CE Pro September 2024 - 73

PARTNER INSIGHTS
SPONSORED CONTENT
NETGEAR Engage Controller: Central
Management of Your AV Switch Deployment
This free, lightweight, portable application has integrators raving about its simplicity and
utility in their commercial and residential AV networks.
AS OUR INDUSTRY has transitioned and become much more
network centric, customer demands have evolved, as have the
tools that AV integrators need. NETGEAR, long respected as
an IT and Internet company, ventured into the AV sector after
Laurent Masia, senior director of product line management,
discovered and sought to seize on a new opportunity with AV.
Masia notes the limitations of circuit-based AV installations,
their high cost and scalability challenges. He describes NETGEAR's
strategic shift toward developing dedicated Ethernet
switches tailored for AV applications. " Previously, audio and
video distribution went through a circuit-based fabric, which
can be good, but [which is] expensive and not very scalable, "
Masia explains. " So, NETGEAR engineers began developing
software 10 years ago, and, little by little, they developed dedicated
Ethernet switches only for the AV world. "
The role of software controllers in automating network
detection and configuration streamlines what was once a complex
and costly process across switches and panels. Network
switches can be a headache for integrators and users, he adds,
" [because] the process of ensuring multiple switches are configured
correctly is difficult and time-consuming. "
The free, lightweight, portable Engage Controller application
makes configuring a system super easy, earning acclaim among
influential integrators. " The Engage Controller is a software
tool that automatically detects new and old switches on the
local network and configures the switches in a single location
that can be accessed via an app, " Masia explains. The Engage
Controller is available for M4250, M4300 and M4350 switches
common in AV networks. Integrators can use it to upgrade
firmware on the switches.
Engage Controller Earns High Praise
The Engage Controller underlines NETGEAR's commitment
to serve the CEDIA channel. Leading integrators rave about
the resource and commend its user-friendly interface, which
offers visibility into network topology to sites, credentials,
configuration information, etc. Consolidating all management
and troubleshooting tasks onto a single platform that can be
run from a USB thumb drive, the Engage Controller eliminates
the need for individual switch configuration. This significantly
enhances efficiency and ease of use for integrators and end
users in commercial and residential settings alike.
Upon logging into the switch, Masia explains, " End users are
presented with two interfaces: one for IT and one for AV users.
The profiles in the AV interface are designed to eliminate the
need to navigate through backend technology. " The ability to
The Engage Controller underlines NETGEAR's commitment to serve
the CEDIA channel.
color-code and customize ports - all from a free application -
further enhances integrators' sense of control and confidence.
According to Paul Mueller, director of engineering at AVI
Systems, NETGEAR engineers have always intuitively understood
IP. When NETGEAR entered the AV space, Mueller says,
the company's engineers " ...went out to other manufacturers
across the industries, obtained samples and began building
systems alongside integrators, becoming subject matter
experts on the physical material, as well as software. " The
Engage Controller is the culmination of NETGEAR's collaborative
efforts with industry partners and developers, reflecting
feedback and expertise gleaned throughout its development.
NETGEAR's Elite Support System
Masia has created an engineer-based support team that, he
says, has grown " ... from two or three engineers to 22 engineers
in China, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, India, the
Middle East, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Benelux,
Italy and the United States. " That means integrators can
always access a subject matter expert when working with the
switches and the Engage Controller.
Shawn Wallin, UC deployment engineer at AVI Systems, says
that when his team has run into challenges, they just email the
support team. They'll connect with an expert by phone shortly
thereafter. " It's hugely beneficial, " he enthuses, " since we're
talking to individuals familiar with the different AV products. "
NETGEAR has sought to bring together AVI Systems engineers
and other integrator leaders from across the industry to
discuss what they want in products. " Many companies are out
there making switches, " Mueller says, " but NETGEAR directly
addressed what was necessary for the AV industry. "
Learn more about NETGEAR at www.netgear.com/business.
NETGEAR

http://www.netgear.com/business

CE Pro September 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CE Pro September 2024