User Guide

Version 3.8
Thank You for Choosing Ross
You've made a great choice. We expect you will be very happy with your purchase of Ross Technology.
Our mission is to:
1. Provide a Superior Customer Experience
• offer the best product quality and support
2. Make Cool Practical Technology
• develop great products that customers love
Ross has become well known for the Ross Video Code of Ethics. It guides our interactions and
empowers our employees. I hope you enjoy reading it below.
If anything at all with your Ross experience does not live up to your expectations be sure to reach out to
us at [email protected].

David Ross
CEO, Ross Video
[email protected]

Ross Video Code of Ethics

Any company is the sum total of the people that make things happen. At Ross, our employees are a
special group. Our employees truly care about doing a great job and delivering a high quality customer
experience every day. This code of ethics hangs on the wall of all Ross Video locations to guide our
behavior:
1. We will always act in our customers’ best interest.
2. We will do our best to understand our customers’ requirements.
3. We will not ship crap.
4. We will be great to work with.
5. We will do something extra for our customers, as an apology, when something big goes wrong and
it's our fault.
6. We will keep our promises.
7. We will treat the competition with respect.
8. We will cooperate with and help other friendly companies.
9. We will go above and beyond in times of crisis. If there's no one to authorize the required action in
times of company or customer crisis - do what you know in your heart is right. (You may rent
helicopters if necessary.)
Ross Platform Manager · User
Guide
• Ross Part Number: 7900DR-004-3.8
• Release Date: December 3, 2024. Printed in Canada.
• Software Issue: 3.8
The information contained in this Guide is subject to change without notice or obligation.

Copyright
© 2016 - 2024 Ross Video Limited. Ross® and any related marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Ross
Video Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective companies. PATENTS ISSUED and
PENDING. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of Ross Video. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, Ross
Video assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions. Neither is any liability assumed for damages resulting
from the use of the information contained herein.

Patents
Patent numbers 4,205,346; 5,115,314; 5,280,346; 5,561,404; 7,034,886; 7,508,455; 7,602,446; 7,834,886;
7,914,332; 8307284, 2039277; 1237518; 1127289 and other patents pending.

Warranty and Repair Policy

Ross Video Limited (Ross) warrants its Ross Platform Manager systems to be free from defects under normal use
and service a time period of 15 months from the date of shipment:
If an item becomes defective within the warranty period Ross will repair or replace the defective item, as
determined solely by Ross.
Warranty repairs will be conducted at Ross, with all shipping FOB Ross dock. If repairs are conducted at the
customer site, reasonable out-of-pocket charges will apply. At the discretion of Ross, and on a temporary loan basis,
plug in circuit boards or other replacement parts may be supplied free of charge while defective items undergo
repair. Return packing, shipping, and special handling costs are the responsibility of the customer.
This warranty is void if products are subjected to misuse, neglect, accident, improper installation or application, or
unauthorized modification.
In no event shall Ross Video Limited be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages
(including loss of profit). Implied warranties, including that of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose,
are expressly limited to the duration of this warranty.
This warranty is TRANSFERABLE to subsequent owners, subject to Ross’ notification of change of ownership.

Extended Warranty
For customers that require a longer warranty period, Ross offers an extended warranty plan to extend the standard
warranty period by one year increments. For more information about an extended warranty for your Ross Platform
Manager system, contact your regional sales manager.
Environmental Information
The equipment that you purchased required the extraction and use of natural resources for its production. It may
contain hazardous substances that could impact health and the environment.
To avoid the potential release of those substances into the environment and to diminish the need for the extraction
of natural resources, Ross Video encourages you to use the appropriate take-back systems. These systems will reuse
or recycle most of the materials from your end-of-life equipment in an environmentally friendly and health
conscious manner.
The crossed-out wheeled bin symbol invites you to use these systems.

If you need more information on the collection, reuse, and recycling systems, please contact your local or regional
waste administration.
You can also contact Ross Video for more information on the environmental performances of our products.

Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products (China RoHS)

Ross Video Limited has reviewed all components and processes for compliance to:
“Management Methods for the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic
Products” also known as China RoHS.
The “Environmentally Friendly Use Period” (EFUP) and Hazardous Substance Tables have been established for all
products. We are currently updating all of our Product Manuals.
The Hazardous substances tables are available on our website at:
http://www.rossvideo.com/about-ross/company-profile/green-practices/china-rohs.html

电器电子产品中有害物质的使用
Ross Video Limited 按照以下的标准对所有组件和流程进行了审查：
“电器电子产品有害物质限制使用管理办法”也被称为中国RoHS。
所有产品都具有“环保使用期限”(EFUP）和有害物质表。目前，我们正在更新我们所有的产品手册。
有害物质表在我们的网站：
http://www.rossvideo.com/about-ross/company-profile/green-practices/china-rohs.html
Company Address
Ross Video Limited Ross Video Incorporated
8 John Street P.O. Box 880
Iroquois, Ontario Ogdensburg, New York
Canada, K0E 1K0 USA 13669-0880
General Business Office: (+1) 613  652  4886
Fax: (+1) 613  652  4425

Technical Support: (+1) 613  652  4886

After Hours Emergency: (+1) 613  349  0006

E-mail (Technical Support): [email protected]

E-mail (General Information): [email protected]
Website: http://www.rossvideo.com
 Contents
Introduction 1
A Word of Thanks ................................................................................................................................................1-1
About This Guide ..................................................................................................................................................1-2
Documentation Conventions .................................................................................................................................1-2
Getting Help ..........................................................................................................................................................1-4

Getting Started 2
Open Ross Platform Manager ...............................................................................................................................2-2
Explore the Ross Platform Manager User Interface .............................................................................................2-3
Using a Desktop Computer with Ross Platform Manager ....................................................................................2-3
Entering Text for Right-to-Left Languages ..........................................................................................................2-8

Monitoring the System 3

Monitor System Health .........................................................................................................................................3-2
User Defined System Monitors .............................................................................................................................3-3
Monitor and Control Connected Users .................................................................................................................3-5
Manage the Ross Platform Manager SNMP Agent ..............................................................................................3-6
Managing the Audit Log .....................................................................................................................................3-11

User Preferences 4
Set User Preferences .............................................................................................................................................4-2

Configuring System Properties 5

Configure Database Connectivity .........................................................................................................................5-2
Activating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software ..........................................................................5-3
Reactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software ......................................................................5-4
Deactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software ......................................................................5-5
Configure Default System Settings .......................................................................................................................5-5
Viewing File Synchronization Information ..........................................................................................................5-7

Managing a Product Key 6

Activating and Deactivating Product Keys ...........................................................................................................6-2
Editing a Product Key’s Notes ............................................................................................................................6-11
Modifying Product Key Settings ........................................................................................................................6-12
Setting Up License Expiry Notifications ............................................................................................................6-13
Managing Product Keys ......................................................................................................................................6-16
Generating a License Usage Report ....................................................................................................................6-16
Understanding Dynamic and Static Licenses .....................................................................................................6-17

Managing a Target 7
Adding a Target ....................................................................................................................................................7-2
Authorizing a Target .............................................................................................................................................7-5
Transitioning an SDPE Blade Target ....................................................................................................................7-7
Extending Carbonite as an OGP Device ...............................................................................................................7-7
Copying Info from the Target Manager ................................................................................................................7-8
Force Stopping a Cloud Instance ..........................................................................................................................7-8
Taking a Snapshot of a Ross Platform Target ......................................................................................................7-9
Editing a Snapshot Description .............................................................................................................................7-9

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Contents • i

 Using the Visual Workflow Manager ................................................................................................................ 7-10

Managing a Deployment 8
Adding a Product to the Release Manager ........................................................................................................... 8-2
Creating or Modifying a Deployment .................................................................................................................. 8-3
Executing a Deployment ...................................................................................................................................... 8-4
Saving and Restoring a Deployment Snapshot .................................................................................................... 8-4

Managing DashBoard CustomPanels 9

CustomPanel Features Overview ......................................................................................................................... 9-2
Using the CustomPanel Manager ......................................................................................................................... 9-3
CustomPanel File Versioning ............................................................................................................................... 9-4

Configuring User Permissions 10

Create a User Role .............................................................................................................................................. 10-2
Modify a User Role ............................................................................................................................................ 10-3
Delete a User Role .............................................................................................................................................. 10-4
Create a User Account ........................................................................................................................................ 10-5
Modify a User Account ...................................................................................................................................... 10-6
Delete a User Account ........................................................................................................................................ 10-7
Configure Target Permissions ............................................................................................................................ 10-7

Configuring LDAP Authentication 11

Connect to an LDAP Directory Server .............................................................................................................. 11-2
Map to LDAP User Data .................................................................................................................................... 11-3
Map to LDAP Group (Role) Data ...................................................................................................................... 11-4

Changing Your Password 12

Change Your Ross Platform Manager Password ............................................................................................... 12-2

Managing Perspectives 13
Create a New Perspective ................................................................................................................................... 13-2
Open a Saved Perspective .................................................................................................................................. 13-3
Rename a Perspective ......................................................................................................................................... 13-4
Change the Layout of a Perspective ................................................................................................................... 13-4
Revert a Perspective to the Default Layout ........................................................................................................ 13-5
Make a User Perspective Global ........................................................................................................................ 13-5
Delete a Perspective ........................................................................................................................................... 13-6

Using the Log Viewer 14

Downloading the Log ......................................................................................................................................... 14-2
Clearing the Log ................................................................................................................................................. 14-2

ii • Contents Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Introduction
A Word of Thanks
Thank you for choosing the Ross Platform Manager as your product orchestration solution.
We are committed to providing you with the highest level of customer satisfaction possible. If, for any reason, you
have questions or comments, please call Ross Video at +1-613-652-4886 or send us an e-mail at
[email protected].
We hope that you visit our website www.rossvideo.com to stay up to date with ongoing software releases, join our
customer forum and learn more about the complete range of Ross Video products.
Note that software maintenance and extended warranties are available for your system to protect and extend the life
of your investment. Our sales team are more than happy to provide further information on the plans available.
Members of our sales team promptly respond to e-mails sent to: [email protected].
Again, thank you for your purchase of Ross Platform Manager from Ross Video. We are confident of your future
pleasure with your choice.
Yours Sincerely,

Gabriel Duschinsky
Product Manager - Enterprise Management
[email protected]

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Introduction • 1–1

 About This Guide
This guide contains the following chapters that cover the use of the Ross Platform Manager interconnection system:
1. “Introduction” summarizes the guide and provides important terms, conventions, and features.
2. “Getting Started” provides an overview of the Ross Platform Manager user interface.
3. “Monitoring the System” provides instructions on how to monitor the health of a Ross Platform Manager
system.
4. “User Preferences” provides instructions on how to override the default language, time zone, and font sizes set
by the Ross Platform Manager administrator.
5. “Configuring System Properties” provides instructions on how to configure a Ross Platform Manager
system.
6. “Managing a Product Key” provides instructions on how to manage multiple product key licenses and feature
activations from the Product Key Manager view
7. “Managing a Target” provides instructions on instantiating and authorizing a connection to a target.
8. “Managing a Deployment” provides instructions on creating a deployment.
9. “Managing DashBoard CustomPanels” provides instructions on using DashBoard CustomPanels in Ross
Platform Manager.
10. “Configuring User Permissions” provides instructions on how to set role-base user permissions for Ross
Platform Manager users.
11. “Configuring LDAP Authentication” provides instructions on how to use LDAP to create Ross Platform
Manager user accounts and roles.
12. “Changing Your Password” provides instruction on how to change your Ross Platform Manager account
password
13. “Managing Perspectives” provides instructions on how to create global perspectives available to all Ross
Platform Manager users.
14. “Using the Log Viewer” provides instructions on how to download and clear application data logs from Ross
Platform Manager.
If you have questions pertaining to the operation of the Ross Video product, please contact us at the numbers listed
in the section “Contacting Technical Support” on page 1–4. Our technical staff is always available for
consultation, training, or service.

Documentation Conventions
This guide uses special text formats to identify parts of the user interface, text that a user must enter, or a sequence
of menus and submenus that a user must follow to reach a particular command.

Interface Elements
Bold text identifies a user interface element such as a dialog box, a menu item, or a button. For example:
In the Media Manager Client, click Channel 1 the Channels section.

User Entered Text

Courier text identifies text that a user must enter. For example:
In the File Name box, enter Channel01.property.

1–2 • Introduction Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Referenced Guides
Italic text identifies the titles of referenced guides, manuals, or documents. For example:
For more information, refer to the section “Twitter Configuration” on page 3–6 in the Ross Platform Manager
User Guide.

Menu Sequences
Menu arrows identify a sequence of menu items that a user must follow to reach a particular command. For
example: if a procedure step contains “Server > Save As,” a user should click the Server menu and then click Save
As.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Introduction • 1–3

 Important Instructions
Star icons identify important instructions or features. For example:
 After installing Ross Platform Manager software, you must obtain Ross Platform Manager feature licenses from
Ross Video Technical Support before users can access Ross Platform Manager features.

Getting Help
To access the Ross Platform Manager Online Help system, click the Help icon in the main toolbar. For help about
the currently open panel, click the Help button in a panel title bar to view a help topic about the panel.
The Online Help system contains the following navigation tabs to locate and access Online Help topics:
• Contents — table of contents
• Search — full text search
• Favorites — preferred information storage and access
Ross Video also supplies a print-ready PDF file of the Ross Platform Manager User Guide on the Ross Platform
Manager Software Installation DVD.

Contacting Technical Support

Technical Support is staffed by a team of experienced specialists ready to assist you with any question or technical
issue.
Ross Video has technical support specialists strategically located around the globe to ensure a prompt response to
technical inquiries. Our primary technical support center is located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. In addition, we
have offices in The United Kingdom (London), Australia (Sydney), and Singapore with satellite locations in New
York City, The Netherlands, and China. As we expand our presence globally, we are constantly evaluating other key
locations to have a local technical support specialist in order to better service our customers.

North America
Our North America center located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada and is open Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
EST, with 24/7/365 on-call service after hours.
Our telephone number is: +1-613-652-4886
Toll free within North America: +1 844-652-0645

EMEA
Our EMEA center is located in Buckinghamshire, England, United Kingdom and is open Monday to Friday 8:30
a.m. to 5:00 p.m. GMT. After hours support is provided by our North America location.
Our telephone number is: +44 (0)1189502446
International toll free: +800 1005 0100

1–4 • Introduction Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Emergency After-hours Support
Our telephone number is: +1-613-349-0006
Toll free within North America: +1 844-652-0645
International toll free: +800 1005 0100

Online
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: use the link http://www.rossvideo.com/support/tech-support.html to open a support request.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Introduction • 1–5

1–6 • Introduction Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Getting Started
Ross Platform Manager (RPM) is an enterprise grade software solution which acts as a gateway to your Ross
Ecosystem. RPM aspires to provide customers with a unified approach to manage, coordinate, and securely access
production control systems. RPM aims at improving operational efficiencies in an efficient, easy to use, and secure
approach.
RPM provides the following capabilities.
1. Software Licensing
2. Software Orchestration and Configuration Management
3. AWS instance lifecycle management
4. Role Based Access Control for OpenGear devices
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Open Ross Platform Manager
• Explore the Ross Platform Manager User Interface
• Using a Desktop Computer with Ross Platform Manager
• Entering Text for Right-to-Left Languages

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Getting Started • 2–1

 Open Ross Platform Manager
Ross Platform Manager is a web based application that you access through a web browser.
To open Ross Platform Manager
1. Use one of the following supported web browsers to open the Ross Platform Manager web page provided by
your Ross Platform Manager administrator:
• Microsoft Internet Explorer® version 9 or greater
• Mozilla Firefox® version 3.6 or greater
• Google Chrome™ browser version 17.x or higher
• Apple Safari® version 5.1.x or greater
The Login panel opens.

2. In the Login panel, enter your Ross Platform Manager login credentials in the Username and Password boxes.
3. Click or tap Login.
Ross Platform Manager opens.
 If a message indicates that the system is in maintenance mode, a system administrator must establish a database
connection before you can log in as a Ross Platform Manager user.
To close Ross Platform Manager

• On the main toolbar, click or tap the Logout icon.

2–2 • Getting Started Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Explore the Ross Platform Manager User Interface
The Ross Platform Manager user interface consists of a main toolbar and various types of workspace panels that
open as required.
 Ross Platform Manager is a suite of tools that has many optional features. The Ross Platform Manager Online
Help system describes all Ross Platform Manager features, but the options available to you depend on which
features your organization has purchased and the user permissions that your Ross Platform Manager
administrator has granted to your user account. If you want to use a feature that you learned about from the Help
system but is not visible, contact your Ross Platform Manager administrator.

Main Toolbar
The icons in the main toolbar enable you to open workspace panels to access almost all features of Ross Platform
Manager. The icons that you can access from the main toolbar depends on the features your organization purchased
and the user permissions that your Ross Platform Manager administrator assigned to your user account. Ross
Platform Manager tailors the main toolbar to display the features available on the following supported devices:
• Desktop Computer — for an overview of the desktop computer main toolbar, refer to the following section
“Main Toolbar” on page 2–3.

Using a Desktop Computer with Ross Platform Manager

The Ross Platform Manager user interface consists of a main toolbar and various types of workspace panels that
open as required. Each type of panel opens in a pre-designated position in the Ross Platform Manager layout. You
can open, close, resize, or move individual panels.

Main Toolbar
The icons in the main toolbar enable you to open workspace panels to work with Ross Platform Manager features.
The icons available in the main toolbar depend on the features your organization purchased and the user
permissions that your Ross Platform Manager administrator assigned to your user account.
When you want more space on your screen for Ross Platform Manager panels, press Ctrl+F11 to hide the main
toolbar. Press Ctrl+F11 once again to show a hidden main toolbar.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Getting Started • 2–3

 The main toolbar may contain the following icons:
Table 2.1 Desktop Computer Main Toolbar Icons
Icon Name Description
Browse Product Keys Allows you to open the Product Key Manager and Product Key
Summary interfaces.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Managing a Product Key”
on page 6–1.
Releases Opens the Release Manager interface.
For more information, refer to the section “Adding a Product to the
Release Manager” on page 8–2.
Browse Configuration Opens the Snapshot Manager interface.
Snapshots For more information, refer to the section “Taking a Snapshot of a
Ross Platform Target” on page 7–9.
CustomPanel Opens the CustomPanel Manager interface.
Manager For more information, refer to the chapter “Managing DashBoard
CustomPanels” on page 9–1.
Browse Deployments Opens the Deployment Manager interface.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Managing a Deployment”
on page 8–1.
Browse Targets Opens the Target Manager interface.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Managing a Target” on
page 7–1.
Configuration Opens the Configuration interface.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Configuring System
Properties” on page 5–1.
Change Password Enables you to change your Ross Platform Manager password.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Changing Your Password”
on page 12–1.
Perspectives Enables you to switch to a different perspective, or to manage
perspectives.
For more information, refer to the section “Managing Perspectives” on
page 13–1.
Visual Workflow Opens the Visual Workflow Manager interface.
Manager For more information, refer to the section “Using the Visual Workflow
Manager” on page 7–10.
Log Viewer Opens the Log Viewer interface.
For more information, refer to the chapter “Using the Log Viewer” on
page 14–1.
Help Opens the Online Help system.

Logout End your current session and log out of Ross Platform Manager.

2–4 • Getting Started Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Panel Positions and Perspectives
When accessed from a desktop computer, the Ross Platform Manager user interface layout consists of the main
toolbar and eight panel positions. Each panel position can contain various types of Ross Platform Manager panels.
When panel positions are unoccupied, Ross Platform Manager optimizes the layout by expanding open panels to fill
all available space.

Figure 2.1 Arrangement of the Eight Panel Positions

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Getting Started • 2–5

 A user perspective is a customized view of the Ross Platform Manager user interface. It is a mapping of Ross
Platform Manager panel types to positions in the user interface layout.
Perspectives are especially useful for people who perform many different tasks in Ross Platform Manager. For
example, an administrator may use one perspective for configuring Ross Platform Manager, and another
perspective for monitoring Ross Platform Manager. All Ross Platform Manager users can create perspectives for
their own use. Ross Platform Manager administrators can also create global perspectives available to all users.
 Panels may not always appear exactly where you expect. As you open and close panels, Ross Platform Manager
adjusts the layout to optimize use of the available space.

Default Panel Positions

When you first use Ross Platform Manager, it opens certain types of panels in certain panel positions by default.
Ross Platform Manager continues to use the default layout until you move a panel or open a saved perspective.
By default, Ross Platform Manager does not occupy all panel positions. Ross Platform Manager optimizes the
layout by expanding open panels to fill all available space.
For More Information on...
• creating and managing perspectives, refer to the section “Managing Perspectives” on page 13–1.

2–6 • Getting Started Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Move a Panel from One Layout Position to Another
You can move a panel to any of the available eight layout positions.
To move a panel from one layout position to another
1. Place the mouse pointer on the title of the panel to move, then click and hold the mouse button.
2. Drag the selected panel.
The layout guide opens.

3. Drag the pointer over the layout guide to select the new position for your panel.
As you drag the pointer over the layout guide, the current drop position for the panel turns yellow. Light gray
positions indicate unoccupied positions. Dark gray positions indicate occupied positions that can accept
additional panels.
4. Release the mouse button to place the panel at the selected position, highlighted in yellow.
The panel opens at the selected position. When you select an occupied position, the panel opens as a new tab in
the panel. After you have arranged panels to your liking, you can save the layout as a perspective.
For More Information on...
• saving a layout as a perspective, refer to the section “Manage Perspectives” on page 36–2.

Rearrange Panel Tabs Within a Layout Position

When a panel contains multiple panel tabs, you can rearrange the order of panel tabs within the layout position to
customize the layout to suit your typical workflow.
To rearrange the order of panel tabs within a layout position
1. Place the mouse pointer on the title of the panel tab to move, then click and hold the mouse button.
2. Drag the selected panel tab within the tab row at the top of the layout position.
As you drag the pointer over the tab row, a dotted rectangle indicates the current drop position for the selected
panel tab. If the rectangle surrounds a tab name, the drop position is to the left of that tab.
3. When the dotted rectangle indicates the desired position, release the mouse button to drop the panel tab.
You can also move a panel to a different layout position by dragging and dropping the panel name tab into the
tab row of the destination panel. After you have arranged panel tabs to your liking, you can save the layout as a
perspective.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Getting Started • 2–7

 Navigating within Panels
This section describes how resize and close panels and how to navigate within column-based panels.
To resize a panel
1. Hover the mouse pointer over an edge or corner of the panel until the resizing icon displays.
2. Click and drag the edge or corner to resize the panel.
 Ross Platform Manager does no save custom panel sizing as part of a perspective.
To close a panel

• Click the Close icon in the top right corner of the panel.
When a layout position contains more than one open panel, only the current panel closes.

Entering Text for Right-to-Left Languages

When you enter text in Ross Platform Manager using a right-to-left language, text entry starts from the right of a
text box and continues to the left as you enter text. Arabic is one of the most widespread right-to-left languages of
modern times.
To enter text in a right-to-left language:
1. In the system settings for your desktop computer or mobile device, select a right-to-left language for the system
language or input keyboard.
2. Click in a Ross Platform Manager text box.
3. Enter your text.
Text starts from the right of the text box and continues to the left as you type. To return to left-to-right text
entry, select a left-to-right language for the system language or input keyboard.

2–8 • Getting Started Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Monitoring the System
Ross Platform Manager system monitors enable you to quickly view the health of your Ross Platform Manager
system. If your Ross Platform Manager falters, you can use system monitors to help diagnose the cause of the
system fault. Along with monitoring the health of your Ross Platform Manager system, you can also monitor and
control the users connected to your Ross Platform Manager system.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Monitor System Health
• User Defined System Monitors
• Monitor and Control Connected Users
• Manage the Ross Platform Manager SNMP Agent
• Managing the Audit Log

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–1
 Monitor System Health
As a Ross Platform Manager administrator, you can monitor the health of your Ross Platform Manager system
through the Configuration window of Ross Platform Manager.
 You cannot monitor Ross Platform Manager from a mobile device. The Configuration window is only accessible
from a desktop computer.
To monitor system health
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System Monitor icon.

The System Monitor panel opens.
4. Click the System Health tab.
The System Health tab opens.

The System Health Summary field displays a description of the current overall state of the Ross Platform
Manager system. The monitors in the System Monitors tree view report details about the state of the Ross
Platform Manager system.

3–2 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 5. Double-click a folder in the System Monitors tree view to open the folder and display the monitors contained
in the folder.

The icon in the lower right corner of System Monitors tree view nodes indicate the following health levels:
• — Healthy
• — Warning
• — Error
6. Click a monitor in the System Monitors tree view to view health details reported by the selected monitor.

User Defined System Monitors

Ross Platform Manager enables to add your own monitors to monitor the remaining storage space on a disk or the
connectivity between your Ross Platform Manager system and a web site. The Monitors tab of the System Monitor
panels enables you to add, edit, and delete user defined monitors.
To add a user defined monitor to the System Health tab

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System Monitor icon.

The System Monitor panel opens.
2. Click the Monitors tab.
The Monitors tab opens.
3. Click Add.
The Create New System Monitor page opens.
4. Use the Monitor list to select the type of monitor to add. The available monitor types are as follows:
• Disk Usage Monitor — check a selected hard drive to make sure that the available storage does not fall
below a set level.
• Internet Connectivity Monitor — check that there is connectivity between the Ross Platform Manager
system and a selected web site.
5. Click Next.
Depending on the type of monitor you are adding, the Add a Disk Usage Monitor or Add an Internet
Connectivity Monitor page opens.
6. Define the selected monitor as follows:
Disk Usage Monitor
a. In the Name box, enter a name for the monitor.
b. In the Interval box, enter the amount of time to wait between checks of available hard disk space.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–3
 c. Use the list to the right of the Interval box to select Minute(s) or Second(s) as the time unit for the time
entered in the Interval box.
d. Use the Drive list to select the Ross Platform Manager computer hard drive to monitor.
e. In the Minimum Free Space box, enter the minimum amount of disk space that the selected Drive must
contain. The monitor reports an Error when the available space on a Drive drops below the set minimum
disk space.
f. Use the list to the right of the Minimum Free Space box to select Gigabyte(s) or Megabyte(s) as the disk
space unit for the amount entered in the Minimum Free Space After box.
Internet Connectivity Monitor
a. In the Name box, enter a name for the monitor.
b. In the Interval box, enter the amount of time to wait between connectivity checks for a web site.
c. Use the list to the right of the Interval box to select Minute(s) or Second(s) as the time unit for the time
entered in the Interval box.
d. In the URL box, enter the web address (for example: http://www.rossvideo.com) of the web site that you
want to check connectivity with the Ross Platform Manager system.
7. Click Save.
Ross Platform Manager adds the new monitor to the System Monitor Management list.

3–4 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 To edit a user defined monitor
1. In the System Monitor Management list, select the monitor to edit.
2. Click Edit.
Depending on the type of monitor you are editing, the Edit Disk Usage Monitor or Edit Internet
Connectivity Monitor page opens.
3. Edit production monitor settings as required.
4. After completing the required monitor setting edits, click Save.
To delete a user defined monitor
1. In the System Monitor Management list, select the monitor to delete.
2. Click Edit.
A confirmation message opens, asking whether you want to delete the selected monitor. To keep the monitor,
click Cancel.
3. In the confirmation message, click OK.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected monitor from the System Monitor Management list and the
System Monitors tree view on the System Health tab.

Monitor and Control Connected Users

The Users tab of the System Monitor panel enables you to monitor and control the users connected to your Ross
Platform Manager system.
To monitor users connected to a Ross Platform Manager system

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System Monitor icon.

The System Monitor panel opens.
2. Click the Users tab.
The Users tab opens.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–5
 The User Session Management table displays the following information about the users connected to the Ross
Platform Manager system:
• Icon — this column displays an icon that identifies the user logged into the Ross Platform Manager system.
• Administrator — this column displays a check mark for users that are Ross Platform Manager
Administrators.
• Username — this column displays the Ross Platform Manager username of the user logged into the Ross
Platform Manager system.
• Full Name — this column displays the first and last name of the user logged into the Ross Platform
Manager system.
• IP Address / Hostname — this column displays the IP address and hostname of the computer that the user
is using to work on the Ross Platform Manager system.
• Last Active — this column displays the date and time that the user last made a change to Ross Platform
Manager.
• Login Time — this column displays the date and time that the user logged into the Ross Platform Manager
system.

Delete User Sessions

When required, you can delete user sessions from your Ross Platform Manager system. Deleting a user session logs
the selected user off of the Ross Platform Manager system. Ross Platform Manager saves user changes before
logging the user off of the Ross Platform Manager system.
To delete a user session
1. In the User Session Management table, select the user session to delete.
2. Click Delete User Session.
A confirmation message opens, asking whether you want to delete the selected user session. To keep the
session running, click Cancel.
3. In the confirmation message, click OK.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected user session and logs the user off of the Ross Platform Manager
system.

Manage the Ross Platform Manager SNMP Agent

Ross Video uses two Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) agents to monitor the software and hardware
of your Ross Platform Manager system. SNMP traps enable an agent to send unsolicited SNMP messages to the
Network Management Station (NMS) to notify the station of significant events.

3–6 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 The Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent monitors the Ross Platform Manager system and reports significant
events to your NMS as SNMP traps. Ross Platform Manager system hardware changes and errors are monitored by
the Windows SNMP agent running on the Ross Platform Manager computer. The Ross Platform Manager SNMP
agent forwards SNMP traps from the Windows SNMP agent to your NMS (Figure 3.1).

RPM Computer Network Management Station

Network
RPM Manager
SNMP Agent

Status
Change

SNMP Get / Reply

SNMP Trap
SNMP Traps

Figure 3.1 SNMP Connections

Configure the Ross Platform Manager SNMP Agent

The SNMP tab of the System Monitor panel enables you to configure the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent to
send SNMP trap messages to your NMS.
To configure the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System Monitor icon.

The System Monitor panel opens.
2. Click the SNMP tab.
The SNMP tab opens.

3. Select the Enabled check box to send SNMP trap messages from the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent to
your NMS.
4. In the Polling Port box, enter the port number through which the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent
receives commands from and replies to the NMS.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–7
 5. In the Community String box, enter the password that allows your NMS to access the Ross Platform Manager
SNMP agent on your Ross Platform Manager computer.
 When you change the Community String from public to your own password, you must enter your password
on the NMS to allow access to your Ross Platform Manager computer.
6. In the Windows SNMP Agent Trap Port box, enter the port number that the Windows SNMP agent running
on the Ross Platform Manager computer uses to send SNMP trap messages.
The Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent forwards SNMP trap messages from the Windows SMNP agent to
your NMS through the NMS Trap Port.
7. To send SNMP trap message from the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent to one or more NMSs, add NMSs
as follows:
a. Click Add to the right of the Configured Network Management Systems (NMS) box.
An Alert dialog box opens.
b. Enter the IP address and port number (<IP Address>:<Port Number>) of an NMS to receive SNMP
trap message from the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent. For example:
10.0.2.160:3000
c. To add an additional NMS, repeat step a to step b.

Delete an NMS
When you no longer require an NMS, you can delete the NMS configuration.
To delete an NMS
1. In the Configured Network Management Systems (NMS) box, select the NMS to delete.
2. Click Delete to the right of the Configured Network Management Systems (NMS) box.
An Alert dialog box opens.
3. Click OK to delete the NMS.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected NMS from the Configured Network Management Systems
(NMS) box.

Configure Your NMS for Ross Platform Manager

You must load the Ross Video and Ross Platform Manager Management Information Base (MIB) files into your
NMS to enable it to interpret the SNMP trap messages it receives from a Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent. The
Ross Platform Manager MIB file describes the SNMP trap messages sent by the Ross Platform Manager SNMP
agent.
To load the Ross Video and OverDrive MIB files into your NMS
1. Get the ROSS-VIDEO.mib and RWP-MIB.mib files from one of the following locations:
• Copy from the Ross Platform Manager system (C:\Program Files\Ross Video\Ross Platform
Manager\utilities\snmp)
• Download from the Ross Video web site (www.rossvideo.com)
2. Load the ROSS-VIDEO.mib file into your NMS.
3. Load the RWP-MIB.mib file into your NMS.

3–8 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Configure the Windows SNMP Agent
To enable the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent to forward hardware SNMP trap messages to your NMS, you
need to configure an SNMP agent. You can use any type of SNMP agent.
To configure a Windows SNMP agent:
1. From the Windows Desktop, press Windows Key+R.
The Run dialog box opens.

2. In the Open box, type the following application name:

services.msc
3. Click OK.
The Services window opens.

4. In the Services list, locate the SNMP Service service.

 If you cannot find the SNMP Service service in the Services list, install the SNMP Service on your Ross
Platform Manager computer.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–9
 5. Right click the SNMP Service service and select Properties from the shortcut menu.
The SNMP Service Properties dialog box opens.

6. Click the Traps tab.

The Traps tab opens.

7. In the Community name box, enter the password that you set for the Community String in step 5 of the
procedure “To configure the Ross Platform Manager SNMP agent” on page 3–7.
8. Click Add to list.
9. In the Trap destinations section, click Add.
The SNMP Service Configuration dialog box opens.

10. In the Host name, IP or IP address box, enter localhost.

11. Click Add.
The SNMP Service Configuration dialog box closes.
12. In the SNMP Service Properties dialog box, click OK.
The SNMP Service Properties dialog box closes.
13. In the Services window, click Restart for the SNMP Service service.
14. Use the File menu to select Exit.
The Services window closes.

3–10 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing the Audit Log
Ross Platform Manager automatically records occurrences of failed login attempts, successful logins, maintenance
mode logins, and new target creations. The record of these occurrences can be viewed via the audit log. By
accessing this record, you can track user and IP address logins, allowing you to improve the security of your system
by blocking IP addresses if needed. The audit log feature is automatically enabled.
To access the audit log
1. Follow the file path
C:/Program Files/Ross Video/Ross Platform Manager/workspace/.metadata/logs

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Monitoring the System • 3–11
3–12 • Monitoring the System Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 User Preferences
The Ross Platform Manager administrator sets the default language, time zone, and font sizes for the all of the Ross
Platform Manager users on a Ross Platform Manager system. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User
Preferences tab of the System panel to override the default language, time zone, and font sizes set by the Ross
Platform Manager administrator.
This chapter discusses the following topic:
• Set User Preferences

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) User Preferences • 4–1

 Set User Preferences
Ross Platform Manager users can individually override the default Ross Platform Manager user interface language,
time zone, and font sizes set by the Ross Platform Manager administrator for all users of a Ross Platform Manager
system.
 You cannot user preferences from a mobile device, you must use a desktop computer to access the Configuration
window.
To set the Ross Platform Manager UI language, time zone, and font sizes
1. The user preferences that you set depend on the credentials that you use to log in to the Ross Platform Manager
web page.
• Administrator — set the default Ross Platform Manager user interface language, time zone, and font sizes
set for all Ross Platform Manager users. The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
› Username — root
› Password — password
• User — set your own Ross Platform Manager user interface language, time zone, and font sizes that
override the defaults set by your Ross Platform Manager administrator.

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon.

The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Preferences icon.

The User Preferences panel of the Configuration window opens.

4. In the User Preferences tab, use the User Language list to select the user interface language that you want to
use with Ross Platform Manager. Select Use System Default to use the language set by the Ross Platform
Manager administrator.
5. Use the User Time Zone list to select the time zone which matches your physical location. Select Use System
Default to use the time zone set by the Ross Platform Manager administrator.
6. Use the User Editor Font Size list to select the font size that you want Ross Platform Manager to display text
in editor panels. You can select a font size from 6 to 32 points. Select Use System Default to use the editor font
size set by the Ross Platform Manager administrator.

4–2 • User Preferences Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 7. Use the User Grid Font Size list to select the font size that you want Ross Platform Manager to display text in
panel grids. You can select a font size from 6 to 32 points. Select Use System Default to use the grid font size
set by the Ross Platform Manager administrator.
8. Click OK.
The Configuration window closes.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) User Preferences • 4–3

4–4 • User Preferences Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Configuring System Properties
This chapter provides instructions for configuring the general system properties of your Ross Platform Manager
system using the following tabs on the System configuration panel:
• Database — connect Ross Platform Manager to the database that stores application data.
• File Sync — view a list of Ross Platform Manager nodes in the cluster and their file synchronization statuses.
• Licensing — license Ross Platform Manager features.
• System — set default preferences for users of a Ross Platform Manager system.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Configure Database Connectivity
• Activating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software
• Reactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software
• Deactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software
• Configure Default System Settings
• Viewing File Synchronization Information

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring System Properties • 5–1
 Configure Database Connectivity
Ross Platform Manager administrators can use a desktop computer to configure Ross Platform Manager database
connectivity settings through the Configuration window.
 You cannot configure Ross Platform Manager from a mobile device. The Configuration window is only
accessible from a desktop computer.
Database connectivity settings enable you to set the database used by Ross Platform Manager and the user account
that Ross Platform Manager uses to connect with the database. Supported database drivers are listed in Table 5.1
below.
Table 5.1 Supported Database Drivers
Deployment
Pattern MySQL v5.7 MySQL v8.0 postGres v10-14 MariaDB
Single node RPM v3.4 and down RPM v3.5 and up All RPM v3.5 and up
Redundant RPM v3.4 and down RPM v3.5 and up Not supported RPM v3.5 and up

To configure database connectivity

1. Click the Database tab.
The Database tab opens.

2. Use the Driver list to select the database driver used to connect to the Ross Platform Manager Database.
3. In the URL box, enter the JDBC URL that connects your Ross Platform Manager system with the Ross
Platform Manager Database. For example, for a database named Ross Platform Manager on PostgreSQL, use
the following URL:
jdbc:postgresql://localhost/platform_manager
4. In the Username box, enter the username that Ross Platform Manager uses to access the database.
5. In the Password box, enter the password associated with the username.
For security purposes, dots replace the entered password.
6. In the bottom toolbar, click OK.
The Configuration window closes.

5–2 • Configuring System Properties Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Activating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software
Ross Video uses product keys to manage user licenses for Ross Platform Manager. You can obtain a Ross Platform
Manager product key from Ross Video Technical Support.
 When you activate a Ross Platform Manager software product key, your Ross Platform Manager computer must
contact the Ross Video Activation Server.
To activate a Ross Platform Manager product key
1. Verify that the Ross Platform Manager computer is able to connect to the Internet.

2. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System icon.

The System panel opens.
3. Click the Licensing tab.
The Licensing Configuration tab opens.

4. Obtain a Ross Platform Manager product key from Ross Video Technical Support.
5. In the Product Key box, enter the product key obtained from Ross Video Technical Support.
6. Click Activate.
After activating the entered product key, an Alert dialog box opens requesting a web browser window refresh.
7. Click OK.
The Alert dialog box closes and the Licensing Configuration tab updates to display the feature licenses
associated with the activated product key.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring System Properties • 5–3
 The Status column displays one of the following states:

Background Status Description

Green Active The feature is active and available to Ross Platform Manager users.

Yellow Expires in # days The feature availability for Ross Platform Manager users expires in
the displayed number of days.

Red Expired The feature has expired and is no longer available to Ross Platform
Manager users.

Red Invalid MAC The feature license key is invalid for the active network interface
card of the Ross Platform Manager computer.

White Not Purchased The feature is not accessible to Ross Platform Manager users, but it is
available for purchase.

8. Click OK.
The Configuration dialog box closes.
9. Refresh your web browser window.
Ross Platform Manager adds icons to the toolbar for the newly activated features, making the features
accessible to Ross Platform Manager users.
For More Information on...
• contacting Ross Video Technical Support, refer to the section “Contacting Technical Support” on page 1–4.

Reactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software

After purchasing new features for a Ross Platform Manager system, the Ross Platform Manager product key
requires a reactivation to make the purchased features available to Ross Platform Manager users.
To reactivate a Ross Platform Manager product key

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System icon.

The System panel opens.
2. Click the Licensing tab.
The Licensing Configuration tab opens.
3. Click the License Options link.
The Product Key field displays the currently activate product key.
4. Click Reactivate.
After reactivating the product key, an Alert dialog box opens requesting a refresh of the web browser window.
5. Click OK.
The Alert dialog box closes and the Licensing Configuration tab is updates to display with new feature
licenses associated with the reactivated product key.
6. Click OK.
The Configuration dialog box closes.
7. Refresh your web browser window.
Ross Platform Manager adds icons to the toolbar for the newly activated features, making the features
accessible to Ross Platform Manager users.

5–4 • Configuring System Properties Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Deactivating a Product Key for Ross Platform Manager Software
When you want to move Ross Platform Manager software on another computer, you must first deactivate the Ross
Platform Manager software on the current Ross Platform Manager computer.
To deactivate a Ross Platform Manager product key

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System icon.

The System panel opens.
2. Click the Licensing tab.
The Licensing Configuration tab opens.
3. Click the License Options link.
The Product Key field displays the currently activate product key.
4. Click Deactivate.
After deactivating the product key, an Alert dialog box opens.
5. Click OK.
The Alert dialog box closes and the product key shown in the Product Key box deactivates. You can use the
deactivated product key to activate Ross Platform Manager software on another computer.
Deactivating a product key un-licenses and removes Ross Platform Manager user access to all of the Ross
Platform Manager features associated with the product key.
6. Click OK.
The Configuration dialog box closes.

Configure Default System Settings

Ross Platform Manager administrators can set the default language, time zone, font sizes, and data sharing folder
for all of the users of a Ross Platform Manager system.
To set the default language, time zone, font sizes, and data sharing folder a Ross Platform Manager system

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System icon.

The System panel opens.
2. Click the System tab.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring System Properties • 5–5
 The System tab opens.

3. Use the System Language list to select the Ross Platform Manager user interface language for all users of a
Ross Platform Manager system. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the System
panel to override the selected System Language.
If you want to download a Ross Platform Manager language pack, follow these steps.
a. Click the Download link.
The Download Selected Language Pack and Download Empty Language Pack buttons display below
the System Language list.
b. Click Download Selected Language Pack to download the selected System Language to your computer
as a Ross Platform Manager language pack file.
c. Click Download Empty Language Pack to download a template that you can use to create a Ross
Platform Manager language pack file.
4. Use the System Time Zone list to select the time zone which matches the physical location of the Ross
Platform Manager computer. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the
Preferences panel to override the selected System Time Zone.
5. Use the System Time Format list to select the time format that matches the Ross Platform Manager Server
computer. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the Preferences panel to override
the selected System Time Format.
6. Use the System Editor Font Size list to select the font size, 6 to 32 points, that Ross Platform Manager uses to
display text in editor panels. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the
Preferences panel to override the selected System Editor Font Size.
7. Use the System Grid Font Size list to select the font size, 6 to 32 points, that Ross Platform Manager uses to
display text in panel grids. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the Preferences
panel to override the selected System Grid Font Size.
8. Use the System First Day of the Week list to select the first day of the week that will be used in calendars and
date pickers. Ross Platform Manager users can use the User Preferences tab of the Preferences panel to
override the selected System First Day of the Week.

5–6 • Configuring System Properties Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Viewing File Synchronization Information
The File Sync tab in the System configuration panel allows the Ross Platform Manager administrator to view a list
of the Ross Platform Manager nodes and their statuses. The File Sync tab (Figure 5.1) is made up of two tables:
• the Nodes table,
• and the Features table.

Figure 5.1 File Sync tab

File Sync Nodes Table

The Nodes table of the File Sync tab displays all of the nodes in the cluster. If a node is disconnected and removed
from the cluster, it will also be removed from the Nodes table. For each node, the address, ID, and status will all be
displayed in the table. There is also the Enabled column, which allows you to select whether or not file
synchronization is enabled for a node.
To enable file sync for a node

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the System icon.

The System panel opens.
2. Click the File Sync tab.
The File Sync tab opens.
3. In the Enabled column of the desired node, select the check box.
The Status column of the selected node updates to Connected, and files are now being synced between the
selected node and other nodes in the cluster.

File Sync Features Table

The Features table of the File Sync tab displays all of the files that are being synced within the cluster, as well as
their status and size. Note that these files will only be displayed in this table if Orchestration and/or CustomPanel
features are licensed.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring System Properties • 5–7
5–8 • Configuring System Properties Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing a Product Key
Ross Platform Manager allows you to manage multiple product key licenses and feature activations from the
Product Key Manager view. This workflow is available in multiple modes, whether the Ross Platform Manager is
installed on a computer with Internet access or not.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Activating and Deactivating Product Keys
• Editing a Product Key’s Notes
• Modifying Product Key Settings
• Setting Up License Expiry Notifications
• Managing Product Keys
• Generating a License Usage Report
• Understanding Dynamic and Static Licenses

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–1
 Activating and Deactivating Product Keys
To determine which procedure to follow for activating and/or deactivating a product key, you will need to know the
license mode (Static or Dynamic), and if the computer that RPM is on has Internet access or not. Using this info,
consult Table 6.1 below and follow one of the appropriate procedures
Table 6.1 Procedure Types for Activating/Deactivating Product Keys
Internet Access No Internet Access

• Online Mode
Static License • Web Based OLA Mode
• Web Based OLA Mode

Dynamic License • Web Based OLA Mode • Web Based OLA Mode

For more information on Static and Dynamic licenses, see “Understanding Dynamic and Static Licenses” on
page 6–17.

Activating a Product Key

There are two methods to activate your product key, based on your network setup:
• Online Mode
• Web Based OLA Mode
To determine which method is best to use, see the description under “Activating and Deactivating Product Keys”
on page 6–2.
 Activation or deactivation files may only be used once.
To activate a product key (Online Mode)

1. Open Ross Platform Manager, and in the Product Key Manager click the Add Product Key icon.
The Add Product Key window opens.

2. Paste the 15 digit product key provided by Ross video in the Product Key input field. You may add up to 100
product keys at once, separating each 15 digit product key with a delimiter (either a space, a new line, or a
comma).
Note: Ensure there is no delimiter after the final product key. A delimiter after the final product key will cause
RPM to expect another product key to be added, and the Add button will not be usable.
3. Click Add.

6–2 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 If any product keys entered are invalid, the message “Error while adding the following product keys” will be
displayed, followed by a list of the invalid product keys.
In the Product Key Manager you should see the product key(s) successfully added listed in the table, and the
Status of Not Activated (in this example, MJXQ1-ZKPZV-NQM3X).

4. Double-click a product key just added in the Product Key Manager table.
The selected product key in the Product Key View opens.

5. In the Product Key View, while the appropriate product key is selected, click the Activate icon.
The Activate Product Key dialog opens.

6. In the Activate Product Key dialog, enter the Product Version for the current product instance.
Note that this is optional when activating a Static key
7. Click Activate.
8. In the Product Key Manager, verify that the product key status shows the new Activated status (highlighted
in green).

9. Repeat from step 4 of this procedure onwards for each remaining product key added in step 2.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–3
 To activate a product key (Web Based OLA Mode)

 This procedure can be followed whether your Ross Platform Manager server is connected to the Internet or not.
However, you will need to use a computer with Internet access to complete the activation.

1. Open Ross Platform Manager, and in the Product Key Manager click the Add Product Key icon.
The Add Product Key (Offline) window opens.

2. Paste the 15 digit product key provided by Ross video in the Product Key input field. You may add up to 100
product keys at once, separating each 15 digit product key with a delimiter (either a space, a new line, or a
comma).
Note: Ensure there is no delimiter after the final product key. A delimiter after the final product key will cause
RPM to expect another product key to be added, and the Add button will not be usable.
3. Click Add.
In the Product Key Manager you should see the product key listed in the table, and the Status of Not
Activated.

4. Double-click a product key just added in the Product Key Manager table.
The selected product key in the Product Key View opens.

6–4 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 5. In the Product Key View, click the Request Activation (Checkout) icon.

The activation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file downloads.

6. If you are performing this procedure on a computer without Internet access, move the
activation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file to a computer with Internet access.
If you are performing this procedure on a computer with Internet access, continue on to step 7.
7. In your web browser, go to https://ola.rossvideo.cloud/.

8. Click Check-Out (Activate).

The Offline License Tool opens the Check-Out dialog.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–5
 9. Click Browse... and select the activation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file.

10. Click Check-Out (Activate).

The product key associated with the activation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file is activated and a
prompt to save the activation response file opens.

11. Click Download License File.

The activation response file saves.
12. Open Ross Platform Manager and in the Product Key Manager, double-click the product key you are
activating.
The selected product key in the Product Key View opens.

13. In the Product Key View, click the Upload Activation File icon.
The Activation File dialog box opens.

6–6 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 14. Select Choose File, and select the activation response file (in this case My_Caprica_License) that the Web
Based OLA generated.

15. Click Upload.

The License Applied alert opens.

16. Confirm that the product key is active by checking the license status in the Product Key Manager view (status
will be highlighted in green), and verify that the Product Key View shows all of the licenses included with the
product key.

You can also double-click a license in the Product Key View, and it will open the activations for the selected
license.

17. Repeat from step 4 of this procedure onwards for each remaining product key added in step 2.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–7
 Deactivating a Product Key
There are two methods to deactivate your product key, based on your network setup:
• Online Mode
• Web Based OLA Mode
To determine which method is best to use, see the description under “Activating and Deactivating Product Keys”
on page 6–2.
 Activation or deactivation files may only be used once.
To deactivate a product key (Online Mode)
1. Open Ross Platform Manager, and open the Product Key Manager. Select the product key you would like to
deactivate from the table and double-click to open the Product Key View.

2. In the Product Key View, click Deactivate.

The deactivated Product Key is removed from the Product Key Manager corresponding Product Key View.
The Deactivate and Reactivate icons are replaced by a Remove and Activate icon in the menu.

3. In the Product Key View, click Remove.

The product key is removed from the Product Key Manager, and the Product Key View closes.

6–8 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 To deactivate a product key (Web Based OLA Mode)

 This procedure can be followed whether your Ross Platform Manager server is connected to the Internet or not.
However, you will need to use a computer with Internet access to complete the deactivation.
1. Open Ross Platform Manager, and open the Product Keys > Product Key Manager.
2. Select the product key you would like to deactivate from the table and double-click to open the Product Key
View.
The Product Key View of the product key you selected opens.

3. In the Product Key View, click Request Deactivation (Checkin).

The deactivation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file downloads.
4. If you are performing this procedure on a computer without Internet access, move the
deactivation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file to a computer with Internet access.
If you are performing this procedure on a computer with Internet access, continue on to step 5.
5. In your web browser, go to https://ola.rossvideo.cloud/.

6. Click Check-In (Deactivate).

The Offline License Tool opens the Check-In dialog.

7. Click Browse... and select the deactivation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–9
 8. Click Check-In (Deactivate).
The product key associated with the deactivation-request-<GMT timestamp>.json file is deactivated and a
Success message displays.

9. Open Ross Platform Manager and in the Product Key Manager table you can confirm that the license Status
is Not Activated. You can then double-click to open the license in the License Key Manager, and click the
Remove icon if you wish to remove the license from the list.

6–10 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Editing a Product Key’s Notes
The Notes column in the Product Key Manager can be used to display any information that may be relevant or
helpful to make note of for each product key.
To edit the notes of a product key
1. Open Ross Platform Manager, and open the Product Key Manager.
2. Select the product key you would like to edit the note of from the table.

3. Click Edit Notes in the main toolbar.

The Edit Notes dialog box opens.

4. Enter the desired information into the Notes field. You may enter up to 255 characters.
5. Click Ok.
The Edit Notes dialog box closes, and your note has been saved to the selected product key. The note will
display when the mouse is hovered over the Notes column.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–11
 Modifying Product Key Settings
You can choose the default settings for product keys, including selecting the settings for activations, reactivations
upon version change, and synchronization.
To modify the product key settings

1. In the Product Key Manager window, click the Settings icon on the main toolbar.
The Product Key Settings dialog box opens.

2. For the Product Key Settings, you can configure the following options according to your preferences:

Setting Description
Automatically activate newly Select this check box if you would like newly added
detected product keys. product keys to activate automatically.
Automatically reactivate product Select this check box if you want product keys to
keys when version changes. reactivate automatically when the version changes.
Automatically synchronize licenses. Select to synchronize licenses. Set the following
options:
• For the Once every < > hours entry field, enter a
value (in hours) for how often you would like the
Ross Platform Manager to synchronize licenses.
Note: Ross Platform Manager must be able to connect
to the Ross Activation server, and this is not possible
when running in offline mode.
• On Startup - select this check box if you want to
synchronize licenses upon startup.
Automatically synchronize Select this option to automatically synchronize
products, features and releases. products, features, and releases once every 24 hours.
• On Startup — select this check box if you want to
synchronize features upon startup.

3. Click Save.

6–12 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Setting Up License Expiry Notifications
To avoid any interruptions to the use of your licensed products, it is important to renew all licenses on time. Using
the RPM license expiry notification system can help you ensure that an expiry date is not missed. Once you
configure the outgoing mail server and add recipients to the mailing list, designated users will receive notifications
when a license is expiring soon or has already expired.
To make use of the license expiry notifications system, follow the procedures in the following sections below:
• Configuring the Mail Server
• Managing Recipients
• Configuring the Schedule

Configuring the Mail Server

Before license expiry notifications can be sent to users, the outgoing mail server must be configured. The procedure
below details the steps necessary to properly configure the mail server, as well as how to send out a test e-mail to
verify that the setup has been successful.
To configure the mail server
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Notifications icon.

The Notifications panel opens.

4. On the Mail Server tab under Notification Email Setting, select Enable E-Mail Notifications.
5. Under Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP), configure the following settings:
• Host — Enter the host name for the outgoing mail server.
• Port — Enter the port number for the outgoing mail server.
• Encryption — Select the encryption to be used for the outgoing mail server (either None or SSL/TLS).

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–13
 • Authenticate — Select if the outgoing mail server requires authentication.
• Username — Displays if using authentication. Enter the username for the outgoing mail server.
• Password — Displays if using authentication. Enter the password for the outgoing mail server.
6. Under Test Mail, enter the following information to send a test e-mail to confirm that you have configured the
mail server correctly:
• From E-Mail Address — Enter the e-mail address that you want the test email to show as being sent from.
• Test E-Mail Address — Enter the e-mail address that you want the test email to be sent to.
7. Click Send Test Email to send a test e-mail to and from the addresses entered in the previous step.
A test e-mail is sent to the Test E-Mail Address entered. Receiving it confirms the mail server has been
configured correctly.
8. Click OK.
The configurations to the mail server have been saved and the Configuration window closes.

Managing Recipients
When the mail server has been configured, you are ready to begin managing the recipients intended to receive the
license expiry notifications. It is outlined below how to both add new recipients to the recipients list, and how to
edit existing ones.
To add new recipients
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Notifications icon.

The Notifications panel opens.
4. Click the Recipients tab.
The Recipients tab opens.

6–14 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 5. Under the Manage Recipients list, click Add Recipient.
A new recipient is added to the Manage Recipients list and opens under Recipient Properties.
6. Under Recipient Properties, enter the following information for the recipient:
• Email — Enter the email address of the recipient.
• Full Name — Enter the full name of the recipient.
• Subscription Notification — Select if the recipient should receive notifications when a license is about to
expire. A maximum of 30 recipients can be signed up to receive Subscription Notifications.
• Maintenance Notification — Select if the recipient should receive notifications when a maintenance
agreement is about to expire. A maximum of 30 recipients can be signed up to receive Maintenance
Notifications.
Note that a recipient must be signed up for at least one type of notification to be saved.
7. Repeat from step 5 of this procedure onwards for any additional recipients that must be added.

To edit existing recipients

1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Notifications icon.

The Notifications panel opens.
4. Click the Recipients tab.
The Recipients tab opens.

5. Under the Manage Recipients list, select the recipient that you want to edit.
The selected recipient loads under Recipient Properties.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–15
 6. Under Recipient Properties, edit the desired recipient information.
Note that a maximum of 30 recipients can be signed up to receive each type of notification, and that a recipient
must be signed up for at least one type of notification to be saved.

Configuring the Schedule

The Schedule tab in the Notifications panel (Figure 6.1) outlines the schedule for license expiry notifications. The
fields in this tab are currently read-only; however, in a future version of RPM, users will be able to customize these
fields and create their own schedule.

Figure 6.1 The Schedule tab in the Notifications panel

Managing Product Keys

You can use the Product Key Summary panel to search for a product key or filter for a particular group of product
keys that share the same properties, such as the same product type, feature, or licensed user.
To find a product key or group of similar product keys
1. To open the Product Key Summary panel, in the RPM top menu click Product Keys > Product Key
Summary.

2. In the Product Key Summary panel, click Filter and enter the product key, product name, feature, or the
assigned user for the product key(s) that you wish to view.
 You cannot search by Total Count, Used Count, Host Name, or IP Address.

Generating a License Usage Report

You can generate a license usage report for any product key in the Ross Platform Manager. The report includes a
history of product key activation and release times, licensed users, and network details.
To generate a license usage report
1. To generate a license report, in the RPM top menu click Product Keys > Product Key Summary.

2. Select the product key that you wish to get a report for, and click Export. The .csv file will appear in your
Downloads folder.

6–16 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 3. Open the report using Microsoft Excel or a software that supports .csv files.

Understanding Dynamic and Static Licenses

Licensing modes in Ross Platform Manager fall under two categories: Static licenses and Dynamic licenses.
Static licenses are used by products that are connected to the same instance of RPM, such as OverDrive, Caprica,
and RWP based products. When using a Static license, the user is required to manually activate the product key
before the product can be granted a license.
Dynamic licenses are managed by the Activation Server, and are granted either by being directly connected to the
Internet, or by connecting through RPM. Some examples of products which use Dynamic licenses are XPression,
DashBoard CustomPanels, and Carbonite switchers. For Dynamic licenses, RPM acts as a proxy between the
Activation Server and the product, forwarding the request for the license from the product to the Activation server,
and then forwarding the Activation Server’s response to the product. Unlike Static licenses, the user is not required
to manually activate the product key before being granted a license.
To view which licensing mode is being used for a product, follow the procedure below to display the License Mode
column in the Product Key Manager. The License Mode column is hidden by default, but can easily be displayed.

To display License Mode in the Product Key Manager

1. Open the Product Key Manager by clicking Product Keys > Product Key Manager in the RPM top menu.
2. Right click on the column headers of the Product Key Manager.
The displayed columns menu opens.

3. Select License Mode.

4. Select Close.
The License Mode column is now displayed at the far right of the Product Key Manager, and can be dragged
to whichever position is desired.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Product Key • 6–17
6–18 • Managing a Product Key Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing a Target
The Ross Platform Manager allows you to instantiate multiple different connections to target devices in the Target
Manager. Examples of targets include static Windows or Linux hosts (on bare metal machines, VMs, or Amazon
EC2 instances), Cloud hosts, and Ross Platform switchers (Carbonite or Acuity). Once a connection to a target is
instantiated, the target must be authorized using a method that is suitable for the type of target.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Adding a Target
• Authorizing a Target
• Transitioning an SDPE Blade Target
• Extending Carbonite as an OGP Device
• Copying Info from the Target Manager
• Force Stopping a Cloud Instance
• Taking a Snapshot of a Ross Platform Target
• Editing a Snapshot Description
• Using the Visual Workflow Manager

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–1

 Adding a Target
To start off, you’ll add your target to the target manager by providing Ross Platform Manager with information
about the target. When a target is added (even by another user), it will display automatically in the list of targets in
the sidebar of the Visual Workflow canvas.
 softGear deployments are supported by Linux targets, and XPression deployments are supported by Windows
targets.
To add a Windows or Linux target
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Targets icon.
The Target Manager opens.

2. To create a target, click Add.

The Create Target window opens.

3. In the Create Target window, enter the following information:

• Name — Enter a meaningful name for the target.
• Type — Select Static.
• Platform — Select either Windows OS or Linux OS.
• Host — Enter your host name or IP address.
• Port — Enter the port number for the target.
• User Name — Enter the user name for the target.
• User Type — Select whether the user account type is AD/LDAP or Local (optional).
• Domain — Available when User Type is set to AD/LDAP. Use this field to enter the domain name
(optional).
• Target Group — Select a group for the target (optional).
4. Click OK to add the target.
5. Verify that your new target appears in the Target Manager.

 If you have added a Windows OS target, the target will automatically be authorized and appear with Ready
State if you have downloaded and executed the Open SSH script on the target device.

7–2 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 To add a Ross Platform target
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Targets icon.
The Target Manager opens.

2. To create a target, click Add.

The Create Target window opens.

3. In the Create Target window, enter the following information:

• Name — Enter a meaningful name for the target.
• Type — Select Ross Platform.
• Platform — Select Acuity, Carbonite, SDPE Blade, OGP Json, or OGP Binary.
• Host/Instance Id — Enter your host name or IP address.
• Port — If the target is a Carbonite, enter the port number.
• Extend as OGP device — Available when the target is a Carbonite. Select to extend the Carbonite as an
OGP device (optional).
• Port — Available when the target is a Carbonite and Extend as OGP device is selected. Autofills with the
port number for the extension as an OGP device.
• User Name — Enter the user name for your target.
• User Type — Select whether the user account type is AD/LDAP or Local (optional).
• Domain — Available when User Type is set to AD/LDAP. Use this field to enter the domain name
(optional).
• Target Group — Select a group for the target (optional).
4. Click OK to add the target.
5. Verify that your new target appears in the Target Manager.

To add a Cloud target

1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Targets icon.
The Target Manager opens.

2. To create a target, click Add.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–3

 The Create Target window opens.

3. In the Create Target window, enter the following information:

• Name — Enter a meaningful name for the target.
• Type — Select Cloud.
• Platform — The Platform will automatically be set to AWS.
• Instance Id — Enter your EC2 instance ID.
• Host — This field will be automatically populated with the host server’s private IP address.
• User Name — Enter the user name for your target.
• User Type — Select whether the user account type is AD/LDAP or Local (optional).
• Domain — Available when User Type is set to AD/LDAP. Use this field to enter the domain name
(optional).
• Target Group — Select a group for the target (optional).
4. Click OK to add the target.
5. Verify that your new target appears in the Target Manager.

7–4 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Authorizing a Target
Once a target has been added, it will need to be authorized in order to be eligible for use in a deployment. Targets
with a Windows OS are automatically authorized if the Open SSH script is installed on the target device. Targets
with a Linux OS will need to be authorized using a key-based or password-based method. Ross Platform targets
need to be authorized using a password-based method.
Once Ross Platform Manager verifies that a target’s operating system is available and successfully connects to it,
the target will automatically move into Ready State in the Target Manager, signaling that it is eligible for a
deployment.
To authorize a Windows target

 This procedure can be completed before the target is added to the Target Manager. If you already have SSH
installed on the machine, you are not required to follow this procedure.
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Tools, select the Configuration icon.
The Configuration window opens.

2. Select System > OpenSSH to open the OpenSSH download menu.

3. Select Download Script to download the OpenSSH Script.

The openssh-download.zip file containing the OpenSSH Script downloads.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–5

 4. Open the README.txt file included in the openssh-download.zip file.
5. Follow the instructions in the README.txt file to install the OpenSSH Script on the Windows target device.
6. In the Target Manager, select the Windows target by clicking on it.
7. Click Authorize.
8. Verify that the Windows target is in Ready State.
To authorize a Linux or Cloud target (key-based)

 You must generate a .pem key file for the target device before following this procedure.
1. Select the Linux or Cloud target in the Target Manager.
2. Select Authorize.

The Authorize Target window opens.

3. Select Choose File to upload the key file in .pem format.

4. Verify that the correct key file is uploaded and click OK.
5. Verify that the Linux or Cloud target is in Ready State in the Target Manager.
If the State status shows Not Ready with the Status Reason “Failed to retrieve OS information: Auth fail”,
there is an error in the key file, or the incorrect user name was used.
 If you authorize a target with the key-based method, you will automatically be prompted to use the key-based
method for future authorizations. You will no longer have access to password-based authorization.

7–6 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 To authorize a Linux, Cloud, or Ross Platform target (password-based)

 Currently, you may only authorize a Ross Platform target using the password-based method.
1. Select the Linux, Cloud, or Ross Platform target in the Target Manager.
2. Click Authorize > Password Based.
3. Enter the password that you configured for your device.

4. Click OK.
5. Verify that the target is in Ready State in the Target Manager.

Transitioning an SDPE Blade Target

Once you have added an SDPE Blade target in the Target Manager, you can transition the SDPE Blade between
Carbonite and Acuity from the Ross Platform Manager.
To transition an SDPE Blade target between Carbonite and Acuity
1. Select an SDPE Blade target in the Target Manager by clicking on it.
2. Click Transition.
The SDPE Blade Target will take up to five minutes to transition.
The state column will reflect whether the SDPE Blade is currently in Carbonite or Acuity state.

Extending Carbonite as an OGP Device

By extending a Carbonite switcher on RPM as an OGP device, you will not need to add the Carbonite target
multiple times to make full use of it’s functionality.
To extend a Carbonite as an OGP device
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Targets icon.
The Target Manager opens.

2. To create a target, click Add.

The Create Target window opens.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–7

 3. In the Create Target window, enter the following information:
• Name — Enter a meaningful name for the target.
• Type — Select Ross Platform.
• Platform — Select Carbonite.
• Host/Instance Id — Enter your host name or IP address.
• Port — Enter the port number.
• Extend as OGP device — Select to extend the Carbonite as an OGP device.
• Port — Autofills with the port number for the extension as an OGP device, but can be manually changed.
• User Name — Enter the user name for your target.
• User Type — Select whether the user account type is AD/LDAP or Local (optional).
• Domain — Available when User Type is set to AD/LDAP. Use this field to enter the domain name
(optional).
• Target Group — Select a group for the target (optional).
4. Click OK to add the target.
The Create Target window closes and the Carbonite target has been extended as an OGP device.

Copying Info from the Target Manager

You may find that you need information about a target (for troubleshooting, for example). Rather than need to type
out the information that is displayed in the Target Manager, you can copy the information from any cell in the
Target Manager and have its contents available to paste anywhere you need.
To copy information from the Target Manager
1. Select the cell with the desired information from the Target Manager.
The selected cell is outlined in black and highlighted in yellow.
2. Press Ctrl+C.
The information from the selected cell is copied and ready to be pasted wherever desired.

Force Stopping a Cloud Instance

In some cases, a cloud instance may get stuck in a stopping state. If this happens, force stopping the instance will fix
this issue.

7–8 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 To force stop a cloud instance
1. Right click the target that is stuck in the Stopping state in the Target Manager.
A context menu opens.
2. Click Force Stop.
A confirmation message opens, asking if you want to force stop the instance.
3. Click Yes.
The selected cloud instance is stopped.

Taking a Snapshot of a Ross Platform Target

You can capture a snapshot of a Ross Platform type target (Carbonite, Acuity, or SDPE Blade in Carbonite state).
The snapshot will contain a working set of files for the target. You can view the snapshot and its associated files in
the Snapshot Manager. Once you’ve taken a snapshot of a Ross Platform target, you can apply the snapshot back
to the target in the Snapshot Manager.
 RossTalk functionality must be enabled for Ross Platform Manager to save working set configuration files for
switchers. RossTalk functionality will be automatically enabled for Carbonite and Ultrix Carbonite. For
instructions on enabling RossTalk functionality for Acuity and Ultrix Acuity switchers, refer to the Enabling
RossTalk on Switchers document.
 You can only take a snapshot of an SDPE Blade target when it is in Carbonite mode.
To save a snapshot of a Ross Platform target
1. From the top menu of Ross Platform Manager, select Target Manager.
2. Select the Ross Platform target and once it is highlighted in yellow, click Get Working Set.
The Switcher - Take Snapshot dialog opens.

3. In the Name box, enter a name for the snapshot.

4. In the Description box, enter a description of the snapshot.
 Each working set snapshot is unique, and will not be overwritten if another snapshot is taken.
5. Click OK. Ross Platform Manager will then collect a configuration file from the target, which contains the
current working set of files for the target.

Editing a Snapshot Description

After you have captured a snapshot of a Ross Platform type target, you can edit the snapshots description in the
Snapshot Manager.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–9

 To edit a snapshot description
1. From the top menu of Ross Platform Manager, select Snapshot Manager.
The Snapshot Manager opens.
2. Select the snapshot with the description that you want to edit.
3. Click Edit Description.
The Edit Description dialog box opens.
4. Make the desired changes to the Description.
5. Click Ok.
The changes to the description of the selected snapshot are saved.

Using the Visual Workflow Manager

The Visual Workflow Manager is a tool that allows Ross Platform Manager users to create, modify, and manage
workflows in a visual interface. In the visual workflow canvas, you can visually map out flows that start and stop
running Cloud targets, and take snapshots of Ross Platform targets. It can be used to:
• Start an EC2 instance.
• Make a sequential flow. For example: Start Cloud Target A, then Start Cloud Target B.
• Schedule flows. For example: Start Cloud Target A at 9am, then Stop Cloud Target A at 6pm.
• Schedule a workflow where a recurring snapshot is taken of a Ross Platform target and applied to multiple Ross
Platform targets.
This section covers the following topics:
• Creating a Visual Workflow
• Viewing OGP Device Status
 The Visual Workflow Manager is a paid feature.

Creating a Visual Workflow

To create a visual worklow, follow the steps outlined in the procedure below.
To create a visual workflow

1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Tools, select Visual Workflow Manager.

2. From the toolbar, select Create.

The Create Visual Workflow window opens.

7–10 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 3. In the Create Visual Workflow window, enter the following information:
• Name — Enter a meaningful name for the visual workflow.
• Description — Enter a description for the visual workflow.
• Enable — Check this box if you’d like to enable the visual workflow to run on a manual or recurring basis.
If this box is unchecked, the visual workflow will remain disabled.
• Schedule Type — Select either Manual or Recurrence.
Visual workflows on a Manual schedule run whenever a user manually instructs them to run.
Visual workflows on a Recurring schedule run according to a regular schedule, as it is set by a user.
• Recurrence Pattern — Available when Schedule type is set to Recurrence. Select the interval at which to
set a recurring time for the visual workflow to run.
• Timezone — Available when Schedule type is set to Recurrence. Select the timezone for the recurrence.
• Recurs Every — Available when Schedule type is set to Recurrence. Enter the specific amount of time to
elapse between each recurrence of a run of the visual workflow.
Note: You can edit these settings at any point by selecting Settings within the Visual Workflow Tool.
4. Select OK.
The new Visual Workflow is added to the Visual Workflow Manager.
5. Double click on the newly added Visual Workflow in the Visual Workflow Manager.
The Visual Workflow Tool opens.

6. Drag and drop nodes from the sidebar on the left into the visual workflow canvas. You can add as many nodes
as you’d like to create a custom workflow.
Note: Alternatively, you can select a Target from the Targets section of the sidebar on the left and the Nodes
will be filtered to display only the options supported by the selected Target. Adding Nodes this way also
automatically sets the Target for the Node.
7. When you add an Action node, select the name of the target that you’d like to start, stop, take or apply a
snapshot of from the Targets section of the sidebar on the left. Note that a green icon beside a Target indicates
that it is in a Ready State.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–11

 8. To connect two nodes together to make a sequential workflow, click and drag the red circle on the bottom of the
first node to connect it to the red circle on the top of the second node.

9. To connect one node’s output to another node’s input, drag the blue circle from the right side of the first node to
the blue circle on the left side of the second node.
In the below example, a snapshot taken by the Take Snapshot node is sent to three Apply Snapshot nodes.

10. To delete a node, select it and press the Backspace key.

11. When you’ve completed your visual workflow, click Save.

7–12 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 12. Your visual workflows will be saved in the Visual Workflow Manager. If you opted for a manual workflow,
you can run the workflow at any point by selecting a saved workflow from the list so that it is highlighted in

yellow, and clicking Run.

Viewing OGP Device Status

When connected to an OGP device, users can view a list of devices connected to RPM and their status.
To view OGP device status
1. Ensure the OGP device has been added to the Target Manager following the steps outlined in the procedure
“To add a Ross Platform target” on page 7–3.
2. Open the Visual Workflow Manager.
3. Expand the Targets section of the sidebar on the left.
The status of all connected devices are displayed with a green indicator (meaning connected) or a red indicator
(meaning disconnected).

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Target • 7–13

7–14 • Managing a Target Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing a Deployment
The Ross Platform Manager allows you to manage multiple deployments and orchestrate a workflow for the Ross
products XPression and softGear. This workflow allows you to upload the product into the release manager. Once
that product is selected in the deployment manager, the release versions available for it are automatically populated.
After a release is chosen, you can choose which targets, or target destinations, you want to deploy all the
components of the product to. Once a target destination is chosen, you can add additional components to include in
the deployment. Components are individual applications for a product that are often specific to a release.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Adding a Product to the Release Manager
• Creating or Modifying a Deployment
• Executing a Deployment
• Saving and Restoring a Deployment Snapshot

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Deployment • 8–1

 Adding a Product to the Release Manager
Ross products XPression and softGear can be uploaded to Ross Platform Manager in the Release Manager. This
will provide Ross Platform Manager with definitions about the product and information about how to install the
product. This will enable you to orchestrate these products through the Ross Platform Manager (Figure 8.1).

Figure 8.1 Ross Platform Manager

To upload a product to the release manager

1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Inventory, select the Releases icon. The
Release Manager opens.

2. To add a product, click Import.

The Import Release window opens.

3. Click Select the Import Zip File to upload the zip file that corresponds to the product you are uploading.
4. Select Import.
The product will populate in the release manager.

8–2 • Managing a Deployment Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Creating or Modifying a Deployment
You can create or modify a deployment to deploy products and product components. Targets and components can
be selected and added in sequential order by dragging and dropping components to the appropriate area in the
Deployment dialog (Figure 8.2).

Figure 8.2 Deployment Dialog Box

To create a deployment
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Deployments
icon.
The Deployment Manager opens.

2. To create a deployment, select Create.

The Create Deployment window opens.
3. In the Create Deployment window, enter the following:
• Deployment Name — Enter a meaningful name for the deployment. E.g. Branch1_deployment
• Product — Select the product you wish to use for this deployment. E.g. XPression
• Release — Select from the list of available releases for this product. E.g. 10.0
 softGear deployments must be deployed to Linux targets, and XPression deployments must be deployed to
Windows targets.
4. Targets and components can be selected and added to a deployment in sequential order.
a. To add a component to the target, select the component, and click the Add to Target button or drag it into
the Targets Column. For example, you could add an XPression Clip Store component to a target called
Server_1.
b. Next, select a target and click the Add to Deployment button or drag it to the Deployment column. In this
example, the Server_1 target and associated components would be added to the deployment column.
5. Click OK to deploy the product and components to the configured target machine or VM.
To modify a deployment
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu select Orchestration.
The Deployment Manager opens.
2. Select an existing deployment from the list.

3. From the Deployment Manager top menu select Modify.

The Modify Deployment dialog box opens.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Deployment • 8–3

 4. Modify the deployment as desired. Modifications include:
• Adding or removing targets in sequential order
• Adding or removing components in sequential order
• Changing the release version.
5. Click OK to apply your changes.

Executing a Deployment
Once a deployment has been created, you can deploy the products and components to the target end point (a
machine or VM).
The example (Figure 8.3) shows a single deployment highlighted in yellow being deployed across multiple servers
when an operator clicks Deploy. The log dialogs show the targets being deployed for Server 1 and Server 2.

Figure 8.3 Deploying XPression on Multiple Servers

To execute a deployment
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager > Orchestration, and in the Product Deployment Manager select the desired
deployment(s) from the list.
 If you have not yet configured a deployment, go back to the previous step: “To create a deployment” on
page 8–3.

2. Select Deploy, and proceed to deploy to one or multiple deployments.

Note: To view your deployment, double click on it in the Deployment Manager.

Saving and Restoring a Deployment Snapshot

You can save a snapshot of a deployment as a backup or to reuse the saved configuration later (Figure 8.4).

Figure 8.4 Saved Configuration

8–4 • Managing a Deployment Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 To save a snapshot of a deployment
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu select Deployment Manager. Snapshots allow you
to create backups of your deployment.
2. Double click the deployment that you wish to create a snapshot for.

3. In the Deployment window, click New Snapshot to save a snapshot of the deployment in its current state.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Deployment • 8–5

 The Create Deployment Configuration Snapshot dialog opens.

4. In the Name box, enter a name for the snapshot.

5. In the Description box, enter a description of the snapshot.
6. Click OK.
7. Confirm that the Snapshot Manager contains your new snapshot.
You can apply this snapshot to restore the deployment to the saved snapshot.
To restore a snapshot of a deployment
Once you have saved a snapshot of a deployment, you can restore that saved snapshot to a target.
1. From the top menu of Ross Platform Manager, select Browse Configuration Snapshots.
 It is recommended that you backup your current deployment by saving a snapshot as a precaution, before
over-writing it by restoring a snapshot.
2. Select a snapshot from the list by clicking on it so that it is highlighted in yellow.

3. Click Apply.
The Apply Snapshot dialog opens.

4. Select a target that you’d like to apply the snapshot to from the list of available targets. The target must be in
Ready status in the Target Manager to appear on the list of available targets.
Note: The list of targets that appears will not include targets that are not compatible with your selected snapshot.
For example, XPression snapshots cannot be applied to Linux targets, so Linux targets will not appear in the list of
available targets.
5. Click OK.
To view snapshot files
You can view the list of files associated with a snapshot in the Snapshot Viewer.
1. From the top menu of Ross Platform Manager, select Browse Configuration Snapshots.
2. Right click on a selected snapshot, and click View Snapshot Files.
The Snapshot Viewer window appears for the selected snapshot.

8–6 • Managing a Deployment Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 To view snapshot history
The Snapshot History window will display a log of previous snapshot applications, including which snapshots
were applied at which times by which users.
1. From the top menu of Ross Platform Manager, select Browse Configuration Snapshots.
2. Right click on a selected snapshot, and click View Snapshot History.
The Snapshot History window appears for the selected snapshot.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing a Deployment • 8–7

8–8 • Managing a Deployment Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing DashBoard
CustomPanels
The Ross Platform Manager allows you to upload DashBoard CustomPanel files to the CustomPanel Manager.
CustomPanel files can be stored in the CustomPanel Manager. From the CustomPanel Manager, you can open and
operate CustomPanel files in a browser.
Ross Platform Manager does not currently support the following CustomPanel tags:
• img
• ndi
• xml string
 The CustomPanel Manager is a paid feature.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• CustomPanel Features Overview
• Using the CustomPanel Manager
• CustomPanel File Versioning

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing DashBoard CustomPanels • 9–1
 CustomPanel Features Overview
This section provides an outline of the CustomPanel customization features that are currently supported in Ross
Platform Manager.

Tags
• Meta
• lookup
• API
• style
• color

Styling Elements
• Foreground color
• Background color
• Font
• Font size
• State-specific styling for toggle buttons and radio buttons

UI Components
• Push button
• Label
• Check box
• Radio button
• Toggle button

ogScript Functions
• Rename
• Set style
• Hide
• Reveal
• Conditional

Parameters
• Editable text box
• Read-only text box
• Label
• Drop down menu
• Parameter scripting

CustomPanel Layouts
• abs
• tabs
• simplegrid containers

9–2 • Managing DashBoard CustomPanels Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Tasks
• TCP
• HTTP
• UDP
• RossTalk commands
• Debug messages

Using the CustomPanel Manager

In the CustomPanel Manager, you can upload, store, download, and operate CustomPanel files in Ross Platform
Manager. The following sections cover the specifics of these actions:
• “Uploading a CustomPanel File” on page 9–3
• “Downloading a CustomPanel File” on page 9–4
• “Using a CustomPanel in a Browser” on page 9–4

Uploading a CustomPanel File

To use a CustomPanel in Ross Platform Manager, you must first upload the file to be used.
To upload a CustomPanel file
1. In DashBoard, save your custom panel as a .grid file.

2. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Inventory, select the CustomPanel
Manager icon.

3. From the toolbar, select Upload CustomPanel.

The Upload CustomPanel™ File window opens.

4. Select Choose File to upload the CustomPanel file in .grid format.

5. Your CustomPanel file will appear in the CustomPanel Manager.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing DashBoard CustomPanels • 9–3
 Downloading a CustomPanel File
CustomPanel files that are stored in Ross Platform Manager can be downloaded and used outside of Ross Platform
Manager. CustomPanel files can be downloaded from both the CustomPanel Manager and the CustomPanel File
Explorer. Both methods are outlined below.
To download a CustomPanel file (CustomPanel Manager method)
1. In the CustomPanel Manager, select the CustomPanel file you want to download.
2. Click Download.
The published version of the selected CustomPanel file downloads and saves to your Downloads folder.
To download a CustomPanel file (CustomPanel File Explorer method)
1. In the CustomPanel Manager, select the CustomPanel file you want to download.
2. Click Open CustomPanel File Explorer.
The CustomPanel File Explorer opens.
3. Select the version of the CustomPanel file that you want to download.
4. Click Download.
The selected version of the CustomPanel file downloads and saves to your Downloads folder.

Using a CustomPanel in a Browser

CustomPanel files that are stored in Ross Platform Manager are able to be launched and used within a browser.
To use a CustomPanel in a browser
1. In the CustomPanel Manager, double click on a CustomPanel file.
The CustomPanel will open in a new browser window.
2. Operate your CustomPanel in the browser window.
 Note that any changes made to values or parameters in the CustomPanel will be saved. When the CustomPanel is
refreshed/reopened, it will retain these changes. Changes are saved in the same CustomPanel file version that
was opened. It will not create new file versions.

CustomPanel File Versioning

You can upload and manage different versions of the same CustomPanel file in RPM. This feature enables you to
maintain multiple versions of a CustomPanel file and navigate between them as required.
Publishing a CustomPanel File version signifies that it is the primary version displayed in the CustomPanel
Manager. When you open the CustomPanel file from the CustomPanel Manager, the published version will open by
default, as opposed to any of the other versions.

9–4 • Managing DashBoard CustomPanels Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 When you upload a CustomPanel file for the first time in the CustomPanel Manager, it will be automatically
published. A subsequent upload of a CustomPanel file with the same name will automatically be designated as
version number two.

To update the published version

1. Select a CustomPanel in the CustomPanel Manager by clicking on it so that it is highlighted in yellow.
2. Click on Open CustomPanel File Explorer from the CustomPanel Manager toolbar.
3. In the CustomPanel File Explorer, click on the Published column associated with the version that you would
like to publish.
4. In the Published column, click on the check box so that it is selected.

5. Refresh the CustomPanel Manager to update it with the new published version.
Deleting a version
1. Select a CustomPanel in the CustomPanel Manager by clicking on it so that it is highlighted in yellow.
2. Click Open CustomPanel File Explorer from the CustomPanel Manager toolbar.
3. In the CustomPanel File Explorer, select the version you want to delete by clicking on it so that it is highlighted
in yellow.
 You cannot delete a published version or a version that is currently in use (i.e., the session is active in a browser
window).
4. Click Delete from the CustomPanel File Explorer toolbar.
Deleting an entire CustomPanel and all associated versions
1. Select the CustomPanel file you wish to delete in the CustomPanel Manager by clicking on it so that it is
highlighted in yellow.
 You cannot delete a version that is currently in use (i.e., the session is active in a browser window).
2. Click Delete in the CustomPanel Manager toolbar.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing DashBoard CustomPanels • 9–5
 File Version Number Display
The File Version Number column displayed in the CustomPanel Manager will always show the latest file version
number.
• For example, if you have four version of a CustomPanel file and delete the second version, the CustomPanel
Manager will still show four versions in the File Version Number column upon a refresh.
• However, if you delete the fourth version of the CustomPanel file, the CustomPanel Manager will show three
versions in the File Version Number column upon a refresh.
• Deleting all file versions except for the last one (e.g., deleting the first three versions of the CustomPanel file and
leaving the fourth one) will still result in the File Version Number column being displayed as four.
• If you delete all file versions except for the last one, the next uploaded version will automatically be assigned the
number after the last one. For example, if you delete versions one, two, three, and four, but leave version five, the
next uploaded version will be assigned the number six.

9–6 • Managing DashBoard CustomPanels Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Configuring User Permissions
User permissions define the actions users have permission to perform and determine which buttons, messages, and
controls they see in the Ross Platform Manager user interface. In most Ross Platform Manager systems, the Ross
Platform Manager administrator assigns users with the user permissions that are appropriate for their role in using
Ross Platform Manager.
User permissions are role-based. Each user account has one or more user roles, such as journalist or producer. Each
user role has a set of permissions. The role-based permissions model enables administrators to precisely define user
permissions for each user, to ensure conformance to your organization’s business processes.
A Ross Platform Manager administrator can create user accounts and roles within Ross Platform Manager, or
imported them from a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server. Ross Platform Manager can use a
combination of created and imported user accounts and roles.
To configure user permissions, you create user roles and assign permissions to them, and then create user accounts
and assign user roles to them.
User permission settings belong to the following categories, represented by tabs on the Users configuration panel:
• Manage Users — properties related to individual users, including role assignments.
• Manage Roles — properties related to user roles, including permissions associated with user roles.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

• Create a User Role
• Modify a User Role
• Delete a User Role
• Create a User Account
• Modify a User Account
• Delete a User Account
• Configure Target Permissions

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–1
 Create a User Role
To create a user role
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
4. Click the Manage Roles tab.
The Manage Roles tab opens.

5. In the Manage Roles section, click Add Role.

Ross Platform Manager automatically saves property values set for a new user role.
6. In the Role Properties section, select the Active check box to make the role operational.
Clear this check box to deactivate a user role. Inactive roles cannot convey permissions to user accounts.
7. In the Name box, enter a name for the user role.
8. Select the Administrative check box to grant the user role all user permissions and enable the user role to
configure all administrative settings.
Clear this check box to only include selected permissions with the user role.
9. Click Edit Permissions.
The Role Permissions list opens.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–2
 10. In the Role Permissions list, select the permissions to assign to the user role.
Keep in mind the following points as you assign permission to a user role:
• Permission assignment changes save automatically.
• Background shading delineates category headings from role permissions. To select or deselect all
permissions in a category, select or clear the check box in the category heading.
• Permissions displayed in Bold Text are assignable to all accounts or to selected accounts:
› If you want to assign the permission for all accounts, select the bolded permission. This setting also
applies to any accounts created in the future.
› If you want to assign the permission for selected accounts, clear the bolded permission and then select
individual accounts from the list below the bolded permission name.
› If you do not want to assign the permission for any accounts, clear all accounts in the list.
• To select all permissions in the entire list, click Select All.
Use this option to assign all permissions to the role, or to assign most of the permissions by selecting all of
them and then clearing the ones you do not want to assign.
• To clear all permissions, click Deselect All.
Use this option to assign only a few permissions to the role, by clearing all of them and then selecting only
the ones you want to assign.
After finishing the configuration of a user role, you can assign it to a user.
For More Information on...
• user roles, refer to the sections “Modify a User Role” on page 10–3, and “Delete a User Role” on page 10–4.
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Create a User Account” on page 10–5, “Modify a User Account” on
page 10–6, and “Delete a User Account” on page 10–7.

Modify a User Role

Within Ross Platform Manager you are only able to modify the properties of user roles created in Ross Platform
Manager. To modify roles (groups) imported from an LDAP directory server, you must modify them on the LDAP
directory server.
To modify a user role

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the Manage Roles tab.
The Manage Roles tab opens.
3. In the User Role list, select the name of the user role to modify.
You can filter the User Role list by typing any of the following information in the Filter box above the list:
• Any part of a user role name. As you enter a user role name, the list automatically updates to only show user
roles that match what you have entered.
• Enter local to list only the user roles created in Ross Platform Manager.
• Enter LDAP to list only the user roles imported from an LDAP directory.

Filter box

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–3
 4. In the Role Properties section, edit the user role properties as required.
Ross Platform Manager automatically saves property value changes made to a user role.
5. Click Edit Permissions.
The Role Permissions list opens.
6. In the Role Permissions list, edit the user role permission assignments as required.
Ross Platform Manager automatically saves permission assignment changes made to a user role and applies the
changes to all of the users assigned to the user role.
For More Information on...
• user roles, refer to the sections “Create a User Role” on page 10–2, and “Delete a User Role” on page 10–4.
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Create a User Account” on page 10–5, “Modify a User Account” on
page 10–6, and “Delete a User Account” on page 10–7.

Delete a User Role

You can delete user roles created in Ross Platform Manager.
 You cannot delete user roles (groups) imported from an LDAP directory server.
To delete a user role

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the Manage Roles tab.
The Manage Roles tab opens.
3. In the User Role list, select the name of the user role to delete.
4. Click Delete.
A confirmation message opens, asking you if you want to delete the selected user role.
5. Click OK.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected user role from the system and from assigned users. Deleting a user
role from a user removes the permissions contained in the user role from the user.
For More Information on...
• user roles, refer to the sections “Create a User Role” on page 10–2, and “Modify a User Role” on page 10–3.
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Create a User Account” on page 10–5, “Modify a User Account” on
page 10–6, and “Delete a User Account” on page 10–7.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–4
 Create a User Account
To create a user account

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the Manage Users tab.
The Manage Users tab opens.

3. In the Manage Users section, click Add User.

Ross Platform Manager automatically saves property values set for a new user.
4. In the User Properties section, select the Active check box to make the user operational.
Clear this check box to deactivate a user. Ross Platform Manager retains information associated with an
inactive user account, but does not allow you to use the account to log in to your Ross Platform Manager
system.
5. In the Username box, enter a name for the user.
Use this username to log in to your Ross Platform Manager system. Usernames are case sensitive.
6. In the Password box, enter a password of at least five characters for the user. All user accounts must have a
password.
Use this password is along with the set username to log in to your Ross Platform Manager system. Passwords
are case sensitive.
7. In the First Name box, enter the first or proper name of the user.
8. In the Last Name box, enter the last or family name of the user.
After logging in to Ross Platform Manager with a username and password, the status bar displays the first and
last name associated with the username.
9. In the Title box, enter the job title of the user within the organization.
10. In the Department box, enter the department to which the user belongs within the organization.
11. In the E-Mail box, enter the corporate e-mail address of the user.
12. In the Phone box, enter the corporate telephone number of the user.
13. In the Mobile box, enter the mobile telephone number of the user.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–5
 14. Click Edit User Roles.
The User Roles list opens.
15. In the User Roles list, select the check boxes associated with the user roles to assign to the user. Clear the
check box associated with a user role to unassign it from the user.
For More Information on...
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Modify a User Account” on page 10–6, and “Delete a User Account” on
page 10–7.
• user roles, refer to the sections “Create a User Role” on page 10–2, “Modify a User Role” on page 10–3, and
“Delete a User Role” on page 10–4.

Modify a User Account

You can modify the properties of user accounts created in Ross Platform Manager. If you want to modify users
imported from an LDAP directory server, you must change them on the LDAP directory server.
To modify a user account

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the Manage Users tab.
The Manage Users tab opens.
3. In the User s list, select the name of the user to modify.
You can filter the Users list by typing any of the following information in the Filter box above the list:
• Any part of a user name. As you enter a user name, the list automatically updates to only show user names
that match what you have entered.
• Enter local to list only the users created in Ross Platform Manager.
• Enter LDAP to list only the users imported from an LDAP directory.
Filter box

4. In the User Properties section, edit the user properties as required.

Ross Platform Manager automatically saves property value changes made to a user.
5. Click Edit User Roles.
The User Roles list opens.
6. In the User Roles list, edit the user roles assignments as required.
Ross Platform Manager automatically saves user role assignment changes made to a user.
For More Information on...
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Create a User Account” on page 10–5, and “Delete a User Account” on
page 10–7.
• user roles, refer to the sections “Create a User Role” on page 10–2, “Modify a User Role” on page 10–3, and
“Delete a User Role” on page 10–4.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–6
 Delete a User Account
You can delete user accounts created in Ross Platform Manager.
 You cannot delete user accounts imported from an LDAP directory server.
To delete a user account

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the Manage Users tab.
The Manage Users tab opens.
3. In the Users list, select the name of the user to delete.
4. Click Delete.
A confirmation message opens, asking you if you want to delete the selected user.
5. Click OK.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected user.
6. After completing your configuration tasks, click OK in the lower toolbar to close the Configuration panel.
For More Information on...
• user accounts, refer to the sections “Create a User Account” on page 10–5, and “Modify a User Account” on
page 10–6.
• user roles, refer to the sections “Create a User Role” on page 10–2, “Modify a User Role” on page 10–3, and
“Delete a User Role” on page 10–4.

Configure Target Permissions

Target permissions enable Ross Platform Manager users to configure specific target permissions for different user
roles. These permissions can be configured from within the Target Manager. The three permission categories are
View, Execute, and Manage. See below for a table that displays the capabilities of each category.

Add/Delete/
Modify Execute
Update State (Cloud and (Start and Authorize
Permission (Cloud Static Stop Cloud (Static
Name View Target Target) Targets) Targets) Targets)
View Yes Yes No No No
Manage No No Yes No Yes
Execute No No No Yes No

 The permission framework works on the principle of Least-Privilege, meaning that the lowest level of
permission will win.
Example: The Parent Folder restricts “Viewing the Target”, but the child-folder enables the user to “View” the
target. In this case, by following the least privilege principle, the user will not be able to “View” the target in the
child-folder.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–7
 To update target permissions
1. Open the Ross Platform Manager, and from the top menu under Orchestration, select the Browse Targets icon.
The Target Manager opens.

2. From the folders tree view, select Modify Permissions.

The Configuration window opens.
3. Under Manage Roles, select a role to configure the permissions for.
4. Under Role Permissions, modify the permissions by selecting the green check mark for each permission you’d
like to grant for the user.

5. When the role permission selections are complete, select OK.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring User Permissions • 10–8
 Configuring LDAP Authentication
Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) is a protocol for accessing and maintaining distributed directory
information services over a network. Ross Platform Manager can import data related to user accounts and user roles
(groups) from an LDAP directory server. The Manage Users and Manager Roles tabs lists users and user roles
imported from LDAP directory servers alongside user accounts and user roles created in Ross Platform Manager.
You cannot alter the properties of imported user accounts and user roles.
Ross Platform Manager configuration settings related to LDAP belong to the following categories, represented by
tabs on the Users configuration panel:
• LDAP Configuration — properties related to establishing connectivity with an LDAP directory server.
• LDAP User Configuration — mappings to enable Ross Platform Manager to import user accounts from the
LDAP directory server.
• LDAP Role Configuration — mappings to enable Ross Platform Manager to import user roles (groups) from
the LDAP directory server.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Connect to an LDAP Directory Server
• Map to LDAP User Data
• Map to LDAP Group (Role) Data

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring LDAP Authentication • 11–1
 Connect to an LDAP Directory Server
Your network administrator can provide you with the settings required to connect to the LDAP directory server in
your organization.
To connect to an LDAP directory server
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password

2. On the main toolbar, click the Configuration icon. If the Configuration icon is not visible, you are not an
administrator and cannot configure the server.
The Configuration window opens.

3. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
4. Click the LDAP Configuration tab.
The LDAP Configuration tab opens.

5. Select the Enabled box to enable LDAP user authentication.

If you clear this box, users are only able to log in to your Ross Platform Manager system with user accounts
created by Ross Platform Manager.
6. In the Base DN box, enter the name of the root LDAP node for user data.
Example: DC=MyCompany,DC=com
7. In the Provider URL box, enter the URL of the LDAP provider, with optional port.
Example: ldap://MyServer:389
8. In the Domain box, enter the domain name to append to users upon login.
Example: rossvideo.com
9. In the Bind Username box, enter the distinguished name (DN) used to log in to the directory server.
10. In the Bind Password box, enter the password used to log in to the directory server.

11–2 • Configuring LDAP Authentication Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 For More Information on...
• how to import LDAP user account data, refer to the section “Map to LDAP User Data” on page 11–3
• how to Import LDAP user role data, refer to the section “Map to LDAP Group (Role) Data” on page 11–4

Map to LDAP User Data

You can synchronize users between an LDAP directory server and the Users table of the Ross Platform Manager
Database.
To map to LDAP user data

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the LDAP User Configuration tab.
The LDAP User Configuration tab opens.

3. To populate the LDAP User Configuration tab with editable default values, click one of the following
Generate Defaults links:
• Active Directory — your organization uses Active Directory.
• OpenLDAP — your organization uses an OpenLDAP directory server.
4. Select the Enable Password Caching check box to cache encrypted user password data on the Ross Platform
Manager system and use this data for user authentication when Ross Platform Manager is unable to contact the
directory server.
5. In the User Search Filter box, enter a valid LDAP query to define the filter that returns a list of potential Ross
Platform Manager users.
During LDAP user synchronization, Ross Platform Manager only imports LDAP users who meet the criteria of
the LDAP User Search filter into the Ross Platform Manager Database. During LDAP user synchronization,
Ross Platform Manager deletes LDAP users imported by previous User Search filter queries from the Ross
Platform Manager Database.
6. In the Additional Group DN box, enter the distinguished name (DN) of the user to optimize efficiency of the
search defined in the User Search Filter box.
7. In the Username Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user account login on the LDAP directory server.
Example: uid or sAMAccountName

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring LDAP Authentication • 11–3
 8. In the First Name Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user first name on the LDAP directory server.
Example: givenName
9. In the Last Name Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user surname on the LDAP directory server.
Example: sn
10. In the Title Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user organizational title on the LDAP directory server.
Example: title
11. In the Department Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user department on the LDAP directory server.
Example: department
12. In the E-Mail Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user e-mail on the LDAP directory server.
Example: mail
13. In the Phone Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user telephone number on the LDAP directory server.
Example: telephoneNumber
14. In the Mobile Attribute box, enter the attribute for the user mobile phone number on the LDAP directory
server.
Example: mobile
For More Information on...
• how to connect to an LDAP directory server, refer to the section “Connect to an LDAP Directory Server” on
page 11–2
• how to import LDAP user role data, refer to the section “Map to LDAP Group (Role) Data” on page 11–4

Map to LDAP Group (Role) Data

You can synchronize roles between an LDAP directory server and the Roles table of the Ross Platform Manager
Database.
To map to LDAP group (role) data

1. On the Configuration window toolbar, click the Users icon.

The Users panel opens.
2. Click the LDAP Role Configuration tab.
The LDAP Role Configuration tab opens.

11–4 • Configuring LDAP Authentication Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 3. To populate the LDAP Roles Configuration tab with editable default values, click one of the following
Generate Defaults links:
• Active Directory — your organization uses Active Directory.
• OpenLDAP — your organization uses an OpenLDAP directory server.
4. In the Role Search Filter box, enter a valid LDAP query to filter group (role) data to limit the list of roles
available in Ross Platform Manager.
During LDAP role synchronization, Ross Platform Manager only imports LDAP roles that meet the criteria of
the LDAP Role Search filter into the Ross Platform Manager Database. During LDAP role synchronization,
Ross Platform Manager deactivates LDAP roles imported by previous Role Search filter queries.
5. In the Additional Group DN box, enter the distinguished name (DN) of the group (role) to optimize efficiency
of the search defined in the Role Search Filter box.
6. In the Name Attribute box, enter the attribute for the role name on the LDAP directory server.
Example: cn
7. In the Member Attribute box, enter the user attribute that indicates group (role) membership on the LDAP
directory server.
Example: memberOf
8. After completing your configuration tasks, click OK in the lower toolbar to close the Configuration panel.
For More Information on...
• how to connect to an LDAP directory server, refer to the section “Connect to an LDAP Directory Server” on
page 11–2
• how to import LDAP user account data, refer to the section “Map to LDAP User Data” on page 11–3

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Configuring LDAP Authentication • 11–5
11–6 • Configuring LDAP Authentication Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Changing Your Password
Regularly changing your Ross Platform Manager account password helps ensure that someone cannot acquire your
password use it to gain access to your Ross Platform Manager account and content.
 You can only change the password for local Ross Platform Manager user accounts. If you use an LDAP user
account to log into Ross Platform Manager, you cannot use the Change Password dialog box to change the
password for your LDAP user account.
This chapter discusses the following topic:
• Change Your Ross Platform Manager Password

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Changing Your Password • 12–1
 Change Your Ross Platform Manager Password
Your new password should be difficult to guess or crack. A good password is:
• At least eight characters long.
• Does not contain your username, real name, or company name.
• Does not contain a complete word.
• Significantly different from previous passwords.
• Contains uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
To change your Ross Platform Manager password

1. While working in Ross Platform Manager, click or tap the Change Password icon on the main toolbar.
If the Change Password icon is not visible, you do not have permission to change your password within Ross
Platform Manager. If you need to change your password, contact your administrator.
The Change Password dialog box opens.
2. In the Old Password box, enter your current password.
3. In the New Password box, enter a new password.
4. In the Verify Password box, re-enter the new password.
5. Click or tap Change Password.
A message informs you of the successful change of your password.
6. Click or tap OK.
The next time you log in to Ross Platform Manager, use your new password.

12–2 • Changing Your Password Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 Managing Perspectives
A user perspective is a customized view of the Ross Platform Manager user interface. It is a mapping of Ross
Platform Manager panel types to positions in the user interface layout.
Perspectives are especially useful for people who perform many different tasks in Ross Platform Manager. For
example, an administrator may use one perspective for configuring Ross Platform Manager, and another
perspective for monitoring Ross Platform Manager. All Ross Platform Manager users can create perspectives for
their own use. Ross Platform Manager administrators can also create global perspectives available to all users.
 Panels may not always appear exactly where you expect. As you open and close panels, Ross Platform Manager
adjusts the layout to optimize use of the available space.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Create a New Perspective
• Open a Saved Perspective
• Rename a Perspective
• Change the Layout of a Perspective
• Revert a Perspective to the Default Layout
• Make a User Perspective Global
• Delete a Perspective

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing Perspectives • 13–1

 Create a New Perspective
As a Ross Platform Manager user you can create a perspective for the current positions of Ross Platform Manager
panels. The perspectives you create are only available to you. Ross Platform Manager administrators can make
perspectives for all Ross Platform Manager system users.
To create a new perspective for your own use
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
2. Open one of each type of panel you want to include in the new perspective.
3. Rearrange the panels to the positions you want them to occupy in the perspective.
For more information about repositioning panels, refer to section “Using a Desktop Computer with Ross
Platform Manager” on page 2–3.

4. On the main toolbar, point to or tap the Perspectives icon.

A list of saved perspectives opens.

5. In the list, click or tap Manage Perspectives.

The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.

13–2 • Managing Perspectives Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 6. Click Save As.
The Save Perspective As page opens.

7. In the Name box, enter a name for the new perspective.

8. Click Save.
The Save Perspective As page closes and Ross Platform Manager adds the new perspective to the
Perspectives list.
9. Click OK to close the Configuration window.

Open a Saved Perspective

To open a saved perspective

1. On the main toolbar, point to or tap the Perspectives icon.

A list of saved perspectives opens. The last item on the list, Manage Perspectives, is not a perspective.
Perspectives Menu

2. In the list, click or tap the perspective to open.

Ross Platform Manager repositions the open panels to conform to the layout in the selected perspective.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing Perspectives • 13–3

 Rename a Perspective
To rename a perspective

1. On the main toolbar, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.
2. In the Perspectives list, select the perspective to rename.
3. Click or tap Rename.
The Rename Perspective page opens.

4. In the Name box, enter a new name for the selected perspective.
5. Click or tap Save.
The name of the perspective updates in the Perspectives list.
6. Click or tap OK to close the Configuration window.

Change the Layout of a Perspective

When the layout of a perspective no longer works for your workflow, you can change the perspective layout.
To change the layout of a perspective
1. Rearrange the panels in a perspective to form the new layout for the perspective.

2. On the main toolbar, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.
3. In the Perspective list, select the perspective to update with the new panel layout.
4. Click or tap Save.
A confirmation message opens, asking whether you want to overwrite the perspective.
5. In the confirmation message, click or tap OK.
The confirmation message closes and Ross Platform Manager saves the set panel layout is with the selected
perspective.
6. Click or tap OK to close the Configuration window.

13–4 • Managing Perspectives Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Revert a Perspective to the Default Layout
When you first use Ross Platform Manager, it opens certain types of panels in certain panel positions by default.
Ross Platform Manager continues to use the default layout until you move a panel or open a saved perspective.
By default, Ross Platform Manager does not occupy all eight panel positions. Ross Platform Manager optimizes the
layout by expanding open panels to fill all available space.
To revert a perspective to the default layout

1. On the main toolbar, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.
2. In the Perspective list, select the perspective to apply the default layout.
3. Click or tap Revert to Default.
A confirmation message opens, asking whether you want to revert the perspective to the default layout.
 There is no undo for this change. When you revert to the default layout Ross Platform Manager also reverts the
panels to their default columns. Click or tap Cancel to keep the current perspective layout.
4. In the confirmation message, click or tap OK.
The confirmation message closes and Ross Platform Manager saves the default panel layout with the selected
perspective.
5. Click OK to close the Configuration window.

Make a User Perspective Global

A user-specific perspective is only available to the Ross Platform Manager user who created it. Global perspectives
are available to all Ross Platform Manager system users. If you are a Ross Platform Manager administrator, you can
make a user-specific perspective global.
To make a user-specific perspective global
1. Use your Ross Platform Manager administrator credentials to log in to the Ross Platform Manager web page.
The default administrator login credentials are as follows:
• Username — root
• Password — password
Only administrators can make a perspective available to all users.

2. On the main toolbar, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.
3. In the Perspectives list, select the user-specific perspective to make available to all users.
Perspectives that do not have a check mark in the Global column of the Perspectives list are user-specific and
only available to the users that created them. A check mark in the Global column of the Perspectives list
indicates that a perspective is global and available to all users.
4. Click Set as Global. This option is only available to Ross Platform Manager administrators.
A check mark displays in the Global column of the selected perspective, which indicates that all users now
have access the perspective from the Perspectives icon.
5. Click OK to close the Configuration window.
To make a global perspective user-specific

1. As an administrator, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Managing Perspectives • 13–5

 2. In the Perspectives list, select the global perspective to make user-specific.
A check mark in the Global column of the Perspectives list indicates that a perspective is global and available
to all users. Perspectives that do not have a check mark are user-specific.
3. Click Set as User. This option is only available to Ross Platform Manager administrators.
Ross Platform Manager removes the check mark from the Global column of the selected perspective, which
indicates that only the user who created the perspective can use it.
4. Click OK to close the Configuration window.

Delete a Perspective
Ross Platform Manager users can only delete perspectives that they created. You must log in to Ross Platform
Manager as an administrator to delete global perspectives.
To delete a perspective

1. On the main toolbar, use the Perspectives icon to select Manage Perspectives from the list.
The Configuration window opens, showing the Perspectives tab.
2. In the Perspectives list, select the perspective to delete.
3. Click or tap Delete.
A confirmation message opens, asking whether you want to delete the perspective. Click or tap Cancel to keep
the perspective.
4. In the confirmation message, click OK.
Ross Platform Manager deletes the selected perspective from the Perspectives list.
5. Click OK to close the Configuration window.

13–6 • Managing Perspectives Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)

 Using the Log Viewer
The Log Viewer allows users to access and extract application log data from right within the Ross Platform
Manager user interface. This prevents users from needing to login to the Ross Platform Manager server to access
this data, making it quicker and easier to access.
This chapter discusses the following topics:
• Downloading the Log
• Clearing the Log

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Using the Log Viewer • 14–1
 Downloading the Log
Downloading the application log data from the RPM Log Viewer can be useful when troubleshooting your system.
The application log data contains information about how your system is running, as well as any errors that may be
occurring.
To download the log data

1. On the main toolbar, select the Log Viewer icon.

The Log Viewer opens.

2. Select the Download Log button at the bottom of the Log Viewer.
The Download Logs dialog box opens.
3. Select the logs that you want to download.
4. Select Download.
The Save As dialog box opens.
5. Select the location you want to save the logs to.
6. Select Save.
The Save As and Download Logs dialog boxes close, and a file containing the selected log data downloads and
saves to the location selected in step 5.

Clearing the Log

Clearing the application log data from the RPM Log Viewer can sometimes be a step recommended during
troubleshooting.
To clear the log data

1. On the main toolbar, select the Log Viewer icon.

The Log Viewer opens.

14–2 • Using the Log Viewer Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)
 2. Select the Clear Log button at the bottom of the Log Viewer.
The application log data is deleted and the Log Viewer is cleared.

Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8) Using the Log Viewer • 14–3
14–4 • Using the Log Viewer Ross Platform Manager User Guide (3.8)