Getting started with NetPM™

(ETAP 21)

Network Project Modeling & Management (NetPM) is a tool that lets multiple users dynamically collaborate on the same project via internet connection. This document describes the installation, configuration, and start-up of NetPM.

To establish communication between multiple ETAP Desktop Applications, ETAP DXM (NetPM Server) must be to be installed and configured. An active internet connection is also required for the ETAP projects to communicate. 

ETAP DXM is a web service using ASP.NET web framework hosted in Microsoft IIS. ETAP DXM provides multi-user, queued messaging between ETAP and etapAPP mobile devices. Since DXM can communicate with ETAP machines outside the corporate LAN, it should be hosted in a DMZ with an outward internet facing NIC and an inward, corporate LAN facing NIC. DXM does not need to be installed on the same machine running ETAP. Alternatively, DXM can be installed on a Cloud, such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon WS, etc.

1. Install ETAP DXM 

To install ETAP DXM, you must have administrative access to your computer.

1. Click the DataX Manager (DXM) option from the ETAP Installation Manager menu 

2. DXM License Agreement

 

3. Welcome

4. ETAP License Agreement

5. System Requirements

6. Database & Notification Setup 

ETAP DXM uses MongoDB to store information such as registered users, NetPM projects, incremental project changes, and mobile publications transferred between ETAP and etapAPP. This screen lets you reconfigure the MongoDB setup as well as optional E-mail Notifications. 

7. Server Administrator Setup

On this page, the NetPM Server Administrator’s default credentials are automatically established and displayed. This information can later be reconfigured via NetPM Console.

8. Destination Location

9. DXM Installation Setup Complete

2. NetPM Configuration and Licensing 

From the NetPM Server (machine where DXM was installed), the Server Administrator can type NetPM Console into the Windows Start Menu to configure connection, notification, and admin settings for NetPM. 

Similar to the ETAP bus limit, each NetPM license allows for a specific number of active projects on the NetPM server. To initialize or update the NetPM Server’s project limit, the Server Admin can do the following:

1. Enter the DXM (NetPM) address into a web browser then log in using the NetPM Server Administrator credentials. 

2. On the License page, copy the NetPM Server ID then send it to your ETAP Sales Representative and request the corresponding NetPM Activation Code. Paste the code into the Update License field and hit Update. 

3. The NetPM Projects page can be used by the Server Administrator to Activate, Deactivate, Archive, or Delete existing projects on the NetPM server.

So long as the Active project count is within the Allowed limit for the given license, Project Managers will be able to register and upload ETAP projects to NetPM.

3. Register ETAP project users to NetPM 

1. Log in with Project Manager & Editor access and make sure passwords are enabled. 

    

Notes:

1. For new projects, the first user will automatically be established as the Project Manager
2. For existing projects, you can enable/disable passwords using Administrator access
   

2. Launch the User Manager from the “Project” pulldown menu and click Register to NetPM

3. Enter the NetPM URL provided by your IT professional. Generally, the URL is structured as follows…

HTTP:// (IP address, machine name, or domain of NetPM server) /etapDXM/

Examples:

1. HTTP://10.10.1.###/etapDXM/ 
2. HTTP://computer-name/etapDXM/ 
3. HTTP://companyXYZ.com/etapDXM/ 
   

Once registered, the NetPM page in the Project Information window will display the DXM address and list the registered users.

     

4. Upload project to NetPM

1. From the File menu, select Upload NetPM Project. Check any additional ETAP files you wish to include in the project upload.

2. Once the upload has been completed, ETAP will generate and highlight the Project URL. 

You must copy and send this Project URL to registered users so they can download the project from NetPM. At this point, the NetPM page of the Project Information window will also update accordingly.

Notes: 

5. Original ETAP projects uploaded to NetPM are identified as the Primary Project.
6. If your IT personnel configured E-mail notifications during DXM installation or via NetPM Console then registered users will receive automated e-mails indicating the project is available for download.

5. Download project from NetPM

1. From a Client machine, Launch ETAP and click Download NetPM Project from either the LaunchPad or the File menu.

2. Paste the Project URL into the “Address” line of the ETAP Login window and enter the registered user’s credentials then designate where the project should be downloaded.

3. Select the desired access level and log into the project. 

Note that the NetPM page of the Project Information window will update to identify the downloaded project as a Client Project.

6. Synchronization Modes

1. Launch the NetPM interface from the 3-D Database toolbar to manage or automate queued project changes. 

2. For each Download and Upload tab, designated the synchronization method to either be Auto or On-Demand. 

1. Auto – Automatically process changes that are sent or received.
2. On-Demand – Manually processed incoming or outgoing changes (Default).

Notes:

1. From the Primary project, clicking the NetPM button will show you the interface for both the NetPM server queue as well as the Local Primary queue.
2. Managerial options (Approve, Hold, Reject, and Review) are reserved for the NetPM Server Download tab.
   

7. Definitions

DMZ: In computer security, a DMZ or Demilitarized Zone (sometimes referred to as a ‘perimeter network’) is a physical or logical subnetwork that contains and exposes an organization's external-facing services to a larger and untrusted network, usually the Internet.

ASP.NET: ASP.NET is a unified Web development model that includes the services necessary to build enterprise-class Web applications with a minimum of coding. ASP.NET is part of the .NET Framework.

NIC: A Network Interface Controller (NIC, also known as a network interface card, network adapter, LAN adapter, or physical network interface, and by similar terms) is a computer hardware component that connects a computer to a computer network.

DXM: Also known as NetPM Server. This application allows for communication between etapAPP and ETAP. In a NetPM environment, it also provides a communication channel between Primary and Client ETAP projects.

User Manager: Interface used by the Project Manager or Administrator to establish or reconfigure the users associated with a project. 

Primary Project: This is the original ETAP project that is registered and uploaded to NetPM. 

Client Project: Any projects downloaded from NetPM will be designated as Client projects.

Project Manager: This access level combines the capabilities of both the Project Editor and the Administrator access levels. Each project can have, at most, one Project Manager. Project Manager access is required for registering ETAP projects to NetPM and launching Data Exchange Manager (DataX Manager).

NetPM Server Administrator: Superuser that can access and manage the projects and mobile etapAPP publications on DXM (NetPM Server).