Bits and Bytes

Today’s topic is short and sweet – Backups!  Backups are worth their weight in gold to an administrator. Even though backups have never been put on a scale, we know they weigh a lot! In the world of Enterprise Content Management, backups have to be attacked from many different angles usually.  System registry, databases, filesystems and more have to be backed up and then integrated back together on a restore, which can be complicated to say the least.

But there is one ECM system that does not require complicated backup strategies: ILINX Content Store!  That’s right – all you do is configure database backups.  No registries—file system is completely optional and in the event of a recovery, a fast reinstall of the server software and a database reattach is all that is required.  Conveniently all the settings, data, and preferences are saved in the database.   Compare that backup strategy to other industry-leading ECM systems and you will see how simple it is.

Mike Peterson
Support Engineer
ImageSource, Inc.

ILINX Content Store Upgrade in Less Than 5 Minutes!

Pressed for time I just watched one of our system engineers upgrade a production ILINX Content Store in less than 5 minutes. An amazing feat for an Enterprise Content Management System!

From the ILINX Installation Guide:

1. Run the new ILINX installation package.

UPDATE CONFIGURATION FILES

2. Browse to and open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WCF\Web.config
a. Modify it by doing the following.
- From the backed-up Web.config file, copy the following section.

 

 

- Paste into the new Web.config file.

3. Browse to and open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\ImportContentWindowsService.exe.config
a. Modify it by doing the following.
- From the backed-up ImportContentWindowsService.exe.config file, copy the following line

 

 

- Paste into the new ImportContentWindowsService.exe.config file.

4. Browse to and open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\Application Files\ILINX_<version>\ILINX.exe.config.deploy
a. Modify the endpoint values with the correct URL.
- From the backed-up ILINX.exe.config.deploy file, copy the endpoint host value.
- Paste into the new ILINX.exe.config.deploy file.

MAGE UI
5. Run mageui.exe to launch the Mage user interface.
This is located at:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

C:\[Program Files directory]\Microsoft SDKs\Windows\v[X.X]\Bin

NOTE: If installing on a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 system and the User Account Control (UAC) uses the default settings, be sure to run this tool as an Administrator. To do, right-click on the executable and select “Run as administrator”.

6. Select File | Open and navigate to and Open:
[installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\Application Files\ILINX_<version>\ILINX.exe.manifest

7. Change the number in the “Version:” field to increment the last number by 1. As an example, if the Version number is 1.5.1.0, modify it to be 1.5.1.1. Note entered number here: __________________.

8. Select Files in the left window pane, and ensure that the box is checked next to “When populating add the .deploy extension to any file that does not have it”.

9. Click the Populate button, and select OK to the “Message: The operation will permanently add .deploy extensions…”

10. Select File | Save.

11. From the displayed dialog box, sign the manifest file.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A generic/unsigned certificate is included out of the box. It is important to use the customer’s own certificate when available. The following steps describe using the out of the box certificate. If an internal certificate exists, follow the same steps, but use the appropriate internal certificate and key during the signing process.

a. Select Sign with certificate file and click on the “…” Browse button.
b. Navigate to and Open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\signingKey.pfx
c. In the Password field enter ILINX. This is the password if using the out of the box certificate.
d. Select OK. Do not close the Mage program.

12. Select File | Open and navigate to and Open:

[installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\ILINX.xbap

13. Change the number in the “Version:” field to increment the last number by 1. Be sure to use the same number as entered in Step #5 above.

14. Select Application Reference in the left window.
a. Click the Select Manifest… button.
b. Navigate to and Open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\Application Files\ ILINX_<version>\ILINX.exe.manifest.

15. Select File | Save.
From the displayed dialog box, sign the file.

A generic/unsigned certificate is included out of the box. It is important to use the customer’s own signing file when available.
The following steps describe using the out of the box certificate.
a. Select Sign with certificate file and click on the “…” Browse button.
b. Navigate to and Open: [installation folder]\ImageSource\ILINX\WebClient\signingKey.pfx
c. In the Password field enter ILINX.
This is the password if using the out of the box certificate.

16. Select OK and Exit the Mage program.

It’s that easy!

Mark Staley
Support Engineer
ImageSource, Inc.
www.imagesourceinc.com
ILINX® CAPTURE | CONNECT | SHARE 

The Nexus Scoop

It’s been a while since I posted anything new to the ECM support blog.  If you want to know why, see Brandon’s post from a while back- Support: A Day in the Life Of.  I feel his pain!  But there have been some exciting things happening here and you should know about them.

First of all, I got the low-down on Nexus ’11 the other day!  It seems that the goal is to make every year bigger and better then the next.  This year there are some very well-known and engaging speakers (such as Dr. James Brown), break-out sessions held by ECM professionals, deep dives with ECM field specific experts and of course the after-hours social events.  If you have not been to Nexus, you need to register for this event.  If you sign up early, you get a pricing discount!  Tell us if you want to attend!  (The best way to get a hold of us is put in a support ticket and in the description put that you are interested in Nexus.)

On the software front, I have been busy working with development teams on ILINX® products!  Content Store specifically has been really taking off and there are new improvements being added all the time!  The whole goal of ILINX is to provide a simple user experience, while providing a powerful administration interface, all though thin-client technology.  The ILINX Products Suite has everything covered – conversion, workflow, storage and integration.  Tell us if you want a demo – we have great people that know their stuff in the world of Content Management that would love to work with you to see if ILINX is right for you!

Last but not least, I want to thank all the reader’s outside of Washington State.  Thank you for finally sending us some warmer weather – it took ‘til August but summer is finally here as well!  As always, any questions or comments, please call or email me and we will give you an answer!

Mike Peterson
Support Engineer
ImageSource, Inc