*** REALSERVER G2 GOLD RELEASE *** last updated 16 June, 2000 This file contains information on the following topics: * Installation Notes * Getting Started * RealSystem Administrator * Documentation * New Configuration File Format * Using RealServer G2 with Existing Content * G2SLTA (Simulated Live Broadcast Agent) * Issues and Known Problems * Where to Report Problems * RealServer Files INSTALLATION NOTES ------------------ RealServer G2 is supported on the following platforms: * Windows 95 and Windows 98 * Windows NT 4.0 * Linux 2.0.30 * FreeBSD 2.2 & 3.0 * Sun Solaris 2.51 & 2.6 * SGI Irix 6.2 * SCO UnixWare 7.0.1, 7.0.1, 7.1.1 * SCO OSR 5.0.4, 5.0.5 RealServer G2 includes an installation utility for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT and all UNIX platforms specified above. To install, run your download binary and follow the prompts that appear. The Windows NT install utility is named SERVINST.EXE. The UNIX install utilities are named with the following format: g2--.bin ...where -- will be substituted with the download platform of your choice. For instance, if you downloaded the RealServer G2 for FreeBSD, your install utility executable will be named: g2-freebsd-2_2.bin RealServer G2 for Dec Alpha UNIX and HP-UNIX 11 are beta releases only. Gold versions will be available later. NT Installations ---------------- + RealServer G2 is installed as a service on Windows NT. If you have existing RealSystem G2 Beta software running as a service on your NT system, you must stop and then remove the service before installing RealServer G2 Gold. To remove it from the services list, change to the RealServer directory and type the following: /Bin/rmserver.exe -remove More information is available in "Chapter 3: Starting and Stopping RealServer" in the online manual. UNIX Installations ------------------ + If you observe the message 'Permission Denied' during your attempt to run the UNIX install utility, you may have to set executable permissions. To do so, execute the following command: chmod +x g2--.bin After installing RealServer G2 for UNIX, perform the following steps: 1. cd into the base installation directory (the directory containing the rmserver.cfg file) 2. Execute the following: ./Bin/rmserver rmserver.cfg& 3. To test the RealServer G2, open a browser and type: http://name_of_server:[port]/admin/index.html You will be prompted for a user name and password; use the values you entered during Setup. Additionally, replace [port] with the port value you selected during the installation. UNIX, DEC ALPHA, and Sun Solaris Installations ---------------------------------------------- + To limit the amount of memory that RealServer G2 uses, start RealServer with the -m parameter: rmserver rmserver.cfg -m 32 The number after -m can be any amount of memory in megabytes, 32 or greater. Each megabyte of RealServer memory accomodates 3 - 4 simultaneous connected users. To allow 200 users to connect, specify 50 megabytes of memory instead of 32. (This parameter is optional on Windows NT, FreeBSD, or Linux.) SCO UnixWare 7 Installations ---------------------------- Once you have downloaded the pkg file, perform the following steps as root: 1. Move the file(s) to a preferred installation directory: mv g2-6_0-scounixware7.pkg /tmp 2. Change to the installation directory: cd /tmp 3. Use pkgadd to install the Basic Server Plus files and documentation: pkgadd -d /tmp/g2-6_0-scounixware7.pkg System RAM requirements: 32M required for light server traffic 128M for medium traffic 256M for heavy traffic NOTE: RealServer G2 for SCO UnixWare 7 product comes packaged with a Basic Server Plus license file at no charge. In order to utilize the extra functionality of this special SCO license, use the default license file that is built-in to the product during the installation. Do not use the RealNetworks G2 license file that will be sent to you via email after you download RealServer G2 from this site. SCO OpenServer Release 5 Installations -------------------------------------- Once you have downloaded the tar file, perform the following steps as root: 1. Move the file(s) to a preferred installation directory: mv g2-p2-osr5-final.tar /tmp 2. Change to the installation directory: cd /tmp 3. Use custom to install the Basic Server Plus files and documentation: custom -p SCO:REAL_SERVER_G2 -i -z /tmp System RAM requirements: 32M required for light server traffic 128M for medium traffic 256M for heavy traffic NOTE: RealServer G2 for SCO OpenServer Release 5 product comes packaged with a Basic Server Plus license file at no charge. In order to utilize the extra functionality of this special SCO license, use the default license file that is built-in to the product during the installation. Do not use the RealNetworks G2 license file that will be sent to you via email after you download this RealServer G2 from this site. License Information ------------------- + License information is now stored in a file which is mailed to you when you order RealServer. During Setup, you will be prompted for the location of this file. If the license files are not present in the directory you specify during Setup, RealServer will start with minimal capabilities. GETTING STARTED --------------- RealServer G2 has been designed to work seamlessly with content created by previous versions of RealNetworks tools. The default ports that RealPlayer and RealPlayer Plus clients will play content from an URL that hasn't a port specified are as follows: RTSP: 554 PNM: 7070 HTTP: 80 (..then 8080 if 80 is unavailable) Because using port numbers on UNIX lower than 1000 requires that the user have root privileges, you must be logged on as root before starting RealServer G2. Note that if you change the port numbers from the defaults shown above, you must include port numbers in the URLs that link to your content. Failure to include non-default port numbers may result in Players receiving streams via HTTP or not receiving them at all. REALSYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR ------------------------ The new RealSystem Administrator is a web-based console for monitoring and modifying your RealServer G2. To use it, first start RealServer. When you install RealServer, you are prompted for a RealSystem Administrator port number. Remember this port number and use it in the following URL: http://name_of_server:port/admin/index.html You will be prompted for a user name and password; use the values you entered during Setup. Changes you make through the RealSystem Administrator are reflected in the server's configuration file. Each time this file is written to from the RealSystem Administrator, a backup of the rmserver.cfg file is made with the name rmserver.cfg.bak. If you encounter problems with your system and must resort to your original server configuration file, copy your backup file and restart your server. New Features in RealSystem Administrator ---------------------------------------- + RealSystem Administrator has the ability to hide or display a table of contents of licensed features. The implementation is handled by a series of Boolean statements in the toc.html. Although the server will not display non-licensed features, supporting pages for non-licensed features do ship with RealSystem Administrator. If you decide to upgrade your RealServer, the toc.html will be the only file that changes. You will need to refresh the RealSystem Administration pages after your new key has been installed and the RealServer restarted. + RealSystem Administrator files are now served from a unique port, rather than a common port that also handles stream requests. This handled through a new configuration file variable, , that specifies a unique port by which admin pages will be served. During installation, AdminPort will be initialized to a random value for security. Please verify that this pre-assigned port will not interfere with ports already in use by your system. If you change the AdminPort value, you will need to update any URL references to these pages with the new port number. + RealSystem Administrator now supports unique bookmarks for monitoring RealServer remotely. Simply select the bookmark option as you normally would and RealServer will automatically assign the domain or IP address of the RealServer you are monitoring. This allows you to create a bookmark list of unique RealServers you are monitoring. Known Issues in RealSystem Administrator ---------------------------------------- + RealSystem Administrator is still in beta testing on Dec Alpha Unix and HP/UX. You may be required to edit the configuration file directly to enable certain RealServer features on these platforms. + If you receive JavaScript errors while clicking on a RealSystem Administrator page, simply reload the page. RealSystem Administrator works best with Netscape Communicator version 4.06, and Internet Explorer version 4.0 and higher. + Editing or removing MIME types is not fully implemented in this version of RealSystem Administrator. To modify and delete MIME types, you will need to edit the RealServer configuration directly. DOCUMENTATION ------------- The RealServer Administration Guide is included in online form. To read it, start RealSystem Administrator and click Documentation. NEW CONFIGURATION FILE FORMAT ----------------------------- RealServer G2 introduces a new format for the configuration file. If you are used to the RealServer 5.0 format and you are familiar with HTML, you'll quickly become accustomed to the new format. When you install RealServer G2 into a new directory, it creates a new configuration file. The configuration file is based on XML. For instructions on using using RealServer Administrator to make changes to RealServer and to the configuration file, read "Chapter 4: Customizing RealServer Features" in the online manual. USING REALSERVER G2 WITH EXISTING CONTENT ----------------------------------------- RealServer G2 is designed to work with your content developed in previous versions of RealServer. Install this latest version of RealServer into a new directory. Start RealServer, start RealSystem Administrator and click Samples in the left-hand frame, and then play the test clips. Once you are sure that the new version of RealServer is working correctly, use RealSystem Administrator to modify the main mount point's Base Path. The new Base Path should point to your existing content directory. You are now ready to serve your existing files from RealServer G2. Splitting --------- Push splitting can now perform daisy-chain splitting; a splitter can now serve live streams served by other splitters: Encoder sends live data "live.rm" to source RealServer A Splitter B connects to A and serves A's live.rm Splitter C connects to B and serves A's live.rm Splitter D connects to C and serves A's live.rm The URL in the SMIL file for each of these is On source RealServer A: rtsp://server_A/farm/server_A/encoder/live.rm On Splitter B: rtsp://server_B/farm/server_A/encoder/live.rm On Splitter C: rtsp://server_C/farm/server_A/encoder/live.rm On Splitter D: rtsp://server_D/farm/server_A/encoder/live.rm Notice that each splitter's URL starts with its own name but is identical to the other URLs after that. G2SLTA (SIMULATED LIVE BROADCAST AGENT) --------------------------------------- G2SLTA is a utility for broadcasting a pre-recorded clip as if it were live. It is located in the Bin directory. Its use is described in RealServer Administration Guide; additional information is included here. G2SLTA uses two environment variables: G2SLTA_PLUGIN_PATH, which refers to the path mentioned by the PluginDirectory configuration file variable, and G2SLTA_SUPPORT_PATH, which refers to the path in the SupportPathDirectory variable. Use the supplied batch script to set the variables. The utility is dependent on the following installed files: sdpp3260.dll sdpplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks SDP Stream Description Plugin smpl3260.dll smplfsys.so.6.0 RealNetworks Local File System encnet3260.dll encnet.so.6.0 RealNetworks Broascast Support Library slta3260.dll slta.so.6.0 RealNetworks Live Simulation Support Library ISSUES AND KNOWN PROBLEMS ------------------------- + The live bandwidth negotiation facility is included in the RealServer G2 for backward compatibility with 5.x, 4.x, and 3.x streaming media configuration deployments, but we encourage you to use the new SureStream method of bandwidth negotiation. SureStream files include all bandwidths in the same file, whether live or on-demand content. The new G2 codecs used in single stream files encoded with the G2 encoder are not supported in the old-style bandwidth negotiation. + When RealServer G2 is serving large numbers of streams (more than 1000) via PNA, or large numbers of live streams via splitters, it may randomly drop connections. + Under Windows 95, RealServer G2 does not have a custom icon. It uses the regular Windows 95 program icon. + RealServer G2 may reject connection requests if G2SLTA is simulating 20 or more live feeds. + If G2SLTA is running when RealServer is stopped, G2SLTA will segment fault. + Authentication for scalable multicasts is not supported. Only back-channel multicasts can be authenticated. + If an encoder is behind a firewall and is sending live data to a RealServer on the other side of the firewall, the encoder may receive "Server Disconnected" messages. + RealServer G2 does not support mime types that contain periods in their names. + Executing ctrl+c during an installation on a UNIX platform may prevent you from reinstalling to the same directory because of the presence of a left over temp directory named 'rnsetup'. If this occurs, remove the temp directory that the server installer created and repeat the installation. + RealServer G2 supports single processor systems only in Sun Solaris 2.51 or 2.6 respectively. + In the event you receive the following error during the execution of g2slta.sh: ./g2slta.sh: 25: Syntax error: "(" unexpected ..modify line 1 of g2slta.sh from #!/bin/sh to #!/bin/bash WHERE TO REPORT PROBLEMS ------------------------ We will post solutions to problems as we become aware of them on the Frequently Asked Questions page ( http://service.real.com/help/faq/index.html) and in the Knowledge Base (http://service.real.com/kb/default.htm). If, after checking these sites you haven't found the answer to your question, please report technical problems to Technical Support at http://service.real.com/contact/email.htm. In addition to the information requested by the site, include the type of content you were working with when the problem occurred, a list of plugins that were installed, and a copy of your configuration file. Your input is valuable to us and helps us to build even better software. RealServer Files ---------------- Windows UNIX Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ rmserver.exe rmserver RealServer Executable mkpnpass.exe mkpnpass RealServer RN5 password utility g2slta.exe g2slta Live Broadcast Simulation Utility g2slta.bat g2slta.sh Live Broadcast Simulation Utility Helper RealServer Support Libraries ---------------------------- Windows UNIX Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ encn3260.dll encn.so.6.0 Encoder Broadcast Support Library pxli3260.dll pxlive.so.6.0 Live Images Broadcast Support Library rtli3260.dll rtlive.so.6.0 Live Text Broadcast Support Library slta3260.dll sltalib.so.6.0 Simulated Live Broadcast Support Library RealServer Plugins Windows UNIX Description ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ smpl3260.dll smplfsys.so.6.0 RealNetworks Local File System sdpp3260.dll sdpplin.so.6.0 SDP Stream Description Plugin liv33260.dll liv3plin.so.6.0 Live Broadcast Plugin enco3260.dll encoplin.so.6.0 Encoder Broadcast Plugin arch3260.dll archplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks Live Archive Plugin admi3260.dll adminfs.so.6.0 RealNetworks Admin File System Plugin ramp3260.dll ramplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks Ramgen File System Plugin logp3260.dll logplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks Logging Plugin allo3260.dll allow.so.6.0 RealNetworks Basic Allowance Plugin ppva3260.dll ppvallow.so.6.0 RealNetworks Pay Per View Allowance Plugin ppvo3260.dll N/A RealNetworks ODBC 3.0 PPV Database Plugin N/A ppvmsql.so.6.0 RealNetworks Mini SQL PPV Database Plugin ppvb3260.dll ppvbasic.so.6.0 RealNetworks Flatfile Database Plugin dbmg3260.dll dbmgr.so.6.0 RealNetworks Database Manager auth3260.dll authmgr.so.6.0 RealNetworks Authentication Manager basc3260.dll bascauth.so.6.0 RealNetworks Basic Authenticator rn5a3260.dll rn5auth.so.6.0 RealNetworks RN5 Authenticator ntfs3260.dll N/A RealNetworks NT Local File System ntlo3260.dll N/A RealNetworks NT Logger perf3260.dll N/A RealNetworks RMA Performance Monitor pply3260.dll pplyplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks Scalable Multicast Plugin rprx3260.dll rprxypln.so.6.0 RealNetworks RTSP Application Level Plugin splt3260.dll spltplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks Splitter Broadcast Plugin farm3260.dll farmplin.so.6.0 Farm Split Broadcast Plugin smlf3260.dll smlffpln.so.6.0 RealNetworks SMIL File Format Plugin plus3260.dll plusplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks PlusURL File Format Plugin rmff3260.dll rmffplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealMedia File Format Plugin pxff3260.dll pxff.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealPix File Format Plugin rtff3260.dll rtffplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealText File Format Plugin pxjf3260.dll pxjpgff.so.6.0 RealNetworks JPEG File Format Plugin pxgf3260.dll pxgifff.so.6.0 RealNetworks GIF File Format Plugin pxcj3260.dll pxcjpeg.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealPix JPEG Codec Plugin pxcb3260.dll pxcbmp.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealPix BMP Codec Plugin pxcg3260.dll pxcgif.so.6.0 RealNetworks RealPix GIF Codec Plugin pxcs3260.dll N/A RealNetworks RealPix STNG Codec Plugin vidp3260.dll vidplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks AVI, QuickTime, Active Stream File Format Plugin audp3260.dll audplin.so.6.0 RealNetworks AU, WAV, AIFF File Format Plugin vivff.so.6.0 viff3260.dll VivoActive File Format Plugin swff3260.dll swff.so.6.0 Shockwave Flash Format Plugin inkt3260.dll inktpln.so.6.0 Inktomi Traffic Server Cache Plugin inkf3260.dll inkfsys.so.6.0 Inktomi Traffic Server File System Plugin