update the file name and location. If you have accidentally removed a media file, restore the file to the original location.
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Symptom: Requests for on-demand programs from clients in an ACNS network are sent to IP/TV Program Manager. IP/TV Program Manager treats these requests as standalone IP/TV on-demand program requests and directs them to the IP/TV Broadcast Server that can service the request. This situation causes bandwidth constraints and affects the functioning of IP/TV Server.
Condition: This problem occurs when IPTV is integrated with ACNS network and requests for on-demand programs which are exported to the ACNS network, reach IP/TV Program Manager instead of being routed to the Content Engine that has the programs. This problem is related to a routing failure or a routing error.
Workaround: Configure routing correctly in ACNS networks so that on-demand requests are directed to the nearest Content Engine that is capable of servicing the program. Alternatively, you can change the proximity settings in IP/TV Program Manager so that it does not redirect the on-demand program requests to IP/TV Broadcast Server. However, if you choose the second approach, IPTV Broadcast Server may fail to service requests for standalone on-demand programs which have not been exported to ACNS network.
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Symptom: The table of contents and the index of IP/TV Program Manager online help are not functioning. When you open the online help window, the left pane, which contains the table of contents and index, appears blank.
Condition: This problem is caused by the Windows Security Update MS05-001. This security patch prevents the system from creating an instance of the HTML Help ActiveX control that is served in HTML content from outside the Local Machine zone.
Workaround: Since IP/TV Program Manager is part of your internal network, you may modify the Windows registry to allow the system to execute ActiveX controls that are served from within the Intranet zone. For more information on modifying the registry to workaround this issue, refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base article 892675, which is available at this URL:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892675.
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Symptom: In some cases, IP/TV Program Manager lists files from IP/TV Broadcast Servers that are not managed by that particular IP/TV Program Manager.
Condition: This problem occurs when an IP/TV Program Manager no longer manages an IP/TV Broadcast Server that is listed in IP/TV Program Manager.
Workaround: When an IP/TV Broadcast Server is down, delete the server from the list of servers in that IP/TV Program Manager.
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Symptom: IP/TV generates poor-quality audio and video.
Condition: This problem occurs when you use very low values in the Audio/Video Bandwidth field of the New Program window.
Workaround: Use the values given in Appendix A of the Cisco IP/TV Broadcast Server User Guide, Release 5.1. The document is available at this URL: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/conntsw/ps1869/products_user_guide_list.html
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Symptom: The concurrent file transfer setting in the IP/TV Program Manager Preferences window does not take effect.
Condition: This problem occurs if you attempt to specify the concurrent file transfer option through the IP/TV Program Manager Preferences window.
Workaround: There is no known workaround.
Resolved Caveats in IP/TV Program Manager, Release 5.4
This section lists the resolved caveats in IP/TV Release 5.4.
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A manifest file syntax error occurs when you try to create a Content Delivery Management (CDM) report for IPTV-ACNS integrated VOD programs that were created on Program Manager with filenames that contain a special character such as "&".
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A hacker can access unauthorized information (such as operating system details, software version numbers running on the server, server cookies, and authentication information) under the following conditions:
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IP/TV Program Manager does not allow you to create a live program when the number of live programs on a Broadcast Server exceeds half the number of SSM addresses available. For example, if your SSM range has five multicast addresses, IP/TV Program Manager allows you to create two live programs on a Broadcast Server but generates the error message when you create a third live program. IP/TV Program Manager returns the following error message while creating a live program:
IP/TV found the following errors on your New Program page:IP/TV is unable to allocate multicast IP for this program. Please use Advanced Option to create the program and allocate the multicast IP manually.These data entry errors need to be fixed.Click the Back button to return to the New Program page.Related Documentation
Use these release notes in conjunction with the following documents:
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Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV User Guide, Release 5.4 documentation is located at the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/conntsw/ps1869/products_user_guide_list.html
Cisco ACNS Software Program Manager for IP/TV, Release 5.3 documentation is located at the following website:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/conntsw/ps491/prod_release_notes_list.html
Cisco ACNS Software, Release 5.4 documentation is located at:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/sw/conntsw/ps491/prod_release_notes_list.html
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Tip
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