Alphawave CAM Release Notes

1.88 - 2008-06-03 - "Bolton"

  • General
    • CAM Demo with real data now available
    • CAM device drivers can now be written entirely in python for speed of development
    • CAM now requires a working python 2.4 install
    • A .deb/.rpm/python setup now available for python CAM interface modules on request
    • Changes to licence files
  • GFX
    • Device lock on all panels to soft lock for a given user or site
    • Mimic - can install python scripts into the GFX for customer specific displays and mimics.
  • New drivers
    • ASC/ASC300 - Beacon receiver
    • Agilent/Analyzer - E440x spectrum analyzer
    • Alphawave/Link - Device to monitor groups of devices as a whole
    • Alphawave/Script - For customer specific drivers
    • CPI/CMPA2 - Newer amplifier hardware
    • DoubleD/DDA235 - Waveguide switch controller
    • ETL/RFSwitch - Redundancy Controller
    • Gigasat/RFS2 - Updated Redundancy Controller
    • Gigasat/STC - Antenna controller
    • Paradise/Evolution (P3000/PD25) - Satellite modem
    • Radyne/RCS20-4 - Updated redundancy control system
    • ResearchConcepts/RC2500 - Antenna controller
    • Symmetricom/9611 - Clock distribution unit
    • Tandberg/TT1220 - MPEG-2 Decoder
  • Updated drivers
    • Paradise/CSSPA - Updates and fixes
    • ETL/RFMatrix - Updated and reworked
    • Gigasat/MuxIO - Rework
    • Xicom/XicomHPA - Support cut down model

And many other small fixes and improvements.

1.87 - 2005-08-01 - "Bafly"

  • New web-based supervisor / plugin system
    • Plugin: Scheduler
    • Plugin: Redundancy Controller
    • Plugin: Sync Device time
  • Devices
    • Fix to SNMP-controlled devices enabled HEX strings to be manipulated (enables BISS keys to be set in TT1260)
    • ETL RFMatrix: uses new menu_max variable to split the 64 menu options into columns
    • ETL RFMatrix: added CLI-like interface for bulk setting of routes
    • XicomHPA: Tidy main panel. local/remote indicator fixes
    • Steptrack: Allowed smartrack table to be selected + other fixes
    • E2V Stellar: Tidy main panel.
    • IO: Fix for PMD driver 'bus'
  • Manual updated

1.86b - 2005-06-21 - "Solstice"

  • GFX
    • fix: bookmark generation panel

1.86 - 2005-06-16 - "Ticktock" (not released)

  • Daemon
    • New device_time variable in all devices to facilitate time sync
  • GFX
    • Bookmarks extended to set all devices to the same value
    • Bookmarks can be generated from middle-click over a variable or panel
    • fix: unit height in rack mode
  • New devices
    • Xicom XTC
    • E2V Stellar
    • Measurement Computing PMD 1024 IO device
  • Variable/log query system extended to enable QoS plots from log dumps

1.85 - 2005-03-04 - "Blogger"

  • Device mods and fixes
    • fix: PModem log reading over unreliable links
    • fix: Anritsu failure to fetch trace
    • fix: Gigasat RFS tested with final firmware
  • Updated Web page online at http://www.alphawave.net
    • Documentation
    • Supported Devices
    • Downloads
  • Daemon
    • fix: excessive memory usage when under exceptional strain
  • GFX
    • fix: allow gfx to run from a read-only environment

1.84 - 2005-02-07 - "Eudrevo"

  • New devices
    • Anritsu MS2600 Spectrum analyser
    • Comtech EFData CDM-600 modem
    • Comtech EFData SDM-300 modem
    • ETL RFMatrix NxN Matrix Switch
    • Gigasat FVE MPEG2 Encoder
    • Gigasat Mux IO
    • Gigasat RFS Redundancy Controller
    • Hughes UMOD-9100 modem
    • Isis Innovation 16x1 video router
    • Miteq MT3200 amplifier
    • Miteq RSU converter redundancy controller
    • Miteq up/down converter (now unified)
    • Paradise BUC/ODU
    • Paradise indoor SSPA
    • Radyne DMD20 Satellite modem
    • Research Concepts RC-1000/1500/2000 Antenna Controller
    • Research Concepts RC3000 Antenna Controller
    • Tandberg E5740 MPEG encoder
    • Tandberg TT1260 DVB receiver
    • Telindus Mux telnet interface driver script
    • Alphawave digital IO ('comedi' card) based device
    • Alphawave Script Device - facilitates easy to write device drivers
  • Device mods and fixes
    • new: PModems with > v4.05 provide read LCD and key press messages
    • mod: PModem panel reorganization into 'Unit' and 'Modem' submenus
    • fix: PModem logging
    • fix: PModem L-band modem detection
  • Daemon
    • Devices have Manufacturer, Model and Category variables
    • Variable logging
      • Changes to variables and commands logged to a CSV file
      • Automatic min/max/average stat calculations for variables
      • CGI for viewing logs in browser as HTML, PDF or CSV
      • Specialised QoS graphing for Paradise PModem
      • Specialised Graphing for APC Smart-UPS
    • Python interface to CAM
    • Fix
      • Crash on quit
      • Prevent saved variable files being written out with null values
    • Preload system
      • Variables can be loaded all in one go
      • Used by scripts to restore the state of a device from a file
      • Can be used via the GFX for instant updates
  • Alarm system
    • Templates and triggers
    • cam_sendmail: script to send mail, can be used as an alarm trigger
    • cam_sms: script to send SMSs, can be used as an alarm trigger
  • GFX
    • Graph objects: line graphs and labelling and grids
    • Site-specific panels
  • SNMP
    • SNMP proxy functionality added
    • Complete coverage of all CAM devices
    • MIB files generated for all devices
    • use net-snmp library
  • CAM200 released
    • Port of CAM for an embedded ARM system
    • Can be used for adding SNMP to existing devices
    • Small, low power (5V only), no moving parts
    • 2 serial ports
    • Easy to use configurator (telnet, ssh or serial)
    • Supplied as bare board for integration or boxed
  • CAM600 released
    • Port of CAM for an embedded 'VIA' miniITX motherboard
    • 1U rackmount chassis with 2 line LCD and keypad
    • no moving parts, removable, CF-based, storage
    • redundant 12V DC power
    • 8 serial ports
    • 1 PCI slot for expansion or synchronous serial
  • Installer
    • Now adds "open GFX in a window" shortcut
  • Update Manual

1.83 - Not formally released

1.82 - 2004-03-18 - "Wilson"

  • Devices
    • Update to Paradise CSSPA to Rev K
    • New device: Gigasat DCU and updates to UCU
    • Update to Xicom HPA driver
    • Re-instated 'notify' system as part of the site device
  • Daemon
    • MAC address based licences
  • Alarm system
    • Mute changed to Ack and Acknowledged alarms don't flash
    • Commands to Ack all faults etc
    • User definable alarms
    • Commands to copy alarms, locally or globally to this type or all types
    • User definable bulletin alarm (for Post-It notes about equipment faults)
    • Extra levels of alarm: Info / Notice / Warning (as before) / Fault (as before) / Critical
  • GFX
    • New rack and chain buttons
    • Bookmarks system
    • Can now work with single button mouse
    • Old sites not removed automatically
    • Devices can be hidden temporarily or permanently. Hidden devices are visible in the hidden tab
    • Many new icons and graphics
    • Bottom 'CAM Bar' removed - all functionality contained within title bar
    • Can select devices panel menu from the 'device' icon in the top left hand corner
    • Old style of 'buttons-to-open-panels' removed. All devices are now 'tab' based
    • Can open any sub-panel (and contained panels) from the tree, or by right-clicking tab
  • Major re-organisation of the internals
    • Convert CAM Variables files and some GFX files into validated XML
    • Compile the whole CAM with C++
    • Factor out major parts of Daemon and GFX into common library
    • Internal regression tests for
      • CAM Variable numbering
      • Library core features
  • Update Manual

1.81 - 2003-09-16

  • New device: Gigasat UCU
  • New device: PModem BUC/FSK support (untested with real hardware)
  • Initial work on XMLizing all datafiles
  • Fixed latched 'changed' alarms (e.g. stream flipping)
  • Fixed dialler name/number entry
  • More old devices brought into the new style
  • Fixes to SDM6000 panels

1.80 - 2003-05-29

  • Major testing of P300/P310/P300i/P400 and P500 and P230 drivers with paradise
  • Fixed broken RS232 control in paradise drivers
  • L-Band support fully working
  • GCC 3.2
  • revamped panels for some old devices: Pico, RS232ctrl, 1:1 switch, Varian, Miteq, Filer, SFT, Chooser
  • Sacrificial ACKs for Codan (for linked Async devices)
  • Sacrificial ACKs for Anacom (for linked Async devices)
  • New logo!
  • Many GFX tweaks
  • padlock locks all panels to Read Only after 30s (can be disabled)
  • freetype2 support

1.79 - Internal test

  • Not released externally

1.78 - 2003-03-13

  • Alarm system
  • GFX changes
    • Alarm LEDs for every device plus Alarm GUI (click on the LEDs) flashing lights and noises
    • Frontpanel mode changed to the neater horizontal view
    • Bottom panel of explorer is gone and all windows are now floating
    • Rack / Chain / Table modes
    • Alarm / Devices / Network views
    • Sorting in all views (by name, value, etc)
    • Major speedups
  • Daemon changes
    • Alarm system implemented - unlike all the other data in the CAM this is private to the server you connect to so each server can have a different alarm system configuration. The daemon calculates the alarm status.
    • Speed improvements for server interface
  • Device changes
    • Alarms added to Paradise PModem, Codan 5000 and Test device. Alarms are easy to add for the rest of the devices.
    • Codan 5000 driver made over

1.77 - 2003-01-16

  • Major new interface for GFX and speed improvements
  • Fix GFX crash on Windows XP
  • Serial port and modem improvements and new Dialler
  • PModem control will now work over dodgy ESC channels

1.76 - 2002-10-28 - Paradise Demo

  • See previous ChangeLog file
2008-06-18