Configure System Settings

Customer Identifier (Root Organization)

This is the unique licensing identification number provided to your institution by Echo360 Sales as part of your system purchase. It is used to assign licenses to your EchoSystem (ESS).

Specify the protocol to be used for the ESS application and for content delivered to users. Your choices include:

• All HTTPS
• HTTPS with Reverse Proxy

Port used for the Legacy content previously published using the HTTP protocol. This is also the base Port/URL for RSS feeds, if you are using an internal web server and serving content over ALL HTTPS (with or without Reverse Proxy).  

FTP Server

Select Internal to use the SFTP server installed with the ESS or select External to use an external FTP/SFTP server. If External FTP Server is selected, then a valid FTP user name and FTP Password are required. If you use the internal SFTP server these fields are automatically populated.

Generally, if you are considering an external FTP/SFTP server, you should have already decided to use a NAS or SAN storage facility for content, which provides better system performance.

If you are intending to use an external FTP/SFTP server, you must:

• Set up an account that the capture devices will use to log in.
• Give the account read and write access to the directory that will store the content.
• Appropriately configure the settings below with these account and directory settings.

FTP Protocol

If you selected Internal for the FTP server field, select SFTP or SFTP w/o Encryption for this field.

If you selected External for the FTP server field, select FTP, SFTP or SFTP w/o Encryption for this field.

Select FTP if you are using an external FTP server for file transfers across your network. If you selected the bundled (internal) intake setting, you must select either SFTP or SFTP w/o Encryption. FTP does not encrypt data, so it is the fastest of the three protocol options. However, it is not as secure as SFTP and does not ensure data integrity as SFTP w/o Encryption does.

Select SFTP to transmit encrypted files. This option ensures that files are secure. However, it can dramatically slow the data transfer rate between the appliance and the ESS if the appliance captures consecutive presentations.

The data transfer rate slows because encrypting files creates additional "work" for the capture appliance. Say, for example, that the capture appliance is busy encrypting and transferring one presentation, but must also capture a second presentation at the same time. Both presentations will be captured, encrypted, and transferred, but the transfer rate for the first presentation could drop by 90 percent, from 1 Mbps to 100 kbps. The presentation will become available to students eventually, but later than it would have been otherwise.

Select SFTP w/o Encryption when you want to ensure data integrity but do not require data encryption. Although SFTP is normally encrypted, this setting programmatically disables the encryption feature.

Because this option does not encrypt data, the appliance can transfer a presentation at 1 Mbps or faster, even if it is capturing consecutive presentations.

FTP User Name

The user name for the FTP/SFTP server.

FTP Password

The password for the FTP/SFTP server.

FTP Folder

The absolute directory path (from the ESS application's perspective) where the FTP server receives data and the ESS should look for new capture uploads.

FTP Host

The host name of the FTP server, which by default is the ESS host. This can be a Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or an IP address. FQDN is recommended. This value will be provided to capture devices and media processors that are handling content, and care should be taken that any FQDN that is provided is one that the media processor or capture device can resolve to an IP address via DNS.

FTP Port

The port number of the FTP server. When configured for the internal SFTP server, the default port is 8022. If the server is external, the typical port settings are:

• FTP: 21. Alternate: 8021
• SFTP: 22. Alternate: 8022

FTP Path

If you selected External for the FTP server field, this field appears. FTP Path is the virtual FTP/SFTP path to the directory that matches the FTP folder location.

Example: Say that the FTP folder is /echo/upload. If the SFTP path to get to that folder is:

• sftp://echoupload.university.edu/echo/upload, then the FTP Path is /echo/upload
• sftp://echoupload.university.edu/upload, then the FTP Path is /upload

Web Server

Select Internal or External from the list. By default, the ESS uses Jetty as the internal web server application, and the Internal web server is selected.

If you have configured an External web server, be sure to identify the Host Name of the external web server along with the proper Ports (both HTTPS and HTTP) through which content is to be served. If you are using an external Apache or IIS web server, see also External Web Server Configuration for Live Chat for information on possible web server configuration file changes needed.

Content Folder

This directory contains the presentation files, including Flash SWF, thumbnails, audio, and HTML files. The Flash FLV files are placed in the Flash folder if the Flash Folder setting is configured, or in this folder if it is not. Presentation content in this location is available.

This is the only configuration field shown for Internal web servers.

Port (HTTPS)

Identifies the Port number that the External web server will use to deliver active echoes.

NOTE that if your Application Network Settings are set to serve mixed content (HTTPS for App/HTTP for Content, with or without Reverse Proxy) this field is labeled "HTTP Port" and must be the same port number as the other HTTP Port field in this section.

Unavailable Folder

ESS moves presentations into this directory when the user makes them unavailable. Unavailable presentations are typically ones that are not viewable by users but are stored on a locally available media such as a NAS. They are presentations that can quickly be made available again, such as presentations that are taken offline for editing.

Archived Folder

ESS moves presentations into this directory when the user archives them. It is good practice to archive content to an external location (possibly tape or other off-line media) so it does not consume critical and expensive ESS storage space. However, archived Echoes are not available. They cannot be viewed by students until you unarchive them.

Deleted Folder

ESS moves presentations into this directory when the user deletes them. They remain here until permanently deleted from the system or reinstated (undeleted) through the ESS.

Flash Streaming

Select the streaming server that will be used to stream presentation playback content. Your choices include:

• • External Flash Server (can be either Wowza or Adobe FMS)
  • Internal Wowza Server (only available for existing customers who upgrade to EchoSystem 5.5)

External Flash URL / Internal Wowza URL

This setting defines the Base URL for the Flash application. The label on this setting varies, depending on your selection in the Flash Streaming setting.

If you selected External Flash Server as the Flash Streaming setting, this field is labeled External Flash URL.

• • Recent versions of Adobe's Flash Player require that both the application and the instance name be specified.
  • The External Flash URL is comprised of the following components: the RTMP protocol, the FQDN (fully-qualified domain name) of the Wowza or FMS server, the on-demand application name (echo), and a _definst_ pointer. For most External Flash Server installations, the _definst_ parameter is required at the end of the standard streaming server URL. The figure below shows an example External Flash URL.

If you selected Internal Wowza Server as the Flash Streaming setting, this field is labeled Internal Wowza URL and uses the host name of the ESS along with the on-demand application name (echo).

This setting defines the base URL for the Flash streaming of live webcasts. You must use a Wowza Media Server for live webcasting.

When using an External Wowza Server, the Live Flash URL should consist of the same elements as the External Flash URL above, but use the live application name (echolive) instead of the on-demand application name. For most External Flash Server installations, the _definst_ parameter is required at the end of the standard streaming server URL.

Example: rtmp://ess.echostate.edu/echolive/_definst_

When using an Internal Wowza server, the Live Flash URL uses the host name of the ESS along with the live application name (echolive). For example: rtmp://ess.echostate.edu/echolive

Flash Folder

The path of the directory where the Flash streaming content is going to be stored.

This may be a Windows UNC path, a Windows mapped drive, or a Unix-style path. If you use an external storage such as a SAN for this content, then the ESS service or daemon needs both read and write access to this directory. The Flash streaming server requires read access only.

This setting identifies the host name of the Wowza Media Server that will be streaming the live webcasts, if applicable.

When using an External Wowza server, the Live Streaming Server Host should be the FQDN (without schema or path components) of your Flash server.

When using an Internal Wowza server, the Live Streaming Server Host is the same as the host name of the ESS.

Real Media URL

This setting is only used with Apreso Classroom capture stations configured to capture video using Real. Required if specifying a Real Media streaming directory. Enter the Base URL to the Real Media server mount point.

Example: rtmp://realserver.institution.edu/echo

Real Media Folder

This setting is only used with Apreso Classroom capture stations configured to capture video using Real. Enter the absolute path of the directory where the Real Media streaming content is stored.

Apreso Flash URL

The ESS supports presentations created by the legacy Anystream Apreso Classroom 1.3.10 system.

This is the Flash base URL specific to content created by the Apreso Classroom capture stations. The Apreso-created content needs slightly different settings to produced optimized playback and, therefore, uses a separate Flash application.

When using External Flash streaming servers, this may be unique. For most External Flash server installations, the _definst_ parameter is required at the end of the standard streaming server URL. Example: rtmp://ess.echostate.edu/apreso/_definst_

When using the Internal Wowza server, the host name must be the same as that defined for the Internal Wowza server.

Windows Media URL

This setting is only used with Apreso Classroom capture stations configured to capture video using Windows Media. Required if specifying a Windows Media streaming directory. Enter the Base URL to the Windows Media Publish Point. Example: mms://windowsmedia-server.institution.edu/echo

Windows Media Folder

This setting is only used with Apreso Classroom capture stations configured to capture video using Windows Media. Enter the absolute path of the directory where the Windows Media streaming content is stored.

Echo360 PRO, EchoSystem SafeCapture HD, EchoSystem Capture Appliance, Classroom Capture or Personal Capture creating Podcast/Vodcast content.

Leave these settings as default. Generating a Podcast does not generate any streaming content.

Echo360 PRO, EchoSystem SafeCapture HD, EchoSystem Capture Appliance, Classroom Capture or Personal Capture creating EchoPlayer content.

Specify the Flash Folder and either Internal Wowza URL or External Flash URL. You may leave the other settings blank.

Security Module

The module used to manage user authentication to the ESS. You can add and edit security modules on the System > Security tab. See LDAP Authentication if you do not want to use the internal ESS database.

N/A

Enable Fallback to Internal ESS Database

Applies if you are using the LDAP security module. If Yes, the ESS database will be checked if LDAP authentication fails.

• Users with the System Administrator, Parent Organization Administrator, or Child Organization Administrator roles will always be checked against the ESS database when LDAP fails.
• By entering Yes, you ensure that users with other roles (Scheduler, Instructor) will be checked against the ESS database when LDAP fails.

N/A

Allow ESS users to log in to view content

This setting applies if you have collaboration services. If you do, the recommended setting is Yes. When Yes, the ESS checks the local database to grant Instructors and Teaching Assistants moderation privileges.

Enter Yes when LDAP or seamless login is used to secure the section.

N/A

May Upload External Media

The default value (Yes) means that Academic Staff (if defined as Instructor for the section) can upload external media.

System > Academic Staff

May Configure Products

The default value (Yes) means that Academic Staff (if defined as Instructor for the section) can change which products are produced when uploading external media.

System > Academic Staff

Time Zone

The time zone where the parent organization is.

Video Standard

The standard used by the device in the room when it captures video. Options include NTSC and PAL, both of which are standard analog color television encoding systems.

Time Server

Enter the NTP server addresses that the ESS should use to synchronize its time with the time signatures of connected devices. The EchoSystem requires at least two distinct time sources. No two Time Server fields should reference the same NTP server.