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Community Articles > Sametime Standard > Troubleshooting the Sametime 8.5 Media Server
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About the Original Author

Click to view profileTina McLeod
Contribution Summary:
  • Articles authored: 4
  • Articles edited: 4
  • Comments Posted: 0

Recent articles by this author

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Community articleTroubleshooting the Sametime 8.5 Media Server
Added by Tina McLeod | Edited by IBM contributorJack Downing on June 3, 2010 | Version 11
expanded Abstract
collapsed Abstract
Working article of notes on troubleshooting steps and tips for the Sametime 8.5 Media Server
Tags: media, 8.5, A/V
ShowTable of Contents
HideTable of Contents
  • 1 Before starting troubleshooting make sure
  • 2 Troubleshooting First steps
  • 3 Troubleshooting Video
  • 4 Troubleshooting Webcams
  • 5 Troubleshooting UVC Cameras
  • 6 Troubleshooting AV Policies
  • 7 Diagnostics Server Real time
  • 8 Logging and Tracing

Before starting troubleshooting make sure

  • A Media Manager Server is installed without errors, configured properly and must have all of its components running.
  • All WebSphere fixes required by Media Manager are already applied as per this technoteexternal link
  • Latest cumulative hotfix applied on client and server (recommended)
  • Read Lotus Sametime 8.5 audio and video installation and limitations
  • AV policies must be set correctly in SSC
    •  The policy 'Voice and video capabilities available through the Sametime Media Server' under     'Sametime Instant Messaging Default Policy' must be enabled.
    • For embedded clients, the policy 'Allow all Sametime Connect features to be used with integrated clients (IC)' under 'Sametime Instant Messaging Default Policy' must be enabled.

Troubleshooting First steps

  • Start off with test clients on same network subnet as server – Take firewalls / NAT out of equation
  • Disable client and server firewalls
  • Confirm Point-to-Point, then 3-way call.
    • P2P will connect clients together with connections in both directions
    • 3-way (or larger) will cause all traffic to flow through server
  • Debug AV calls first, then move to AV in meetings
  • Do not add additional network complexity until this setup is working correctly

Troubleshooting Video

  • Minimum video card memory – 128M
  • Lower sometimes works, but may see problems later
  • 16M always fails
  • Memory required depends on resolutions / bitrates
  • DirectDraw drivers used heavily for decoding.  Use latest / greatest video drivers for best performance
  • Video is processor intensive

Troubleshooting Webcams

  • Always use Manufacturer's drivers
  • Most installation instructions state to install drivers before plugging in camera, to avoid UVC drivers
  • Use WindowsUpdate to get the latest drivers
  • Many crashes have been traced back to issues in old webcam drivers

Troubleshooting UVC Cameras


UVC = USB Video Class
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB_video_device_classexternal link
Generic Windows driver when nothing more specific is found – like thumb drive
Shows up in logs / selections as “USB Video Device”
Drivers are broken in XP SP1, mostly work in SP2, and fully work in SP3
Always better to have full drivers that regonize device specifics.  (Focus, other camera features do not work with generic drivers)
Some cameras only use UVC drivers – but many show up as UVC initially, but do not implement the spec completely, and cause crashes later.  Very camera specific.

Troubleshooting AV Policies

  • SSC: Media Manager Server/User Policy Attribute Verification
    • http://:9080/stpolicy/policy/av.default.policy
    • http://:9080/stpolicy/policy/av.anonymous.policy
    • http://:9080/stpolicy/serverpolicy/
    • http://:9080/stpolicy/policy/
  • SSC: Media Manager Policy Attribute Verification from UI
    • From Manager Policies > Media Manager tab > New button. Give e.g. auido_only policy name,   update the values accordingly and save the changes.
    • Click Assign button assign it to user or group depending on the requirement. Client Assign and Done. (Refresh interval is 1 hour that can be changed from comm. sever see the section below for the details)
  • SSC: Media Manager Policy Attribute Verification from UI
    • Click Find the Active Policies and search for that user, select the user and click Find Active Policies. We can see and verify that the policy is assigned correctly to the user/group.
  • Community Server: Policy Attribute Verification
    • For confirming stpolicy service is working fine we need to change one debug flag value to 5 i.e.by default set POLICY_DEBUG_LEVEL=1 in sametime.ini file on community server:
[Debug]
UCM_SNIFF=0
POLICY_DEBUG_LEVEL=5
VPDIR_IGNORE_BROWSE=1
VP_DELAY_SNIFF=0
UCM_DELAY_SNIFF=0

Restart Community server it will start generating the the detailed policy logs under domino trace directory.

stpolicy_<#>.txt
e.g. stpolicy_100315_0957_0.txt
 
If we want the stpolicy logs generates quickly or values quickly come on to the client then admin needs to change the value of "How often to poll for new servers added to the Sametime community (in minutes): 60" on ST Community server portlets to whatever short interval is required e.g. 5 minutes etc.


Diagnostics Server Real time

  • Server status pages
    • http://:9080/ConferenceFocus/ConferenceFocusStatus
    • http://:9080/Registrar/RegistrationsTable.jsp
    • http://:9080/stav/PacketSwitchStatus.jsp
  • WebSphere Admin console URLs
    • Standalone Media Manager Admin Console ISC:
      • https://:8701/ibm/console/logon.jsp
    • Distributed Media Manager
      • Proxy/Registrar ISC: https://:8801/ibm/console/logon.jsp
      • Conference Manager ISC: https://:8801/ibm/console/logon.jsp
      • Packet Switcher ISC: https://:8801/ibm/console/logon.jsp

Logging and Tracing


  • Edit the rcpinstall.properties file in the client and restartexternal link
  • Connect Client logs are stored in %appdata%\Lotus\Sametime\logs
  • Notes Embedded Client logs in \Data\workspace\logs
  • Enable tracing on STMediaServer and restart serverexternal link
  • Server logs are stored in WAS_Install_Root\WebSphere\AppServer\profiles\HostName_Media_deploymentType_Profile_Number\logs

Related article:

Open Mic recording: Sametime 8.5 audio and video installation and limitations
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Version Comparison     
VersionDateChanged by              Summary of changes
12Jun 29, 2010, 2:16:14 PMJeanmarie White  IBM contributor
This version (11)Jun 3, 2010, 8:53:56 AMJack Downing  IBM contributor
10Apr 26, 2010, 6:49:37 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
9Apr 26, 2010, 6:46:05 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
8Apr 26, 2010, 6:40:47 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
7Apr 26, 2010, 6:33:22 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
6Apr 26, 2010, 6:28:25 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
5Apr 26, 2010, 6:27:49 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
4Apr 26, 2010, 6:27:07 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
3Apr 26, 2010, 6:25:50 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
2Apr 26, 2010, 6:23:06 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
1Apr 26, 2010, 6:20:43 PMTina McLeod  IBM contributor
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