Centracom Gold Elite Console...Help!!!

[sh2011]

Hello,

I'm trying to add 3 Centracom Gold Elite consoles on my system (4.1 Smartzone Omnilink). They will be remote consoles but I'm testing them as a local right now with a 7 pair cable that I know is good.

Here is my problem. I have setup my computer and joined the domain for the Elite Zone server and I can see the directories on the server from the console computer. When I start the Elite Dispatch I can choose a config from the server, which tells me it is communicating with the server, and after I select the config file it pops up with the message "Dispatch not Ready: unable to establish communication with server database. Elite will shut down". When I click ok it shuts down the program. I have checked to make sure the network name matches between the console computer and CDM database.

Any help would be great.

[techtonics]

Make sure your windows firewall is turned off.

[desperado]

Couple things to check.
Firewall
Add the IP address and Zone Server name to the hosts file.
make sure that DIP switch 8 is in the back position on the COIM (switched forward to program COIM and with new OP position is a possibility).

Once you have the name and IP in hosts file make sure you can ping the server by name from a DOS prompt.
With 4.1 I am assuming that you are running XP and not Win 7 or Vista. If not, you should be.

[desperado]

Couple other things. There are some cheats for getting it running / testing and troubleshooting.

First is that once an OP connects for the first time it copies the CDM and ADM databases to the local drive in case the network has a problem the OP will still work.
You can get a copy of the CDM and ADM databases and manually put them on the local drive and see if the OP works at that point. If it does, you have a network problem.
If not you have a communications issue between the CIE and CEB or the computer and CIE.
DO NOT LEAVE THE SYSTEM IN THIS CONFIGURATION AND CALL IT FIXED.
It will create you multiple headaches and service calls later as the CDM and ADM get updated and the new resources are not accessible from the OP.
And anyone else working on the system will fight the same battle as you and then badmouth you after figuring it out. But it's a viable tool for troubleshooting.

As I mentioned before in the previous post. This IS most likely a network issue. It seems that the radio business, like most everything else, is computer reliant.
The networks we are dealing with with Zone servers and the like are far beyond the basic WorkGroup file sharing stuff that many of us are use to.
With the Domain Controllers, file access rights and all the rest of it, it's a full on business network and we need to understand as much IT as we do radio.

I lucked out with this, I worked as a Network Admin for 15 years before getting into the communications business. And seeing some of the newest 7.X TDMA trunk systems, it's a good thing.
Motorola is phasing out the radio repairman, and replacing him with a network tech. FRU's instead of board level repairs are now the norm. Gone is the day of the soldering iron.
I actually had a discussion with a couple Moto engineers when I was at Shaumburg for Gold Elite training and they were showing us the new system. The discussion was basically self configuring
stations. A server would house all the configurations for all the radios at a site, when one failed, it would be replaced with a FRU and simply stuck into the slot that the bad one came out of.
The station would get the config from the server and go back into operation just that quick.

This is something IT has been doing for years with router and switch configurations. TFTP down the config and boot.
Files are changed during the day and nightly or weekly reboots update the system.

Point is that you need to learn some level of IT. And most of what is out there is old technology. Gold Elite servers are Win2K or possibly 2003 but not 2008.
Standing systems for the most part are WIN XP consoles. I know that it will run on Vista or Win7 IF all the consoles are updated, but with most large systems, there are 10 different
agencies on the system with ABE cards for each agency. If the system owner doesn't push everyone along, it stays dormant. And there are no new Gold Elite SYSTEMS being sold, only new OP positions.
New consoles are 5500 and 7500.. And with Cassidian buying up Plant, which makes the MCC equipment for Moto, it's really going to be interesting for a while.

So, go to the local book store, and look for WIN XP and Windows 200 and 2003 server books and get reading.
The knowledge gained will go along way. And while you are at it, some Cisco networking books may not be a bad idea. Word is Cisco is looking at buying Motorola Solutions possibly.
If that happens, you can be assured that we will not be working with this HP and 3Com networking hardware at that point, which really makes me happy.

[MSS-Dave]

Word is Cisco is looking at buying Motorola Solutions possibly.

Wow. Hadn't heard that one.....

[desperado]

Rumors and speculation are all over the place with this.
I don't know that Cisco will bother with it. Only reason I brought it up is it significantly benefits me.
I spent 15 years working with their hardware before I got into the radio biz. I would be the ONLY person at the shop with Cisco experience.

[wavetar]

Word is Cisco is looking at buying Motorola Solutions possibly.

Wow. Hadn't heard that one.....

It's not 'Motorola', but rather, the 'MOTO' design group, which is a privately held company of 35 people:

http://gigaom.com/2010/05/18/cisco-buys-moto/

http://www.slashgear.com/cisco-buy-moto ... m-1886003/

[KE9GK]

Had the same problem...make sure your COIM hostname in the CDM matches your PC name in control panel. If not...this error will always pop up!