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Affected Roles: Administrator, Owner
Related Digital Watchdog VMS Apps: DW Spectrum® IPVMS
Complexity: Medium
Software Version: DW Spectrum v2.3 or later
Last Edit: August 21, 2020
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By default, DW Spectrum® will automatically check for firmware updates. However, if the DW Spectrum® server does not have Internet access, updates can be downloaded from another computer to distribute to the offline system.
This article will outline several options for updating DW Spectrum® through the DW Spectrum® IPVMS client.
Note: This article focuses on the use of the DW Spectrum® client for Windows OS. If your DW Spectrum® server is installed on a computer using Linux/Ubuntu OS, you will have an easier time following this guide if you connect with your server from a different computer using the DW Spectrum® client.
Note: It is always recommended to create a Database Backup before updating the DW Spectrum version. This option can be found under the General tab in the System Administration menu.
To check the currently installed DW Spectrum® version:
Alternatively, use CTRL+ALT+A on the keyboard.
Click on the Updates tab. From the Updates menu, the currently installed version of the DW Spectrum® servers and DW Spectrum® client will display.
The following Update Status Indicators may display:
Yellow exclamation mark in the Resource Tree – indicates that the Server version is incompatible with versions of other servers in the system. The incompatible servers must be updated separately.
To manually check for updates, click on Checking for updates automatically.
Select Force Check to check for an update without having to wait for the automatic check to occur. You also have the option to select Disable Automatically Checking feature, but you will need to manually check for updates if it selected.
To update the DW Spectrum software over an Internet connection:
Note: Please contact Digital Watchdog Technical Support if you need a specific build number and password.
Enter the Build Number of the DW Spectrum version that you want to apply to the system.
Enter the Password for the build number.
Next, click the Update System button to initiate the update.
If the system does not have an active Internet connection, you may transfer update files using a USB flash drive.
Alternatively, use CTRL+ALT+A on the keyboard.
Click on Latest Available Update, then select Browse for Update File.
Spectrum v2.3 brings with it a radical change in system architecture including the removal of the Enterprise Controller and the introduction of a Server Hive architecture where all Media Servers in the system are equal, contain their own individual databases, and synchronize system configuration and - as a result - users can now connect through any media server to view and manage an entire system, the system allows for automatic failover, and users can now upgrade all system components in a single click once they have successfully upgraded to Spectrum v2.3.
In lieu of the above, we've put together the following Upgrade Guide for users who are upgrading from Spectrum v2.2.1 and below to Spectrum 2.3.
Please read all instructions prior to upgrading.
If you experience any issues during the upgrade process, contact Digital Watchdog Technical Support for immediate assistance.
Any version of DW Witness or DW Spectrum can be upgraded to v2.3 by following the process below.
Note: If you are upgrading from v2.2 or an earlier version with a significant amount of recorded data, be aware that the first time the v2.3 server launches, a period of time (minutes) will be required for the archiving index process to complete.
Single Server Systems
Single server systems have only one instance of the Spectrum media server application running.
To upgrade: Download Spectrum server-only Installation Package for your device's operating system and follow the installation Wizard.
Multi-Server Systems
Multi-server systems prior to the Spectrum v2.3 release contain an Enterprise-Controller + Media Server Architecture and consist of more than one Media Server instance.
To upgrade:
Servers Running Enterprise Controller (EC) Separately From Media Servers
Sometimes systems have the EC running on a separate machine from the Media Servers. If your system is set up in this manner you'll need to follow these steps.