Manual Index

Additional resources can be found in the How To... Guide.

1. Installing DesktopProfile

First, make sure that you meet the minimum requirements for your platform, including the proper Java VM. Then install DesktopProfile:

Windows: The download EXE is the install program for DesktopProfile. Just run this program after downloading it.

 

2. Running DesktopProfile Server

Windows: Go to Start / Programs / DesktopProfile and click on DesktopProfile. If you are running under NT/Win2K or XP, it is possible to configure DesktopProfile to run as an NT/Win2k or XP Service.

When the DesktopProfile window opens, enter your license key if you have purchased a license. Otherwise, a default, limited trial key is pre-registered with the software.

 

3. Starting DesktopProfile for Configuration

Before you can use DesktopProfile Server, there is a three step process that you must complete.

1. Setup and start the web server component of DesktopProfile so that clients can connect and access data. 

2. Then you need to define the information you want DesktopProfile to provide, this is a two stage process:

                    a. Defining what devices, servers, or desktops will be monitored

                    b. Defining what data will be collected and how often

3. Finally after data has been collected you need to run the various reporting options to view and interpret the information.

The following dialog appears when you start DesktopProfile by double-clicking the DesktopProfile.exe:

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Note: Netscape users may need to enable java in the Netscape browser for this to work correctly.

Fig 3.1: The Start application dialog

When this dialog appears, the DesktopProfile web server is already running but it is using the default HTTP port 80. If you do not require this port to be changed then you may ignore further server configuration options. The step-by-step guide text only appears when the product is run for the first time. Only the buttons will appear when the default password is changed from 'hello' (recommended).

If you have purchased a license for DesktopProfile, select Help, License Key... from the drop down menu and enter your license key. It is recommended that you then close down the DesktopProfile application (close the window in figure 3.1) and restart as before. This will ensure that the DesktopProfile engine provides the full functionality based on your license key

If you would like to configure the DesktopProfile server to use a port other than HTTP port 80, you must start the user interface by clicking the "Run Client" button.

Fig 3.2: The Server Console window

 

Select the 'Start (Java x.x.x)' button from the Server Console window (See Fig 3.2) and the DesktopProfile server will begin the process of starting and launching the GUI application through the browser. It is important to note that the Java version number displayed on the start button, which is the version detected on the running system, is equal or greater than the Java version displayed below the button. The version below the button indicates the minimum Java version required to run this release of DesktopProfile. The process of clicking the "Start (Java x.x.x)" button will cause two "loading..." dialogs to be displayed one after the other. This process loads the user interface (UI) and will take only a few seconds to complete. Once the load has completed the user desktop window will appear along with a "Tip" dialog (Fig 3.3 below) to assist the user in the "first steps" process of defining the configuration. 

Fig 3.3: The new user "Tip" dialog

 

Clicking the "Step by Step Tutorial"  button (or the equivalent help menu option) presents the user with a web based tutorial that steps through the process of defining IP addresses to be monitored for availability. Clicking the "Go To Desktop" button at the bottom of the Tip dialog clears the dialog and leaves the application window open for the user to use (see Fig 3.4 below). The "Home" menu bar presents three options,

1. Setup - This presents all the configuration toolbar options,
2. Reports - This presents all the view and reporting toolbar options, and
3. Help - This presents the online help manual (which is this document). 

Fig 3.4: User desktop window showing the "Home" menu toolbar

 

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