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Velocity 3.0
The latest version of Hirsch’s award-winning software.
Interoperability
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Velocity 2.6 sp2 Release Notes
Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 2 UPDATE (Build 2.6.1.27)
This CD contains the Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 2 Update (Part number: VEL-UPD26sp2). This CD will update your Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 1 (Build 2.6.1.15) system to Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 2 (Build 2.6.1.27). If you need a CD for a new site installation please contact your dealer or Hirsch Electronics and order part number VEL. This CD will not update previous versions of Velocity to version 2.6 Service Pack 2. If you need an update CD please contact your dealer or Hirsch Electronics representative for the part numbers for your specific needs.
Update Prerequisites:
Product Packaging
This CD only contains Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 2. You may only apply this service pack to systems running Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 1.
To order a CD set for the Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 1 Update you will need to use part number VEL-UPD26sp1.
To order a CD Set for new site Velocity installations you will need to use part number VEL.
To order a CD Set for an existing Velocity customer running a older version (1.0.9.60, 2.5.0.28, 2.5.0.35, 2.5.0.37) who wish to update to Velocity 2.6 you will need to use part number (s) VEL-UPD25 and VEL-UPD26. Please contact your dealer or Hirsch Electronics representative for the part numbers for your specific needs
Velocity 2.6 sp2 Operating System and Service Pack Requirements
The Velocity Installer has been updated to allow installation on Windows 2000 and Windows XP for Client and Standalone Workstation configurations and Windows Server 2003 when running SQL Server 2000.
Velocity 2.6 sp2 has no known issues with Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2.
Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 (requires SQL Server 2000) are the only operating systems that support client connections.
For Windows 2000 Professional and Server configurations Service Pack 3 or above for Windows 2000 is now required. The current Microsoft Service Pack can be found on the Velocity Utilities CD or at www.microsoft.com.
Service Pack 4 for Microsoft SQL Server 7.0/MSDE 1.0 is automatically installed when required. MSDE installation is not supported on Windows Server 2003.
The following are the supported Operating System and Database Configurations for Velocity 2.6 Standalone Workstations and Servers:
Velocity Configuration
MSDE
SQL Server 7
SQL Server 2000
Single-User System running W2K Pro or XP Pro
þ Included
þ Optional
(Desktop Edition Only)
þ Optional
(Personal Edition Only)
Windows Server 2000
þ Included
þ Optional
þ Optional
Windows Server 2003
ý Not Supported
ý Not Supported
þ Required-Not Included
Velocity 2.6 sp2 CCM Requirement
The Velocity 2.6 sp1 release requires that you be running DIGI*TRAC CCM Firmware 7.2.03 or higher. At the time this Service Pack was packaged the currently shipping CCM version is 7.3.08. This CCM version is required if running the Secure Network Interface Board (SNIB2). Please refer to the SNIB2 Configuration Guide for additional information regarding the requirements and configuration. Failure to perform this update will result in unpredictable product behavior.The new CCM Firmware file can be found in the CCM directory in your Velocity directory. The most recent firmware can be found in the Update\CopyFolders\Firmware directory on this Velocity 2.6 sp2 CD. If you are not planning on implementing SNIB2 boards in your controllers you can continue to run CCM 7.2.03 or higher CCMs.
IMPORTANT CCM 7.3.0 or HIGHER FLASH UPDATE INFORMATION
Before you can flash your current 7.2.x version CCM to 7.3.0 or higher you must first check the BIOS level of the CCM. In order for the 7.3.0 flash update to work properly you must be running a CCM with a BIOS level of 7.1.20 or higher. If you are running a BIOS Level less than 7.1.20 you will need to replace your CCM. The current shipping CCM BIOS Level is 7.2.19. To determine the BIOS level of a CCM you will need to use the Diagnostic Window found under the Help Menu.
How to determine your CCM BIOS Level
1. Go to the Help menu on the tool bar and click on the Diagnostic Window option. Click on the RED button on the tool bar that is labeled Diagnostic Stream. The button will turn green.
2. From within the Diagnostic Window use the Controller list box and select the appropriate controller. Now go over to the Diagnostic Command list box and select option 1 - Date, Time, Version Number and click the button next to this list box. The controller will display system information in the bottom pane of this window. Please look for the following information below and determine the BIOS level of your CCM. In this example we were running CCM BIOS 7.2.19. The Firmware version number may be very different than the BIOS number. Please remember to only determine the BIOS Level.
1:24:40 PM 001:001:001 SNET Message 139 Device Info Device Type 3 M2
1:24:40 PM . ROM Sig. ffffffffffffffffx BIOS=7.2.19 Firmware Date=20041027 Vn. 7.3.01
3. If you are running BIOS Level 7.1.20 or higher you can use Velocity to flash your CCM to 7.3.0 or higher.
IMPORTANT SNIB2 INFORMATION
If you plan on deploying the new SNIB2 high-security communication board you must update your controllers with DIGI*TRAC Firmware 7.3.00 or higher prior to installation of this board in your controller. Please refer to the DIGI*TRAC section on in the Velocity Browser's Velocity Learning Center and review the Configuration Guide prior to updating your controllers with the SNIB2.
Installation Notes
Confirm your current version of CCM firmware to determine if a firmware download is required. Velocity 2.6 requires versions 7.2.03 or higher. The currently shipping version at the time this document was created is 7.3.08.
During the MSDE installation step, if you are installing Velocity on a Windows 2000 Server on a Windows Server 2003 domain (only if you are not installing on full SQL Server 2000) you may receive the following message:
The password does not meet the password policy requirements. Check the minimum password length, password complexity and password history requirements.
If you click the OK button the system will continue to install. This is caused by Microsoft BUG #: 56075. The Velocity installer corrects this defect when it installs the SQL Server 7 Service Pack 4. See Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 249294 for more details.
Before installing Velocity, you must be logged into the Server with an "account" that has Administrator rights. An "account" is the Name and Password assignment in Windows 2000 (in Control Panel under Users for Windows 2000 Professional for Velocity Single User installation or in Active Directory Users and Computers under Start/Programs/Administrative Tools/ for Windows 2000 Server Velocity Server installation). If you attempt to install without such rights, the Installer will generate an error and terminate.
When installing a workstation on a domain the installing user will not be placed into Velocity users group. The Velocity installer cannot determine where the credential came from in Windows 2000 Pro. It always assumes it came from the local directory.
Updating Velocity 2.6 System Service Pack 1 (build 2.6.1.15) to Velocity 2.6 Service Pack 2 (build 2.6.1.27)
This CD only updates a Velocity 2.6 sp1 to Velocity 2.6 sp2.
The Velocity Update to Service Pack 2 will update a Velocity 2.6 (build 2.6.1.15) system only. You must update your current system to this build or the update will not run. Please place the Update CD in your CD Drive and choose the "Update Velocity 2.6sp1 to 2.6sp2" option from the menu.
Note: Before updating Velocity, you must be logged into the Server with an "account" that has Administrator rights. An "account" is the Name and Password assignment in Windows 2000 (in Control Panel under Users for Windows 2000 Professional for Velocity Single User installation or in Active Directory Users and Computers under Start/Programs/Administrative Tools/ for Windows 2000 Server Velocity Server installation). If you attempt to install without such rights, the Installer will generate an error and terminate.
Suggested Update Steps:
Backup your Velocity 2.6 sp1 (2.6.1.15) database using the Velocity SQL Manager or Microsoft Enterprise Manager if running SQL Server 7 or 2000.
Verify that all Controllers are running CCM 7.2.03 or higher controller firmware. If you are going to be running the SNIB2 it is recommended that you update your CCMs to 7.3.08 at this time.
Stop all Velocity services using the Velocity Service Control Manager found on your system tray.
Exit the Velocity Service Control Manager.
Do not stop the SQL services using the MS SQL Server Service Manager found on your system tray. The Velocity Update program needs this service running for the update process to complete successfully.
Start the update by inserting the Velocity Update CD in the CD drive and click the Update Velocity 2.6 sp1 to Velocity 2.6 sp2 option.
Run the Update on all client computers currently running Velocity 2.6 sp1 software.
What's new in Velocity Version 2.6 Service Pack 2
The list of the defects fixed and any known issues in this release are in separate documents and are located under the Velocity Browser.
New - SNIB2 High-Security TCP/IP communication board support
The new DIGI*TRAC Secure Network Interface Board (SNIB2) is fully supported in Velocity 2.6 sp2. Contact your sales representative for the details of this exciting new product from Hirsch.
The SNIB2 uses AES Rijndael 128bit encryption to secure all communication between the Velocity host computer and the DIGI*TRAC controller. Communications to the first or master controllers is via TCP/IP. In a multi-drop configuration downstream controller communications is via RS-485 and is also fully encrypted. The DIGI*TRAC controllers with the SNIB2 installed can only be added to a Velocity XNET port and must be configured to run XNET 2.
The SNIB2 eliminates the need to run LAN Interfaces (LIF-U) and the XBOX.
The Port Configuration dialog has been modified to support the configuration of the SNIB2 running XNET 2.
The ability to update the SNIB2 firmware has been added to the controller properties General tab.
New Wizard has been added to download SNIB 2 Firmware to the Velocity Database. This option is found under the File>Import/Export menu item.
Performance improvements were made to the Status Viewer when opening large Status Groups on high transaction rate systems.
Controller download times have been reduced by optimizing the way in which commands are packaged which results in smaller download files. Addition performance gains will be realized when running the SNIB2.
Controller components are now sorted in an alphabetic ascending sequence.
Controller CCM Firmware can be found in either the CCM Folder and the new Firmware folder under the Program Files/Hirsch Electronics/Velocity folder.
SNIB2 Firmware is found in the new Firmware folder under the Program Files/Hirsch Electronics/Velocity folder.
The CCM Firmware file extension has been changed from .bin to .ccm
The SNIB2 Firmware file extension has been changed from .bin to .snib2
The default Max Retry Attempts for TCP/IP ports has been changed from 10 to 50.
The following events are logged to the SQL Database but no longer broadcast: 8013 and 8017 which correspond to User added/deleted, person/credential imported.
User added and deleted messages have had their Visibility Properties set to SQL Log so that they are no longer being broadcast to Velocity Clients but are still being recorded in the database. This change dramatically improves the performance of the entire system when there is a large volume of credential/door group/master door group manipulation or during credential downloads to controllers. These message can be broadcast by using the Customization Manager and changing the Visibility from SQL Log to Broadcast + SQL Log.
A new debugging utility has been added to the Program Files/Hirsch Electronics/Unsupported Tools folder - Batch File Viewer.
The purpose of this tool is to display the overall status of batch files and the status of individual command items in plain English. The viewer can be used to monitor the download status of live batches and to view the status of batches that have completed with errors.
What's new in Velocity Version 2.6 Service Pack 1
Extensive System and Database Performance Tuning
System Changes The Velocity Enrollment Manager, Status Viewer, Alarm Viewer, Event Viewer, Graphics Window, Import Wizard and the Master Door Group and Door Group components have been extensively enhanced to provide better performance when working with large volumes of events and data. These enhancement will minimize interruptions across the Velocity Network when manipulating large numbers of credentials and master/standard door groups, loading large graphics pages or processing large volumes of events.
Database Changes The following events: 1180, 1180, 1145 and 1146 have been changed to SQL Log Only for performance reasons. These events are logged in the Velocity Database for Reporting purposes but are not broadcast to all clients to improve system performance during large person and credential Imports. In addition various tables have been tuned to provide better performance when manipulating large volumes of data.
Improved Graphics Performance
New Graphic Properties "Load on Start" option
With Velocity 2.6 sp1 you can now control which Graphic loads on startup via the Graphic Properties Load on Start option. Selecting "True" will cause the a specific graphic page to load into memory every time the Graphics option is launched which will make the load time longer. Selecting False will instruct Velocity not to load the graphic page into memory when the Graphics option is launched - which will speed up the load time of Graphics. When you select the page via the tab or directory the graphic page will be loaded into memory and will remain in memory until the Graphics option is closed.
Redesigned Alarm Queue
The Graphics Alarm Queue has been redesigned to provide better performance when a large number of alarms are being processed on high event traffic systems.
Graphic load progress bar provides better user feedback when loading large graphic pages.
Elimination of stacked alarm messages on graphics canvas
In previous versions of Velocity Graphics the Alarm text boxes were stacked on top of each other. In 2.6 sp1 there is only one text box for each VIO. When an alarm occurs and there is already an alarm being displayed in a bubble that alarm is queued in memory. When the previous alarm is acknowledged the next alarm in the queue is displayed. This allows Velocity graphics to deliver higher performance at load time and when acknowledging alarms.
Progress bars have been added to the Velocity Data Import and Export Wizards and to the Enrollment Manager
Support for Inputs and Expansion Inputs has been added to My Velocity
What's new in Velocity Version 2.6
Digital Video Recorder (DVR) Interoperability
Velocity 2.6 integrates Access Control and Intrusion Detection with Digital Video Recorder Technology. With Velocity 2.6, any Velocity alarm or event can be used to trigger the DVR to record the event and then view the recorded video within the Velocity Alarm Viewer. In addition, unlike the CCTV viewer you can view live video from the DVR without the need to have a video card on your PC. Only the American Dynamics (formerly Sensormatic) Intellex DV16000 and DV8000 series is supported in Velocity 2.6.
Velocity Video Explorer - Lets you view multiple cameras from multiple DVRs in a single window. Video Explorer provides a quick view of up to sixteen preset cameras on one screen. These cameras can be a mix of cameras from one or more DVR units.
Use Velocity Alarms and Events to trigger Video Recording
View Recorded Video directly from within the Velocity Alarm Viewer
Get and View Video Alarms generated by the DVR within Velocity
View Multiple DVR Cameras simultaneously on the same screen
The Event History Viewer enables a qualified Velocity operator to track and report events that are specific to the DVR subsystem. The DVR Event History Viewer looks and feels like the Velocity Report Manager. In fact, it shares many features with the Report Manager except that it is dedicated to DVR history logs. These logs include:
Active Alarms by Date
Active Alarms by Date with Comments
Alarm Log by Date
Alarm Log by Date with Comments
All Events Log by Category
All Events Log by Date
Link DVR Cameras to doors in MyVelocity
Drag, drop and view DVR Cameras and DVR Recorders on Graphics
Export Video from a DVR and store it on the Velocity PC and then transfer the Video to other media like CD-R and CD-RW
Fully integrated using the American Dynamics Software Developers Kit
TCP/IP LAN and WAN support to access DVRs anywhere on the network - even across the internet
MyVelocity
My Velocity is a simplified, user-friendly view of Velocity for those operators who only need to see security tasks that are relevant to their jobs and communicate with their coworkers quickly and efficiently.
Features included in this MyVelocity are:
Critical Functions: View and control Velocity components, including doors, DVR and CCTV cameras, relays, command sets, and reports.
E-Mail: Even if this Velocity system does not include a standard email system (such as Outlook Express, Outlook, or Eudora), My Velocity can provide operators a means to communicate via this Velocity network. This e-mail system can handle both voice and video mail.
Video Conferencing: Uses USB-compliant web-cams.
My Velocity can be customized to the specific needs of each operator, so that when that operator opens My Velocity, only those tasks permitted for the operator appear on the screen.
User Interface that is geared for Guards and other non-administrative personnel
Video and Voice over IP
Device and command set availability controlled by permissions
Master Door Group
Velocity 2.6 now supports Master Door Group. Master Door Groups are made up of multiple standard Door Groups. Using Master Door Groups you can better manage your controllers doors and simplify your access rules. With Master Door Groups you can now have doors within the same controller that are defined in different door groups assigned to a single credential. In previous versions of Velocity a credential could only be assigned a door group if it did not conflict with doors in the same controller in a different door group.
Switch Operator Feature
The Velocity Switch Operator feature allows the user to change operators without the need to log-off the computer. The new users' Velocity permissions are then used during the session to control access to Velocity functionality. This feature is important if you must allow alarms and events to be processed without interruption during a shift change. If you intend on using this feature it is recommended that you setup generic Windows accounts to be used to log onto the network and then control Velocity permissions using Operator Groups.
New Enrollment Manger Features
The Velocity Enrollment Manager now supports unlimited user defined fields across 10 new tabs. The ability to see these new tabs is controlled by permissions in the operators groups. The tab names can be changed using the Velocity Customization Manager.
The "Add New Credential", "Assign Credential", "Preview", and "Print" bottom function buttons were changed so a single click can execute them.
Added Pen width, color and back ground color support to Signature Capture feature.
Velocity Add-Ins
Velocity Remote Desktop
This add-in enables the operator to launch a terminal services session from within the Velocity shell. There is NO data sharing between the systems. It allows a user to access another Velocity system without having to exit their system to perform administrative functions.
LaunchPad
This add-in enables the operator to launch standard windows applications within Velocity. This is valuable when the operator needs to run an application but cannot exit Velocity.
Tip for the Day
This fun add-in allows you to create your own "Tips for the day." A text file Velocitytips.txt is used to present tips in random. You can add your own lines to the file to create reminders for Velocity users. Refreshing operations on your organizations policies would be great application of this new feature.
New Graphics Enhancements
Added the following Velocity data elements to the Custom Badge Field feature:
HostCardStamp
HostCardData
MatchCode
HostIssueNumber
Enhance Badging system to support the new Enrollment Manger's Unlimited User Defined Field feature.
Added the ability to Suspend Alarm Queuing
This new feature allows the operator to temporarily suspend the Velocity Graphics Alarm Queuing feature. The Alarm Queuing feature caused Velocity to track alarms as they come into the system. The first alarm in causes Velocity to bring into focus that device on that graphic. This feature is useful when you want to suspend alarm queuing to open doors, trigger a control zone or view a DVR camera and don't want the system to switch to a graphic on a new alarm. The alarms still come into the system and are shown in the Velocity Alarm Viewer and the Graphics Alarm Queue.
New Graphic Custom Links
In Velocity new custom graphics components can be created by Hirsch Engineering to deliver new functionality when appropriate. These new components are called are called Custom Links and are added to Graphics via the Custom Link Manager component found in the Graphics Object Library window under the Special Folder. These components can be found in the \Program Files\Hirsch Electronics\Velocity\GraphicFiles Folder.
AXIS™ Camera Graphics Link
This Custom Link enables the operator to launch an AXIS™ Camera from any Graphics Page. You simply drag the AXIS Custom Link object to your graphics page and then add the IP Address to the objects properties. When you double-click on the AXIS Custom Link Velocity will launch the viewer for that camera.
Quick Link
This Custom Link enables the operator to launch an HTML Page from any Graphics Page. You simply drag the Quick Link object to your graphics page and then add the IP Address to the objects properties. When you double-click on the Quick Link Velocity will launch the defined HTML Page.
Report Manager Changes
In Version 2.6, the Velocity Report Manager now uses Crystal Reports 10.0 print engine. The change was made because reports created by customers using Crystal Reports 9.1 or higher would not run when imported into the Velocity Report Mangers. Reports created by customers or dealers in pre-9.1 versions of Crystal Reports may have to be updated to this new version of Crystal Reports to function properly.
New Operator Group Permissions
Operator Group permissions have been expanded to support MyVelocity. These new permissions control access to Door, Relays and Cameras within MyVelocity. These permissions do not control access to these devices in other parts of Velocity. In other words, this should not be considered as database partitioning.
Email Notification now supports Text Messages (for Cell Phone and Pagers that do not support HTML)
The Velocity Email Notification feature now can send message in a pure text format. This feature is useful when the email recipient is using cell phones or pagers that do not support HTML formatted email. The Velocity Email Notification feature continues to support HTML messages as well.
PAL Support for the CCTV Viewer for International Customers
The Velocity CCTV viewer has been updated to support the PAL Video format. The NTSC video format is used by United States, Canada, Japan and Mexico. The PAL video format is used by the other countries.
Increased the size of Input and Expansion Input names
The number of characters that can be used to name an Input or expansion input has been increased from 32 to 64.
Velocity Badging Enhancements
Velocity Badging MAGSTRIPE Encoding options has been moved to Custom Fields in Badging. Instead of only supporting the Ultra MagiCard MAGSTRIPE format, Velocity now allows the user to defined their own encoding macros within the Custom Fields feature in Badging. In addition, MagStripe encoding no longer requires special setting in the printer driver. The defaults for the Printers' MagStripe encoding option can now be used.
Ultra MagiCard format
Eltron format
Fargo format
Interoperability Developers Kit (IDK)
Hirsch is very pleased to announce the creation of the Velocity Interoperability Developers Kit (IDK) in conjunction with Velocity 2.6. The Velocity IDK enables in-house or 3rd party software developers to manipulate Velocity People and Credential information and to perform control functions as well as view and acknowledge alarms and view events. Please contact your Dealer or Hirsch Regional Manager to find out the details and pricing on the Velocity IDK.
