PADS System Management
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Welcome to PADS System Management
Welcome to PADS, one of the most advanced and complete digital signage software packages that are
available today.
This PADS System Management manual describes the possibilities of PADS System Management, the
application to configure and administer your PADS installation.
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Starting PADS System Management
A number of aspects play a role with starting the PADS System Management application, like connecting
to a PADS Server and logging on to the application. The system has several built-in functions that have
to deal with this process.
In this section
Starting the application
Describes how to start the PADS System Management application in Microsoft Windows.
Connecting to your PADS Server
Describes the procedure to connect to your PADS Server.
Logging on to your PADS Server
Describes the procedure to logon on to your PADS Server.
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Starting the application
PADS System Management is the end-user application for managing your PADS system.
To start the PADS System Management application
1. Click the Start button on the Windows taskbar.
2. Select (All) Programs and then PADS4.
3. Select System Management.
or
1. In Windows Explorer, go to the folder containing the PADS System Management program files.
2. Double click the PADSSystemManagement.exe item.
After this the application will be started.
N O T E
If al l c on f i g u r ati on s etti n g s of th e ap p l i c ati on ar e c or r ec t th en th e s ys tem w i l l au tomati c al l y c on n ec t to th e PADS Ser ver s of tw ar e. If you s tar t th e ap p l i c ati on f or th e ver y
f i r s t ti me or w h en on e or mor e of th e c on f i g u r ati on s etti n g s ar e i n c or r ec t ( th e s ys tem i s
n ot ab l e to c on n ec t to th e PADS Ser ver s of tw ar e) th en th e PADS c on n ec ti on man ag emen t
w i n d ow w i l l au tomati c al l y b e s h ow n . T h i s al l ow s you to s p ec i f y th e r i g h t c on f i g u r ati on
s etti n g s i n or d er to c on n ec t to th e PADS Ser ver s of tw ar e an d th u s s tar t th e ap p l i c ati on .
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Connecting to your PADS Server
When PADS System Management has been started, it will look for a PADS Server connection. Depending
on how you have set up the connection properties, the program will respond differently.
To connect to your PADS Server for the first time
When it's the very first time you start PADS System Management and you haven't set any connection
properties yet, you will encounter the following message.
When you click OK the PADS Server Connections window will be opened to specify connection properties.
To connect to your PADS Server manually
When you have specified that you want to connect manually to your PADS Server, the program's screen
will be empty after starting PADS System Management.
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To connect to your PADS Server manually you can choose two options from the ribbon bar.
1. Use the PADS Server connection button.
1
1. Move the mouse cursor to the network connection button and click it to connect.
2. Use the PADS Server connection split button.
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1
2
3
1. Move the mouse cursor to the PADS Serverconnection split button.
2. Click the PADS Serverconnection split button to reveal all available connections.
3. Move the mouse cursor to the PADS Serverconnection you wish to connect to and click to
do so.
3. PADS System Management will try and connect.
To connect to your PADS Server automatically
When you have specified that you want to connect automatically to your PADS Server, PADS System Management will try and connect immediately after starting.
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Logging on to your PADS Server
After you have connected successfully to your PADS Server, you need to log on.
To logon to your PADS Server manually
When you have specified that you want to log on manually to your PADS Server, the following screen will
be shown after the program has started.
Enter your User Name, your Password and click the Log On button to actually log on.
PADS System Management will then try and complete the connection and log on procedure.
To logon to your PADS Server automatically
When you have specified that you want to log on automatically to your PADS Server, PADS System Management will try and log on to your PADS Server without you noticing. If all is well you will see only the
connection being made.
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Main Window
The main window of the PADS System Management application gives access to all functions of the application. By selecting an information item you can get an overview of the corresponding data.
In this section
Overview
Describes the elements of the main window.
Ribbon bar
Describes the menu structure of the System Management application.
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Overview
After you have started the application, have been connected to the PADS Server and have logged on you
are situated in the main window of PADS System Management, also called the overview window.
PADS System Management main window
When you've started the System Management application, the main window will look as follows.
The main window is built up out a number of parts:
1. The ribbon bar
Via the ribbon bar all functions of the application can be accessed. Which options are visible and
enabled depends on the situation: is the application connected to a PADS Server, are you logged
on, what information do you want to see?
2. The navigation
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In this area you can select what information item you want to view from the specified PADS Server:
3. The information area
In the information area you can view the information for the particular item that you have selected
in the navigation pane.
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Ribbon bar
PADS4 has replaced the old menu structure by the new ribbon bar look & feel as set out by Microsoft
Office 2010. This is done to keep you familiar with the way of working with the different PADS applications.
Overview of the PADS System Management ribbon bar
The PADS System Management ribbon bar is divided in 5 sections called tab groups. You can access
them by clicking the respective headers. Detailed information will be provided in topics to follow.
1. File
The File tab group contains the most basic functionality for the PADS System Management, including connection management.
2. Home
The Home tab group is the container for the functions most used. These include PADS Server connection management, and the most common functions for the chosen information item.
3. View
The View tab group lets you determine the way you want to view your information panels.
4. Tools
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The Tools tab group provides access to options for the application itself.
5. Help
The Help tab group will provide access information about the application itself like instructions,
version and license details.
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Managing Destinations
To be able to schedule presentations with the PADS system you must have defined one or more destinations. A destination can be a Viewer, Zone Viewer or Viewer group. Each Viewer represents a PADS
Viewer application that is connected to the system and that is used to display presentations on one (or
more) connected public displays. A Zone Viewer is a special Viewer. It can be accessed as an element in
the PADS Designer to view the content scheduled for this particular Viewer as an area in the presentation. A Viewer group is a logical grouping of a number of Viewers or Viewer groups. Viewer groups
are intended to make the scheduling of a presentation for multiple Viewers easier.
In this section
Adding a destination
Describes how to define a new Viewer or Viewer group for the PADS system.
Editing a destination
Explains how to edit the settings of a Viewer or Viewer group like the name or group members.
Removing a destination
Describes how to remove a Viewer or Viewer group from the PADS system.
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Adding a destination
Before you can start scheduling presentations with the PADS system you must first make sure that you
have added each Viewer application that is connected to the system as a Viewerwith a logical name that
uniquely identifies it.
To add a new Viewer Group
1. Make sure Destinations is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Destinations tab group of the Home tab click New Group.
The New Group window will appear.
3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Viewer Group.
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4. In the Member Of section in the Member Of tab you can specify to what Viewer Group(s) this
Viewer Group belongs by checking the corresponding checkboxes. You can use the same viewing, filter and search modes as you can in the PADS Scheduler.
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5. In the Members section in the Members tab you can specify to what Viewers or Viewer Groups
belong to this Viewer Group by checking the corresponding checkboxes. You can use the same
viewing, filter and search modes as you can in the PADS Scheduler.
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6. In the Permissions section in the Permissions tab you can determine what permissions should
apply to this Viewer Group.
N O T E
In th e c as e of Vi ew er Gr ou p s on l y Con ten t p er mi s s i on s c an b e as s i g n ed .
7. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Viewer Group.
To add a new Viewer
1. In the Manage Destinations tab group of the Home tab click New Viewer.
2. The New Viewer window will appear.
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3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Viewer. Additionally, in the Authentication section you can enter a Password if you enable
the Requires a Password to Logon checkbox. This is particularly useful in a hosting environment.
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4. In the Member Of section in the Member Of tab you can specify to what Viewer Group(s) this
Viewer belongs by checking the corresponding checkboxes. You can use the same viewing, filter
and search modes as you can in the PADS Scheduler.
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In the License Assignment section in the License tab you can specify to what license you want to
Assign or Withdraw from the current Viewer. In the case of a new Viewer, you are likely to assign
a new license. After clicking the Assign... button the Assign License window will appear.
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5. Choose one of the available licenses and click Assign to apply the license.
6. You will return to the New Viewer window. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Viewer.
To add a new Zone Viewer
1. In the Manage Destinations tab group of the Home tab click New Zone Viewer.
2. The New Zone Viewer window will appear.
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3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Zone Viewer.
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4. In the Member Of section in the Member Of tab you can specify to what Viewer Group(s) this
Viewer belongs by checking the corresponding checkboxes. You can use the same viewing, filter
and search modes as you can in the PADS Scheduler.
5. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Zone Viewer.
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Editing a destination
The settings of a destination (Viewer, Zone Viewer or Viewer group) can be adjusted at any time. You
can change the name or viewer type of the destination, but it is also possible to adjust the grouping of
Viewers and Viewer groups.
Editing a destination is very similar to adding a new destination to the system, so a reference to the equivalent in adding is made for each Viewer type.
To edit a Viewer Group
Analogue to adding a new Viewer Group
To edit a Viewer
Analogue to adding a new Viewer
To edit a Zone Viewer
Analogue to adding a new Zone Viewer
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Removing a destination
If a Viewer, Zone Viewer or Viewer group is no longer required it can be removed from the system.
To remove a destination
Whether you want to remove a Viewer, Zone Viewer or Viewer group, the procedure is the same.
1. Make sure the Viewer, Zone Viewer or Viewer group has been selected.
2. In the Manage Destinations tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the destination.
3. Click Yes to remove the destination.
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Managing Users
PADS System Management enables you to manage users, their user group memberships and the assignment of user licenses. By making users a member of a user group they receive the permissions that are
granted to these user groups.
Optionally, you can create users that will be linked to active directory. In this case PADS will use the user
settings and credentials, stored in active directory.
In this section
Adding a user
Describes how to define a new user for the PADS system.
Adding an LDAP user
Describes how to define a new user that will be linked to active directory.
Editing a user
Explains how to edit the settings of a user like the name or password.
Removing a user
Describes how to remove a user from the PADS system.
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Adding a User
You can use this functionality to add a new PADS User.
To add a user
1. Make sure Users is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Users tab group of the Home tab click New User.
The New User window will appear.
3. In the Credentials section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Password for the new
User. Re-enter the password in the Confirm Password area to make sure the correct password
is entered.
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4. In the Member Of section in the User Groups tab you can specify the User Groups, system
defined or not, the new User belongs to.
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5. In the Assigned Licenses section in the Licenses tab you can assign application licenses (PADS
Designer, PADS Scheduler or PADS Agent) to the new User. Select an application license and click
Assign... . The Assign License window will appear.
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6. Check one of the available license options and click Assign to actually assign the license.
N O T E
In th e n u mb er i n th e c ol u mn L ef t n eed s to b e g r eater th an z er o to b e ab l e to
as s i g n th e l i c en s e.
7. Click OK to finish the creation of the new User.
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Adding an LDAP user
You can use PADS System Management to add a new LDAP PADS User. LDAP PADS users are users that
are linked to Microsoft active directory and will inherit their settings from active directory.
IM PORTANT
T h e L DAP u s er f u n c ti on s as d es c r i b ed b el ow ar e on l y avai l ab l e w h en you h ave en ab l ed
ac ti ve d i r ec tor y i n th e s er ver s etti n g s of PADS.
To add an LDAPuser
1. Make sure Users is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Users tab group of the Home tab click New LDAP User.
The New LDAP User window will appear.
3. In the Active Directory section of the General tab, specify the User Name of the existing user in
active directory.
To test if the entered name is correct, click Check Name. If the system finds exactly one user in
active directory that matches the entered name, then you get a message saying that the user has
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been tested successfully. After this the Display Name and E-mail address of the user will be
filled in by the system. If there are multiple users in active directory that match the entered name,
then you get a list of existing users. Select a user from the list and click OK
TIP
If you d on ' t kn ow th e exac t n ame of th e ac ti ve d i r ec tor y u s er , j u s t en ter a p ar t of
th e Name an d c l i c k C h eck Name to l oc ate th e u s er i n ac ti ve d i r ec tor y.
4. In the Member Of section on the User Groups tab you can specify the User Groups, system
defined or not, the new User belongs to.
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5. In the Assigned Licenses section in the Licenses tab you can assign application licenses (PADS
Designer, PADS Scheduler or PADS Agent) to the new User. Select an application license and click
Assign... . The Assign License window will appear.
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6. Check one of the available license options and click Assign to actually assign the license.
N O T E
In th e n u mb er i n th e c ol u mn L ef t n eed s to b e g r eater th an z er o to b e ab l e to
as s i g n th e l i c en s e.
7. Click OK to finish the creation of the new LDAP User.
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Editing a User
You can use this functionality to change the password or group membership of any existing PADS User.
Editing a user is very similar to adding a new user to the system, so a reference is made to adding. There
is a small difference in editing the password.
To edit a User
Analogue to adding a new User
To edit a User's password
1. Make sure the user whose password you want to change is selected.
2. In the Manage Users tab group of the Home tab click Change Password.
The Change Password window will appear.
3. Fill in the Current Password, the New Password and confirm the new one. Click Change Password to actually change the password.
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Removing a User
You can use this functionality to remove an existing PADS User.
When you manually remove a PADS user of the type LDAP in PADS System Management, the user will
only removed from the PADS system and not from the connected active directory. If you defined an
LDAP user in PADS System Management and the user is removed in Active Directory, then the user will
automatically be removed from the PADS System. If your user account to access Active Directory has limited permissions, then the user might not be removed from the PADS System instantly, but only after a
restart of the PADS Server service.
To remove a user
1. Make sure the correct user has been selected.
2. In the Manage Users tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the user.
3. Click Yes to remove the user.
N O T E
Y ou c an n ot r emove th e l as t u s er i n th e PADS s ys tem.
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Managing User Groups
User Groups are applied in the PADS system to determine what privileges are granted to users.
In this section
Adding a user group
Describes how to define a new user group for the PADS system.
Editing a user group
Explains how to edit the settings of a user group like the name or permissions.
Removing a user group
Describes how to remove a user group from the PADS system.
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Adding a User Group
You can use this functionality to add a new PADS User Group.
To add a user
1. Make sure User Groups is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage User Groups tab group of the Home tab click New User Group.
The New User Group window will appear.
3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new User Group. The checkbox System Defined will tell you if you're dealing with a User Group
set by the PADS system or a custom one.
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4. In the Members section in the Users tab you can specify the Uses that are to be members of this
User Group.
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5. In the Permissions section in the Permissions tab you can assign the desired permissions, system defined or custom made.
6. Click OK to finish the creation of the new User Group.
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Editing a User Group
You can use this functionality to update an existing PADS user group. A user group determines what permissions are granted to users that are member of this user group.
Editing a user group is very similar to adding a new user group to the system, so a reference is made to
adding.
To edit a User Group
Analogue to adding a new User Group
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Removing a User Group
You can use this functionality to remove an existing PADS User Group.
To remove a user
1. Make sure the correct user group has been selected.
2. In the Manage User Groups tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the user
group.
3. Click Yes to remove the user group.
N O T E
Y ou c an n ot r emove a s ys tem d ef i n ed u s er g r ou p .
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Managing Permissions
Permissions determine what kind of access users have to elements of the PADS system. PADS has
divided permissions into three categories: Access, Content and Data. How to manage each of them will
be described in the topics below.
In this section
Adding a permission
Describes how to define a new permission for the PADS system.
Editing a permission
Explains how to edit the settings of a permission like the name or access properties.
Removing a permission
Describes how to remove a permission from the PADS system.
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Adding a Permission
You can use this functionality to add a new PADS Permission.
To add an Access Permission
1. Make sure Permissions is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Permissions tab group of the Home tab click New Access Permission.
The New Access Permission window will appear.
3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Access Permission. The checkbox System Defined will tell you if you're dealing with a Permission set by the PADS system or a custom one.
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4. In the Access Permissions section in the Access tab you can select the PADS applications you
want to provide access to.
N O T E
If you u n c h ec k PADS Des i g n er , PADS Sc h ed u l er or PADS Ag en t th en u s er s w on ' t
b e ab l e to g et ac c es s to th es e ap p l i c ati on s , n o matter w h eth er or n ot th ey h ave an
as s i g n ed l i c en s e f or th e ap p l i c ati on .
5. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Permission.
To add a Content Permission
1. In the Manage Permissions tab group of the Home tab click New Content Permission.
The New Content Permission window will appear.
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2. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Control Permission. The checkbox System Defined will tell you if you're dealing with a Permission set by the PADS system or a custom one.
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3. In the Content Permissions section in the Content tab you can select the Content Categories
from the ones you have created. The checkbox Only read access enables you to restrict the permission to read-only.
4. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Permission.
To add a Data Permission
1. In the Manage Permissions tab group of the Home tab click New Data Permission.
The New Content Permission window will appear.
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2. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Control Permission. The checkbox System Defined will tell you if you're dealing with a Permission set by the PADS system or a custom one.
3. Opening the Data tab will offer you three types of Data Permissions:
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1. Visible Destinations
This permission determines what destinations will be visible for the users in the user
group that this permission has been assigned to. Just check the Viewer Groups that need
to be visible.
N O T E
T h i s Data Per mi s s i on c an on l y b e s et on Vi ew er Gr ou p s , n ot on i n d i vi d u al
Vi ew er s .
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2. Schedule with priority
This permission determines the Highest Allowed Priority Level users of the usergroup
with this permission can schedule with.
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3. Schedule to destinations
This permission determines what destinations can be scheduled to for the users in the
user group that this permission has been assigned to. Just check the Viewer Groups that
can be scheduled to.
N O T E
T h i s Data Per mi s s i on c an on l y b e s et on Vi ew er Gr ou p s , n ot on i n d i vi d u al
Vi ew er s .
4. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Permission.
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Editing a Permission
You can use this functionality to update an existing PADS permission.
Editing a permission is very similar to adding a new permission to the system, so a reference is made to
adding.
To edit a Permission
Analogue to adding a new Permission
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Removing a Permission
You can use this functionality to remove an existing PADS Permission.
To remove a permission
1. Make sure the correct permission has been selected.
2. In the Manage Permissions tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the permission.
3. Click Yes to remove the permission.
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Managing Priorities
By using different priority levels you can make certain scheduled presentations less or more important
than others.
In this section
Adding a priority
Describes how to define a new priority for the PADS system.
Editing a priority
Explains how to edit the settings of a priority like the name or color.
Removing a priority
Describes how to remove a priority from the PADS system.
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Adding a Priority
You can use this functionality to add a new PADS Priority.
To add a user
1. Make sure Priorities is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Priorities tab group of the Home tab click New Priority Level.
The New Priority Level window will appear.
3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Color for the new Priority Level. The Level area is disabled. It's the system's number to indicate the importance of a priority level.
4. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Priority Level.
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Editing a Priority
You can use this functionality to update an existing PADS priority.
Editing a priority is very similar to adding a new priority to the system, so a reference is made to adding.
To edit a User Group
Analogue to adding a new Priority
To change the level of a Priority
In the Manage Priorities tab group of the Home tab click Increase Level to heighten the level of the priority by one or click Decrease Level to lower the level of the priority by one .
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Removing a Priority
You can use this functionality to remove an existing PADS Priority.
To remove a priority
1. Make sure the correct priority has been selected.
2. In the Manage Priorities tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the priority.
3. Click Yes to remove the priority.
N O T E
Y ou c an n ot r emove th e p r i or i ty w h en i t' s th e on l y on e l ef t.
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Managing Content Categories
Content Categories determine the kind of content that is permitted when a Content Permission is made.
A Content Category specifies what part of the PADS Content Library is addressed.
Also, these Content Categories are used for synchronization of content between PADS PCs.
In this section
Adding a content category
Describes how to define a new content category for the PADS system.
Editing a content category
Explains how to edit the settings of a content category like the name or content library references.
Removing a content category
Describes how to remove a content category from the PADS system.
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Adding a Content Category
You can use this functionality to add a new PADS Content Category.
To add a content category
1. Make sure Content Categories is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Content Categories tab group of the Home tab click New Content Category.
The New Content Category window will appear.
3. In the Identification section in the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new Content Category. In the Content Library References section you can create a list of references to specific parts of the PADS Content Library. Click Add... to open the New Content
Library Reference window.
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4. Click Browse... to open the Folders window.
5. Select the desired folder and click OK to accept.
6. Back in the New Content Library Reference window you can specify a File Name Filter. For this
you can use the Windows wildcard system. You can enter a filter like *.avi or a composite one like
*office*.padsx;*management.jpg
Finally you can determine whether sub folders are to be included or not by checking the Include
Subfolders checkbox.
7. Click OK to add the Content Library Reference to the Content Library References.
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8. Click OK to finish the creation of the new Content Category.
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Editing a Content Category
You can use this functionality to update an existing PADS content category.
Editing a content category is very similar to adding a new content category to the system, so a reference
is made to adding.
To edit a Content Category
Analogue to adding a new Content Category
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Removing a Content Category
You can use this functionality to remove an existing PADS Content Category.
To remove a content category
1. Make sure the correct permission has been selected.
2. In the Manage Content Categories tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the content
category.
3. Click Yes to remove the content category.
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Managing Servers
By default, each PADS installation includes exactly one PADS Server for central storage, license management and distribution of schedules, content files and real-time data. In addition to this main server
you can define sub servers or backup servers to your installation.
Sub servers are typically used to handle a subset of your PADS Viewers. This will reduce the system load
on the main server and minimize network traffic. Sub servers can be nested to create a fully scalable solution. As such, the use of sub servers is especially interesting for large installations across multiple sites.
A specify type of sub server is a backup server. A backup server will automatically take over information
like permissions and settings from its parent server. A backup server can be configured to take over the
role of a main server or sub server in case of a system failure, but only for handling Viewers. No updates
can be made when the parent server is down.
In this section
Adding a server
Describes how to add an additional server to your PADS system.
Editing a server
Explains how to edit the definition of an existing server in your PADS system.
Removing a server
Describes how to remove a server from your PADS system.
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Adding a server
By default your PADS installation contains exactly one server which fulfills the role of main server. In addition to this server you can define sub servers and/or backup servers.
To add an sub server
1. Make sure Servers is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Servers tab group of the Home tab click New Sub Server.
The New Sub Server window will appear.
3. In the Identification section on the General tab you can specify a Name and Description for the
new sub server. Additionally, in the Authentication section you can enter a Password if you
enable the Requires a Password to Logon checkbox. This is particularly useful in a hosting environment.
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4. In the License Assignment section on the License tab you can specify to what license you want
to Assign or Withdraw from the current PADS Server. In the case of a new sub server, you are
likely to assign a new license. After clicking the Assign... button the Assign License window will
appear.
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5. Choose one of the available licenses and click Assign to apply the license.
6. In the Permissions section on the Permissions tab you can determine what permissions should
apply to this sub server.
N O T E
In th e c as e of PADS Ser ver s on l y Con ten t p er mi s s i on s c an b e as s i g n ed .
7. Click OK to finish the creation of the new sub server.
To add a backup server
1. Make sure Servers is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Servers tab group of the Home tab click New Backup Server.
3. Follow the same instructions as described above for adding a sub server,
N O T E
W h en c r eati n g a n ew b ac ku p s er ver you c an n ot d ef i n e an y p er mi s s i on s f or th e s er ver .
T h e b ac ku p s er ver w i l l au tomati c al l y i n h er i t i ts p er mi s s i on s f r om i ts p ar en t s er ver .
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Editing a server
You can use this functionality to update the definition of an existing PADS Server.
Editing a server is very similar to adding a new server to the system, so a reference is made to adding.
To edit a server
Analogue to adding a new server
N O T E
For a mai n s er ver th i s i s th e on l y p l ac e w h er e you c an c h an g e th e n ame of th e s er ver . Of
a s u b s er ver an d b ac ku p s er ver you mu s t make s u r e th at th e n ame you g i ve you r s er ver
h er e w i l l c or r es p on d w i th th e Name th at you h ave s p ec i f i ed w i th th e s er ver s etti n g s of
th i s s p ec i f i c s er ver .
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Removing a server
If a sub server or backup server is no longer required it can be removed from the system.
N O T E
Y ou c an n ot r emove th e mai n s er ver , b ec au s e eac h PADS i n s tal l ati on r eq u i r es a mai n
s er ver .
To remove a server
Whether you want to remove a sub server or backup server, the procedure is the same.
1. Make sure the sub server or backup server has been selected.
2. In the Manage Servers tab group of the Home tab click Delete.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to remove the server.
3. Click Yes to remove the server.
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Managing Licenses
The usage of the PADS software is bound to licenses. The number of components that can be connected
to the system is limited to the number of licenses that has been installed. The licenses mechanism has
undergone a drastic change in PADS4 in comparison with its predecessors. Management of PADS
licenses is described in this section.
In this section
Viewing licenses
Describes ways of viewing the license distribution in the PADS system.
Managing licenses
Explains how to manage the PADS licenses in the system.
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Viewing Licenses
You can use this functionality to view PADS licenses as installed in the PADS system.
There are different ways to look at the licenses in use.
To view the Summary
When Licenses is selected in the navigation pane, the Summary is automatically shown. You can also
achieve this by using the ribbon bar.
1. Make sure Licenses is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the View tab group of the Home tab click Summary.
3. In the Licenses tab you can now view Licensee and Licenses information. Licensee contains
information like Name and Productkey. Licenses contains information about what licenses are
installed for the different PADS applications.
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To view the Designer Licenses
1. In the View tab group of the Home tab click Designer Licenses.
2. In the section Designer Licenses in the Licenses tab you can now view information about the
Total Number of Licenses and Licenses in Use for this application in the PADS system.
Licenses Left tells you how many licenses for this application you can still assign. The table below
this section, with columns User Name and PADS Designer License, shows you the list of users
and the type of license that has been assigned.
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To view the Scheduler Licenses
1. In the View tab group of the Home tab click Scheduler Licenses.
2. In the section Scheduler Licenses in the Licenses tab you can now view information about the
Total Number of Licenses and Licenses in Use for this application in the PADS system.
Licenses Left tells you how many licenses for this application you can still assign. The table below
this section, with columns User Name and PADS Scheduler License, shows you the list of users
and the type of license that has been assigned.
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To view the Agent Licenses
1. In the View tab group of the Home tab click Agent Licenses.
2. In the section Agent Licenses in the Licenses tab you can now view information about the Total
Number of Licenses and Licenses in Use for this application in the PADS system. Licenses Left
tells you how many licenses for this application you can still assign. The table below this section,
with columns User Name and PADS Agent License, shows you the list of users and the type of
license that has been assigned.
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To view the Viewer Licenses
1. In the View tab group of the Home tab click Viewer Licenses.
2. In the section Viewer Licenses in the Licenses tab you can now view information about the Total
Number of Licenses and Licenses in Use for this application in the PADS system. Licenses Left
tells you how many licenses for this application you can still assign. The table below this section,
contains a number of columns:
1. Viewer Name
The name of the Viewer.
2. Description
The description for the Viewer.
3. Type
The type of Viewer.
4. License
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Shows whether it's a full license or demo license.
5. License Type
Shows what kind of Viewer license has been assigned: BASIC, XPERT or XPRESS.
6. License Status
Shows whether the license has already be claimed by and activated for the Viewer.
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Managing Licenses
You can use this functionality to manage PADS licenses as installed in the PADS system. You can start the
License Wizard or assign or withdraw licenses.
To start the License Wizard
1. Make sure Licenses is active in the navigation pane.
2. In the Manage Licenses tab group of the Home tab click License Wizard.
The License Wizard is started.
To assign a license
You can assign a license for the Designer, Scheduler, Agent or Viewer application. The procedure is the
same for each application. In this example it will be shown for Designer licenses.
1. Make sure Licenses is active in the navigation pane and that in the View tab group of the Home
tab Designer Licenses is selected.
2. In the Manage Licenses tab group of the Home tab click Assign License.
The Assign License window will appear.
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3. Select a user from the To User list to assign the license to.
4. Select a license that has a positive number Left to assign and click Assign to actually do so.
To withdraw a license
You can withdraw a license for the Designer, Scheduler, Agent or Viewer application. The procedure is
the same for each application. In this example it will be shown for Designer licenses.
1. Make sure Licenses is active in the navigation pane and that in the View tab group of the Home
tab Designer Licenses is selected.
Also, make sure that the user, whose license you want to withdraw, is selected in the table below
the Designer Licenses section.
2. In the Manage Licenses tab group of the Home tab click Withdraw License.
A message box will appear asking you if you're absolutely sure you want to withdraw the license.
3. Click Yes to withdraw the license.
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Managing Server Settings
With the server settings features you can view or modify the settings of your connected PADS Server.
In this section
Viewing server settings
Describes how you can view the settings of your PADS Server.
Editing server settings
Explains how you can adjust the settings of your PADS Server.
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Viewing Server Settings
To check how you PADS Server has been configured you can view the settings of your PADS Server.
To view the Server Settings
1. Select Server Settings in the navigation pane.
After this the system will automatically connect to the connected PADS Server to retrieve the requested
information and display the results in the server settings window.
All Server Settings are displayed in the table with columns Setting and Value. They are described in
detail in the topic Managing server settings.
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Editing Server Settings
You can use this functionality to change one or more configuration settings of your PADS server.
To edit the Server Settings
1. Select Server Settings in the navigation pane.
2. In the Server Settings tab group of the Home tab click Edit.
3. Change one or more configuration settings.
4. Click OK to save the adjusted settings and close the settings window.
When you save the adjusted settings you are informed that the settings will become effective after a
restart of the PADS Server.
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Settings overview
Option section
Description
General
Settings that identify the server and determine where the server stores its
information.
Connections
Settings that have to deal with the connections between the server and the
client applications.
Users
Settings that determine the application of active directory for user management.
Synchronization
Settings that determine the content synchronization process.
Cleanup
Settings that determine the removal of finished schedules and tasks.
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General settings (server settings)
These settings identify the server you are connected to, define its role within the system and determine
where the server stores its information.
Identification
Role
Specifies the role of the connected PADS server within the total system. Possible options are:
Role
Description
Main Server
(Default) Each PADS installation must have exactly one
main server. This server acts as the pivot of the system,
where all information is centrally stored and from
where information is distributed across the entire system. In addition you can define backup servers for failover purposes or sub servers to reduce network traffic.
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As a backup server, your PADS server is linked to the
main server or a sub server from which it will replicate
all relevant information. A backup server is typically
used for fallback purposes in case the parent server
fails.
Backup Server
When your server acts as a backup server you cannot
change the permissions. For a backup server, the permissions are inherited from the linked parent server.
For a backup server it's required to specify the Parent
Server, Port Number and optionally a Password (see
description below).
Sub Server
As a sub server, your PADS server is linked to the main
server or another sub server from which it will replicate
all relevant information. A sub server is typically used
for larger installations across multiple locations, where
a sub server is installed per location. In this case each
sub server will handle a subset of the connected PADS
Viewers and thus reduce server load and network
traffic. Sub servers can be nested to create a fully scalable solution.
For a sub server it's required to specify the Parent
Server, Port Number and optionally a Password (see
description below).
IM PORTANT
W h en you c h an g e th e s er ver r ol e f r om mai n s er ver to b ac ku p s er ver or s u b s er ver , th en
al l i n f or mati on th at i s s tor ed i n you r d atab as e w i l l b e over w r i tten b y th e i n f or mati on of
th e s p ec i f i ed p ar en t s er ver .
Name
Unique name to identify your server. If the role of your server is 'main server' then you cannot change its
name here. In this case you must change the name in the servers overview window.
If you have selected 'backup server' or 'sub server' as Role then the following additional settings must
be set:
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Parent Server
Computer name, network address or DNS name that can be used to access the server to which your
backup server or sub server must be linked. Optionally you can click Browse to search for available
PADS servers in your network.
Port Number
The port number that is used by your PADS Server to communicate with its parent server. This port number must correspond with the port number setting at the parent server side. If your parent server uses a
firewall you must configure it to allow communication over this port number. The default port number is
7237.
Password
If your parent server requires a password to logon then you must enter here the password to logon.
Storage
Database Location
File name including the full path of the PADS system database. In the system database information is
stored about users, destinations, schedules, etc.
Black Box Location
File name inlcuding the full path of the PADS black box. In the black box valuable information is stored
about the characteristics and usage of your system. This information is used for technical support to
quickly detect problems.
Content Library Location
Root folder of the PADS content library. It's recommended to place your content files (like pictures,
videos, ...) in this folder and its sub folders, so that it can automatically be synchronized with all connected clients.
Proof of Play Folder
Folder in which the proof of play databases will be placed. Proof of play databases contain detailed
information about the playback of your content and can be used for instance as proof to advertisers.
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Connections settings (server settings)
These settings determine how client connections will be handled and processed by your PADS Server.
Server Connection
Server Port Number
The port number that is used by PADS Server to communicate with its clients. This port number must correspond with the port number setting at the client side. If your PADS Server uses a firewall you must configure it to allow communication over this port number. The default port number is 7237.
Use port sharing
If this option is switched on, then the system will use the same port number for all communication. This
simplifies the configuration of your system and minimizes the adjustments you need to make to your firewall. If unchecked you can enter a different Data Server Port Number and Synchronization Port Number. This can be helpful if you want to check a server component's impact on network load.
IM PORTANT
If you u n c h ec k U se port sh ari n g th en al l th r ee p or t n u mb er s mu s t b e d i f f er en t.
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Client Connections
Automatically create sub servers and assign licenses
If your PADS system uses multiple servers, then it depends on this setting how your PADS Server will
handle incoming requests from its sub servers or backup server. If the name of the sub server or backup
server does not yet exist in the system or doesn't have a server license assigned and this option is
switched on, then the system will automatically add the server to you system and try to assign a server
license to it. If the option is switched off, you always have to manually add your servers to the system and
assign server licenses.
Automatically create viewers and assign licenses
If this option is switched on and your server receives an incoming request from a PADS Viewer that does
not yet exist in the system or doesn't have a viewer license assigned, then the system will automatically
add the viewer to your system and try to assign a viewer license to it. If the option is switched off, you
always have to manual add your viewers to the system and assign viewer licenses.
TIP
E s p ec i al l y i n s i tu ati on s w h er e c l i en ts c on n ec t to th e PADS Ser ver over th e In ter n et an d
you w an t to c r eate a s ec u r e en vi r on men t, i t' s r ec ommen d ed to s w i tc h of f au tomati c
as s i g n men t of l i c en s es .
Server Options
Keep Alive Interval
The keep alive interval determine the interval at which a client application (PADS Designer, PADS Scheduler, etc) sends out a signal to the PADS Server, telling it to keep the connection active.
Connection Timeout
If for any reason the connection is faulted and the server no longer receive a keep alive signal, then the
connection timeout interval determines when the PADS Server terminates the connection with the client
application.
Synchronization Server Options
Maximum Number of Concurrent Sessions
When the PADS Server receives a large number of requests for content synchronization from its clients,
then the server will handle these requests in blocks of concurrent sessions. This improves the overall performance. The optimal value for this setting determines on your server capacity.
Synchronization Timeout
If for any reason the connection of the synchronization process is lost or faulted, then the synchroniation
timetout interval determines when PADS Server aborts the synchronization process and closes the connection.
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Users settings (server settings)
These settings determine the application of active directory for user management. When your organization uses Microsoft Active Directory to centrally manage user accounts you can configure PADS to use
this information. By linking PADS users to active directory, they will automatically use the credentials as
they have been set in active directory.
Active Directory
Use LDAP users from active directory
Switch on this option to enable the active directory features of PADS, like the functions to create LDAP
users. If you disable active directory, then existing LDAP users will keep exist in PADS, but can no longer
be used to log on.
Active Directory Name
The domain name, computer name or network address that is used for the location of active directory.
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User Name
The user name that can be used by PADS to get access to active directory. Please note that you have to
use a user account with enough permissions to access the information in active directory.
Password
The password that corresponds with the entered user name.
After entering the above settings you can click Test to check if it's possible to connect to active directory
with these settings.
IM PORTANT
If you s w i tc h on / of f th e u s ag e of ac ti ve d i r ec tor y, th en you n eed to r es tar t PADS Ser ver
i n or d er f or th es e n ew s etti n g s to take ef f ec t.
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Synchronization settings (server settings)
These settings determine the synchronization of content between your PADS Server and its connected clients.
Content Library Synchronization
Synchronize content
Check this setting to enable content synchronization.
Server Capacity
To reduce network traffic you can impose bandwidth limitations. You can create a list of Bandwidth Limitations by clicking the Add... button. The New Bandwidth Limitation window will appear.
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Enter a start time in the From field. In the Available Bandwidth section you can opt for Unlimited use
of bandwidth or Limited to a number of kilobytes per second. Click OK to add the bandwidth limitation
to the list. With the buttons Edit... and Remove you can alter the list.
Exclusion Filters
Files with a particular extension that you want to exclude from synchronization can be entered in the
Exclusion Filters section. Click Add... to insert a new filter to the exclusion list. The New File Extension
Exclusion window will appear.
Enter the file exclusion filter and click OK to add the filter to the list.
Back in the Server Settings window click OK to apply the new settings.
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Cleanup settings (server settings)
These settings determine the removal of finished schedules and tasks. Finished schedules and tasks are
automatically removed by the removal process that runs once a day on your PADS Server.
Data Removal
Remove finished schedules after x day(s)
When the display period of a scheduled presentation has ended, the schedule will automatically be
removed from the PADS system database after the specified number of days. When all schedules of a
scheduled presentation have ended not only the schedules, but also the scheduled presentation will be
removed.
IM PORTANT
If you w an t to keep th e d es i g n of you r s c h ed u l ed p r es en tati on f or l ater you , you exp l i c i tl y n eed to s ave th e p r es en tati on to f i l e w i th th e S av e or S av e As f u n c ti on s of PADS
Des i g n er .
Remove finished tasks after x day(s)
When a PADS Agent task has been completed, it will automatically be removed from the PADS system
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after the specified number of days. With this all information of the task, including any task results will be
removed.
Start removal process at
The time at which the daily removal process will be started. The removal process runs unattended and
handles the removal of finished schedules and tasks. The removal process usually runs at a moment that
the system is not actively used.
Run removal process at startup
If this option is switched on , then the removal process will also be started when the PADS Server starts
up.
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Closing PADS System Management
When you are finished with managing the PADS system you can close the PADS System Management
application.
To close the PADS System Management
1. Select File in the ribbon bar.
2. Click Exit.
Alternatively, you can the key combination [Alt] + F4 to leave the application. If you have opened additional windows then you must use this key combination several times to quit.
N O T E
W h en c l os i n g th e ap p l i c ati on you w i l l au tomati c al l y b e l og g ed of f i n al l c on n ec ti on s th at
you h ave ac ti ve, af ter w h i c h th ey w i l l b e c l os ed .
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