Table Of Contents

Using the Content Distribution Manager GUI

Launching the Content Distribution Manager GUI

Content Distribution Manager GUI Primary Feature Tabs

Understanding the Interface

Main Window Elements

Content Distribution Manager GUI Icons

Using Online Help

Logging On Following a Session Timeout

Exiting the Content Distribution Manager GUI

Using the Content Distribution Manager GUI

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The Content Distribution Manager is the central location from which much of the work of creating and managing ACNS networks and hosted content can be controlled. Functions related to managing your ACNS network are done using the Content Distribution Manager graphical user interface (GUI). All modifications made through the Content Distribution Manager GUI are propagated to the Content Routers and Content Engines that make up your ACNS network.

This chapter explains how to use the Content Distribution Manager GUI. It contains the following sections:

•Launching the Content Distribution Manager GUI

•Content Distribution Manager GUI Primary Feature Tabs

•Understanding the Interface

•Using Online Help

•Logging On Following a Session Timeout

•Exiting the Content Distribution Manager GUI

Launching the Content Distribution Manager GUI

To launch the Content Distribution Manager GUI from your system, follow these steps:

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Step 1 In your web browser, enter the URL or IP address for the Content Distribution Manager. For example, enter the URL:

https://Name_of_Content_Distribution_Manager:8443

Alternatively, enter the IP address:

https://IP_address_of_Content_Distribution_Manager:8443

Step 2 The Security Alert window appears. Click Yes to accept the security certificate. The Enter Network Password window appears.

Step 3 Enter your username in the Username field. Enter your password in the Password field and click OK.

User name: admin

Password: <password>

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Note The default username is admin and the default password is default. If the defaults have been changed by another Content Distribution Manager administrator, you need to obtain the new username and password.

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The Content Distribution Manager GUI main window appears. (See Figure 2-1.)

Figure 2-1 ACNS Content Distribution Manager GUI Main Window

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Content Distribution Manager GUI Primary Feature Tabs

Table 2-1 describes the five primary feature tabs and their associated functions of the Content Distribution Manager GUI:

Table 2-1 Content Distribution Manager GUI Feature Tabs 

Feature Tab	Description
Devices	Lets you configure and manage Content Distribution Managers, Content Engines, Content Routers, and device groups.
Channels	Lets you create and modify content providers, websites, and channels.
Network	Lets you create and manage ACNS network elements such as locations, location trees, and multicast clouds.
Monitoring	Lets you view system logs and streaming and routing statistics for ACNS network devices.
System	Lets you create and manage playlists, configure routing and Content Distribution Manager configurations, and add a software update file.
Admin	Lets you configure and manager user accounts, roles, and domains. You can also view audit trail logs.

Understanding the Interface

This section describes both the Content Distribution GUI main window elements and the taskbar bar elements.

Main Window Elements

The Content Distribution Manager GUI contains several window elements with which you need to familiarize yourself. (See Figure 2-2.) See Table 2-2 for a description of each element.

Figure 2-2 Content Distribution Manager GUI Elements

1	Path bar	5	Taskbar
2	Contents pane	6	Window
3	Options bar	7	Tools
4	Tabs

Table 2-2 Content Distribution Manager GUI Elements 

Element	Description
Path bar	Provides a context for the displayed page. Shows the tab, the option, and then the current window.
Contents pane	Displays available suboptions, if required.
Options bar	Displays the options available for the selected tab.
Tabs	Provides access to all the Content Distribution Manager product functionality. Tabs include Devices, Channels, Services, Monitoring, and Admin. See Table 2-1 for a description of each tab.
Taskbar	Displays available tasks for the selected option. See Table 2-3 for a description of all the Content Distribution Manager GUI icons. Some of these icons appear in the taskbar.
Window	Displays the area in which you perform application tasks.
Tools	Contains the Help and Logout links. Help—Opens a new window that displays context-sensitive help for the displayed page. Logout—Logs you out of the Content Distribution Manager.

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Note Use only the Content Distribution Manager GUI elements, which are described in Table 2-2, to navigate within the GUI. Web browser buttons, such as the Back and Refresh buttons, are not supported and do not allow you to navigate to the correct GUI window.

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Content Distribution Manager GUI Icons

Table 2-3 lists and describes all the Content Distribution Manager icons that you can use to perform specific tasks.

Table 2-3 Content Distribution Manager GUI Icons 

Taskbar Icon	Function
	Alerts you to a new system message
	Displays table of contents
	Displays all playlists
	Displays all devices
	Runs Content Engine GUI
	Runs RealSubscriber GUI
	Updates application statistics
	Forces refresh of replication information
	Forces full database update
	Lets you view read-only items
	Creates new items
	Edits items
	Deletes items
	Exports a table to a comma-separated values (CSV) file
	Creates a filter table
	Lets you view all items
	Refreshes the window
	Reboots the device
	Shuts down the device
	Prints the current window
	Identifies services for roles
	Indicates that the current transaction was successfully completed
	Indicates that user input is invalid and that the transaction did not finish

Using Online Help

ACNS 5.x software offers online help for the Content Distribution Manager GUI. There are several ways to access online help, depending on the information you want and the method you find most convenient.

If you want to read one or more help topics, click the Help link. A separate browser window appears that contains online help. From the online help Contents tab, click the name of a topic to display information about that topic. For information about a specific window, click the Help link while viewing that window.

Use the browser Back and Forward buttons to navigate between online help windows.

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Note Although the web browser Back and Forward buttons are not supported when navigating in the Content Distribution Manager GUI, these buttons are supported when navigating within online help.

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Logging On Following a Session Timeout

The Content Distribution Manager web interface is equipped with a timeout feature that terminates idle sessions after a set length of time. See the "Modifying System Properties" section for instructions on changing the length of time that must pass before your session times out.

When a session has timed out, you immediately lose access to the Content Distribution Manager web interface, which is replaced with this message:

This session has expired.

To log back on to the Content Distribution Manager, follow these steps:

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Step 1 Close all web browser windows that were used to access the Content Distribution Manager by clicking the Close button to close the active window, or click the File menu and choose Close or Exit.

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Note Often when you log on to the Content Distribution Manager, the web interface is loaded into a separate instance of the web browser from the one used to point to the Content Distribution Manager URL. Make sure that both instances of the browser are terminated before attempting to log back on to the Content Distribution Manager.

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Step 2 Open a new instance of your preferred web browser and point it to the URL of your Content Distribution Manager. You are prompted to log on to the Content Distribution Manager web interface.

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Exiting the Content Distribution Manager GUI

To exit the Content Distribution Manager GUI, follow these steps:

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Step 1 Save any changes you made, or cancel the changes.

Step 2 From the File menu, choose Close, or click the browser Close button.

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