SENSTAR OmniTrax - Network Components; Silver Network Manager; Network Interface Unit

Network components
Page 220 OmniTrax Product Guide
fiber). In addition, the OmniTrax processor can use its sensor cables to carry both Silver Network
data and 48 VDC network power between processors. Repeaters are available for the supported
transmission media (excluding OmniTrax sensor cables) to double the maximum separation
distance between network devices. Silver Network repeaters do not count as network nodes. The
Silver Network uses a fixed data rate of 57.6 k bps, providing a fast alarm response time.
Network components
Silver Network Manager
The Network Managers (NM) handle the alarm data management for Senstar’s proprietary
security networks. The Network Manager is available either as a Windows Application on the
Network Manager CD (kit # 00FG0200) or as a Windows Service on the Network Manager Suite
CD (kit # 00FG0220). The Network Manager Service handles the alarm data management for the
Silver, FiberPatrol, CCC, Crossfire, Sennet, and Starcom networks. Up to ten NMs can reside on
one PC, with each controlling a Silver Network of up to 60 security devices.
The NM communicates with Security Management Systems via a TCP/IP link using the Network
Manager Interface (NMI). For third party Security Management Systems, the third party
organization is responsible for writing the software, which establishes communication to the
Network Manager and implements the NMI. The Network Manager can reside on the same PC as
the security management application to which it reports, or on another PC.
For redundant applications, two identical Network Managers are setup on two separate
computers. The only difference in the setups is that one is configured as the primary and the other
is configured as the standby. The two computers must be connected via Ethernet to work out the
primary, standby arrangement. The primary NM communicates with the network devices and the
security management application. If the primary NM goes off-line, the standby NM becomes the
primary and takes over. When the original primary NM goes back on-line, it functions in standby
mode.
Network Interface Unit
The Network Interface Unit (NIU) is a gateway device, which translates the alarm data messages
passing between the NM and the network devices. The connection between the NIU and the NM
can be via Ethernet link, or EIA-232, or USB (combinations cannot be used). The connection
between the NIU and the Silver Network based devices can be via EIA-422 copper wire and fiber
optic cable. There are two versions of the NIU, 00EM0200 provides multi-mode fiber optic
communication and 00EM0201 provides single mode. The NIU includes two communication
channels, Side A and Side B. Messages from the NM are sent over both channels by the NM,
switching channels between polls. Both communication channels should be connected to the
Silver Network based devices. Ideally, the network devices are laid out in a closed loop, with each
end of the loop connected to one NIU channel. Using this layout means a single break in the com-
link, or the failure of one processor, will not affect communications with the remaining processors.
Note The second generation single-mode fiber optic NIU (00EM0200-002) is
not compatible with the first generation single-mode NIU
(00EM0200-001) or the first generation single-mode NICs
(00BA0303-001, 00BA0305-001).