How to obtain IP addresses and Hostnames of Milestone Management Server and Recording Servers?

MIP
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1

Hello,

We are integrating our Analytics Server with Milestone VMS using Plugin and Protocol Integration.

Given the hostname (assuming DNS can resolve it) of the Management Server, We can, using Protocol Integration, to find the list of recording servers attached to the management server. The problem is that the retrieved recording server configuration will not necessarily have its IP address shown rather its hostname. As mentioned here, it is a matter of the client’s setup.

We event tried the method mentioned here, and we assigned an IP address instead of the hostname but for some reason the XProtect Smart Client Couldn’t retrieve any streams after that.

It was also mentioned in the documentation of the MIP SDK that to avoid asking a Milestone Operator to configure IP addresses. Now, How exactly are we supposed to configure the Integration Parameters of our Analytics Server without any manual Intervention? Is it even possible? if not, then Should we assume that this part should be handled during installation?

Thanks in advance,

Eslam

2

In general it is assumed that you can use DNS resolution in XProtect. If you do not want to use DNS resolution please see: https://developer.milestonesys.com/s/article/View-and-stream-video-from-XProtect-Advanced-VMS-Recording-Servers-without-DNS-name-resolution

3

Hello,

I have already tried that link, it’s even in my post if you look closely (hyperlinked), we tried it and for some reason the XProtect Smart Client Couldn’t retrieve any live feeds from the recording server after that.

Assume the following setup, A client has deployed a management server on a single machine while an arbitrary number of recorder servers are installed on separate different machines.

The client is also using a different Machine to run XProtect Smart Client, So in theory, that machine should be able to resolve all hostnames of the management and recording servers and we shall use our Plugin Integration to acquire such information. If that is the case, then we should pipe that information to our analytics server. Does this Sound right?

Best Regards,

Eslam

4

This forum is the right place to discuss development, whether it is a plugin or it is low-level protocol integration, but when it comes to why a Smart Client cannot resolve a Recording Server I think you will get much better help in the Support Community.

https://supportcommunity.milestonesys.com

The information that the Smart Client get, that the MIP Configuration objects holds or the protocols GetConfiguration delivers should all be the same. I have a feeling that if the Smart Client cannot get it right you will not be able to get it right in your integration.

I am a bit confused as you mention plugin while the question is tagged Protocol Integration, so if you have further questions please add some details on what you have developed and the methods used for reading configuration data..

5

We have done both integrations (Plugin and Protocol Integrations).

Yes, I have seen the info returned by GetConfiguration and it’s mostly Hostnames and Not IP addresses.

I just need know from where shall I jump-start the integration of the Analytics Server. I mentioned Plugin because I was suggesting a solution nothing more.

All I need is where Milestone reside on the network (Hostname and IP of the servers). Shall such information be entered and provided from the Milestone Operator? or Shall it be done during the installation of the Analytics Server itself? which is more appropriate according to Milestone Standards of integration?

6

Whether XProtect uses hostnames (recommended but requires DNS lookup to work) or IPs is solely a matter of setup and is not something you as a developer will control. You can only influence your customers to have DNS lookup working or in other ways have a correct setup.

If the XProtect VMS is correctly setup you can rely on the data you get in GetConfiguration or the data you get in VideoOS.Platform.Configuration.

The setup is created by administrator of the XProtect VMS in the Management Client. Your Analytics Server should read the setup information from the Management Server, this informtion will in a working system be correct. In what you have explained this customer of yours might have a faulty configured system. I would recommend that the system is corrected rather than trying to fit an integration to a badly working system.