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Author Topic: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap  (Read 5554 times)

Tom Bourke

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AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« on: August 16, 2015, 07:29:45 PM »

I am taking over a large AMX system that has a pile of ipads, old amx panels, media matrix, ETC CEM's, BSS soundweb, and other stuff I may not have seen yet.  There is some documentation but it may or may not be accurate so I am trying to create my own.  In addition to physical inspection and a set of passive wireshark captures I am planning to test it with nmap.  Nmap can do anything from basic ping tests to some fairly invasive packets and scripts.  Has any one done this on a live AMX system?  I want to make sure I do not take down the existing system in some irrecoverable way.  Minor interruption is fine as long as I plan for it. Even a post scan reboot is OK.

Any other tests you would run on such a system?  It is 15 to 20 years old and is marginally stable. It is a mix of old, new, and varius upgrades.  Many people have had their hands on this system.  I am just trying to document it and give myself some tools for future trouble shooting and repairs.
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Josh Millward

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2015, 12:30:49 PM »

Hi Tom,

Please feel free to be in touch with us if there is anything awry with the MediaMatrix stuff. Those old Mainframes are pretty solid machines as long as the power supplies, hard disk drives, and CPU boards stay online. Dirt infiltration stopping up the fans and the hard drives just wearing out from running for 15-20 years are not uncommon issues. However, fans and hard drives can be replaced relatively easily. The DSP cards in the Mainframes hardly ever go bad over time, so as long as you can keep the PC side alive, the frame will pretty much run forever.

Anyhow, please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can do to help. We still service and repair the old Mainframe, Miniframe, and XFrame systems as much as possible. You can reach us here:
Peavey Commercial Audio Support

Thanks!
Josh

I am taking over a large AMX system that has a pile of ipads, old amx panels, media matrix, ETC CEM's, BSS soundweb, and other stuff I may not have seen yet.  There is some documentation but it may or may not be accurate so I am trying to create my own.  In addition to physical inspection and a set of passive wireshark captures I am planning to test it with nmap.  Nmap can do anything from basic ping tests to some fairly invasive packets and scripts.  Has any one done this on a live AMX system?  I want to make sure I do not take down the existing system in some irrecoverable way.  Minor interruption is fine as long as I plan for it. Even a post scan reboot is OK.

Any other tests you would run on such a system?  It is 15 to 20 years old and is marginally stable. It is a mix of old, new, and varius upgrades.  Many people have had their hands on this system.  I am just trying to document it and give myself some tools for future trouble shooting and repairs.
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Josh Millward
Danley Sound Labs

David Buckley

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2015, 08:37:40 PM »

When you say

I am planning to test it with nmap.

What is it you want to accomplish using this tool?
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Tom Bourke

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2015, 12:24:48 AM »

Anyhow, please feel free to get in touch if there is anything we can do to help. We still service and repair the old Mainframe, Miniframe, and XFrame systems as much as possible. You can reach us here:
Peavey Commercial Audio Support

Thanks!
Josh
Thank you.  The Media-matrix system is doing great.  We have great local support and we just did an overhaul/ cleaning on the system.  My intent is to have a better handle on the topology of the control system on the AMX side.
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Tom Bourke

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #4 on: August 19, 2015, 12:54:24 AM »

When you say

What is it you want to accomplish using this tool?
At this point there is very incomplete documentation of the total system.  People have come and gone, changes made, and "temporary fixes" over the years. I am the next person in line to be the guru of infrastructure.  The difference between this system and the ones I have dealt with in the past is shear size and mix.  This one has 2 large amp rooms, over a dozen communications/computer closets and small racks of stuff in special meeting rooms.

My goal with nmap is to find out what is on the network.  I keep finding little boxes with a network connection.  They range from AMX control boxes to little relay boxes for running projector lifts or serial extension boxes.  Once I have an inventory of what is on each network I can track down the physical boxes.  It will also give me a list of IP addresses to use or avoid for future add ons.

I am wondering has any one used this kind of tool on such a network.  My gut says that even if I manage to cause a main control device to lock up a system reboot will solve that.  I was hoping for some one to say they had run such a tool on a similar system.
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I have a mild form of Dyslexia that affects my ability to spell.  I do use spell checking to help but it does not always work.  My form of Dyslexia does not affect my reading.  Dyslexics of the world untie! <a href="http://www.cwalv.com" target="_blank">http://www.cwalv.com</a>

David Buckley

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #5 on: August 19, 2015, 05:28:07 AM »

I've done a lot of nmap-ing on corporate networks, and there is usually a smattering of AV kit on the receiving end of the scan.  Never had any complaints about killing things.

Sounds like you are on the right track; initially just go for ping, http, telnet, and ssh,  turn the agressiveness down a click from default.  Scan all the private ranges, and build the list.

Finding the devices will be straightforward, if time consuming and boring.  Figuring out how all the stuff hangs together will be a more difficult challenge.
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Tom Bourke

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #6 on: August 19, 2015, 10:29:47 AM »

Finding the devices will be straightforward, if time consuming and boring.  Figuring out how all the stuff hangs together will be a more difficult challenge.
Thank you.  The other fun part is that not all the cat5/RJ45 connections are TCP/IP.  Many of them are serial from the AMX system to other systems.  The traffic is also segregated by Vlans on switches we do not manage.  The AMX code should be interesting as well.  1/2 the people who have touched that were not real programmers.

On the positive side I am in house and have keys to every place I need to see.  Also this is not an emergency, I have some time to figure it out before I have to fix something.
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I have a mild form of Dyslexia that affects my ability to spell.  I do use spell checking to help but it does not always work.  My form of Dyslexia does not affect my reading.  Dyslexics of the world untie! <a href="http://www.cwalv.com" target="_blank">http://www.cwalv.com</a>

Jason Lavoie

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #7 on: August 19, 2015, 10:47:05 AM »

Also this is not an emergency, I have some time to figure it out before I have to fix something.

Hopefully :)

Jason
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Glen Kelley

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #8 on: August 24, 2015, 11:43:42 AM »


My goal with nmap is to find out what is on the network.  I keep finding little boxes with a network connection.  They range from AMX control boxes to little relay boxes for running projector lifts or serial extension boxes.  Once I have an inventory of what is on each network I can track down the physical boxes.  It will also give me a list of IP addresses to use or avoid for future add ons.

I am wondering has any one used this kind of tool on such a network.  My gut says that even if I manage to cause a main control device to lock up a system reboot will solve that.  I was hoping for some one to say they had run such a tool on a similar system.

Netlinx Studio will give you a list of all devices attached to each AMX master. You will have to connect to each master and "Refresh Network Online Tree". Once you've done this, you can right click on each device and "show properties". This will list serial #, IP address, and MAC. You can also print reports in CSV or .txt, which might help with documentation.

Alternatively, you can telnet to the master and type '?'. This will give a list of commands, one of which will tell you all programmed devices for that master, and also any master-master connections.

The only problem is that you will need a list of the masters to connect to them. Netlinx Studio ~can~ listen for masters, but your computer must be on the same subnet to see them. They use port 1319, FWIW. ;)

I often use the AngryIP scanner, and have never had any AMX devices lock up from the scan. AMX stuff is pretty stable, once it is debugged and running. A reboot will fix most issues.
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Tom Bourke

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Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2015, 10:32:11 AM »

Netlinx Studio will give you a list of all devices attached to each AMX master. You will have to connect to each master and "Refresh Network Online Tree". Once you've done this, you can right click on each device and "show properties". This will list serial #, IP address, and MAC. You can also print reports in CSV or .txt, which might help with documentation.

Alternatively, you can telnet to the master and type '?'. This will give a list of commands, one of which will tell you all programmed devices for that master, and also any master-master connections.

The only problem is that you will need a list of the masters to connect to them. Netlinx Studio ~can~ listen for masters, but your computer must be on the same subnet to see them. They use port 1319, FWIW. ;)

I often use the AngryIP scanner, and have never had any AMX devices lock up from the scan. AMX stuff is pretty stable, once it is debugged and running. A reboot will fix most issues.
Thank you, that helps.  I expect this to be a fairly long process.  It is good to know that port scanning does not affect the AMX system.   I also just found out we are changing the IP scheme because it has to tie into another network.  That should be fun! 
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I have a mild form of Dyslexia that affects my ability to spell.  I do use spell checking to help but it does not always work.  My form of Dyslexia does not affect my reading.  Dyslexics of the world untie! <a href="http://www.cwalv.com" target="_blank">http://www.cwalv.com</a>

ProSoundWeb Community

Re: AMX, Mediamatrix, ETC vs Nmap
« Reply #9 on: August 25, 2015, 10:32:11 AM »


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