Avigilon VMA-BLU-8P8 User manual

User Guide
Avigilon Blue™ Connect Device
VMA-BLU-4C
VMA-BLU-8P8
VMA-BLU-16C12

Important Safety Information
This manual provides installation and operation information and precautions for the use of this device.
Incorrect installation could cause an unexpected fault. Before installing this equipment read this manual
carefully. Please provide this manual to the owner of the equipment for future use.
The Warning symbol indicates the presence of dangerous voltage within and outside the product
enclosure that may constitute a risk of electric shock, serious injury or death to persons if proper
precautions are not followed.
The Caution symbol alerts the user to the presence of hazards that may cause minor or moderate
injury to persons, damage to property or damage to the product itself if proper precautions are not
followed.
WARNING — Failure to observe the following instructions may result in severe injury or death.
lInstallation must be performed by qualified personnel only and must conform to all local codes.
lDo not open or disassemble the device. There are no user serviceable parts.
lThe coin cell battery is not replaceable.
lRefer all servicing to qualified personnel. Servicing may be required when the device has been
damaged, dropped, exposed to moisture, or does not operate normally.
lOnly use the power adapter supplied with your system.
lConnect the power adapter by means of a power cord connected to a socket-outlet with earthing
connection
CAUTION — Failure to observe the following instructions may result in injury or damage to the
appliance.
lDo not subject cables to excessive stress, heavy loads or pinching.
lDo not operate in dusty areas.
lThis device is for indoor use only.
lDo not expose this product to rain or use near water. If this product accidentally gets wet, unplug it
immediately.
lKeep product surfaces clean and dry. To clean the outside case of the device, gently wipe using a
lightly dampened cloth (only use water, do not use solvents).
lDo not install near any sources of vibration, such as motors.
lDo not install near any heat sources such as radiators or other sources of heat.
lDo not block ventilation openings located on the device enclosure as they are designed to keep the
system cool while running. Install or place this product in an area where there is ample air circulation.
ii

lDo not insert anything into the device ventilation openings.
lUse only accessories recommended by Avigilon.
lKeep these safety instructions.
Regulatory Notices
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions:
(1)this device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference
received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Note: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses
and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no
guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause
harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the
equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of
the following measures:
lReorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
lIncrease the separation between the equipment and receiver.
lConnect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is
connected.
lConsult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
This Class B digital apparatus complies with Canadian ICES-003 (B)/NMB-3(B)
This equipment is to be connected only to PoE networks without routing to the outside plant.
The battery isn't user replaceable or service replaceable.
Changes or modifications made to this equipment not expressly approved by Avigilon Corporation or
parties authorized by Avigilon Corporation could void the warranty and affect the user’s ability to operate
this equipment.
iii

Disposal and Recycling Information
When this product has reached the end of its useful life, please dispose of it according to your local
environmental laws and guidelines.
Risk of fire, explosion, and burns. Do not disassemble, crush, heat above 100 °C (212 °F), or incinerate.
European Union:
This symbol means that according to local laws and regulations your product should be disposed of
separately from household waste. When this product reaches its end of life, take it to a collection point
designated by local authorities. Some collection points accept products for free. The separate collection
and recycling of your product at the time of disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that it
is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment.
iv

Disclaimers
©2020,Avigilon Corporation. All rights reserved. AVIGILON, the AVIGILON logo, AVIGILON CLOUD
SERVICE PLATFORM, and the AVIGILON CLOUD SERVICE PLATFORM logo are trademarks of Avigilon
Corporation. MacOS, FINDER, Bonjour and Mac are registered trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the
U.S. and other countries. FIREFOX is a registered trademark of Mozilla Foundation in the U.S. and other
countries. Safari is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. ONVIF is a trademark
of Onvif, Inc. Other names or logos mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
The absence of the symbols ™ and ® in proximity to each trademark in this document or at all is not a
disclaimer of ownership of the related trademark. Avigilon Corporation protects its innovations with patents
issued in the United States of America and other jurisdictions worldwide (see avigilon.com/patents). Unless
stated explicitly and in writing, no license is granted with respect to any copyright, industrial design,
trademark, patent or other intellectual property rights of Avigilon Corporation or its licensors.
Each user must accept the Terms and Conditions of Service and the End User License Agreement for
Avigilon Blue as a condition to using the AvigilonCloud Service platform service when they register their
account.
This document has been compiled and published using product descriptions and specifications available at
the time of publication. The contents of this document and the specifications of the products discussed
herein are subject to change without notice. Avigilon Corporation reserves the right to make any such
changes without notice. Neither Avigilon Corporation nor any of its affiliated companies: (1) guarantees the
completeness or accuracy of the information contained in this document; or (2) is responsible for your use
of, or reliance on, the information. Avigilon Corporation shall not be responsible for any losses or damages
(including consequential damages) caused by reliance on the information presented herein.
Avigilon Corporation
avigilon.com
PDF-VMA-BLU-E
Revision: 1 - EN
20200110
v

Table of Contents
About This Guide 1
Introduction 2
Overview 3
Front View and Rear View 3
Package Contents 4
LEDIndicators 5
VMA-BLU-4C AvigilonBlue Connect Front Panel LEDs 5
VMA-BLU-4C Avigilon Blue Connect Back Panel LEDs 5
VMA-BLU-8P Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs 6
VMA-BLU-8P AvigilonBlue Connect Back Panel LEDs 6
VMA-BLU-16C Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs 7
VMA-BLU-16C AvigilonBlue Connect Back Panel LEDs 7
Avigilon Blue Connect Device System Requirements 7
Camera Frame Rate 7
Device Web Browser 7
Before Installation 9
Dealer Preparation 9
Managing Activation Codes for Avigilon Blue Connect Devices 9
Physical Preparation 10
Hardware Installation 11
Activating the Avigilon Blue Connect Device 12
Accessing the AvigilonCloud Service platformService 12
Accessing the AvigilonBlue Connect Administration Portal 12
Obtaining and Using an Activation Code 13
Alternate Activation Method (USRegion Only) 15
Activating with an Activation Code 15
Reactivating a Deactivated Avigilon Blue Connect Device 16
Connecting to External Devices 17
Port Configuration 19
Estimating the Analytics Load 21
VMA-BLU-4C Device 22
VMA-BLU-8P Device 23
VMA-BLU-16C Device 24
vi

Using the Reset Button 25
Restarting the System 25
Upgrading the Firmware 25
Restoring Factory Default Settings 26
Appendix: Using the AvigilonBlue Connect Administration Portal to Configure the Avigilon Blue
Connect Device 27
Accessing the AvigilonBlue Connect Administration Portal 27
Web Interface Launch Page 27
Configuring the Device 28
Configuring the Network 28
The Corporate and Camera Panes 28
The DNSPane 29
Assigning a PoE Power Budget 29
Budgeting PoE Power 30
Viewing Service and Device Logs 31
About Avigilon 32
vii

About This Guide
This guide is intended for the person installing Avigilon Blue Connect devices and contains more technical
detail than the in-box installation guide. It fully describes how to install and activate the device, and
configure the system after the device is powered and is connected to the Avigilon [[[Undefined variable
CompanyInfo.CloudPlatform]]] using the subscriber's local area network for the first time. This guide also
provides information on how to reactivate a device that is deactivated after its deletion in the Avigilon
Cloud Service platform service.
About This Guide 1

Introduction
The Avigilon Blue Connect devices are the on-premise recording and video analytics devices for
subscribers of the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service.
Built-in to every device is a server and storage to record and retain recorded video content locally, the
Avigilon video analytics engine to enable connected cameras to become smarter, and the ability to
remotely access the local video content storage with the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service.
The Avigilon Blue Connect device family comprises the:
lVMA-BLU-4C device — A recorder with 1 terabyte of storage, built-in video analytics, and a camera
uplink port that can connect to your networked IP cameras.
lVMA-BLU-8P device — A recorder with 8 terabytes of storage, built-in video analytics, and an 8-port
Power over Ethernet (PoE)network switch to connect and power up to eight IP cameras, or
combinations of IPcameras, Avigilon analog video encoders, and a camera uplink port that can be
used to connect additional cameras.
lVMA-BLU-16C device — A recorder with 12 terabytes of storage, built-in video analytics, and a
camera uplink port that can connect to your networked IP cameras.
Introduction 2

Overview
Front View and Rear View
Figure 1: Front view and back view of the Avigilon Blue Connect VMA-BLU-4C device
Figure 2: Front view and back view of the Avigilon Blue Connect VMA-BLU-8P device
Figure 3: Front view and back view of the Avigilon Blue Connect VMA-BLU-16C device
1. Reset button
Use this button to physically restart the Avigilon Blue Connect device or to perform a factory reset.
For more information, see Using the Reset Button on page25.
2. Status LEDs
Provides information about daily operations. For more information, see LEDIndicators on page5
Overview 3

3. WAN uplink port
1Gb Ethernet connection to provide WANaccess to the internet and the Avigilon [[[Undefined
variable CompanyInfo.CloudPlatform]]]. Allows subscribers to access the connected camera video,
and allows administrator access to the Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal.
4. Camera network uplink port
1Gb Ethernet connection for IPcameras that are connected to an external switch and are externally
powered, and analog cameras attached to Avigilon analog video encoders or to IPcameras attached
to external PoE switches on your LAN.
5. Power connector
Connects the Avigilon Blue Connect device to the power supply unit (PSU).
CAUTION — The 1TBAvigilon Blue Connect device(VMA-BLU-4C), the 8TBAvigilon Blue Connect
device (VMA-BLU-8P), and the 12TBdevice (VMA-BLU-16C) use different PSUs that are not
interchangeable. Using the wrong PSU with your Avigilon Blue Connect device will damage the
device and is not covered under warranty.
6. PoE switch component (VMA-BLU-8PAvigilon Blue Connect device only)
Connection to the internal 10/100 speed PoE switch component that provides IP connection and
powers the cameras.
Package Contents
Ensure the package contains the following:
lVMA-BLU-4C device
l4 x rubber foot pads
lPower adapter
lVMA-BLU-8P8 device
lPower adapter
l2 x wall mounting brackets
l4 x screws to attach device to mounting brackets
l4 x mounting screws
l4 x wall anchors
lVMA-BLU-16C12 device
lPower adapter
l2 x wall mounting brackets
l4 x screws to attach device to mounting brackets
l4 x mounting screws
l4 x wall anchors
Package Contents 4

LEDIndicators
The following lists describe what the LEDs on the Avigilon Blue Connect device indicate.
VMA-BLU-4C AvigilonBlue Connect Front Panel LEDs
Icons LED LED Status Description
Cloud
connection
status
Green Device is activated.
Green - blinking Device is not activated.
Orange Device is rebooting.
Orange - blinking Factory restore initiated.
Green Device is powered.
Green - blinking Hard disk drive activity.
Upper
LEDindicates
link speed
Green GigE network link is present.
Orange 100 Mbps network link is present.
Off 10 Mbps link is present.
Lower LED
indicates link
state
Green Link is up.
Green - blinking Network activity is present.
Off Link is down.
VMA-BLU-4C Avigilon Blue Connect Back Panel LEDs
Icons LED LED Status Description
Left LED Green 1 Gbps / GigE speed.
Orange 100 Mbps speed.
Off 10 Mbps speed.
Right LED Green Network activity is present.
LEDIndicators 5

VMA-BLU-8P Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs
Icons LED Status Description
Green Device is powered.
Orange Device is restarting.
Orange - blinking Factory restore initiated.
Green - blinking Hard disk drive activity.
Red Hard disk drive has an error.
Green Link is present.
Orange Power is off due to failure.
Green - blinking Network activity is present.
Orange 10/100 network link is present.
Orange - blinking Network activity is present.
Green GigE network link is present.
Green - blinking Network activity is present.
Orange Switch component has reached its PoE output
capability.
Orange - blinking Over budget.
VMA-BLU-8P AvigilonBlue Connect Back Panel LEDs
Icons LED Status Description
Green Network activity is present.
Orange On for GigE speed. Off for 10/100 Mbps speed.
Green Network activity is present.
Orange On for 100 Mbps speed. Off for 10 Mbps speed.
VMA-BLU-8P Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs 6

VMA-BLU-16C Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs
Icons LED Status Description
Green Device is powered.
Orange Device is restarting.
Orange - blinking Factory restore initiated.
Green - blinking Hard disk drive activity.
Red Hard disk drive has an error.
Orange - blinking 10/100 network link is present.
Green - blinking GigE network link is present.
VMA-BLU-16C AvigilonBlue Connect Back Panel LEDs
Icons LED Status Description
Green Network activity is present.
Orange On for GigE speed. Off for 10/100 Mbps speed.
Avigilon Blue Connect Device System Requirements
Camera Frame Rate
The Avigilon Blue Connect device can perform video analytics on video streamed through the system. For
optimal analytics performance, the source camera should stream a minimum of 10 images per second (ips).
Note: The device stream out rate applies to concurrent streaming sessions. The bandwidth rate of
your internet service provider (ISP) upload and device stream out rates may impact performance.
To ensure low latency in video streaming, see the maximum stream rates supported by the Avigilon
Blue Connect devices in the Avigilon Blue Connect Device Datasheet.
Device Web Browser
The administrator can use the AvigilonBlue Connect Administration portal to manage the Avigilon Blue
Connect device settings.
The Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal is a web interface that can be accessed from any Windows
or Mac computer using any of the following web browsers:
VMA-BLU-16C Avigilon Blue Connect Front Panel LEDs 7

lMozilla Firefox browser version 3.6 or later
lGoogle Chrome™ browser 8.0 or later
lSafari 5.0 or later
Note: Your web browser must be configured to accept cookies or the web interface will not
function correctly.
Device Web Browser 8

Before Installation
The person installing the Avigilon Blue Connect device must confirm that the site plan has been completed
and set up for the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service subscriber. Two aspects to site planning are
dealer preparation and physical preparation.
Dealer Preparation
The dealer must ensure that Avigilon Order Management completes the following steps to prepare the site
for the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service subscriber within the dealer's organization in the Avigilon
Avigilon[[[Undefined variable CompanyInfo.CloudPlatform]]]:
1. Create the subscriber organization.
2. Create and invite site administrators and site users to be in the subscriber organization. The site
administrators must have Device Management permission to activate Avigilon Blue Connect devices.
3. Create the site or sites where Avigilon Blue Connect devices will be installed for the subscriber
organization.
These steps ensure the site is available to the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service subscriber and their
users.
Managing Activation Codes for Avigilon Blue Connect Devices
A subscriber device must be activated with an auto-generated activation code while on-site to connect to
the subscriber's site in the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service.
An activation code is site specific and can only be used one time. It is generated in the Avigilon Cloud
Service platform service and is valid for 24 hours. It can be generated by any Avigilon Cloud Service
platform service user who is permitted to access the subscriber site and is assigned either the Manager or
Administrator role.
The dealer can manage activation codes in the following ways:
lGenerate the codes in advance using the dealer account. These codes can then be:
lIncluded in an installer's daily work order, which can be useful for installers who are installing
several devices in one day.
lProvided to the subscriber on the day of installation, which can be useful for installers who do
not have direct contact with the dealer.
lAsk the subscriber user who is on-site and assigned the Manager or Administrator role to generate
the code on the day of installation.
lProvide trusted installers with an account that allows them to access subscriber sites and generate
the code on-site.
The activation code can be typed in or copied and pasted into the Activation Code field in the Avigilon Blue
Connect Administration portal, and then communicated in electronic, written, or verbal form.
For more information see Hardware Installation on page11.
Before Installation 9

Physical Preparation
The network on the customer premises must be Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)-enabled.
Computers on the network must be able to discover other devices on the network. Computers using the
Windows OS use Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) and those using MacOS use Bonjour to discover network
devices. For more information, check the appropriate Help and Support files for the operating system.
In general, a best practice for dealers or installers is to activate the Avigilon Blue Connect device, with or
without cameras, before taking the device to the customer site. This step ensures a smooth customer
installation experience.
In addition, this step is especially important for the Avigilon Blue Connect device that will be deployed at a
customer site with a low-speed connection to the internet. When a device is first activated, the latest Blue
Connect firmware version is automaticallly downloaded and installed. It is highly recommended that dealers
activate and pre-upgrade the device to the latest Blue Connect firmware version before going to the
customer site. The firmware upgrade completes in a few minutes, but the download can take hours on a
slow network.
Physical Preparation 10

Hardware Installation
The dealer representative should complete the recommended procedure for installing the Avigilon Blue
Connect device:
1. Note the serial number on the label on the underside of the device.
2. On VMA-BLU-4C devices, do the following:
Attach the four adhesive-backed rubber foot pads to the under side of the Avigilon Blue Connect
device.
3. On VMA-BLU-8P and VMA-BLU-16C devices, do the following:
If required, mount the Avigilon Blue Connect device on a wall using the supplied mounting brackets.
Complete this step before or after you have made all the required connections depending on where
you want to mount the device.
CAUTION — The device must be mounted in a location that is free of dust and particles, and
vibration, and operating within the specified operating temperature range (see the Avigilon
Blue Connect datasheet). Otherwise, any issues that arise will not be covered by the warranty.
a. Unscrew the feet on the device and attach the wall mount brackets to the lowest threaded
holes on the sides of the Avigilon Blue Connect device.
b. Position the device with the rear panel facing downwards.
c. Screw the wall mounting brackets to the wall.
4. On the VMA-BLU-8P device, do the following:
lConnect the cameras to the PoE ports.
lConnect theWAN uplink port on the device to the internet with an Ethernet cable.
5. On VMA-BLU-4C and VMA-BLU-16C devices, do the following:
a. Connect the camera network port on the device to the network where the cameras reside
with an Ethernet cable.
b. Connect the WAN uplink port on the device to the internet with an Ethernet cable.
6. On all devices, connect to power and wait several minutes for the power LED to turn green. For
more information about LED indicators, see LEDIndicators on page5.
7.
Note: For the VMA-BLU-8P device, the PoE LED initially shows that PoE is provided to
all connected devices. However, the status may change if the total power consumption
exceeds the PoE limits. If the LEDis blinking, go to the PoE tab in the Avigilon Blue Connect
Administration portal after you have activated the device to resolve the power budgeting for
each port. For more information, see Assigning a PoE Power Budget on page29.
Hardware Installation 11

Activating the Avigilon Blue Connect Device
Activate the Avigilon Blue Connect device from a web browser on a network workstation connected to the
WAN uplink port and the internet. You must sign in to both the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service and
the Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal. The Blue Connect Administration portal is a web interface
to the device.
Activation involves copying and pasting information across both platforms. We recommend you open each
platform in a separate browser window or tab. For a list of supported web browsers, see Avigilon Blue
Connect Device System Requirements on page7).
Accessing the AvigilonCloud Service platformService
The Avigilon Cloud Service platform service web client is browser-based and supports Windows and Mac
versions of:
lGoogle Chrome™ browser 8.0 or later
In your web browser, do the following:
1. Open a new tab and navigate to blue.avigilon.com.
2. If prompted, specify the region.
3. Sign in using either dealer or subscriber user credentials. The user must be assigned to either the
Manager or Administrator role.
Accessing the AvigilonBlue Connect Administration
Portal
On the network workstation, do the following:
1. Find the device on your network. Use File Explorer on a Windows computer or Finder on a Mac
computer. Look for a device labeled “Avigilon Blue Connect” with the serial number of the device
appended.
2. Click the device to open the Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal in the web browser.
Important: The device is configured with a self-signed certificate, which generates a
connection warning.
Activating the Avigilon Blue Connect Device 12

a. Click past any connection messages displayed by the browser. You will see two warning
messages that differ slightly depending on the browser. If the browser is:
lChrome—Click Advanced on the first screen and Proceed to <IPaddress>(unsafe) on
the second screen.
lFirefox—Click Advanced on the first screen and on the second screen click Add
Exception, check Permanently store this exception, and click Confirm Security
Exception.
b. When prompted, enter a new password. This password is for the administrator user of the
Avigilon Blue Connect device only. It is not the Avigilon Blue account password.
c. If you are prompted to sign in to the device again, enter the username administrator and the
password that you just created.
The Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal is displayed.
3. You are prompted to enter an activation code in the Avigilon Blue Connect status pane.
Important: In the USregion only—If you are not prompted for an activation code, click
Activate Avigilon Blue Connect and then see Alternate Activation Method (USRegion Only)
on page15 and continue from there.
Obtaining and Using an Activation Code
A valid activation code needs to be entered into the Avigilon Blue Connect Administration portal by the on-
site person installing the device.
The activation code can be generated up to 24 hours in advance of installing the device:
lBy the dealer
lBy a registered Avigilon Cloud Service platform service subscriber for the site
The activation code can be typed in or copied and pasted to activate the device, and then communicated
in electronic, written, or verbal form. For more information about generating activation codes in advance of
installation, see Before Installation on page9.
An Avigilon Cloud Service platform service subscriber must have either the Manager or Administrator role
assigned to generate an activation code.
In your browser, log in to the Avigilon Cloud Service platform service:
1. Navigate to the Organization Management page.
2. Click Add Server to open the Add Server dialog.
3. Select the site for the device.
4. ClickI need a code.
An activation code is displayed.
Obtaining and Using an Activation Code 13