Interlogix Topaz User Manual - Manual (Page 221)

Chapter 9
Hardware
203
Network Hops To ensure consistency, the number and distance of hops between a field panel’s LAN port and it’s
hosting server should be kept to a minimum.
Download
Activity Two types of download activity can occur: Full panel downloads or smaller downloads that occur
during routine use of the system. During the download operation, the ACU is fully operational after
power-up. Access requests are processed and normally, little delay is experienced. However, large
amounts of activity have an adverse effect on system performance.
A full panel download can be initiated manually by the system administrator, or automatically when:
• A panel is powered-up or reset
• A change is made to Access Groups
• A panel definition is modified
• A new reader is defined
• An elevator floor definition is modified.
Note: During a full panel download, the entire card database is downloaded to the panels, however
only those cards which are authorized for access through doors controlled by a panel are
downloaded to that panel, thus reducing per-panel traffic.
Following a server restart, all alarm points, relays, time schedules, and other user-programmed
settings and parameters are downloaded. The card database is only downloaded if, after a
comparison, the server detects that cardholder changes were made at the server but not updated to
the ACU.
If an initial download from the server to the ACU is interrupted, the ACU waits for the download to
restart.
Note: ACU2X: After a successful download, the ACU2X saves the count of cards in its database. If
a subsequent full card download is interrupted, the panel restores the original pointers so that
a backup mechanism exists until a successful download is achieved.
ACU
Comparison The ACU2XL, ACURS, and ACURT panels are approximately 100 times faster for communication that
an ACU2 or ACU2X panel with the LanTronix kit. This is because a panel using the LanTronix kit
connects to the kit from the panel serial port that runs at an average of 9600 baud, whereas the
ACU@XL, ACURS, and ACURT panels run at the 10 Mbps rate of their built in network card.
Table 17. Network communications guidelines (continued)