Crystal Enterprise 8.5 - Getting Started guide.pdf

7/25/2019 Crystal Enterprise 8.5 - Getting Started guide.pdf

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Crystal Enterprise 8.5Getting Started Guide

Crystal Decisions, Inc.895 Emerson St.

Palo AltoCalifornia, USA 94301


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Copyright 2002 Crystal Decisions, Inc., 895 Emerson St., Palo Alto, California,USA 94301. All rights reserved.

Issue 1.

No part of this documentation may be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted orreproduced in any way, except in accordance with the terms of the applicablesoftware license agreement. This documentation contains proprietary informationof Crystal Decisions, Inc., and/or its suppliers.

Trademark Acknowledgements

2002 Crystal Decisions, Inc. All rights reserved. Crystal Decisions, Crystal,Crystal Reports, Crystal Enterprise, Seagate Info, Seagate Software, Seagate, andthe Seagate and Crystal logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of CrystalDecisions, Inc. and/or Seagate Technology, Inc. All other trademarks referencedare the property of their respective owner.


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Crystal Enterprise Getting Started Guide i

Contents

Chapter 1: Welcome to Crystal Enterprise

What is Crystal Enterprise? ............................................................... 2

Who should use this guide? ............................................................... 2

About this guide ................................................................................ 2

Chapter contents ................................................................................................... 2

Product registration .......................................................................... 3

Crystal Care technical support .......................................................... 4

Document conventions ..................................................................... 4

Chapter 2: Whats New in Crystal Enterprise

Platform support ............................................................................... 6

DB2 APS support .................................................................................................. 6

System manageability ........................................................................ 6

Scheduling ............................................................................................................ 6

Security ................................................................................................................. 7

Administration ...................................................................................................... 8

Chapter 3: Planning Your Installation

Installation overview ....................................................................... 10

Installing Crystal Enterprise on Windows ........................................ 10

System requirements ........................................................................................... 10

Full stand-alone installation ................................................................................ 11

Server-side installation connected to a web server ............................................... 11

Installing Crystal Enterprise on UNIX ............................................. 12

System requirements ........................................................................................... 12


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ii Crystal Enterprise Getting Started Guide

Chapter 4: Using ePortfolio

ePortfolio overview ......................................................................... 14

Working with ePortfolio ................................................................. 14

Accessing ePortfolio ............................................................................................ 14

Signing up for your own Enterprise account ........................................................ 15

Locating and viewing reports ............................................................................... 15

Scheduling reports ............................................................................................... 16

Exporting reports ................................................................................................. 18

Printing reports from the Crystal Report Viewers .................................................. 18

Chapter 5: Managing AccountsAdministration overview ................................................................. 20

Administration tasks ........................................................................ 20

Logging on to the Crystal Management Console .................................................. 20

Navigating within the Crystal Management Console ............................................ 21

Logging off of the Crystal Management Console .................................................. 21

Creating a user account ....................................................................................... 21

Adding the user account to a group ..................................................................... 22Modifying a user account .................................................................................... 23

Deleting a user account ....................................................................................... 24

Changing password settings ................................................................................. 24

Setting the Administrator password ...................................................................... 25

Allowing guest users to create Enterprise accounts .............................................. 26

Chapter 6: Publishing Objects to Crystal Enterprise

Publishing overview ........................................................................ 28

Publishing options ............................................................................................... 28

Publishing with the Crystal Publishing Wizard ................................ 29

Adding objects/folders ......................................................................................... 30


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iv Crystal Enterprise Getting Started Guide

Event Server ........................................................................................................ 45

Cache Server ....................................................................................................... 46

Processing tier ................................................................................. 46

Job Server ............................................................................................................ 46

Page Server ......................................................................................................... 46

Data tier .......................................................................................... 47

Information Flow ............................................................................ 47

What happens when you view a report? .............................................................. 47

What happens when you schedule a report? ....................................................... 48

Index ................................................................................49


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Crystal Enterprise Getting Started Guide 1

Welcome to Crystal Enterprise 1

This chapter briefly describes Crystal Enterprise andoutlines the contents and the intended audience of thisGetting Started Guide. Product registration and technicalsupport information is also included, along with a briefdescription of the document conventions used within thisguide.


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What is Crystal Enterprise?

2 Crystal Enterprise Getting Started Guide

What is Crystal Enterprise?Crystal Enterprise is a flexible, scalable, and reliable solution for deliveringpowerful, interactive reports to end users via any web applicationintranet,extranet, Internet or corporate portal. Whether it is used for distributing weeklysales reports, providing customers with personalized service offerings, orintegrating critical information into corporate portals, Crystal Enterprise deliverstangible benefits that extend across and beyond the organization. As an integratedsuite for reporting, analysis, and information delivery, Crystal Enterprise providesa solution for increasing end-user productivity and reducing administrative efforts.

Who should use this guide?This guide is intended for anyone who wants to get Crystal Enterprise up andrunning quickly. Common tasks and general overviews are provided throughout

for users and administrators who are new to Crystal Enterprise. If you areevaluating Crystal Enterprise, this guide should provide you with a usefulintroduction to the products general features and functionality. Youll learn thebasics of how to install, how to add users and reports to the system, and how toview reports in ePortfolio.

For detailed information about installing and configuring Crystal Enterprise,consult theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide(install.pdf) included with yourproduct distribution. For more information about the product, consult theCrystalEnterprise Administrators Guide, theCrystal Enterprise ePortfolio Users Guide, andtheCrystal Enterprise Web Developers Guide. Online versions of these guides areincluded in thedocdirectory of your product distribution. Once you install Crystal

Enterprise, they are also accessible from the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad.

About this guideThis guide providesyou with basic installation information and servesas a generalintroduction to Crystal Enterprise, ePortfolio, the Crystal Management Console,the Crystal Publishing Wizard, and the overall product architecture.

Chapter contents

The following list provides a short description of each of the remaining chapters in

this guide.

Chapter 2: Whats New in Crystal Enterprise

Building on the proven scalability and flexibility of Crystal Enterprise 8.0, version8.5 introduces a host of new features focused on platform support, manageability,and web integration. This chapter provides a high-level overview of the newfeatures and enhancements.


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1: Welcome to Crystal Enterprise


Chapter 3: Planning Your Installation

This chapter provides general details about performing a preliminary installationof Crystal Enterprise in a Windows or a UNIX environment. For completeinstallation procedures, please consult theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide

(install.pdf) included with your product distribution.

Chapter 4: Using ePortfolio

This chapter serves as an introduction to working with ePortfolio and viewingreports with the Crystal Report Viewer.

Chapter 5: Managing Accounts

This chapter focuses on the Crystal Management Console and provides you withinformation about how to create and change user accounts.

Chapter 6: Publishing Objects to Crystal Enterprise

This chapter focuses on the publishing process: it introduces the CrystalPublishing Wizard and tells you how you can use it to add Crystal reports andother objects to ePortfolio or to your custom web desktop; it also describesalternative ways of adding objects to the Crystal Enterprise environment.

Chapter 7: Crystal Enterprise Architecture

This chapter provides an overview of the Crystal Enterprise architecture, describesthe different components, and identifies how they work together to distributereports over the web.

Product registrationThere are several ways you can register your product: Fill out the Product Registration form on the Crystal Decisions, Inc. web site at:

http://www.crystaldecisions.com/register/

Print the Product Registration form and fax it to the registration fax numberclosest to you. Crystal Decisions will then fax you a registration number thatcan be entered into the product the next time you use it.

Registration fax numbers

USA/Canada +1 (604) 681-5147United Kingdom +44 (0) 20 8231 0601Australia +6 2 9955 7682

Germany +49 (0) 69 9509 6182Hong Kong +852 2893 2727Singapore +65 777 8786

Registration is required to access online or telephone technical support. Inaddition, registering the product ensures that you are kept up-to-date withproduct advancements.


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Crystal Care technical support


Crystal Care technical supportTo find out about the technical support programs available for Crystal Enterprise:

Consult the enclosed Crystal Care information card.

Go to our support web site at:http://support.crystaldecisions.com/crystalcare/

Contact your regional office. For details, go to:http://www.crystaldecisions.com/contact/offices.asp

Document conventionsThis guide uses the following conventions:

Commands and buttons

For easy recognition within procedures, User Interface (UI) features appear inbold type. For example: On the Filemenu, clickNew.

Keyboard shortcuts

Delete means the Delete key, or the Del key on your numeric keypad. Entermeans the Enter, Return, or CR key, depending on which of these keys appearson your keyboard.

Key combinations

CTRL+KEY, SHIFT+KEY, and ALT+KEY are examples of key combinations.Hold down the first key in the combination and, at the same time, press thesecond key in the combination (designated above as KEY). For example:CTRL+C means hold the Control key down and press the letter C on yourkeyboard (CTRL+C is the Windows Copy command).

Key terms are italicized when first defined.

Monospaced font indicates data that you enter using your keyboard. Forexample: In the Formula Editor, typeIf Sales > 1000 Then crRed

Monospaced, italicized font indicates variable data that you must replace withdata appropriate to your current settings, environment, or task. For example,in the following URL, you would replacewebserverhttp://webserver/crystal/enterprise/


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Whats New in Crystal Enterprise 2

Building on the proven scalability and flexibility of CrystalEnterprise 8.0, version 8.5 introduces a host of new featuresfocused on platform support, manageability, and webintegration. This chapter provides a high-level overview ofthe new features and enhancements.


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Platform support


Platform supportCrystal Enterprise 8.5 extends the system to support 100% pure UNIXdeployment.Support is also continued for Windows NT/2000 server operating systems.

For detailed information regarding the operating systems, databases, web servers,firewall/proxy servers, and directory servers that Crystal Enterprise 8.5 supports,please refer to thePlatforms.txt file included with your product distribution.

DB2 APS support

Administrators can now use DB2 Universal Database (UDB) for the CrystalEnterprise system database. The native driver for DB2 supports fault tolerancethrough APS clustering for Crystal Enterprise on Windows or UNIX.

System manageabilityCrystal Enterprise 8.5 introduces a deeper, more granular set of administrative andmanagement functions to support more complex deployment scenarios. Theseenhancements are divided into several key categories:

Scheduling

Security

Administration

Scheduling

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 now features advanced scheduling tasks and enhancements,

which include the ability to have an instance delivered to a specific location, andthe ability to link a scheduling task with an event. The system also offers greatercontrol over object schedules as well (for example, jobs can be paused). Finally,reports can be scheduled to output in a specific format (for example, RPT format,Word, PDF, and so on).

Schedule to destination

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 introduces the ability to deliver a report to a particularexternal location. Supported output destinations include: direct to printer, filesystem (disk destination), email (via SMTP), and FTP servers.

Schedule to formatReports can now be automatically output to other formats at schedule-time (inversion 8.0, all conversions were done on demand). Supported formats include:RPT, Excel, Word, PDF, RTF, and plain text.


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2: Whats New in Crystal Enterprise


Event-based scheduling

Designed to complement the time-based scheduling mechanisms in version 8.0,event-based scheduling allows tight linkages between Crystal Enterpriseprocesses and related processes in other back-end systems. Crystal Enterprise 8.5

supports both file-based events (triggers based on a physical file being written),schedule-based events (triggers based on another scheduled reports completion),and custom events (triggers fired from within the CMC, or by other applicationsthrough actual code). Events can be used to start the processing of a particular joband/or signal when it is complete.

Job Server control

To support geographically disparate deployments or special processingrequirements, Crystal Enterprise 8.5 allows administrators to assign particularobjects to specific processing servers (Job Servers).

SecurityCrystal Enterprise 8.5 introduces more granular rights management, broaderLDAP server support, and interfaces for implementing view-time security.

New access levels

Two new security levels are available in Crystal Enterprise 8.5. The first is ViewOn Demand which allows users to run on-demand reports that display the latestdata in the database. This level is essentially an intermediate step between theRun and Full Control levels provided in version 8.0. The second new level,Advanced, allows administrators to customize object security levels outside of

the five standard levels provided in the system.

Tip:The Run level from version 8.0 is now referred to as Schedule.

LDAP server support

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 includes broader LDAP server support, delivering out-of-the-box support for iPlanet Directory Server, Novell Directory Server, DominoDirectory Server, and IBM SecureWay. A flexible LDAP interface is also providedto support other LDAP servers that conform to the v.3 specification.

Processing extensions

Crystal Enterprise provides flexiblesupport for view-time security implementations(filtering report data based on user credentials). Through the AdministrationSoftware Development Kit (SDK), developers can write custom applications tointercept report requests and modify them before theyare dispatched for processing.(For example, an application could look the user up in an entitlement database andadd a filter to the report request to return only the data the user is entitled to see.)


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System manageability


Administration

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 introduces a spectrum of enhancements designed to increaseadministrator productivity and to automate complex administrative tasks. Manyof these gains come through the new Administration SDK, but version 8.5 also

includes more granular object management capabilities.

Administration SDK

The Administration SDK complements the existing Client SDK to enable theautomation or customization of common administrative tasks. In version 8.0, alladministrative tasks were performed through the Crystal Management Console(CMC). While an enhanced edition of this application continues to ship withCrystal Enterprise 8.5, the Administration SDK allows organizations to build theirown specialized administrative interfaces and tools.

Object management

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 introduces greater control over how many instances of anobject are retained in the system. While Crystal Enterprise 8.0 enforced globalinstance limits, Crystal Enterprise 8.5 extends control to the folder and object level,giving administrators more control over object history and storage limits. Deletionpolicies can be based on number of instances, number of instances per user, or ageof instance.

New sample applications

New sample applications, available directly off the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad,provide examples of specialized administration tools based on the new

Administration SDK. These applications show how to implement delegatedadministration interfaces (for example, a password change utility for help deskpersonnel), how to make batch updates or changes to objects in Crystal Enterprise,and how to apply custom filters to objects to speed administration.


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Planning Your Installation 3

This chapter provides general details about performing apreliminary installation of Crystal Enterprise in a Windowsor a UNIX environment. For complete installationprocedures, please consult theCrystal Enterprise InstallationGuide (install.pdf) included with your productdistribution.


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Installation overview


Installation overviewCrystal Enterprise offers a completely customizable and scalable solution byproviding a number of distinct client and server components that can be distributedin various ways across a number of machines. However, for the purposes of thisintroductory guide, the products diverse components are grouped together asCrystal Enterprise and treated whenever possible as a single application.

This chapter recommends several preliminary installation scenarios that enableyou to get Crystal Enterprise up and running quickly. The scenarios described hereare ideal for individuals and organizations who are interested in familiarizingthemselves with the features and functionality of Crystal Enterprise in a Windowsor a UNIX environment.

The full stand-alone installation on Windows is generally the quickest to perform,and it provides you with all the functionality you will require to proceed throughthe remaining chapters in this guide. The UNIX installation is also highly

automated, but it is recommended that you attempt this installation only if youhave some administrative experience on your UNIX system.

For complete installation procedures, please consult theCrystal EnterpriseInstallation Guide(install.pdf) included with your product distribution.

Installing Crystal Enterprise on WindowsBefore you install Crystal Enterprise on Windows, consider which of the followingscenarios is best for you:

Full stand-alone installation

In this scenario, you install Crystal Enterprise on a single machine that is alreadyrunning as a web server. This providesthe quickestway to install Crystal Enterprise.

For details, seeFull stand-alone installation on page 11.

Server-side installation connected to a web server

In this scenario, you maintain separation between Crystal Enterprise and yourweb server by running them on separate machines. Once youve installedCrystal Enterprise on one machine, you install and configure the WebConnector on the web server machine.

This scenario is also ideal if you have a single UNIX server that is running asyour dedicated web server. You retain the use of your UNIX web server, andyou can still install Crystal Enterprise on Windows.

For details, seeServer-side installation connected to a web server on page 11.

System requirements

For a detailed list of tested environments, please consult thePlatforms.txt fileincluded with your product distribution. This file includes specific version and


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3: Planning Your Installation


Service Pack requirements for supported web servers, web browsers, databases,and operating systems. Generally, however, the following components must beinstalled and configured correctly before you install Crystal Enterprise:

Windows NT/2000

Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator 256 MB RAM

700 MB free disk space

Web server software

Crystal Enterprise requires a database to store information about the system andits users. However, the Setup program can install its own Microsoft Data Engine(MSDE) database by default.

Full stand-alone installation

This installation scenario offers the quickest way to install Crystal Enterprise. Once

you have set up your web server software, run the New installation from theCrystal Enterprise Setup program.

When you perform this default installation, all of the client and server componentsare installed on the local machine. The Crystal Automated Process Scheduler(APS) automatically creates its own database. The Web Connector is automaticallyconfigured to allow communication between Crystal Enterprise and the webserver software that you have already installed. Default user and group accountsare created, and sample reports are published to the system. When the installationis complete, the server components are started as services on the local machine.

Note:For explicit procedural details covering this installation scenario, pleaseconsult theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide(install.pdf) included with yourproduct distribution.

Server-side installation connected to a web server

A server-side installation connected to a web server is a quick way to integrateCrystal Enterprise with your existing web serverwithout installing the coreCrystal Enterprise components on the web server itself.

First, on the machine that you have set aside for use by Crystal Enterprise, run theNew installation from the Crystal Enterprise Setup program. Then, install andconfigure the appropriate Web Connector on your web server machine.

If the web server is running on Windows, you can select the Web Connector byrunning the Custom installation from the Crystal Enterprise Setup program.

If the web server is running on UNIX, you will need to run the Web Connectorinstallation (thewebconn_install.sh script) on that machine and performadditional configuration. For details, see theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide(install.pdf).


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Installing Crystal Enterprise on UNIX


When you perform this installation, the client and server componentsare installed,the default user and group accounts are created, and the sample reports arepublished to the system. When the installation is complete, the server componentsare started as services on the local machine.

Note:For explicit procedural details covering this installation scenario, pleaseconsult theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide(install.pdf) included with yourproduct distribution.

Installing Crystal Enterprise on UNIXThis latest version of Crystal Enterprise allows you to run all server componentson a UNIX server. Users then connect to Crystal Enterprise over the Web withInternet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The installation can place the necessaryrun control scripts in the relevant directories for automated startup (requires rootprivileges). Or you can confine the installation to a particular directory. Once

youve finished the installation and setup procedures, the various servercomponents run as daemons.

Before you run the interactive installation shell script (install.sh), it is stronglyrecommended that you consult the appropriate sections of the Crystal EnterpriseInstallation Guide(install.pdf). There you will find complete set up, installation,and configuration procedures.

Note:If you install the Crystal Enterprise server components on a UNIX machine,you can connect remotely to Crystal Enterprise with the Crystal PublishingWizard and the Crystal Import Wizard. However, these client applications mustbe installed on Windows.

System requirements

For a detailed list of tested environments, please consult thePlatforms.txt fileincluded with your product distribution. This file includes specific version andpatch-level requirements for supported web servers, web browsers, and operatingsystems. Generally, however, the following components must be installed andconfigured correctly before you install Crystal Enterprise:

Web server software

Database software that is compatible with the Crystal APS

Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator

256 MB RAM

700 MB free disk space

Note:Crystal Enterprise requires a database to store information about thesystem and its users. For details, see theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide(install.pdf).


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Using ePortfolio 4

This chapter serves as an introduction to working withePortfolio and viewing reports with the Crystal ReportViewer.


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ePortfolio overview


ePortfolio overviewCrystal Enterprise comes with a customizable web desktop called ePortfolio.Think of it as a window to Crystal Reports on your companys existing intranet orInternet site. When you use Crystal Enterprise, you can choose ePortfolio or a web

desktop designed by someone in your company. ePortfolio helps organize yourreports into logical groupsusing foldersand allows you to search for reports,view them immediately, or schedule them for regular processing. Once you havefound the reports you want to look at, the Crystal Report Viewers provide youwith viewing, printing, and exporting capabilities.

This chapter provides a quickintroduction to some of ePortfolios key features. Formore information, see theCrystal Enterprise ePortfolio Users Guide.

Note:The tasks that you can perform in ePortfolio are determined by the rightsyou have been granted on the system by your administrator.

Working with ePortfolioTo give you a better idea of how a Crystal Enterprise web desktop can be used atyour company, ePortfolio provides a Guest user account. There may also besample reports installed on your system.

When the Guest account is enabled, ePortfolio logs you on automatically without anadministered account. You can use this default view, but you wont be able tocustomize the desktop with your personal settings. If you sign yourself up as a newuser, you can create a view of ePortfoliothat includes your desktopsettings andfavoritereports. For details, see Signing up for your own Enterprise account on page 15.

Accessing ePortfolioThere are two ways to access ePortfolio: type the URL for your ePortfolio sitedirectly in your web browser, or select Crystal Launchpad from the Programgroup on the Windows Start menu.

To access ePortfolio

1 Go to the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad:

http://webserver/crystal/enterprise/

Replacewebserverwith the name of the web server that is set up for CrystalEnterprise. You may need to check with your administrator for the web server

name or exact URL to enter.Tip: If you have any Crystal Enterprise client tools installed, you can also clickStart > Programs > Crystal Enterprise > Crystal Launchpad.

2 On the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad, click theePortfoliolink.

ePortfolio appears. You are logged on as a guest. (If your administrator hasdisabled guest logon, you must type a user name and password.)


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4: Using ePortfolio


Signing up for your own Enterprise account

If ePortfolios Sign Up feature is enabled, you can create your own user account onePortfolio.

To sign up for your own account1 Click theSign Upbutton in the upper right corner of the ePortfolio desktop.

Note:If the Sign Up button is not present, then the feature is currentlydisabled. For details, seeAllowing guest users to create Enterprise accountson page 26.

2 On the Sign Up page, provide yourFull Name.

3 Type aUser Namefor your new account.

4 In thePassword andConfirm Passwordfields, type a password.

5 ClickSign Up.

Crystal Enterprise creates your new account and logs you on to ePortfolio.

Locating and viewing reports

When you access ePortfolio as a guest user, you are presented with a list of folders,reports, and other objects that your administrator has made publicly accessible.Depending on your system, you may see the Report Samples folder and/or otherfolders and reports that have been added to the system.

When you log on to ePortfolio with your ownuser account, you are presented withthe contents of your Favorites folder. Click the Public button in the upper rightcorner to view the list of publicly accessible folders and objects.

Click the name of any folder to view its contents. Or use theLook forfield andits list of options to search for reports by title, description, folder title, or all fields.Hold the mouse over any report thumbnail or title to see its title and summaryinformation, if available.

To view a report in a Crystal Report Viewer

1 Click any reports link available in ePortfolio.

2 On the shortcut menu, clickView orView Latest Instance.

The report opens in the appropriate Crystal Report Viewer.

Note: Depending on the rights given to you by your administrator, you may ormay not be able to selectViewand/orView Latest Instance.You may alsoneed to schedule the report first, in order to generate an instance.

Each Crystal Report Viewer allows you to view reports, navigate through multiplepages, refresh data, drill down to see details behind charts and summarized data,select parameters, and so on. As well, each viewer has powerful printing andexporting capabilities.


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Working with ePortfolio


Scheduling reports

Crystal Enterprise allows users to schedule reports to run automatically atspecified times. When a scheduled report runs successfully, an instance is created.An instance is a version of the report containing the data available at the time it

was runinstances created later contain more recent data.

You can see a list of instances by looking at a reports history, and you can click thelink to any historical instance. If you have the rights to view reports on demand,you can view and refresh any instance to retrieve the latest data from the database.

By scheduling and viewing instances, you can ensure you have the latest informationavailable for viewing, printing, and distributing. For example, you can schedule areport to run every night, so its available for you first thing in the morning.

Note:Before scheduling reports, check your time zone setting on the Preferencespage in ePortfolio. The default time zone is local to the web server that is runningCrystal Enterprise, not to the Automated Process Scheduler (APS) machine(s) that

each user connects to. By setting your time zone, you ensure that your scheduledreports are processed in accordance with the time zone in which you are working.You must have your own account on the system in order to set your preferences.

To view a reports history Click the report and, on the shortcut menu, clickHistory.

To schedule a report

1 Click the report you want to schedule.

2 On the shortcut menu, clickSchedule.

The Schedule page appears.

TheCustomize your optionslist contains the choices you can make while

scheduling. The area below the list contains items specific to the option youchoose.


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4: Using ePortfolio


Schedule options

Schedule

Use these run-time parameters to specify a time for running a particular report.

Each parameter in theRun reportlist has its own specific data entryrequirements. For instance, if you select Once, you will be prompted to provide thedate and time when you want to run the report.

Database Logon

Some reports require you to log on to a database before you can schedule themsuccessfully. You can do this on the Schedule page if you have credentials for thereports data source.

Parameters

Some reports use the Crystal Reports parameters feature. Parameters prompt the

report user to enter information. This information determines what data appearsin the report. For example, in a report used by sales, there might be a parameterthat asks the user to choose a region. The report returns the results for the specificregion instead of returning the results for all of the regions.

You can set parameters on the Schedule page. If the report you schedule does notcontain parameters, you will not be able to choose this option in theCustomizeyour optionslist.

Filters

If a report includes a record or group selection formula, you can modify it beforeyou schedule the report. By doing so, you filter the data that appears in the report.

In especially large reports, filters can improve performance by eliminatingunwanted records.

Destination

These options allow you to send a scheduled report directly to a particulardestination once it has been processed. You can have Crystal Enterprise save thefile to disk, email it to a predetermined list of recipients, send it to a printer, orupload it to an FTP server.

Note:The printer option is available for the Crystal Report format only.

Format

Use this option to specify the file format for the scheduled report. The defaultformat is Crystal Report, but you can choose from a variety of popular formatsincluding Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel and Word, Rich Text, and so on.


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Working with ePortfolio


Exporting reports

The Crystal Report Viewers allow you to export reports to several reportingformats as well as to popular word processor and spreadsheet formats. This makesthe distribution of information easier.

To export a report

1 View any report on ePortfolio in a Crystal Report Viewer.

2 On the viewers Standard toolbar, clickExport Report.

The Report Viewer Export dialog box appears.

3 Select a folder and enter a name for the report you are exporting.

4 Click theSave as typelist to select an export format type.

5 ClickSave.

The Exporting Report dialog box appears, displaying the progress of your

report. When the report has been exported, a message appears asking if youwould like to open it.

6 ClickYes to open the exported report; otherwise, clickNo.

Printing reports from the Crystal Report Viewers

This procedure shows how to print a report to a printer that is accessible from yourlocal machine.

To print a report from a viewer

1 View any report on ePortfolio in a Crystal Report Viewer.2 On the viewers Standard toolbar, clickPrint Report.

Tip:If the Print Report button is unavailable, export the report to a printablelocal file, or use your browsers Print command.

The Print dialog box appears.

3 In the Print range area, select all pages or a specific range of pages.

4 In the Copies area, select the number of copies for the report.

5 If you select theCollatecheck box, the report prints each page in order.

For example, if you are printing two copies of a report with four pages, your

report prints page one, two, three, and four of the first copy, then prints thesecond copy.

6 ClickOK.

The Printing Records dialog box appears, displaying the progress of yourprint job.


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Managing Accounts 5

This chapter focuses on the Crystal Management Consoleand provides you with information about how to create andchange user accounts.


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Administration overview


Administration overviewAdministration can be thought of as all of the tasks that are required to make surethat everyone who requires access to your Crystal Enterprise content has anaccount, belongs to the appropriate group, has sufficient privileges, and has areport to access. These tasks are usually performed by System Administrators orInformation Technology Specialists.

In most implementations, administrators will use three applications to manageCrystal Enterprise:

Crystal Management Console

Crystal Publishing Wizard

Crystal Configuration Manager

This chapter focuses on how to create and modify user accounts with the CrystalManagement Console (CMC), the largest of the three administration applications.

See theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guidefor in-depth information aboutadministration tasks. You can access the guide by clicking the Administrator sGuide link in the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad.

Administration tasksThis section describes how to perform several different administrative tasks. Thesetasks range from accessing the Crystal Management Console to changingpassword settings. Each task includes the relevant procedural information.

As you proceed through the steps, you will create your own administrativeaccount that you can use to log on to the system.

Logging on to the Crystal Management Console

There are two ways to access the CMC: type the name of the machine you areaccessing directly into your browser, or select Crystal Launchpad from theprogram group on the Windows Start menu.

To log on to the CMC

1 Go to the following page:

http://webserver/crystal/enterprise/admin/

Replacewebserverwith the name of the web server machine that has the WebConnector component installed. If you changed thisdefault virtual directory onthe web server, you will need to type your URL accordingly.

Tip: On Windows, you canclick Start > Programs > Crystal Enterprise> CrystalLaunchpad, and then click the Crystal Management Console link.


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5: Managing Accounts


2 When the Log On page appears, selectEnterprisein theAuthentication Typelist.

Windows NT and LDAP authentication also appear in the list; however, youmust map your third-party user accounts and groups to Crystal Enterprise

before you can use these types of authentication.3 Type yourUser Nameand Password.

For this example, typeAdministratoras the User Name. This default Enterpriseaccount does not have a password until you create one. For details, see Settingthe Administrator passwordon page 25.

If youre using LDAP or Windows NT authentication, you may log on using anaccount that has been mapped to the Crystal Enterprise Administrators group.

4 ClickLog On.

The CMC Home page appears.

Navigating within the Crystal Management ConsoleBecause the CMC is a web-based application, you can navigate through its areasand pages in a number of ways:

Click the links on the Home page to go to specificmanagement areas.

Select the samemanagement areasfrom the drop-down list in the upper-leftcorner of the console. Click Go if your browser doesnt take you directly to thenew page.

Click hyperlinks and icons that let you to jump to other areas.

Once you leave the Home page, your location within the CMC is indicated by apath that appears above the title of each page. For example,Home > Users > New

User indicates that youre on the New User page. You can click the hyperlinkedportions of the path to jump quickly to different parts of the application. In thisexample, you could clickHomeorUsers to go to the corresponding page.

Logging off of the Crystal Management Console

When you have finished using the Crystal Management Console, end the sessionby logging off. Log off is located in the upper right corner of the console.

Creating a user account

To add a new user, you can go to the Users management area. This example setsup a new account that you can use for the remainder of this guide.

To create a new Enterprise account

1 Log on to the Crystal Management Console and clickManage Users.

This takes you to the Users management area of the CMC.


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Administration tasks


2 ClickNew User.

The New Users Properties tab appears.

3 In theAccount Name field, type a name for the new account.

For this example, type your own name.

4 Use the optionalFull Nameand Descriptionfields if you want to includeextra information about the account.

5 In thePassword andConfirmfields, type a password for your new account.

The maximum password length is 64 characters.

6 Select from the additional password options:

Password never expires

Select the check box if you want to enable this option.

User must change password at next logon

This check box is selected by default. If you do not want to force users to

change the password the first time they log on, clear the check box. User cannot change password

Select the check box if you want to enable this option.

7 Select the connection type.

Concurrent User

Choose Concurrent User if this user belongs to a license agreement thatstates the number of users allowed to be connected at one time.

Named User

Choose Named User if this user belongs to a license agreement thatassociates the account with the name of the user. Named user licenses are

useful for people who require access to Crystal Enterprise regardless of thenumber of other people who are currently connected.

8 ClickOK.

The new account is added to the system. You can now add the user account toone or more groups.

Adding the user account to a group

Use this procedure to specify the groups that a particular user belong to. Thisexample adds your new user account to the Crystal Enterprise Administratorsgroup.

To add a user account to a group

1 Once youve added a new user account, click theMember oftab.

Tip:If youve left the accounts Properties page, first select Users from the listof management areas. Then click the Account Name of the user account thatyou want to change.


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2 Click theMember ofbutton to view the available groups.

There are three default groups available:

Administrators

Everyone

New Sign-Up AccountsAdministrators are able to perform all tasks in all applications. The Everyonegroup is the default group for all new users, including those who useePortfolios Sign Up feature to create their own account. In addition, users whouse ePortfolios Sign Up feature will automatically become a member of theNew Sign-Up Accounts group. Thus, administrators will be able to determinewhether a user is a new user or not.

3 In theAvailable groups list, selectAdministrators; then click the>arrow.

4 ClickOK.

You can now use this account to log on to ePortfolio and the Crystal

Management Console with full administrative rights.

Modifying a user account

Use this procedure to modify a users properties or group membershipinformation, or to temporarily disable an account. The changes will take effect thenext time the user logs on.

To modify a user account

1 Go to theUsersmanagement area of the CMC.

The Users page appears.

2 Click the Account Name of the user whose properties you want to change.

3 On thePropertiespage, make your changes to the account information,password settings, connection type, and so on.

Tip: You can temporarily disable a users account by selecting theAccount isdisabledcheck box.

4 ClickUpdate.

5 To change the group membership for the account, click theMember oftab,and then click theMember ofbutton.

TheModify Member ofpage appears.

6 Select a group or groups and click the appropriate arrow to change theaccounts group membership.

7 ClickOK.


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Deleting a user account

Use this procedure to delete a users account permanently. The user account willnot be available the next time the user tries to log on. If you think the user mightrequire the account again, use the disable feature instead. SeeModifying a user

accounton page 23for more information.

To delete a user account



2 Select the check box associated with the user you want to delete.

3 ClickDelete.

The delete confirmation dialog box appears.

4 ClickOK.

The user account is deleted.Note:If your implementation supports the sign-up feature, users who havehad their accounts deleted are able to create a new account for themselves inePortfolio.

Changing password settings

Within the Crystal Management Console, you can change the password settingsfor a specific user or for all users in the system. These procedures show how tomodify the default password settings and how to change the password for thedefault Administrator account.

To change user password settings



2 Click the user whose password settings you want to change.

The Properties page appears.

3 Select or clear the check boxes associated with password settings.

The available options are:

Password never expires

User must change password at next logon

User cannot change password

4 ClickUpdate.


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To change password settings

1 Go to theAuthorizationmanagement area of the CMC.

2 Click theEnterprisetab.

3 To enable a password restriction, select its check box and, if applicable, enter avalue related to the password setting.

The table below lists the available restrictions, and identifies the minimum andmaximum values where applicable:

4 ClickUpdate.

Setting the Administrator passwordAs part of the installation, Crystal Enterprise creates an Administrator account anda Guest account that do not have passwords. Log on to the Crystal ManagementConsole (CMC) with the Administrator account and use the following procedureto create a secure password for the Administrator account.

Note:Do not create a password for the Guest account if you plan to use theanonymous Single Sign On or the Sign Up features available in ePortfolio. Fordetails, seeAllowing guest users to create Enterprise accounts.

To change the Administrator password


2 Click the link for theAdministratoraccount.

3 In the Enterprise Password Settingsarea, enter and confirm the new password.

4 If it is selected, clear theUser must change password at next logoncheck box.

5 ClickUpdate.

Password Setting MinimumRecommendedMaximum

Enforce mixed-case passwords N/A N/A

Must contain at least N characters 0 characters 64 characters

Must change password every N day(s) 1 day 100 days

Cannot reuse the N most recent password(s) 1 password 100 passwords

Must wait N minute(s) to change password 1 minute 100 minutes

Disable account after N failed attempts to log on 1 failed 100 failed

Reset failed logon count after N minute(s) 1 minute 100 minutes

Re-enable account after N minute(s) 1 minute 100 minutes

Guestusers can create their own Enterpriseaccounts

N/A N/A


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Allowing guest users to create Enterprise accounts

By default, ePortfolio logs users on with the systems Guest account. With thisaccount, users actions are somewhat restricted. Without a dedicated user account,users cannot create their own folders, organize their favorites, or set their

preferences. By enabling ePortfolios Sign Up feature, you allow these Guest usersto create their own Enterprise accounts.

Note: By default, new Sign Up accounts are added to the Everyone group and theNew Sign-Up Accounts group.

To enable ePortfolios Sign Up feature

1 Go to theAuthorizationmanagement area of the CMC.

2 Click theEnterprisetab.

3 Select theGuestusers can create their own Enterprise accountscheck box.

4 ClickUpdate.


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Publishing Objects to Crystal Enterprise 6

This chapter focuses on the publishing process: itintroduces the Crystal Publishing Wizard and tells youhow you can use it to add Crystal reports and other objectsto ePortfolio or to your custom web desktop; it alsodescribes alternative ways of adding objects to the CrystalEnterprise environment.


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Publishing overview


Publishing overviewPublishing is the process of adding objects such as Crystal reports to the CrystalEnterprise environment and making them available to authorized users. Theobjects that you publish may be individual reports created with Crystal Reports,analytical applications designed with Crystal Analysis, other objects that youvecreated using Crystal Enterprise plug-in components, or directories containingmultiple objects.

When you publish an object to Crystal Enterprise,an entry is made in the AutomatedProcess Scheduler (APS) database. The File Repository Server stores the new objectbelow the\Enterprise\FileStore\Input\data\ directory. When a user schedules aninstance of any object, Crystal Enterprise checks the APS database for the location ofthe object file; the appropriate server component then retrieves and processes theobject file from the File Repository. The processed instance is stored by the FileRepository Server below the\Enterprise\FileStore\Output\data\ directory.

You can publish objects to Crystal Enterprise in three ways: Use the Crystal Publishing Wizard when you:

Have access to the locally installed application.

Are adding multiple objects or an entire directory.

For details, seePublishing with the Crystal Publishing Wizardon page 29.

Use the Crystal Management Console (CMC) when you are:

Publishing a single object.

Taking care of other administrative tasks.

Performing tasks remotely.

For details, seePublishing with the Crystal Management Console on page 36.

Save directly to your Enterprise folders when you are: Designing reports with Crystal Reports.

Creating other objects with Crystal Enterprise plug-in components such asCrystal Analysis.

For details, seeSaving objects directly to the APSon page 38.

Note:Crystal Enterprise supports reports created in versions 6 through 8.5 ofCrystal Reports. Reports will appear in version 8 format when they are launchedfrom Crystal Enterprise.

Publishing options

During the publishing process, you specify how often the data in the report isupdated. You can choose to force usersto see specific instances based on a schedulethat you determine (recurring), or you can choose to let users set the schedulethemselves (on demand).


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6: Publishing Objects to Crystal Enterprise


Specifying the data that users see (recurring)

This option is recommended for objects that are accessed by a large number ofpeople and that do not require separate database logon credentials.

Benefits

Users view the same instance of the report, reducing the number of times thedatabase is hit and using system resources more effectively.

The report instance is static (contains saved data) and is stored on the CacheServer, allowing multiple users to access the report at the same time.

Drawbacks

The instance the users see is based on the selection criteria (parameters andrecord selection formulas) and schedule set by the administrator.

Allowing users to update the data in the report (on demand)

This option is recommended for smaller reports that use parameters and selectionformulas, require separate database logon credentials, or have frequent data changes.

Benefits

Users are able to determine the frequency in which the data in the report isupdated.

Drawbacks

Multiple users generating reports at the same time increases the load on thesystem and the number of times the database is hit.

Each unique report page is cached separately. Its possible that the Cache Servercan contain many copies of the cached report, each of them being generated byhitting the Page Server and database.

Publishing with the Crystal Publishing WizardThe Crystal Publishing Wizard is a locally installed, 32-bit Windows application.The wizard is made up of a series of screens. Only the screens applicable to theobjects or folders you are publishing appear. This section of the guide features aseries of procedures to help you through the Crystal Publishing Wizard.

Note:Use this version of the Crystal Publishing Wizard to publish .rpt files only.

Once the object has been published, it will appear in the folder you specified inePortfolio (or other web desktop) and in the Objects management area of the CMC.

Note: Depending on the rights assigned by your Crystal Enterprise administrator,you may not have access to the Crystal Publishing Wizard.


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Publishing with the Crystal Publishing Wizard


Adding objects/folders

1 From theCrystal Enterprise program group, clickCrystal Publishing Wizard.

2 ClickNext.

3 Enter the path for the object you want to add.If youre not sure of the location, click Find File to search.

Adding multiple objects

1 Select theAdd multiple reportscheck box.

2 Click either Find Directory orFind File.

Use the Find Directory button to specify a directory that contains a number ofobjects you want to add.

Use the Find File button to specify a single object.

3 After selecting a directory, clickAdd Directory. Or, if you have alreadyselected a file, clickAdd File.

All of the objects contained in the directory you specified are added to the filelist. If you selectedInclude subfolders,all the objects in all the subfolders arealso added.

Note:If the directory or file you entered cannot be found by the wizard, the

Add Directory button is disabled.4 Select the check boxes associated with the objects you want to publish.

Click the Select All button if you have a large number of files and want to addthem all.

5 ClickNext.

The Select an APS dialog box appears.


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Selecting the APS

You must log on to an APS in order to publish the objects you selected.

1 Select the authentication type associated with your account.

Enterprise authentication requires a user name and password that isrecognized by Crystal Enterprise.

Windows NT authentication requires a user name and password that isrecognized by Windows NT.

LDAP authentication requires a user name and password that is recognizedby your LDAP user database.

2 Enter the name of the APS you want to use as a storage repository for theobjects you selected.

Note:If you cannot connect by specifying the APS name, provide the APS IPaddress and port (for example,172.30.6.20:6400).

3 Enter your user name and password for the APS you selected.

4 ClickNext.

The Creating Objects dialog box appears indicating the progress of the objectcreation process.

If it is possible to duplicate the folder structure, the Folder Hierarchy dialog boxappears. Otherwise, the APS Folder dialog box appears when the processing is

complete.


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Duplicating the folder structure

If you are adding multiple objects from a directory and its subdirectories, you areasked if you want to duplicate the existing folder hierarchy on the APS.

1 ClickYes orNo.Click the Yes button to have all of the folders and subfolders recreated on theAPS as they appear on your hard drive.

Click the No button to have all of the objects placed in a single folder.

2 ClickNext.

Creating and selecting a folder on the APS

To add the selected objects, you must create or select a folder on the host APS. Onlythe folders that you have full control access to will appear.

1 Click the folder you want to add the objects to. Click+to the left of the folderto view the subfolders.

To add a new folder to the APS, select a parent folder and then click the NewFolder button. The new folder appears and can be renamed.

To delete a folder, select the folder and click the Delete Folder button.

Note:You can delete only folders added manually (folders added manuallyare green; those added by the wizard are yellow).

If you are adding multiple objects and want to place them in separatedirectories, you can do so in the next section.

2 ClickNext.

The Location Preview dialog box appears.


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Moving objects between folders

1 Move objects to the desired folders by selecting each object and then clickingMove UporMove Down.

You can also add and delete folders by selecting a parent folder and clicking theNew Folder or Delete Folder buttons. You can drag-and-drop objects to placethem where you want. And you can right-click objects to rename them.

By default, objects are displayed using their titles. You can display the objectslocal file names by clicking the Show file namesbutton.

2 ClickNext when you are finished.The Schedule Interval dialog box appears.

Changing scheduling options

The data in reports added to ePortfolio or your custom web desktop can berefreshed at intervals you select.

1 Select one of three intervals:

Run once only

Selecting theRun once onlyoption provides two more sets of options:

when finished this wizard

This option runs the report once when youve finished publishing it. Thereport is not refreshed again until you reschedule it.

at the specified date and time

This option runs the report once at a date and time you specify. The reportis not refreshed again until you reschedule it.


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Let users update the object

This option does not schedule the report. Instead, it leaves the task ofscheduling up to the user.

Run on a recurring schedule

Once you have selected this option, click the Set Recurrence button to setthe scheduling options.

ThePick a recurrence scheduledialog box appears.

The options in this dialog box allow you to choose when and how often thereport runs. Select the appropriate options and click the OK button.

2 ClickNext after the schedule has been set.

The Change Default Values dialog box appears.

Changing default values

You can choose to publish objects without changing any of the default properties,

or you can go through the remaining screens and make changes.

Note:If you use the default values, your object may not schedule properly if thedatabase logon information is not correct, or if the parameter values are invalid.

If you want to publish objects without making modifications:

1 SelectPublish reports without modifying properties.

2 ClickNext through the wizards remaining dialog boxes.

If you want to review or modify objects before publishing:

1 SelectReview or modify report properties.

2 ClickNext.The Review Report Properties dialog box appears.

Changing object properties

1 Select the object you want to modify.

2 Enter a new title or description.

3 Select theGenerate thumbnail imagecheck box if you want users ofePortfolio to see a thumbnail of the object before they open it.

Tip: The Generatethumbnail image check box is available only if the report was

saved appropriately. To display thumbnails for a report, you must save the reportwith data and select theSave preview picture check box in Crystal Reports. Tolocatethis check box in CrystalReports 8.x, open a report and click Summary Infoon the File menu. TheSave Data with Reportoption is also on the File menu.

4 ClickNext.

The Database Logon Information dialog box appears if it is needed.


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Entering database logon information

Some objects use data sources that require logon information. If objects you areadding are of this type, follow these steps.

1 Double-click the object, or click+to the left of the object to expose the database.

2 Select the database and change the logon information in the appropriate fields.

If the database does not require a user name or password, leave the fields blank.

Note:Enter user name and password information carefully. If it is enteredincorrectly, the object cannot retrieve data from the database.

3 Select theApply this information to all reportscheck box if you have anumber of objects requiring logon to the same database.

4 Once you have completed the logon information for each object using adifferent database, clickNext.

The Set Report Parameters dialog box appears if it is needed.

Setting parameters

Some objects contain parameters for data selection. Before such an object can bescheduled, you must set the parameters in order to determine the default prompts.

1 Select the object whose prompts you want to change.The objects prompts and default values appear in a list on the right-hand sideof the screen.

2 ClickEdit Promptto change the value of a prompt.

Depending on the type of parameter you have chosen, different dialog boxesappear.


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Publishing with the Crystal Management Console


3 If you want to set the prompts to contain a null value (where possible), thenclickSet Prompts to NULL.

4 ClickNext after you have finished editing the prompts for each object.

Setting the schedule formatYou can choose a schedule format for each report that you publish. For some of theformats, you can customize the schedule format options.

1 Select the object whose schedule format you want to change.

2 Select a format from the list (Crystal Report, Excel, Word, and so on).

Where applicable, customize the schedule format options. For example, if youselect Paginated Text, enter the number of lines per page.

3 ClickNext.

The final dialog box appears.

Finalizing the objects to be added

1 After ensuring all the objects have been added to the list, clickNext.

The objects are added to the APS, scheduled, and run as specified. When theprocessing is done, you arereturned to the finalscreen of the Crystal PublishingWizard.

2 To view the details for an object, select it from the list.

3 ClickFinish to close the wizard.

Publishing with the Crystal Management ConsoleIf you have administrative rights to Crystal Enterprise, you can publish objectsover the Web from within the CMC.

To add an object with the CMC

1 Go to the Objects management area of the CMC.

2 ClickNew Report.


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The New Report page appears.

3 In theFile name field, type the full path to the report.

If you do not know the path, click Browse to perform a search.

4 If you do not want the user to see a thumbnail preview of the report inePortfolio, clear theGenerate thumbnail for the reportcheck box.

Tip: To display thumbnails for a report, you must save the report with data andselect theSave preview picturecheck box in Crystal Reports. To locate this

check box in Crystal Reports 8.x, open a report and click Summary Info on theFile menu. TheSave Data with Reportoption is also on the File menu.

5 Ensure that the correct folder name appears in theDestination field.

Tip:To expand a folder, select it and click Show Subfolders.

6 ClickOK.

When the object has been added to the system, the CMC displays the Propertiesscreen. If necessary, you can now modify the objects properties, such as its titleand description, the database logon information, scheduling information, userrights, and so on.


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Saving objects directly to the APS


Saving objects directly to the APSIf you have installed one of the Crystal designer components, such as CrystalReports or Crystal Analysis, you can use the Save As command to add objects toCrystal Enterprise from within the designer itself.

For instance, after designing a report in Crystal Reports, click Save As on the Filemenu. In the Save As dialog box, click Enterprise Folders; then, when prompted,log on to the Crystal Enterprise Automated Process Scheduler (APS). Specify thefolder where you want to save the report and click Save.


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Crystal Enterprise Architecture 7

This chapter provides an overview of the Crystal Enterprisearchitecture, describes the different components, andidentifies how they work together to distribute reports overthe web.


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Architecture overview and diagram


Architecture overview and diagramCrystalEnterprise is a multi-tier system. Although the components are responsiblefor different tasks, they can be logically grouped based on the type of work theyperform. If you are new to Crystal Enterprise, use this chapter to gain familiaritywith the Crystal Enterprise framework, its components, and the general tasks thateach component performs.

In Crystal Enterprise, there are four tiers: the client tier, the intelligence tier, theprocessing tier, and the data tier. To provide flexibility, the components that makeup each of these tiers can be installed on one machine, or spread across many.

The following diagram illustrates how each of the components fits within themulti-tier system. Other Crystal products, such as Crystal Analysis and SmartReporting Technology, plug in to the Crystal Enterprise framework in variousways. This chapter describes the framework itself. Consult each product sinstallation or administration guides for details about how it integrates with the

Crystal Enterprise framework.

Theserversare services that run on Windows machines and daemons that runon UNIX machines. These services can be vertically scaled to take full advantageof the hardware that they are running on, and they can behorizontally scaledto


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7: Crystal Enterprise Architecture


take advantage of multiple computers over a network environment. This meansthat the services can all run on the same machine, or they can run on separatemachines. The same service can also run in multiple instances on a single machine.

For example, you can run the Web Connector and the Web Component Server on

one machine, while you run the Job Server on a separate machine. This is calledhorizontal scaling. If the Job Server is running on a multi-processor computer, thenyou may choose to run multiple Job Servers on it.This is called vertical scaling. Theimportant thing to understand is that, even though these are called servers, they areactually services and daemons that do not need to run on separate computers.

The remainder of this chapter describes each tier, the key Crystal Enterprisecomponents, and their primary responsibilities.

Tip:When you are familiar with the architecture and want to customize yoursystem configuration, see theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

Client tierThe client tier is the only part of the Crystal Enterprise system that administratorsand end users interact with directly. This tier is made up of the applications thatenable people to administer, publish, and view reports and other objects.

ePortfolio

ePortfolio is the web-based interface that end users access to view, schedule, andkeep track of published reports. Each Crystal Enterprise request that a user makesin ePortfolio is directed by the web server to the Web Connector, which thenforwards the request to the Web Component Server.

ePortfolio also serves as a demonstration of the ways in which you can use theCrystal Enterprise Software Development Kit (SDK) to create a custom web desktopfor end users. For more information about the SDK, see the Crystal Enterprise WebDevelopers Guide. You can access the guide by clicking its link on the CrystalEnterprise Launchpad.

Note:Crystal Enterprise supports reports created in versions 6 through 8.5 ofCrystal Reports. Reports created using version 6 and 7 of Crystal Reports appearin version 8 format when they are launched from ePortfolio.


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Client tier


Crystal Management Console

The Crystal Management Console (CMC) allows you to perform user managementtasks such as setting up authentication and adding users and groups. It also allowsyou to publish, organize, and set security levels for all of your Crystal Enterprise

content. Additionally, the CMC enables you to manage servers and create servergroups. Because the CMC is a web-based application, you can perform all of theseadministrative tasks remotely. For more information, see theCrystal EnterpriseAdministrators Guide.

The CMC also serves as a demonstration of the ways in which you can use the newadministrative objects and libraries in the Crystal Enterprise SDK to create customweb applications for administering Crystal Enterprise. For more informationabout the SDK, see theCrystal Enterprise Web Developers Guide. You can access theguide by clicking its link on the Crystal Enterprise Launchpad.

Crystal Configuration ManagerThe Crystal Configuration Manager (CCM) is a server-management tool that allowsyou to configure each of your Crystal Enterpriseserver components. This tool allowsyou to start, stop, enable, and disable servers, and it allows you to view and toconfigure advanced server settings such as default port numbers, APS database andclustering details, SOCKS server connections, and more. In addition, the CCMallows you to add or remove servers from your Crystal Enterprise system. For moreinformation, see theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

Crystal Publishing Wizard

The Crystal Publishing Wizard is a locally installed Windows application thatenables both administrators and end users to add reports to Crystal Enterprise. Byassigning object rights to Crystal Enterprise folders, you control who can publishreports and where they can publish them to. For more information, seePublishing overviewon page 28and theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

The Crystal Publishing Wizard publishes reports from a Windows machine toCrystal Enterprise servers running on Windows or on UNIX.

Crystal Import Wizard

The Crystal Import Wizard is a locally installed Windows application that guides

administrators through the process of importing users, groups, reports, andfolders from an existing Seagate Info or Crystal Enterprise implementation toCrystal Enterprise. For more information, see theCrystal Enterprise AdministratorsGuide.

The Crystal Import Wizard runs on Windows, but you can use it to importinformation into a new CrystalEnterprise system running on Windows or on UNIX.


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Crystal Web Wizard

This Windows application is designed to assist new developers in building andinstalling web applications. The wizard lets you create a custom web applicationor install a sample project. You can use this wizard as a stand-alone application or

as a Microsoft FrontPage webcreation tool. For details, seethe wizards online helpand theCrystal Enterprise Web Developers Guide.

Intelligence tierThe intelligence tier manages the Crystal Enterprise system. It maintains all of thesecurity information, sends requests to the appropriate servers, and stores reportinstances.

Web Component Server

The Web Component Server (WCS) is the gateway between the Web Connector onthe web server and the rest of the components in Crystal Enterprise. The WCS isresponsible for processing requests from your browser, including Crystal ServerPages (.csp files), which are used to customize your access to Crystal Enterprise.As a result, this server also acts as an application server. For further informationon CSP, seeUsing CSP Scriptingin theCrystal Enterprise Web Developers Guide.

Note: In addition to processing CSP requests, the WCS also handles other types ofrequests. These include requests from the CMC and the handling of prompts and

database logon requests. When users view reports in HTML format, the WCS isresponsible for converting the report pages (.epf files) to HTML format.

If you are running multiple Cache Servers, the WCS automatically load-balancesreporting requests across the available servers.


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Intelligence tier


Web Connectors

To communicate with the different types of web servers, the WCS uses a WebConnector. Crystal Enterprise includes different Web Connectors for differentoperating systems and web servers.

If you are running multiple WCS machines, the Web Connector automaticallybalances the load across the available servers. Each subsequent Crystal Enterpriserequest is sent to theleast usedWCS. For details about fault-tolerance as itrelates to security, see the Crystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

For details on installing and configuring Web connectors, see theCrystal EnterpriseInstallation Guide. For additional troubleshooting steps, see theCrystal EnterpriseAdministrators Guide.

Automated Process Scheduler

The Automated Process Scheduler (APS) is responsible for maintaining a databaseof information about your Crystal Enterprise system; the other components cantherefore access that data as required. The data stored by the APS includesinformation about users and groups, security levels, Crystal Enterprise content,and servers. This data allows the APS to perform its three main tasks:

Maintaining security

By maintaining a database of users and their associated object rights, the APSenforces who has access to Crystal Enterprise and the types of tasks they areable to perform. This also includes enforcing and maintaining the licensingpolicy of your Crystal Enterprise system.

Managing objects

The APS keeps track of the location of reports and maintains the folderhierarchy. By communicating with the Job Server, the APS is able to ensure thatscheduled jobs run at the appropriate times.

Managing servers

By staying in frequent contact with each of the servers in the system, the APS isable to maintain a list of server status. The WCS accesses this list, for instance,to identify which Cache Server is free to use for a report viewing request.

Typically, you provide the APS with database connectivity and credentials whenyou install Crystal Enterprise, so the APS can create its own database using yourorganizations preferred database server. For details about setting up the APSdatabase, see theCrystal Enterprise Installation Guide. See thePlatforms.txt file

included with your product distribution for a complete list of tested databasesoftware and version requirements.

Note:

It is strongly recommended that you back up the APS database frequently. Thebackup procedure depends upon your database software. If you are unsure ofthe procedure, consult with your database administrator.


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The APS database should not be accessed directly. System information shouldonly be retrieved using the API calls that are provided in the Crystal EnterpriseSoftware Development Kit (SDK). See theCrystal Enterprise Web DevelopersGuidefor details.

On Windows, the Setup program can install and configure its own Microsoft DataEngine (MSDE) database if necessary. APS clustering is automatically supportedby the default MSDE database. MSDE is a client/server data engine that provideslocal data storage and is compatible with Microsoft SQL Server. If you alreadyhave the MSDE or SQL Server installed, the installation program uses it to createthe APS database. You can migrate your default APS database to a supporteddatabase server later.

For details about configuring the APS, its database, and APS clusters, see theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

File Repository Servers

There is one Input and one OutputFile Repository Server in every Crystal Enterpriseimplementation. The Input File Repository Server contains all of the report objectsthat have been published to the system by administrators or end users (using theCrystal Publishing Wizard, the Crystal Management Console, the Crystal ImportWizard, or a Crystal designer component such as Crystal Reports). The Output FileRepository Server contains all of the report instances generated by the Job Server(s).

Tip:If you use the Crystal Enterprise SDK, you can also publish reports fromwithin your own code.

The File Repository Servers are responsible for listing files on the server, queryingfor the size of a file, querying for the size of the entire file repository, adding files

to the repository, and removing files from the repository.

Note:The Input and Output File Repository Servers cannot share the samedirectories. This is because one of the File Repository Servers could then deletefiles and directories belonging to the other.

Event Server

The Event Server manages file-based events. When you set up a file-based eventwithin Crystal Enterprise, the Event Server monitors the directory that youspecified. When the appropriate file appears in the monitored directory, the EventServer triggers your file-based event: that is, the Event Server notifies the APS that

the file-based event has occurred. The APS then starts any jobs that are dependentupon your file-based event.

After notifying the APS of the event, the Event Server resets itself and againmonitors the directory for the appropriate file. When the file is newly created in themonitored directory, the Event Server again triggers your file-based event.


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Processing tier


Cache Server

The Cache Server is responsible for handling all viewing requests from the WCS.The Cache Server checks whether or not it can fulfill the request with a cachedreport page. If it cannot, it passes the request along to the Page Server. The Page

Server runs the report and returns the results to the Cache Server. The CacheServer then caches the information and returns the data to the WCS. By storingreport pages in a cache, Crystal Enterprise avoids accessing the database each andevery time a report is requested.

If you are running multiple Page Servers for a single Cache Server, the CacheServer automatically balances the processing load across Page Servers. For moreinformation, see theCrystal Enterprise Administrators Guide.

Processing tier

The processing tier accesses the data and generates the reports. It is the only tierthat interacts directly with the databases that contain the report data.

Note: If you install Crystal Analysis, your OLAP data is accessed from the WCS in

the intelligence tier.

Job Server

The Job Server processes scheduled reports, as requested by the APS, andgenerates report instances (instances are versions of a report object that containsaved data). To generate a report instance, the J

Documents

Crystal Enterprise 8.5 - Getting Started guide.pdf