Page 53 - Dante Controller User Guide

Dante Controller User Guide

Note: If the master clock device is not directly visible to Dante Controller (for example, if the master
clock device is for some reason only connected to the secondary network, and Dante Controller is
only connected to the primary network), the 'Master Clock' display in the toolbar may show a
MAC address string, instead of the device name.

Clock Status Monitoring

Dante devices are monitored by Dante Controller to establish the status of their clock synchronization with
the Dante network master clock.
There are two levels of monitoring: 'passive' and 'active'.
In passive mode, Dante Controller will report if a clock loses sync (or regains sync) with the master clock.
In active mode, Dante Controller will also report if a clock is showing signs of instability. If a device clock
is significantly unstable, it can lose sync with the master clock, which will result in the device being
automatically muted.
Why would a device clock be unstable?

There are a range of network conditions that can interfere with a device’s clock stability. These include:
n A switch on the network is configured to use Energy Efficient Ethernet ('Green Ethernet') func-
tionality

n A 100 Mb switch or link is present where a Gigabit connection is required
n One or more switches are incorrectly configured
n A 'problematic' external word clock is being used as the master clock

Refer to the Dante FAQs for more information.

Passive monitoring

Passive monitoring is on all the time. If a Dante device loses sync with the master clock, or regains sync
with the master clock, it reports the event to Dante Controller. Dante Controller records these events in a
log file, and also will display an alert: the Clock Status Monitor icon (at the bottom right corner of the main
window) will light up red.

Clicking the icon opens the Clock Status Monitor, which includes the clock status event log, and a clock
status histogram.

Active Monitoring

When active monitoring is switched on, Dante Controller begins actively monitoring the behaviour of
supported devices to identify signs of clock instability. If a clock exhibits significant instability, the Clock
Status Monitor icon will light up amber, and a warning event will be recorded in the clock status event log.

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