LightNet Overview

LightAct's multi-server functionality

What is LightNet?

LightNet is LightAct's multi-server functionality. It allows you to:

• detect other machines with LightAct on the network,

• determine the role of each machine,

• set up multiple LightNet clusters of machines,

• set up frame syncing,

• transfer project files between all the machines within a single cluster, and

• establish real-time editing across the entire cluster.

Good to know: we sometimes use the word machine and sometimes a server. In the context of LightAct and LightNet, it's essentially the same thing.

Machine roles

LightAct uses the following naming of machine roles:

• Primary: this is the controlling server in the cluster. There can be only one in a cluster. In other solutions this role is called Director, Host or Master.

• Secondary: these are the servers outputting content. There can be many of them. In other solutions, these are sometimes called Actors, Clients, Playout machines or Slaves.

• Editor: these are the machines that don't output anything. Very often these are just laptops connected to the cluster that the operators use to edit the show.

• Backup: these machines are on stand-by during the show and are ready to replace the designated servers that might fail. In other solutions they are sometimes called Understudy.

Good to know: in smaller projects where Secondary servers are not required, there is often just one Primary which is outputting the content and one Backup. Of course, you can have as many Editors as you want.

If there are Primary and Secondaries in a cluster and Primary is outputting the content as well, the outputs between Primary and Secondaries might not be in sync.

Good to know: we often refer to Secondary, Editor and Backup machines as non-Primary machines.

Communication channels

To establish a working setup between machines, LightAct uses 3 communication channels:

• LightNet: this communication channel is for cluster and role management and real-time edits

• LightSync: this channel is for frame-locking of different machines.

• Asset transfer: this channel is for asset transfer. LightAct is using Robocopy for that.

File management

Primary machine is responsible for project file management and Asset ingestion and distribution. Usually the process is as follows:

1. the Project folder is established on the Primary machine.

2. Primary transfers the entire Project folder to all the machines in the cluster into their LightNetProjects folder and opened there.

3. Real-time edits are transfered in real-time as long as LightNet connection is active.

4. Asset ingestion and distribution across the cluster is managed from the Primary.

Setting up LightNet Cluster

To set up a LightNet cluster, the following steps must be done:

1. Network setup: in this step you will:

   1. set up LightNetProjects folder on all machines,

   2. set up LightNet Network properties and determine which Network Interface Card (NIC) will be used for which LightNet communication channel.

2. Setup the cluster means:

   1. Scanning the network and find all the machines on the network.

   2. Assigning correct role to every machine

   3. Establishing LightNet Cluster

   4. Establishing LightSync connection.

In subsequent pages we will proceed step-by-step.