Update for Velocity 3

Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) Release Notes

Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) Released 01/15/2008 contains file changes to address the following knowledge base articles:

Download and install the update by executing the EXE file on the Velocity Security Domain server which will launch the update wizard. Once the update completes, as each client re-connects to the Velocity Security Domain, updates will automatically be applied. You do not need take the update to each Velocity client and run it.

Note: Requirements & planning for a system update

Before applying an update to the Velocity server, you must plan for independent client down time until the the update has been applied to each client respectively, in order for each client to stay in sync with the server system to prevent application errors and possible database corruption.

Before you install Velocity updates, the following requirements must be met:

Applying updates to the Velocity Server:

You must be logged into the Velocity server computer with a Windows account that has local Administrative privileges in order to install updates. Velocity Update may install new files and register them with the local Windows environment. On a Windows member server, you must be a member of the local Administrators group. On a domain or backup controller, you must logged in as Administrator or be a member of Domain Admins.

You must also be logged into the Velocity server computer with a Windows account that has 'sysadmin' privileges in the Velocity SQL Server. Updates may include schema changes to the Velocity database or modifications to SQL Server system databases. In order to make those changes, 'sysadmin' privileges is required. If the SQL Server used by Velocity is located on another computer on the network, your Windows account must have local Administrative privileges as well as 'sysadmin' privileges on the remote SQL Server.

Applying updates to the Velocity Client:

When updates are applied to the Velocity server, you will be advised that all Velocity clients will be updated the next time they are launched. In order for the updates to be applied to the client computer, the person logged into Windows at the time Velocity is launched must have local Administrative privileges. This is required in order for Velocity Update to apply file and folder and possibly Windows Registry changes to the Windows environment. If a non Administrator launches the Velocity client after an update has been applied to the Velocity server, they will be advised that the update cannot be run without local Administrative privileges and Velocity will exit.

Feature Change:

After applying Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241), you will notice a change under the "Port Properties" where the "Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" configuration is irrelevant when using other devices (such as the Lantronix or DIGI). The "Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" are set to 0.0.0.0 as DEFAULT and should ONLY be relevant on XNET2 when the SNIB2 is outside the local Subnet.

KB196 - PRB: Ports are erased from the system

Symptom: After adding a Port, at some time in the future, it disappears from the Administration Window or the user encounters errors in Door Groups.

The following unexpected application error occurred
Function Name: LoadControllers
FunctionSubItem: 47
Number: 35601
Description: Element not found

Cause: The Port component expects to be told what type of port it is when used in the product. Initially this is for the purpose of telling the Port component if it is SNET or XNET. Subsequent use of the Port component outside the Administration Window (Status Viewer & Graphics) does not provide this information and when the OK button is clicked, two columns in the database are erased. This results in the Port and all XBox’s and/or controllers from appearing in both the Administration Windows and Door Groups.

Solution: To resolve this issue, apply Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) which includes HirschPort.dll version 1.0.0.313 or higher.

NOTE: If the problem has already been encountered, technical assistance will be required to repair the database.

Applies To: DC 4261

KB229 - SNIB2 Vn. 5.98 Release Notes

SNIB2 Vn. 5.98 Release Notes
20 December 2007

Customers that may benefit from this release have one or more of these:

A segmented network where it's important to set the "Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" on the SNIB2s

Large, globalized installations with high traffic: more than 40,000 globalized events per hour. Multiply the number of access grant transactions per hour times the number of controllers on that SNIB2 port to determine the global traffic load. For example, 1200 access grants per hour times 35 controllers = 1200x35 = 42,000 globalized events per hour.

Defects fixed

Long packets sometimes were hanging up the network traffic.

Known limitations

Network settings -- IP address, Subnet Mask, Default Gateway -- are only stored in non-volatile flash memory if you re-flash the SNIB2's firmware (again) after setting those values.

New in this release

"Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" can be set via "Update for Velocity 3.0 KB241" or the SNIB2CONFIG.EXE program, and will be echoed back to the host. (Note that SNIB2 Vn. 5.92/5.95 will allow you to set these options but will not send a confirmation message back to the host)

Recommended Practices

We do not recommend stopping and starting the services during peak traffic times. When there are many events flowing though the system, it is difficult to get all of the controllers online - RP 267

Large installations should reset the default value of the SNet host timeout (located in the Communications tab of the Controller Properties window in Velocity) from the default value of 10 seconds to a number higher than the number of controllers on the loop - RP 250, 256

If you need a Subnet Mask and Default Gateway, you should probably (a) install the Velocity patch first (Update for Velocity 3.0 KB241), (b) disable the port for each SNIB2, (c) program the Subnet Mask and Default Gateway on those ports, (d) activate the ports, and then (e) re-flash the SNIB2 firmware to Vn. 5.98. If you do these steps in this order, the Subnet Mask and Default Gateway will be programmed into flash memory on the SNIB2.

This document covers changes to the SNIB2 since Vn. 5.95.

KB237 - CCM Vn. 7.4.18 Release Notes

CCM Vn. 7.4.18 Release Notes
5 November 2007

Most customers may download the binary file through Velocity and do not need to physically replace their CCM.

Customers that may benefit from this DIGI*Trac release have one or more of these:

Embedded LCD display (connects to MATCH2)

Keypad programming of card credentials (stand-alone).

New in this release

Support for new embedded LCD display. ***5 from DS47 will show LCD model information (usually type 8). Can show date and time, Access (etc.) GRANT/DENIED/OVERRIDDEN, minutes for Extended Access, and number of users inside.

In order for the new LCD to be recognized by DIGI*TRAC with the current or recent Velocity versions, the following command must be used for each address that has the LCD: 403*(address)*65*72#. For example, in the case of address 1, 403*1*65*72 must be sent to the controller as part of its configuration. This can be included as part of a command set.

Defects fixed

Keypad programming of cards (CMD 310, etc.) will work at readers with even or odd addresses

Indexed Command Grant messages will display as expected on Velocity 3.0 and Velocity 3.1.

LCD Time/date always uses a colon. It does not indicate whether Velocity is logged on to the controller.

Known limitations

Until Velocity has native support for the new embedded LCD display, it is necessary to add a command 403*READER*65*72# for each reader that has an LCD unit.

This document covers changes to the CCM since 7.4.12.

KB242 - PRB: Time Zones are not cleared from the controller when no longer in use

Symptom: This issue was originally addressed in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB157). When a time zone is used for programming setups it is downloaded as needed. When the time zone is removed from a programming setup, it is not cleared from the controller and users may find they run out of time zones even though there are still some unassigned and available.

Cause: The CCM (Controller) itself does not clear out unused time zones. Logically, if keypad programming is used, as soon as a user were to enter a time zone it would not be assigned to anything and therefore the controller leaves it there.

Solution: Although addressed in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB157), further testing showed that time zones used in Grand Master Time Zones were still not eliminated. In addition, the routine that handled cleaning up orphaned time zones did not execute on controllers configured for use over XNET (XBox or SNIB2). To resolve this issue, install Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241), which contains the file DTServer.exe version 3.0.0.152 or higher.

NOTE: At midnight, a routine will run that will clear any orphaned time zones from the system.

Applies To: DC 4212, KB159

KB243 - PRB: Unusual SQL activity and slow system response when a new XBox is added or enabled

Symptom: SQL Server processor spike and unnecessary system activity when adding a new XBox.

Cause: During the initialization of a new XBox, the Velocity service issues a request for SuperStatus from controllers in order for the Status Viewer to fill with data. An internal error was requesting SuperStatus from every controller on each port when a new XBox was added or enabled. This results in flood of information coming back from all the controllers as well as a spike in the SQL Server activity as it is all recorded.

Solution: To resolve this issue, apply DTServer.exe version 3.0.0.152 or higher. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4320

KB244 - PRB: Download Controller configuration completes with error when command sets are specified

Symptom: If an additional command set is specified in the Controller Properties tab then the right-click Download | Configuration may result in the “download completed with errors” message in the Event Window.

Cause: An internal error in the DIGI*TRAC Network Service may cause the trailing "#" in last command in a command set to be truncated resulting in an invalid command being sent to the controller.

Solution: To resolve this issue, install DTServer.exe version 3.0.0.152. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4310

KB245 - PRB: No message is displayed in the event viewer when the download of SNIB2 firmware completes

Symptom: When downloading new firmware to a SNIB2 a message is displayed in the event viewer. However, when the download is completed, no message is displayed.

NOTE: The controller does come back online but no event is logged stating the download completed.

Cause: An internal processor was missing for the completion of a SNIB2 download completion.

Solution: To resolve this issue, install DTServer.exe version 3.0.0.152 or higher and SDServer.exe version 3.0.0.162 or higher. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4319

KB246 - PRB: After Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB238), the Alarm Viewer might refresh very slowly on non administrator roles

Symptom: Loading the Alarm Viewer, Acknowledging ALL, Clearing ALL, and pushing the Refresh button will cause the Alarm Viewer to refresh. On Non Admin roles, this was taking a very long time to complete.

Cause: With the changes to the way roles and workstations were working, the methodology for determining if an alarm should be displayed for the current role was very inefficient.

Solution: The methodology has been optimized to provide a significant decrease in Refresh times. The fix can be found in HirschAlarmView.dll v3.0.0.65 or later. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4311

KB247 - PRB: Changing the Regional Settings on a client workstation results in invalid date formats for events coming from the controller

Symptom: When a user changes the Regional Settings for a workstation from the Control Panel, the Velocity client event viewer displays different date formats for Host Time & Controller Time if the region uses a non U.S. date format.

Cause: Velocity 3.0 now uses a specific Windows account to log in its services. Unless the regional settings are set and applied globally [before] Velocity was installed, the service records the alarms and events from hardware in U.S. date format and the client, which is logged in with a profile based on a different region and possibly different date format and it causes a mismatch. One column may be MM/DD/YYYY while the other DD/MM/YYYY.

Solution: To resolve this issue, apply Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB(241) which contains SDServer.exe version 3.0.0.162 and DTServer.exe version 3.0.0.152 or higher. Both now internally translate all date formats to U.S. for SQL logging but allow the client to interpret those date in the local (region) of the logged in user.

Applies To: DC 4307

KB248 - PRB: Event Viewer does not load the full 1500 events when filters are defined

Symptom: When a filter is used, the number of events loaded after a refresh or on start is less than the number requested.

Cause: The methodology for retrieving the last n number of events did not take into account that some of those events might be filtered out. It just grabbed the last n number of possible events.

Solution: To resolve this issue, HirschEventView.dll v3.0.0.58 or later. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4298

KB249 - PRB: Sometime trying to print a credential badge would give an application error

Symptom: Trying to print a credential badge would sometimes give the following error:

Description: Overflow
Function: PrintEngine.cPrint.PrindBadges(189)
Error Number: 6

Cause: When there are a large number of credentials in a system, the CredentialID was being cast as an Integer type. It is now correctly cast as a Long type.

Solution: To resolve this issue, install PrintEngine.dll v3.0.0.43 or later. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4316

KB250 - PRB: Unable to set Default Gateway or Subnet Mask on a SNIB2 port

Symptom: In order to bridge subnets, the default gateway must be set on the SNIB2. The option to view and set it was not available.

Cause: Feature Change

Solution: To resolve this issue, apply Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) which contains HirschPort.dll version 1.0.0.313 or higher.

NOTE: You MUST also update your SNIB2 firmware version to 5.98 which is also included in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241). When configuring your Port, the "Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" configuration is irrelevant when using other devices (such as the Lantronix or DIGI). The "Subnet Mask" and "Default Gateway" are set to 0.0.0.0 as DEFAULT and should ONLY be relevant on XNET2 when the SNIB2 is outside the local Subnet.

Applies To: DC 4318

KB251 - PRB: Sometimes an error may occur while trying to calculate off normal counts

Symptom: If the SQL server is in the middle of a lengthy process, the following error may sometimes occur while trying to query for the Off Normal Count:

Function Name: CalculateOffNormal
FunctionSubItem: 20
Number -2147217871
Description: Query timeout expired

Cause: SQL Server is busy and the application timesout.

Solution: The application will now wait and try again when the SQL server stops being busy. This fix can be found it Velocity.exe v3.0.0.258 or later. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4317

KB252 - Velocity 3.1 Roles Feature Change (Amended Advanced Release)

Following the release of Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB238) which is an advance release of the Velocity 3.1 Roles feature change, additional user feedback resulted in further performance enhancements and changes to the way Roles behave in Velocity.

In ammended version removes the necessity to store each alarm and event in the SQL database when a Port, XBox, Controller, or Controller Point is denied access (unchecked). This not only increases peformance dramatically but further reduces the size of the SQL database by millions of rows of data.

As a result adding and deleting Ports, XBox's, Controllers, and Roles is very efficient. The physical size of the Velocity-Data.MDF file is reduced and backups are much faster and smaller.

Users of Velocity 3.0 that wish to apply Updates for Velocity 3.0 greater than KB216 MUST first apply KB238 and KB241. This latest amended change can be found in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241).

KB253 - PRB: Point Customization failed after applying (KB216)

Symptom: The sound files would be the same regardless of which sound file picked for Point Customization

Cause: The fix in KB216 was undone and the reapplied to KB241.

Solution: To resolve this issue, apply Velocity.exe v3.0.0.258 or later. This file is available in Update for Velocity 3.0 (KB241) and will be automatically installed on the Security Domain Server.

Applies To: DC 4308