Difference between revisions of "STIC"

Revision as of 13:24, 5 February 2018

STIC - STENTOFON Identity Card

Location of the STIC holder on the AMC-IP board

The STENTOFON Identity Card (STIC) is the logical identity of the AMC-IP board. The STIC contains the MAC-address for the AMC-IP board. During operation the IP configuration and licenses will be stored on the STIC as well. This makes it possible to replace the AMC-IP easily without having to setup IP and license information. Just move the STIC from the old AMC-IP to the new.
The STIC is based on SmartCard technology, which also is used in modern credit cards. This technology is well tested and proven to be extremly reliable.

There are different STICs for XE1/XE7 and XE20/XE26 servers.

How to use the STIC

The AMC-IP board comes with a SIM-sized card holder for the STIC. When delivered, the STIC resides within a regular credit card-sized card. Detach the smaller STIC by gently pressing it out. Keep the remaining part of the card as the MAC address programmed in the STIC is printed on it.
In case the AMC-IP card needs to be replaced, remove the STIC and place it in the new card. MAC-address, IP configuration and licenses will be available on the new card. Note that the configuration is not stored on the STIC; Therefore it is still necessary to upload the AlphaPro configuration database to the new AMC-IP card.

Different types of STIC

There are two types of STIC:

Small audio servers (XE1 & XE7)
Large audio servers (XE20 & XE26)

Note: The STIC for the small audio servers can only be used in an XE1 or an XE7 audio server. If such a STIC is inserted into a large audio server XE20 or XE26, the server will be operational for 15 minuttes, then all operations will be blocked. During the operational period, all display stations will show "STIC ERR3(xxM)", indicating xx minutes of operational time left. AlphaWeb will show "Illegal STIC for XE20/XE26"

The STIC for the large audio servers can also be used in the small audio servers.

Important information

Do not attempt to remove the STIC from the AMC-IP while the system is powered up. If the AMC-IP detects that no STIC is present, it will go into an alert mode for 1 week. After 1 week, if no STIC is present, the entire audio server will be reset and kept in reset until a valid STIC is inserted.

Lost STICs will not be replaced by Zenitel. The STIC will be replaced by Zenitel only if it is not functioning.

Ordering

When ordering an Audio Server the STIC will be a part of the package together with the AMC-IP board. If a spare AMC-IP board is ordered the STIC must be ordered separately. This is because that if the spare AMC-IP board v11 is to replace a faulty AMC-IP board v11, then it will already have a STIC which can be inserted into the new board.

Minimum requirements

The STIC requires alphasys 11.1.3.x in order to run correctly. A cold start is also required to enable the AMC board to read the STIC fully.

STIC Failure states

The failure states described below are applicible as from AMC software 11.2.3.1..

Description of system failure states reported due to STIC failure, missing or wrong card type. The failure state will be reported as:

Failure message in red on the first page of AlphaWeb
Failure message to SysLog
Failure message to all display stations in the system instead of the time and date display line.

AMC 11 software on a red AMC-IP board will not check the state of the STIC card.

Failure of the STIC during runtime operation

The AMC software checks the STIC every 24 hours. If a failure is detected the below message will be displayed on first page of AlphaWeb and reported to SysLog.

STIC RUNTIME ERROR

The system will run as normal, there will be no message in station displays. If the fault not fixed for the next restart of the system, the state will be "Missing or faulty STIC during system startup"

(AMC v. 11.1.3.x: AlphaWeb will show "STIC RUNTIME ERROR, FREE LICENSE FOR 168 HOURS", and a free license period of 7 days are given. After the license timeout the system will halt and the first three LEDs of the AMC will toggle. Restart during the 7 day timeout will give the remaining time left. Restart after the 7 day timeout will give operation like the missing/faulty STIC (15 minutes free license). All display stations in the system will display: "STIC ERR2(168H)". The hours left of the free license period will be counted down in AlphaWeb and on the Stations.)

Missing or faulty STIC during system startup

If no STIC found during system startup, the message below will be displayed on first page of AlphaWeb and reported to SysLog.

ERROR READING STIC, FREE LICENSE FOR 480 HOURS

A free license of 20 days is started. The display stations will show the message:

STIC ERR1(480H)

The hours left of the free license period will be counted down in AlphaWeb and on the station displays. After the license timeout the system will halt and the first three LEDs of the AMC will toggle. A new restart after license timeout will give 20 more days.

(AMC v. 11.1.3.x: The free license will be 15 minutes only).

STIC for XE1/XE7 inserted into an XE20/XE26

If the wrong type of STIC is found during system startup, the message below will be displayed on first page of AlphaWeb and reported to SysLog.

ILLEGAL STIC FOR XE20/XE26. FREE LICENSE FOR 480 HOURS

A free license period of 20 days is started. The display stations will show the message:

STIC ERR3(480H)

The hours left of the free license period will be counted down in AlphaWeb and on the station displays. After the license timeout the system will halt and the first three LEDs of the AMC will toggle. A new restart after license timeout will give 20 more days.

The use of a XE20/26 STIC in a XE1/7 is allowed, thus no errors will be displayed.

(AMC v. 11.1.3.x: The free license will be 15 minutes only).

License Failure Messages on AlphaWeb System Monitoring Page

Some warnings of the license status are displayed in red on the first page of AlphaWeb to easy system fault finding.
The same message is reported to SysLog. (Only one time after reset)
These messages is also generated on AMC10 hardware running AlphaSys 11 software.

System running in free license period

When the system is running in the free license period the message below will be shown in AlphaWeb:

System running on free license, 401 hours left

Faulty License String

If the license string is not matching the MAC address of the board, the message below will be displayed.
However this situation should not occur since the license string is verified for integrity before stored on the STIC or FLASH (AMC10).
(If the STIC is produced in the factory with wrong license string the message could appear...)

Licenses key is not matching MAC address

More features used by the system than the license string supports

If system features configured and no license available the message below will be displayed.
For example:

8 AlphaNet licenses in the license string and 9 AlphaNet calls are made.
4 IP stations license are available and 5 IP stations try to register.

Overuse of OPC licenses is not reported since default setup is to use one OPC license for every station reported up.

If rejection reported and afterward new license is entered without reset of the AlphaCom application, the license rejected state will still be reported to AlphaWeb.

Rejected License Request

How to determine if a STIC is for XE1/7 or for XE20/26

One can use the TST console to determine if a STIC is for XE1/7 or for XE20/26.

Start the TST console, and type the command "sys".

Look for the following information:

Last Board = 7: This STIC is for XE1/7
Last Board = 26: This STIC is for XE20/26