Motorola's Radio Management
Tutorial Scripts
The Introduction
Radio Management allows you to manage and program multiple radios at a time.
Radio codeplugs can now be stored on a central database server. Central database storage allows for remote configuration of codeplug data and remote programming of radios.
A single codeplug can be used as a template, which can be shared across multiple radios. Template edits may then be easily applied to all affected radios.
Many individual radio identity settings can be reviewed or edited directly without having to re-open a codeplug, thus allowing for quick and easy access to radio parameters. Changes to a template or to an individual radio’s parameters can then be easily scheduled as a programming job.
Programming Jobs may be scheduled through an Over-The-Air connection or through a USB connection when radios are physically attached.
With a USB connection, Gang Programming and Gang FLASHing allows for simultaneous programming and software upgrading of up to 16 radios.
The Four Major Radio Management Components:
The four major components of a Radio Management System, also known as “RM”, include:
In this order, let’s now take a more detailed look at each one of these RM components.
To begin with, the Radio Management Server is ultimately the central data-storage component, and the automated job-manager component of your Radio Management system. More specifically, the RM Server stores: all codeplug archives, all individual radio identity settings, and all template settings, as well as all scheduled job, and job history information. Also be aware that, the RM Server continually manages the distribution and tracking of all radio programming jobs, even when the system is unattended.
And do note that, the “RM Server Utility” is always available when needing to view or manage certain Server behaviors and database-related tasks. Utility features include: RM Server Status, Server Settings, Backup the Server Database, Restore the Server Database, Move the Server Database, and Computer Authorization for a multi-computer deployment.
The Radio Management Client, which is also known as the “RM Client”, is the second RM component in this example. The RM Client is easily accessed from the CPS ribbon bar’s Tools menu. Within your Radio Management system, the “RM Client” is the primary user-interface for viewing, editing and defining your radio management data. RM Client Fleet-mapping capabilities include features such as “Grouping" and “Sorting” of data by any desired column.
In this “Radio View”, the RM Client allows for viewing and editing of Radio IDs. Other “Edit Capable” Views include the “System View”, and the “Data Profile” view. From the Job View, the RM Client allows for viewing the “Job Status” of all scheduled jobs. And from the “Radio Details” View, you may view the Job History of any specified radio. Additionally, within the RM Client, a single radio’s codeplug is converted to a programming template, which can be then be selected and shared by multiple radios. Do also note that, all Radio Management programming jobs are created and defined in the RM Client.
The Third Radio Management component is the Device Programmer. Programming jobs that are defined in the RM Client, are then stored and waiting in the RM Server, and are ultimately performed by the Device Programmer. Through either an “Over The Air” connection, or a USB connection, once a radio’s presence has occurred in the Device Programmer, waiting jobs may then be performed. Note that a Device Programmer can continually perform Read and Write jobs even when the computer is unattended, or when a user is not logged on. Also be aware that the “Device Monitor”, which is accessed from the Start Menu, allows you to define preference settings for the Device Programmer, and allows you to view the current Job operations occurring within the Device Programmer. And always remember that, it is not required to have the “Device Monitor” running, in order for Jobs to be performed by the Device Programmer.
The fourth and final Radio Management component in this example is the Job Processor. The Job Processor validates all data supplied-to and received-from the RM Server. For Write Jobs, the Job Processor validates and combines template information with radio identity information to create a codeplug, which can then be written to the radio. For Read Jobs, the job processor validates and separates the codeplug data. This data separation creates template information, and radio identity information, which is then stored in the RM Server.
The Deployment Options:
To meet your operational needs, a Radio Management system can be deployed in a variety of configurations.
For instance, the All-In-One Deployment is the most basic deployment configuration. In this configuration all four RM components are installed on a single computer. This configuration is useful in scenarios where all radio programming is accomplished locally. Therefore, this configuration is ideal when there is no need for remote user access or remote radio access. With this configuration there are no network firewalls or routers to consider.
Alternatively, the power and flexibility of an RM System becomes very apparent in a Distributive Deployment, where the four Radio Management components may be installed on multiple computers in different locations. For instance, RM allows for multiple RM Clients, enabling remote programming from multiple locations. RM also allows for multiple Job Processors, enhancing processing efficiency of programming jobs. And the RM allows for multiple Device Programmers, enabling programming from different locations, convenient to the physical location of your radios. Note that in a Distributed Deployment, installed components must have clear network connectivity to the Server. This may require network configuration changes to allow network connectivity through routers and firewalls.
Radio Management - Adding and Registering Application
Licenses:
Radio Management requires that each managed radio must have a corresponding Radio Management Application License, which is ultimately stored in your RM Server. From the Radio Management’s RM Client screen, this Register Application Licenses feature is accessed from the "Actions" Menu’s: Manage -> Licenses selection. And now select “Register Application Licenses”.
Notice that your RM Server installs with 100 Application Licenses. These 100 free licenses are immediately available for your use. Additional Application Licenses are purchased from Motorola Solutions, and added into your RM Server using one of two methods: The “From EID” Online Method, and the “From File” Offline Method.
During the actual purchasing process with Motorola Solutions, you must commit to one of these licensing methods.
Note that the “From File” Offline method is designed for when having system isolation from an Internet connection is preferred. Now, let’s take a more detailed look at Purchasing and Implementing Licenses with the “From EID” Online Method. You will begin by placing your order with Motorola Solutions for additional licenses, being sure to specify that you will be adding your licenses using the “From EID” Online Method.
Once you have received your Order Confirmation email from Motorola Solutions containing your Entitlement ID, and being sure that you still have an Internet connection, from the Application License screen, select the "From EID" method, and now enter your Entitlement ID, then click the "Query" button to access Motorola’s Licensing Server. Once the online transaction is complete, verify that the correct “Purchased” number of Licenses is available for transfer to the RM Server. You can transfer any portion of the "Available" licenses to the current RM Server by entering the number of licenses in the “Enter Quantity” column, and then clicking the "Register" button to confirm your Quantity decision. Do be aware that you may easily verify that the desired number of radio licenses has been transferred to the RM Server from the License Summary’s "Capacity” field. You are now ready to add new radios to Radio Management, one for each “Unused” license.
And now, for a more detailed look at the “From File” Offline Method for Purchasing and Implementing Licenses, which again is designed for when having system isolation from an Internet connection is preferred. You must begin by first gathering your Host ID information, which is accomplished by clicking the “Get Host ID” button. Be sure to take note of the location where this “HostID.txt” file is being saved as this file, or the “Host ID” contained within the file, is needed when ordering additional licenses.
With the Host ID available, you are now able to place your order with Motorola Solutions for additional licenses with this “From File” Offline Method. Once you have received your License (*.bin) file from Motorola Solutions, on a CD or in the Order Confirmation email received on a different online-PC, you must manually bring the License file to this offline RM System. To activate the Licenses within this file, from the Manage Licenses screen, again, be sure that “From File” is selected, and now use the "Browse" button to select the file, and then click the "Register" button to confirm your License file selection. Do be aware that you may easily verify that the desired number of radio licenses has been transferred to the RM Server from the License Summary’s "Capacity” field. You are now ready to add new radios to Radio Management, one for each “Unused” license.
Do also note, that from the RM Client's "Settings" window, which is accessed from the "Actions" Menu's, "Settings" selection, the Applications Licenses' "Recover" option may be found.
For more information on these features, please refer to the Radio Management’s Online Help System, by pressing the F1 Key.
Adding APX Radios to your RM System
With your Application Licenses purchased from Motorola Solutions, and added to your Radio Management Server, which is thoroughly covered in Segment 4 of this lesson, you are now ready to add the actual radios to your Radio Management System.
The following method is recommended when deploying large numbers of new radios at the same time, or large numbers of existing radios at the same time, into your RM System.
Prior to the actual deployment of radios into the RM System, prepare by considering the following four elements:
And now, when adding new radios, from outside of the RM System, using your favorite spreadsheet program , add each radio’s serial number to a spreadsheet .CSV file. Start by opening the Motorola provided “Default.csv” file, which is conveniently located in the CPS Installation folder. For instance…(show animation). Once this file is open in your spreadsheet program, add all serial numbers to the Serial Number column. Note that, because all other radio data is overwritten when reading radio codeplugs into your RM System, other than “Comments, do not enter any other radio data into the spreadsheet. With the appropriate data entered, save this file by using the “Save As” command, which allows you to rename the file using an appropriate name such as “Precinct1.csv”.
In this deployment, all radios will be added to the same RM Group, therefore from the RM Client screen, let’s create a new Group with the name “Police”. Now, being sure that the new Group is selected, from the "Actions" menu, select “Import”, “CSV”, then select the Precinct1.csv file , to Import the desired radios. All new radios included in the CSV file are now stored in your RM Server, and they are contained within your “Police” group.
Moving-on to Template assignments, be aware that Radio Management-defined templates, or Imported RM Templates, can be re-used for multiple radios, or possibly even just one template for all of your new radios. Note that the re-use of Templates is only possible for radios with matching Model Numbers and with appropriate FLASHcodes.
Right-clicking on any radio, and then selecting to “Edit a Template”, allows you to build a template within your RM system. However, if you have an existing radio fleet, from the RM Clients “Actions” menu , select “Manage” , and then select “Template” , to launch the “Templates” window. From this window, one of your existing radio archives can be easily “Imported” into the RM System, and then easily used as a programming template. All of the needed data is extracted from this archive file to create the needed “Precinct 1” Template.
With all new radios requiring this Template, continue by first selecting the radios. Selecting is accomplished by using the standard Windows Select keys: first hold down the Shift key, and then click to select the appropriate radios. Now, right click on the highlighted radios, and then choose “Select Template”, which retrieves the Select Template window, then click the needed template. Click the OK button to assign the “Precint1” template to all selected radios.
With the new template assigned, continue by adding the required non-template, radio-specific information to each new radio.
Also be aware that, the assigned “Precinct 1” template has 3 Trunking Systems for each radio, which can be seen from the RM Client’s System View. Within this view, you must define the non-template radio-specific “Radio ID” for each Trunking System of each radio.
At this point in the deployment process, your new radios now have a chosen template, and the necessary device-specific information has also been defined; therefore, your new radios are now ready to be programmed. Once again, by using the standard Window’s Select Keys, continue by holding down the Shift key, and clicking to select all radios to be programmed. And then, click the "Schedule Job" button , to retrieve the Schedule Job window. In order to program these radios, “Write” is the needed “Job Type”, and “USB” is the needed “Connection Method”, and, for tracking purposes, enter an appropriate “Job Name”. Also note that, leaving the “Start Date” blank allows these programming jobs to start immediately, and leaving the “End Date” blank ensures that these jobs do not expire. To initiate the job, click the OK button.
Once a job is scheduled, in the RM Client, the Job Status is “Waiting for Device Programmer”; this indicates that the job is waiting in the RM Server for the presence of target radio’s to be detected by the Device Programmer. For a “USB” defined Job, radios may only be connected to Device Programmers with a “Connection Method” setting of “Wired”.
As each programming Job is complete, the Device Monitor shows a status of “Successful”, indicating that radios can now be disconnected. Continue connecting radios until all radios are successfully programmed. Once your radio fleet has been programmed, in the RM Client window, the Job Status is updated to “Completed”, indicating that these radios are now ready to be deployed to the appropriate radio-users.
Adding and Managing Radio Licenses
Adding new Radio Licenses to Radio Management allows for new FLASHcodes and therefore new feature set upgrading of radios. This is also known as a FLASHport upgrade.
There are two Radio License related windows, which are accessed from the Actions Menu’s, “Manage” -> “Licenses” selection. These two windows are the “Register Radio Licenses” window, and the “Manage Radio Licenses” window. Let’s begin with the “Register Radio License” window, which allows you to retrieve and register new Radio Licenses. Prior to retrieval, Radio Licenses must be purchased from Motorola Solutions, which is when you are issued the FLASHcode Entitlement IDs.
Once you have received your Order Confirmation email from Motorola Solutions containing your Entitlement ID, and being sure that you still have an Internet connection, the Entitlement ID, or “EID”, can then be entered. Once entered, click the "Query" button. The EID information then appears in the Radio Licensing window. To select desired features for eligible radios, click the appropriate EID checkbox.
Based on the selected EID checkbox, radios with qualified "Model Numbers" AND qualified "Current FLASHcodes" do then appear in the "Available Radios" window.
Note that, the “Available Radios” can be filtered to include more radios, or less radios, by choosing a specific “Group” of Managed Radios, or by including “All” Groups. And now, from the “Available Radios”, continue by choosing to "Add" radios to the "Selected Radios". With the desired radios added to the “Selected Radios” column, click the “Register” button to allocate the “New FLASHcode” upgrade to these radios.
Note that a new template is created for each radio that is upgraded, however if more than one radio is sharing the same template, then only one new template gets created for the shared template. Be sure to notice that, from the RM Client’s Radio View, the “Modified” field’s “FLASHcode” indicator is activated for radios with “Pending” Radio Licenses.
Going back now to the Actions Menu’s, “Manage” -> "Licenses” selection, in the “Manage Radio Licenses” window, be aware that these newly registered FLASHcodes can be seen to have a "Status" of “Ready for Activation”. From this window, throughout the process of FLASHcode upgrading radios, the complete progression of Radio License “Statuses” can be seen. For instance, the “Ready for Activation” “Status” indicates that you must now schedule a “Write” job for any pending FLASHcode upgrades. Also note that, for the “Registered” Status, a Radio License "Restore" can be accomplished from this screen. And from the RM Client’s “Settings” window, which is accessed from the Actions Menu’s "Settings" selection, the Radio Licenses' “Recover” option may be found.
For more information on these features, please refer to the Radio Management’s Online Help System, by pressing the F1 Key.