TANDBERG D14128.02 Tandberg Api, Basic Principles, The TANDBERG API-Engine, About Telnet, Xacli

Codec C90

Contents Introduction Getting Started Interfaces

System Integrator Guide

AboutAboutthetheAPIAPI xConfiguration xCommand xStatus Cameras Appendices Contact us

TANDBERG API

Basic Principles

The heart of the API is the TANDBERG API- Engine. This is where all information is stored and processed.

The API-engine can be accessed by an easy-to- use Command Line Interface called XACLI using RS-232, Telnet or SSH, or by the TANDBERG XML API Service (TXAS) over HTTP/HTTPS.

Working with the API-engine is very similar to working with catalogues and files on a computer. All information is stored in a hierarchic tree structure which is accessible from different interfaces.

•When accessing the API-engine using XACLI (RS-232, Telnet or SSH), the information is formatted in a proprietary Command Line style or in XML formatting.

•When accessing the API-engine using the TXAS interface (HTTP/HTTPS), XML formatting is supported.

This is similar to viewing files on a computer. Accessing catalogues on a Windows computer using the Command Prompt gives a different view than using Windows Explorer, but the information is the same.

About Telnet

Telnet is disabled by default. Before connecting to the codec using Telnet you will need to enable the interface via either RS-232 or SSH.

The following command can be set from the Administrator settings menu or from the API command interface:

•xConfiguration NetworkServices Telnet Mode: On

XACLI		TXAS
(XML)		(XML)
Telnet/SSH	RS-232	HTTP/
	cable
via LAN		HTTPS
		API-Engine

The TANDBERG API-Engine

The TANDBERG API-Engine is optimized for easy, yet advanced, machine-machine interaction between a TANDBERG system and an external control application.

The main features can be summarized to:

•Structuring of information

•Addressing using XPath (XML Path Language) or TANDBERG SimplePath

•Feedback

Structuring of Information

An application programming interface (API) can be seen as a gate where information is exchanged between two systems – a control application and a target system.

The control application transmits instructions to the target system, while the target system supplies information about how these instructions are executed, in addition to other system related information.

Consequently, the exchange of information can be divided into:

1.Information flowing from target. This we call READ information (R). The (R) should not be confused with the (r) used to indicate required parameters in the Commands tables.

2.Information flowing to target. This we call WRITE information (W).

Main types of information

If we look at the TANDBERG systems we can identify three main types of information

•READ information (R)

•WRITE information (W)

•READ/WRITE information (RW)

(R)READ information. This is Status Information about the system and system processes, i.e. information generated by the system.

Typical examples include: status about ongoing calls, network status, conference status etc. All status information is structured in a hierarchy, making up a database constantly being updated by the system to reflect process changes.

(W)WRITE information. This is Command information the user/control application supply to initiate an action.

Typical examples include: instructing the system to place a call, assigning floor to a specific site, disconnecting a call etc.

A command is usually followed by a set of parameters to specify how the given action is to be executed.

(RW) READ/WRITE information. This is Configuration Information defining system settings. This information can both be supplied and read by the user/control application. Typical examples include: default call rate, baud rate of a serial port, enabling/disabling of various features etc.

All configuration information is structured in a hierarchy making up a database of system settings. But for the Configuration information, the data in the database can only be updated by the user/ control application.

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