Networks

Networks (connections) is an auxiliary feature for surveillance systems with multiple different networks in use. It gives you the opportunity to define a sort of a proper connection table for the central server, allowing the system to combine remote and adjacent LANs and making the client<->server and recording<->central server connectivity transparent for the users. In simple words, it is a way to teach the Macula Global server about the used networks, so that it knows from where to expect the incoming connections. Network connections allow you to combine servers from different network environments into a single Macula Global system.

For instance: a system contains several LANs, physically detached from each other and connected to the central server via the Internet; remote and mobile clients are connected both directly via the Internet and also from different LANs with Internet access. Thanks to the connections' table, Macula Monitor administrators do not have to worry about remembering and entering the correct network configuration every time, as the interconnection routines will be carried out by the central server. From the Macula Monitor point of view, the administrator simply enters the Macula Global server address, and the rest servers are automatically connected in background (including failover servers).

It is important to understand that Macula network connections require a proper underlying infrastructure. All LANs, firewalls, port forwarding rules, VPNs and/or any other involved configurations must be set up beforehand.

Proper TCP/IP configuration, firewall and port forwarding must be set up in each LAN segment to ensure unobstructed access from the central management server and remote clients' locations.

When you change the central server's IP address (move to different hardware or environment), do not forget to change it in the server configuration via Macula Console.

Networks for the recording servers are assigned from Macula Console management interface as well. In order to discover recording servers from networks, which are different from the central server's network, corresponding connections must be pre-defined in order to 'teach' the central server about possible locations.

To access the configuration dialog box, select Configuration in the sections' panel and choose Networks from the menu on the left.

Click the + New network button on the upper panel to bring up the dialog box.

The table below describes the configuration parameters.

Setting	Description	Default value
Title	User-defined connection name, e.g. Remote Client HQ Office	[empty]
Local mask	LAN subnet defined in the IP/MASK format, e.g. 192.168.1.1/24	[empty]
Public IP address	Internet IP address as a gateway to/from the subnet; this field is optional, and if the network is only locally accessible, it should be left empty	[empty]

Local mask: lets you define the subnet size. This field accepts the network mask in the CIDR notation, i.e., in the [IP/MASK BITS] format. The IP address can be any IP from that subnet. It may be the first one in the subnet, or correspond to the Macula Global server address. The mask (subnet size) is defined as /x (slash X) format (see the cheat sheet below). Thus, entries 192.168.1.1/24 and 192.168.1.83/24 designate the same LAN. Entries 192.168.1.1/26 and 192.168.1.83/26 designate different, non-overlapping subnets. If not sure about the subnet sizes, use any IP subnet calculator widely available online.

If you have multiple LANs in the same physical environment, it may be a good idea to make them adjacent. In that case, you can simply create a single network of a larger size in Macula Console.

Example:

• real server LANs: 192.168.0.1/24, 192.168.1.1/24, 192.168.2.1/24

• Macula Console network configuration: 192.168.0.1/22

Public IP address: this is not necessarily an Internet address. Enter your LAN gateway here if your central server is in a different network. If the target network is remote, enter the remote gateway here.

Example: a network configuration includes subnets 192.168.1.1/24 and 192.168.45.1/24, with corresponding gateways set up as 192.168.1.254 and 192.168.45.254, routed via a router. Macula Global server is in the first subnet and Macula Recording Server machines are in the second subnet. In order for this to work:

1. Make sure your router configuration is correct, and then

2. Set Macula network settings as follows:

   1. Central server address - 192.168.1.x

   2. Central server network mask 192.168.1.1/24, public IP address 192.168.1.254

   3. Add another network with network mask 192.168.45.1/24 and public address 192.168.45.254

Having done that, you should be able to run Macula Recording Server autodiscovery.

Macula Console do not alter your network configuration. We understand that every network in every system has a different configuration, therefore, the software provides you with a possibility to "teach" the Macula about the network configuration. If your network does not provide correct routing, please contact your network administrator.

Use the buttons on the upper panel to edit and remove existing connections; double-clicking an item will also bring up the dialog box for editing. If you make changes to your server network environment, make sure to go back here and update the network settings.

The filter panel at the bottom enables you to view recently added/updated items, as well as other relevant filters. The filter that is currently active is highlighted blue: click the N filtered button to reset all filters and display all the available items again.