System for audio related equipment management

An audio-related system comprising:

• a first audio-related device;
• a second audio-related device;
• a switch adapted to communicate on a network including a first port and a second port, the first port associated with a first node identification and the second port associated with a second node identification;
• and
• where the first audio-related device is assigned the first node identification by being coupled to the first port and the second audio-related device is assigned the second node identification by being coupled to the second port.

An audio-related device comprising:

• memory configured to store settings of an audio-related device;
• a user interface configured to change the settings stored in memory;
• a communication port configured to transmit and receive signals on a communication link;
• and
• a node identification module configured to generate a node identification for the audio-related device, the node identification module cooperating with the communication port to broadcast the node identification to devices connected to the communication link, the node identification being independent of a network interface of the communication port.

A PEM comprising:

• memory configured to store information regarding audio-related devices;
• a communication port configured to be connected to a network, the communication port adapted to receive and transmit signals with audio-related devices connected to the network;
• a node resolution module operatively coupled to the communication port, the node resolution module including a node identification engine adapted to assign a node identification to each of the audio-related devices connected to the network;
• and
• a user interface configured to change settings of the audio-related devices connected to the network.

A method for discovering audio-related devices coupled to a network comprising:

• providing a first audio-related device having a first node identification and a first network address;
• providing a second audio-related device having a second node identification and a second network address;
• broadcasting a discovery information message from the first audio-related device over a network;
• adding the first node identification and the first network address of the first audio-related device into the routing table of the second audio-related device in response to receipt of the discovery information message sent from the first audio-related device;
• sending a discovery query message from the second audio-related device to the first audio-related device;
• adding the second node identification and the second network address of the second audio-related device into the routing table of the first audio-related device in response to receipt of the discovery information message sent from the second audio-related device;
• and
• sending a discovery information message from the first audio-related device to the second audio-related device.

A method for discovering audio-related devices coupled to a network comprising:

• providing a first audio-related device having a first node identification and a first network address;
• providing a second audio-related device having a second node identification and a second network address;
• providing a third audio-related device having a third node identification and a third network address;
• establishing a communication link between the first audio-related device and the second audio-related device;
• sending a discovery query message from the first audio-related device to the second audio-related device;
• sending a set proxy message from the first audio-related device to the second audio-related device;
• sending a discovery information message from the second audio-related device to the third audio-related device;
• broadcasting a discovery information message from the third audio-related device over a subnet;
• adding the third node identification and the third network address of the third audio-related device into the routing table of the second audio-related device in response to receipt of the discovery information message sent from the third audio-related device;
• forwarding the discovery information message from the third audio-related device to the first audio-related device;
• and
• adding the third node identification and the third network address of the third audio-related device into the routing table of the first audio-related device in response to receipt of the discovery information message sent from the second audio-related device.

A system for audio-related equipment management comprising:

• a first audio-related device residing at a first geographical location;
• a second audio-related device residing at the first location and being configured to communicate with the first audio-related device;
• and
• a performance equipment manager residing at a second location that is geographically remote from the first location, the performance equipment manager configured to communicate with the first audio-related device and the second audio-related device, the performance equipment manager configured to perform diagnostic operations on the first audio-related device.