The eXplorer Data Collection Agent (DCA) is also available for non-Windows operating systems: this component must be installed on a system present in the Client’s LAN, to perform the operations of reading data from the printers.
To allow all customers who do not have a Windows PC or Server to install the eXplorer Data Collection Agent (DCA) the following versions have been released:
The information is transmitted to the Server components using the HTTP / HTTPS protocol. All eXplorer DCA versions use the SNMP protocol for reading. It is a prerequisite for the service that the software eXplorer DCA has Internet access to the Server components via HTTP or HTTPS.
Printer data collection is performed using the software eXplorer DCA Mac / Linux, which has the following technical details and functionality:
No access can be made, in any case, from outside towards the internal network of the Customer. Consequently, the eXplorer DCA installation within the customer network does not involve any risk to the safety of the network.
The minimum hardware requirements for the Mac/PC hosting the eXplorer DCA are as follows:
RAM: 1 GB
CPU: Intel Core 3
HD Space: approx. 50 MB
The recommended hardware requirements are:
RAM: 2 GB
CPU: Intel Core 3
HD Space: 100 MB
The Mac or PC does not need to be dedicated, and can be used simultaneously for other uses. eXplorer DCA runs totally in the background and Mac / PC users for other applications are not affected in any way.
The Mac or PC must have stable access to the Internet via HTTPS or HTTP and be able to reach the printers to be managed via UDP.
NOTE:
to avoid an excessive workload on the Mac / PC, we recommend installing the Mac/Linux version eXplorer DCA on customers with up to 20 printing devices. For customers with more devices we recommend, where possible, installing the eXplorer DCA version for Windows.
eXplorer DCA Mac/Linux is certified on the following operating systems:
eXplorer DCA must be hosted on a system that has stable access via HTTPS or HTTP (port 443 or 80 outgoing), even if only to the domains https://*.mpsmonitor.com and https://*.abassetmanagement.com
Access to other sites or Internet addresses is not required, nor is it necessary to enable other outgoing protocols.
No input access is required, nor is the activation of any communication protocol from the outside to the inside of the Customer’s network.
Therefore, no specific configuration is required on the Firewalls or on the Client’s security infrastructure.
If the Internet access via HTTPS is managed through a Proxy Server:
Any specific proxy user will be inserted during installation (or subsequent configuration) of eXplorer DCA.
The credentials (user name and password) for HTTPS access via Proxy are saved by eXplorer DCA, in encrypted form, only and exclusively on the Customer’s system; they are never transmitted to the MPS Monitor Portal or to other sites outside the Customer’s network, and are never visible in plain text to personnel accessing the Customer’s system.
The installation procedure for eXplorer DCA Mac/Linux installs on the host system a service that is configured with Automatic Activation, and as a default uses the ‘administrative user’ for execution of all their activities. During installation, administrative credentials are required to perform the installation of this service.
MPS MONITOR IS A PARTNER OF
CERTIFICATIONS