Page 66 - 14th @ Irving Basis of Design (internal)

10.1.2 SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
The system shall feature distributed processing, with one or more vACS software controllers. The vACS controller shall provide a
network-centric architecture to minimize central head-end equipment. This will eliminate the possibility of complete system
failure shall catastrophic failure happen in any one room or area. This distributed topology will also allow for local interface
terminations with other systems, rather than the need to route connections to a centralized head-end location.

10.1.3 ETHERNET NETWORK
The entire system shall operate on an Ethernet network. The network shall be designed using a hierarchical star configuration with
a Gigabit backbone between all core, intermediate, and edge switches. In shared network environments, the Paging System shall be
isolated from other broadcast traffic on separate VLAN. The network shall be designed and installed using recognized industry
practice and tested in accordance with ANSI/TIA 568B-1, 2, and 3.

10.1.4 ANNOUNCEMENT DISTRIBUTION
The system shall provide for distribution of announcements and messages to each zone of the system. A zone is defined as the
smallest addressable area of speaker coverage. The system shall prevent a single zone from receiving more than one announcement
or message at a time. No announcement or message shall be lost or discarded due to coordination or priority pre-emption unless
configured as such through the business rules programming. For initial programming configure the systems as follows:
• Program material sent to zones (i.e., Background Music) shall be ducked during any announcement or message. More
information on the background music is available in Part 3 of this document.

• A local or multi-local zone group announcement shall not delay a terminal announcement from playing, but it shall
interrupt and override the terminal announcement in the zones that have been assigned to its use.
• Multiple emergency announcements may be made at one time if no zone conflicts for that class of announcement
exist. Regardless of zone announcements, emergency announcements immediately suspend all other zone activity in
the effected zones until completed or cancelled.

10.1.5 PRIORITY LEVELS
Announcements and messages shall be processed and distributed based on defined levels of priority. Appendix A has a
diagrammatic representation of these priority levels. A minimum of 256 priority levels shall be available. Initial priority levels shall
be assigned as follows:
• Emergency Live Announcements

• Emergency Messages
• Local (Gates) Announcements and Messages
• Terminal Announcements and Messages
• Program Material (Background Music)

10.1.6 SIGNAL ROUTING

The system shall provide for simultaneous routing of the following traffic. Each Announcement Control System (ACS) Instance or
LAN segment shall route up to 240 paging stations, and 32 message channels to up 512 zone outputs. Routing is limited only by the
number of CobraNet channels that are dynamically assigned. No announcements shall be routed through the servers or
announcement controllers unless being stored for delayed playback.

• The system shall distribute 8 program (BGM) channels assignable to any zone output.
• The system shall distribute and monitor audio from any monitor point to the requested

14th @ IRVING WSP
Project No. B1809809.000
RAL COMPANIES & AFFILIATES Page 66