iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Documentation - Avid

Avid Technology, Inc.
iNEWS Newsroom Computer System
Version 1.9.1 Release Notes
This document includes hardware and software requirement changes, feature enhancements, a
list of known problems and workarounds, references to other iNEWS newsroom computer
system documents, and changes and errata to iNEWS printed documents.
The iNEWS 1.9.1 is a limited, server only software release that will be used in conjunction
with iNEWS client versions 1.5.1 and later.
See release notes for iNEWS versions 1.5, 1.5.1, and 1.5.2 for additional information regarding
fixes and enhancements made to iNEWS 1.5.x.
Table of Contents
Compatibility Issues.................................................................................................................................... 2
iNEWS 1.9.1 server .............................................................................................................................. 2
Console Multiplexor............................................................................................................................ 2
iNEWS 1.5.2 client ............................................................................................................................... 2
Fast Text Search 1.5 ............................................................................................................................. 2
ControlAir 1.0.5 (formerly BCS) ........................................................................................................ 2
iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Documentation ......................................................................... 7
Important Notes specific to Linux............................................................................................................. 2
Important iNEWS Server Changes............................................................................................................ 3
No Longer Supported ......................................................................................................................... 3
Installation............................................................................................................................................ 3
Database Commands .......................................................................................................................... 3
Console Multiplexer (MUX)............................................................................................................... 4
Miscellaneous....................................................................................................................................... 4
Differences in Linux compared to SCO and IRIX ...................................................................................4
Console.................................................................................................................................................. 4
DHCP .................................................................................................................................................... 4
Miscellaneous....................................................................................................................................... 5
Known Problems and Limitations ............................................................................................................ 6
iNEWS Server Interface .......................................................................................................................... 6
Database Commands .......................................................................................................................... 6
Telnet..................................................................................................................................................... 6
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Compatibility Issues
iNEWS 1.9.1 server
The iNEWS 1.9.1 server is qualified and supported for use on RedHat Linux Personal Edition
version 9.0. Avid does not support the use of iNEWS 1.9.1 on the SCO or SGI/IRIX operating
systems.
Console Multiplexor
The iNEWS 1.9.1 server requires the 1.9.0.12 version of the Console Multiplexor (MUX) software,
which can be found on the iNEWS 1.9.1 installation CD.
iNEWS 1.5.2 client
The iNEWS 1.5.2 client software is qualified and supported for use on the Windows 98 (SE),
Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000, and Windows XP Professional operating systems. Avid does
not support the use of iNEWS 1.5.2 on Windows 95 or Windows ME.
Note: The 1.5.2 client installation will report an “unsupported” message when you install on Windows 95
or ME and will not continue.
The iNEWS 1.5.2 client software is not backward compatible with Avid NewsCutter NRCS tool
versions earlier than 3.0.x.
Fast Text Search 1.5
The iNEWS 1.9.1 software is not compatible with Fast Text Search versions earlier than version
1.5.x. If you are upgrading to iNEWS 1.9.1 and also use FTS, you must also upgrade FTS to
version 1.5.x. The primary enhancement made to FTS 1.5.x is its improved indexing speed.
Note: When upgrading to FTS 1.5.x, you must delete your existing indexes from the FTS server and reindex
them.
FTS 1.5 is qualified and supported for use on Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000.
ControlAir 1.0.5 (formerly BCS)
The iNEWS 1.9.1 software is not backward compatible with Broadcast Control System (BCS)
version 1.0.3. If you are currently running BCS 1.0.3 or earlier and are upgrading to iNEWS 1.9.1,
you must also upgrade to BCS 1.0.4 or ControlAir 1.0.5. (The product’s name was changed
between versions 1.0.4 and 1.0.5.)
Important Notes about Linux
• Avid recommends that you do not update your Red Hat Linux servers past the version that is
qualified for use with iNEWS. The iNEWS software has been qualified for use with Linux
patches released by RedHat prior to the release date of iNEWS 1.9.1. Any patches released
after this date are not qualified for use with iNEWS and will not be supported by Avid.
2

Important iNEWS Server Changes
No Longer Supported
The following are no longer supported in iNEWS 1.9.1 Server:
• SCO Unix Server
• SGI Irix Server
• VT and DOS user interfaces
• VT session via telnet
• CCU’s
• LAT Devices
• DEC Servers
Installation
Note: Before you install iNEWS for the first time, please ensure that you are familiar with the contents of
the latest iNEWS Release Notes and the iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Preparation, Installation,
and Upgrade Manual, provided by Avid Technology, Inc.
• The iNEWS Server installation will no longer install the Apache Web Server. This should be
done as part of the install of the Linux operating system. The iNEWS Server web access
scripts will continue to be installed as part of the iNEWS Server installation.
• The default telnet port, which is set during the iNEWS Server installation, has been changed
from port 23 to port 49152.
• The httpd daemon is now installed in /usr/sbin and the web access files are now installed
in /var/www.
• The iNEWS Server installation script will replace the TCP port 1 service entry (in
/etc/services) with “ismessage”. A xinetd configuration entry for the “ismessage”
program is added to the /etc/xinetd.d directory and is enabled so that any arriving
intersystem messages will be processed. This means that the “ismessage” service will be the
only service supported as a tcpmux service.
Database Commands
• The configure command will no longer recognize the following device types in the
/site/config file:
terminal
dialup
indos
andos
asdos
decserver.
• The configure command will only recognize inws for iNEWS Workstation sessions in
/site/config. It will no longer recognize asws or anws.
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• The configure command will no longer recognize ccu in the /site/config file, but
will still recognize pcu. The syntax of the pcu device is different from that of the ccu device,
namely there will not be a type parameter.
Console Multiplexer (MUX)
• To log in as the root user on the console, the following entry must exist in
/etc/securetty: ttyS0
The zero at the end of the ttyS entry refers to the COM1 serial port. If the console is connected
to COM2, the entry would be ttyS1…and so on. By default, this entry will not be made.
Miscellaneous
• The iNEWS Server license will no longer show the following:
• Network Terminals
• DEC Servers
• LAT Printers
• DOS Addresses
• DOS Resources
Differences in Linux compared to SCO and IRIX
Console
• The 1.9.0.12 console multiplexor software supports the command history feature offered by
Linux. The command history feature remembers the commands entered at the console and
the commands can be recalled and cycled through by using the up and down arrow keys on
the keyboard.
• There is a slight difference in the way the Hot-to-go messages appear at the console in Linux
as compared to SCO and IRIX.
For example, in IRIX or SCO a restart of a device looks like the following:
NRCS-A# restart 100
NRCS-A# S100: 14:57:23 Hot-to-go
In Linux, a restart of a device now looks like this:
NRCS-A# restart 100
NRCS-A# Mar 7 16:17:24 nrcs S100: [1783] TXNET 100 – Hot-to-go
• The iNEWS database can be spread across as many as four (4) disk partitions. The maximum
database size is 16 GB. There is no limit on the size of the disk partitions. A single 16 GB disk
partition can be used for the iNEWS database.
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DHCP
• The dhcpd daemon is not included in the standard Red Hat Server installation. This will
have to be installed as a separate package during the Red Hat installation. The package name
is “dhcp”. This package is used for servicing bootp requests from PCU’s.
• If DHCP is installed, the iNEWS Server installation will check for the existence of the
/etc/dhcpd.conf file. This file is required by the DHCP daemon. The information needed
to service bootp requests from PCU’s should be put into this file. The syntax for this is:
Host {
}
Hardware Ethernet xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx ;
Fixed-address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx ;
The file is free form ASCII, therefore you can actually put everything on a single line and
eliminate spaces around the following characters: { } ;
The should agree with the pcu name found in the /site/config and /etc/hosts
files. Unlike SCO and IRIX, the /etc/bootptab file is not used.
The minimum information required by the DHCP daemon is a subnet statement.
Below is a sample dhcpd.conf file:
allow bootp;
ignore unknown-clients;
not authoritative;
ddns-update-style none;
subnet 152.165.92.0 netmask 255.255.254.0{
}
host pcu10{
}
hardware ethernet 00:60:97:8D:1A:CE;
fixed-address 152.165.92.95;
host mcs19 {
}
hardware ethernet 00:00:f8:20:25:19;
fixed-address 152.165.92.71;
Miscellaneous
• iNEWS 1.9.1 will use the bash shell for normal logins. The alias for the bash shell is “sh”.
Whenever bash starts up, it will process the /etc/profile file. The processing of this
script causes all readable scripts present in the /etc/profile.d directory to be executed as
well. iNEWS will supply a /etc/profile.d/iNEWS.sh script for all iNEWS-specific
additions. By placing environment variables in this file, all logins will acquire the variables.
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• The in.tftpd daemon is not included in the standard Red Hat Server installation. This
must be installed as a separate package during the Red Hat installation. The package, named
tftp-server, is used for downloads to MCSPC’s and iNEWS Workstation upgrades. The
tftp package is required as well.
• The configuration definition for net no longer takes a network name. This is obsolete. The
syntax is now: net …
• Each Internet service is configured by a file in the /etc/xinetd.d directory. The
/etc/inetd.conf file is not used.
• The Bioserver program is configured as a Linux system service with the name: iNEWS. The
file /etc/init.d/iNEWS is a script file used to control the Bioserver (start, stop). This
script is invoked during the initialization sequence. Raw disk binding is performed prior to
starting the Bioserver program.
• Any iNEWS messages are now logged to a file. They are stored in the /var/local/iNEWS
directory and a symbolic link is created to make the log files accessable from the /exc/log
directory.
• The port used to telnet into an iNEWS Server has changed to use port 49152, as opposed to
SCO and IRIX which used port 24.
Known Problems and Limitations
iNEWS Server Interface
Database Commands
• A dbdump made to a backup tape from a Linux server running iNEWS 1.9.1 cannot be
restored to a SCO or SGI/IRIX server. You will receive an error on the SCO or IRIX server
when you try to dbrestore telling you the tape is not a valid dump tape.
• A sitedump made on a SCO or SGI/IRIX system cannot be restored via siterestore on a
Linux system. This functionality is not supported across operating system platforms.
Telnet
• When connected via a telnet session, you will no longer see Hot-to-go messages when a
device is restarted; however, the “Hot-to-go” messages will be recorded in the iNEWS log file
(/exc/log/), and if configured correctly, the messages will also appear on the console
multiplexor.
6

iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Documentation
• The iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Release Notes provide installation, administration, and
user-level information that may not have been available at the time the other documentation
was printed.
• The iNEWS newsroom computer system's online help system gives you quick-reference
information about user-level software functions.
• The iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Preparation, Installation, and Upgrade describes site
preparation and the installation process for new customers not now using Avid iNEWS. It
also provides information on the process for updating from an Avid NetStation system to
the iNEWS newsroom computer system.
• The Newsroom Computer System Operations Manual v1.3 describes the user workstation and
server software functions and provides system configuration information for system
administrators.
• The Errata for iNEWS Operations Manual provides corrections and clarifications to the
Operations Manual (for iNEWS v1.3) and some additional information pertaining to software
changes/enhancements that were implemented in versions 1.4 and 1.5 of the iNEWS
newsroom computer system.
• The iNEWS Newsroom Computer System Training Manual v1.3 is the tutorial manual that
accompanies the iNEWS user training. It provides exercises that detail the basic user
workstation software functions.
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Copyright and Disclaimer
This manual is copyright 2003, Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. All Avid products are covered by U.S. and
foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously published material.
Specifications and price change privileges reserved.
The software described in this document is furnished under a license agreement and is protected under the copyright laws
of the United States and other countries.
U.S. GOVERNMENT USERS RESTRICTED RIGHTS: Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject
to restriction as set forth in subparagraph (b)(2) of the Technical Data and Computer Software-Commercial items clause
at DFARS 252.211-7015, or in subparagraph (c)(2) of the Commercial Computer Software-Restricted Rights clause at
FAR 52.227-19, as applicable.
Avid is a registered trademark of Avid Technology, Inc. Media Browse, ControlAir, iNEWS ControlAir and iNEWS are
trademarks of iNEWS, LLC. Microsoft, the Microsoft logo, MS, MS-DOS, Win 32, Windows, Windows NT, Windows 2000,
Windows NT Server, and the Windows operating system logo are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States of America and other countries. UNIX is a registered trademark of X/Open Company, Ltd. All other
trademarks and registered trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.
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iNEWS v1.9.1 Release Notes • Part # 0130-05866-01
July 22, 2003
Printed in the United States of America
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