Application Note 65
Quartz Routing Switcher Remote Control Protocol
Page - 4 Revision 1.4
2. ETHERNET PHYSICAL INTERFACE
More recent Quartz products such as the EQX, SC-1000, Q256, Xenon and Topaz are equipped with
an Ethernet port. These support 100base2 or 10base2 Ethernet using CAT5 cable. The network should
ideally be closed (or at least isolated with a suitable switch) for use with devices on the Quartz routing
system.
Both the physical interfaces (Serial and Ethernet) use the same protocol command and reply structure,
which is detailed below. The following few paragraphs just describe the Ethernet configuration and
connection needed in order to communicate with these devices.
Each device on the network must be assigned a unique IP address. Changing and interrogating the IP
addresses are usually sent via serial port commands as documented in 3.15. If two controllers are
installed in the controller or routing frame two stream socket connections will be required to the main
and backup controllers, as either of the two might be in control of the routing system at any point in
time.
Normally Quartz controllers will allow a TCP/IP connection via the telnet port number (23).
On the SC-1000 additional TCP/IP ports can be added to the configuration file currently selected by the
SC-1000. This is configured from WinSetup under the “System”->”SC-1000 Configuration”->”Options”
dialog. A TCP/IP port should be added using the Quartz protocol and at this point the user can specify
a port number for the conversation (please note this port number should be greater than 1024). Please
make sure the server check box is also ticked.
Quartz controllers use standard TCP/IP stream sockets (sometimes referred to as Berkeley sockets) to
communicate with other network devices needing to control the routing system. Stream sockets are
connection oriented, and so a connection must be opened and maintained for the duration of
communications. Stream sockets are supported for many different host environments and operating
systems.
In order to start communication with a controller the computer or other host device must originate the
communications. In other words the router controller will be the server and the computer will be the
client.
The client should:
1. Create a stream socket.
2. Connect the socket to the IP address of the desired main/reserve controller on the port
specified in the configuration. (Note if there are redundant controllers, each controller will have
its own unique IP address and need a separate stream socket. However, only the active
controller will be able to accept a connection).
3. Once the connection has been successful, commands can then be sent to the routing controller
and the controller will reply according to the command sent as detailed in section
3.
4. Once the connection is finished with, it should be closed as normal.
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