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Enterprise User Manual


Chapter 13

The Enterprise Portal


The Enterprise Portal provides organization-wide, click-through reporting for PC-Duo Enterprise. Using standard browser technology, it makes Enterprise data available to users without the need to install the Console. In addition, it offers basic analysis capabilities through its specially designed interactive reports.

Each report in the Portal automatically extracts data from a selected Site. Depending on the report, users can choose to limit the data to specific periods and other criteria, and also choose the level at which the information is presented.

Reports are divided into a series of themes, which concentrate on specific aspects of IT asset management. For example, they enable users to access information on current and historical system configurations; software utilization and license compliance; and software deployments and migrations.

To install the Reporting Portal:
  1. Install IIS (Internet Information Server) on the PC from which you want to run the Portal.
  2. Insert the PC-Duo Enterprise CD, and click Portal in the Autorun screen to start the installation.
  3. Read the License Agreement, and click the Yes button to continue with the installation.
  4. In the Welcome dialog of the installer, click the Next button to continue.
  5. In the Choose Destination Location dialog, click the Browse button to select the installation location. Click the Yes button to continue.
  6. In the Check Setup Information dialog, click the Next button to start the installation.
  7. In the Completion dialog, select Yes, I want to restart my computer now and click the Finish button to complete the installation of the Portal.

    When the PC has rebooted, the installer configures the Portal. This takes a few minutes.

  8. In the Setup Complete dialog, select Yes I want to open the PCDE Portal now option and click the Finish button. The Portal is displayed.
In addition, if you want to make Oracle-based Sites available through the Portal:
  1. Install the Oracle Client on the Portal server and configure it to connect to your Oracle database. For more information on setting up the Oracle Client, see "Oracle Databases".
  2. Modify the NTFS permissions of the following Oracle directories to give Read and Execute access to the Portal web user account (called CensusUser, by default):

    ORACLE_HOME\oraXX\bin

    ORACLE_HOME\oraXX\ocommon\nls\admin\data

    ORACLE_HOME\oraXX\oracore\zoneinfo

    ORACLE_HOME\oraXX\network\admin

    Alternatively, you can modify the NTFS permissions of the Oracle home directory.

Configuring the Portal

When you have installed the Enterprise Portal, you must specify the details of the Sites that you want to make available to users. Use the Site Manager to make new Sites available through the Portal, to edit and remove existing Sites, and to specify the Site that is selected when users first open the Portal.

Enterprise Sites are used to group Client PCs into organizational units. Each Site contains information on hardware and software, change histories, software utilization, license compliance for the PCs that are assigned to it.

To open the Site Manger, click the Admin button in the Portal window and select Site Manager.

To make a Site available through the Portal:
  1. In the Site Manager, click the Add Site button.
  2. In the Add Site Wizard, click the Next button to add a Site.
  3. To make one or more locally-registered Sites available through the Portal, select Detected Sites and then select the Sites you want to use. Click the Next button to continue.
    Locally-registered Sites are Sites that are located on the PC where the Portal is installed, or remote Sites that are registered with a local installation of the Console.
  4. To make one or more local Sites available through the Portal, select Detected Sites and select the Sites you want to use. Click the Next button to continue.

    Alternatively, to make an undetected Site available through the Portal:

    1. Select Other Sites and click the Next button. The Edit Sites dialog is displayed
    2. To change the Site details displayed in the Portal window and the Site Manager, edit the Site Name and Description fields.
    3. To specify the database type of the Site, select an entry in the Type list and enter the database details:
Microsoft Access Enter the UNC path for the database, or click the Browse button and select the database through Network Neighborhood in the Choose File dialog.
A Uniform Naming Convention path specifies locations in the format: \\server\resource\directory. For example, if the SITE01.MDB is located in \PC-Duo Enterprise Data\Databases on the C drive of SRV3, enter: \\SRV3\C\PC-Duo Enterprise Data\Databases\SITE01.MDB.
Microsoft SQL Server Enter the Name of the SQL Server database, the SQL Server instance and the account used to access the database.
Oracle Enter the Oracle Client Service of the Site database.
For more information on setting up an Oracle Client Service, see "Oracle Databases".
  1. To change the details of the account with which you want Portal users to access the Site, enter the User Name and Password of the account. Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password field.
    For SQL Server databases, the account must have public and db-owner privileges.
  2. Click the Apply button to save your changes and close the dialog.
  3. Click the Next button to continue.
  1. In the confirmation dialog, check the details of the Sites you selected, and click the Finish button to add them to the Portal.

Choosing a Default Site

If you have made multiple Sites available through the Portal, users can select the data displayed in the reports by choosing the Site that holds the data for the Clients they want to work with. Use the Make Default option to specify which Site is selected as the source of report data when users first open the Portal.

To select a default Site:
  1. In the Site Manager, the current default Site is marked with an asterisk. Select the new default Site in the list and click the Make Default button.

    The asterisk is shown next to the Site.

  2. Click the Close button to close the Site Manager.
    When users re-open the Portal, it displays the Site they last used.

Removing Sites from the Portal

Use the Remove Site option to prevent users from accessing information on the Clients in the specified Site.

To remove a Site from the Portal:
  1. In the Site Manager, select the Site you want to remove and click the Remove Site button.
  2. In the confirmation dialog, click the Yes button. The Site is deleted from the Site Manager list and is no longer selectable from the Portal.
  3. Click the Close button to close the Site Manager.

Specifying an E-mail Server for the Portal

Each report in the Portal includes a Send option that enables users to e-mail the report to other users. Use the Options dialog to specify the details of the e-mail server through which you want the Portal to send these mails.

To specify the e-mail server for the Portal:
  1. In the Portal window, select the Admin button and choose Options. The Options dialog is displayed.
  2. In the Name or IP Address field, enter the
    e-mail server for the Portal.
    For example, you can specify the address in the format servername or 192.168.100.045.
  3. Click the OK button to close the dialog and save your changes.

Adding Reports to the Portal

Vector Networks plans to make more reports available for the Portal through our Web site and in future releases. You can also add your own reports to the Portal or change the reports that are displayed.

To add a report to the Portal:
  1. On the PC where the Portal is installed, open Windows Explorer, locate the Portal's installation directory and navigate to:

    \Web\WebVD\Sites\CommonReports\Reports

    Each Reports directory corresponds to a section in the Portal. For example, the SystemInformation directory correspond to the Portal's Get System Information section.

  2. Open the directory in which you want the report to appear. Each subdirectory corresponds to a drop-down list in that section of the Portal.
  3. Copy the new report into the subdirectory in which you want it to appear and close Windows Explorer.
  4. In the Windows Start menu, choose Programs, PC-Duo Enterprise, Portal, Update Reports to register the new report with the Portal.

    The report is displayed when users refresh or next re-open the Portal.

Using the Portal

When the Enterprise Portal is installed on your IIS server, it automatically creates a group called PCDEPortalUsers. You must add all users that need to access the Portal to this group. You can then make the Portal available by providing normal links to it from pages on your intranet site, or by entering the following URL into the address field of the browser.

 //servername/pcdeportal/logon.asp

where servername is nodename of the PC on which the Portal is installed.

In addition, support staff can access the Portal from the Console's Portal folder by selecting Portal Options and entering the Portal URL.

The first time that users access the Portal, it asks permission to install the PC-Duo Enterprise Report Navigator, which displays the available reports in the users' browser. Users must click the Yes button to continue. Afterwards, users can link directly to the Portal as long as they have the correct access permissions.

Selecting Sites

When you open the Portal, it uses the last Site you previously opened as the source of the information displayed in its reports. If your installation has more than one Site, you can choose the Client information that is used in the Portal reports using the Select a Site dialog.

To select a Site:
  1. In the Portal window, select Sites. The Select a Site window is displayed.
  2. In the Select a Site window, select the Site for which you want to view the reports and click the Close button.

Viewing Reports

The Enterprise Portal provides access to comprehensive information on the software and hardware installed on Client PCs, on license utilization, and on application deployment and compliance with installation policies. These pre-formatted reports are generated using the Crystal Reports run-time application, which is included in the PC-Duo Enterprise kit.

Most reports are organized hierarchically for ease of use. This enables you to view a graphical summary of your data, to view data summaries, or to drill-down and view the details by individual PC, and other report-specific criteria.

To open a report, click the button in the section you want to work with, and select the report title.

To view the details of a report, double-click a section heading (marked by the expand icon in the section list).

To view the details of a section in a report, click the Group Tree button in the toolbar, and select the section in the Report Tree.

To return to a previously viewed section of the report, select its entry in the bread crumb trail shown beneath the report title.

Customizing Reports

By default, most reports available through the Portal use all data available in the selected Site. Use the Customize option to limit the selected data to a specific period or to control other aspects of the data.

To customize a report:
  1. In the Portal, open the report and click the Customize button. The Customize Report dialog is displayed.

  1. In the Customize Report dialog, select the customization options you want to use.
    For example, to restrict the Software License Compliance by Vendor report to the data from the current calendar year, select Year to Date in the period list and click the OK button.

Mailing Reports

If all the users in your organization do not have access to the Portal, or if you need to discuss specific aspects of a report with colleagues, you can e-mail the report to other people directly from the Portal.

To e-mail a report from the Portal:
  1. In the Portal, open the report and, if required, Customize it.
  2. Open the section you want to e-mail and click the Send button. The Send Report dialog is displayed.
  3. In the Send Report dialog, enter the e-mail address of the person to whom you want to send the report and a Subject for the e-mail.
    Use a semi-colon to separate multiple addresses.
  4. In the Attachment Type list, select the format in which you want to send the report section.
  5. In the Body field, enter the message.
  6. Click the Send button to e-mail the message and close the dialog.

Saving Reports to File

If you need to take a copy of a report section for later use, you can save the section that is currently open in one of the several file formats available in Crystal Reports Export function. You can then open and work with the data using the appropriate application.

To save the current report section to file:
  1. Open the section you want to save.
  2. In the report toolbar, click the Export button.
  3. In the Export Report dialog, select a File Format.
  4. Enter a location and name for the file in the File name field. Alternatively, click the Browse button to select a location and file name.
  5. Click the OK button to save the report.


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Vector Networks
http://www.vector-networks.com
Voice: +44 (0) 1827 67333
Fax: +44 (0) 1827 67068
info@vector-networks.co.uk
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