ALEPH Networked GUI Scenarios for now and the future Theo Engelman Senior ICT consultant Utrecht University Library (Netherlands)

Outline Changes in the ICT landscape Networked GUI; why and how Key elements in details Adding new elements & techniques o Samba o Terminal Server o Webservices Conclusions Questions and discussion

But first

Changes in the ICT landscape Outsourcing Aleph client workstations to; o Central ICT in University o Commercial partner Outsourcing Aleph server to; o Central ICT in University or consortium o Ex Libris cloud More partners involved means security issues " we can't use the GUI unless we are connected to the network via an Ethernet cable; our wireless blocks the port we need. " (Aleph500-Discuss-L Thursday, July 25, 2013) BYOD ( bring your own device ) GYDD ( get your devices donated ) Recently we received a donation of Apple devices. Ex Libris has advised that the ALEPH client could be used on these with the help of a Windows emulator such as Wine. Could mac users share their experiences and advice on running ALEPH on mac e.g. the best/most popular windows emulation to use, setup & configuration and ‘gotchas’. (Aleph500-Discuss-L Monday, June 10, 2013)

Networked GUI; why Easy to deploy Cost efficient to maintain and update o Keep central settings central and offer personal or functional settings local o No need for Version check on client Facilitates using test and production server using only one client installation Enables roaming use of client by profile o Although Ex Libris advises profiles should be stored on client device this is not necessary Facilitates server based computing o BYOD and GYDD

Key elements networked GUI 1. File Server2. Profile.dat 3. Client files 4. Profile files

●File serving: just a shared folder on a server! ●Is installation really necessary? ○ No, even installing the main network on any windows PC and then copying the file tree to any file server suffices ●The file server is the CENTRAL installation, serving the executables and default settings for ALL clients ○ only clients that need different settings should have supplemental settings in their profiles ●Profile.dat is the essential file on the file server, determining where the profiles reside

●The GUI is a Windows application !!!! ○ Installation on a windows device (PC) is mandatory ○ The GUI runs on the client device, so the system files (*.dll, *.ocx, fonts etc.) should reside there (folders depend on 32/64 bits) ○ No executables on the client device, only shortcuts to the file server ○ Peripherals attached to the client device ■ Keyboard devices like ● Barcode readers ● RFID readers ■ Printers (preferably avoid, use networked printers!)

4. Profiles ●Used for personal and functional profiles ○ Settings other than or additional to defaults ■ Printer settings (slips, receipts etc.) ■ settings (sender address for replies) ■ StationID: %profile\alephcom\tab\stationid.dat ● Statistics in transaction tables, also for ARC ● Transport between sublibraries,determining when home configured on Alephserver/AXX_1/XXX50/tab/tab_attr_sublibrary ■ Save defaults buttons in Items and ACQ ■ All other client settings like colors that normally are not changed by staff but can be ●Stored on: ○ Personal: network (home directory or windows profile) ○ Functional: networked share for all staff users

Networked GUI; how Choose the file server to use Install the main network based GUI on server Prepare the file Profile.dat on server o Decide where the profiles should be stored o Decide how functional profiles should be used o Prepare the functional profiles settings Prepare the network based client setup o net500.exe o net500.ini having path to file server installation Run the network based client setup on client o can be silent, no need for user actions Done

Landscape Aleph server File Servers Client PC Profiles functionalProfiles personal

Adding new elements & techniques SAMBA for file server ●SMB (Samba) offers file server to Windows ●Aleph server renowned for robustness ●Running file server on Aleph server, less TCO ○ If Aleph server is single point of failure, why not Aleph network file server? ○ Install SMB-deamon on Aleph server ○ Configure users and access rights ○ Copy Aleph main network file tree to Samba share ○ Point Aleph client shortcuts to Samba share ○ Trash your Windows file servers

Landscape Aleph server Client PC Profiles personal + File Server + Profiles functional

Adding new elements & techniques Terminal server traditional Why ●Making Aleph available from home ●Preparing for thin client workstations How ●Run the network based client setup on a Windows Terminal Server (2003 that time) ○ 32-bits and 64-bits ●Configure users and access rights Can replace PC’s or be an add on for PC’s

Landscape Aleph server GUI on Client PC Profiles personal + File Server + Profiles functional GUI on Terminal Server

Adding new elements & techniques Terminal server web services ●Making Aleph available via browser ●Preparing for: ○ BYOD (bring your own device) ○ GYDD (get your devices donated) ○ Outsourcing Aleph client hosting to; ■Central ICT in University ■Commercial partner ■ Ex Libris cloud ○ Outsourcing Aleph server hosting to; ■Central ICT in University or consortium ■Ex Libris cloud ●Facilitates Aleph GUI deployment for customers without any ICT- department

Landscape in cloud ●Aleph Server ○File Server possible ●Terminal Server ○Network based GUI ○File Server possible ●Profiles functional ●Profiles personal

And now

Conclusions ●Networked GUI has many scenarios ●All scenarios lower TCO ●Aleph server can act as file server (Samba) ●Terminal server can host network based client ●Ex Libris should certify GUI for Windows server 2008R2 and 2012 (64-bits) ●Terminal server web offers GUI to BYOD/GYDD ●Terminal server facilitates GUI in Cloud ●Cloud can host Aleph terminal server ●Should Ex Libris offer Aleph server combined with Aleph terminal server in their cloud?