Follow this procedure to access the Administration Console when you are ready to perform administrative tasks on a Dimensions CM base database.
NOTE
It is not recommended to have more than one browser tab or browser window containing the Administration Console main view. If there are multiple windows or tabs displaying an Administration Console view, actions performed in one window or tab may have an unexpected effect in the other window or tab.
If Java applets have been disabled by your Dimensions CM administrator all version management operations for local work areas are disabled, including deliver, update, check in, and check-out. Operations on remote work areas will work normally, except for update from stream and merge.
If using Internet Explorer 6.0 SP2 or 7 on Windows XP SP2:
The Pop-up Blocker may interfere with the operation of the Administration Console if your Dimensions CM Web tools server is in the Internet security zone. If this happens, just add the Dimensions CM Web tools server to the Pop-up Blocker Settings as an Allowed site. Alternatively, you could add the Dimensions CM Web tools server to the Local Intranet or Trusted Sites security zones to prevent the Pop-up Blocker from stopping pop-ups from Dimensions CM Web tools.
The Pop-up Blocker will by default interfere with the operation of the Administration Console help. To enable Web help to function correctly you must check the Allow active content to run in files on My Computer check box in the Security section accessed from Tools | Internet Options | Advanced tab.
If your Administration Console has been configured to work using SSO authentication, you will be presented with a Serena Dimensions CM log in page the first time that you log in. You will then be presented with an Administration Console login page. Depending on how you log out, you may, or may not, be presented with the Dimensions CM log in page the next time you access the Administration Console.
There is also the option to use Smart Card (CAC) authentication. If you are using this feature, you will be prompted to supply your PIN, and the login credentials from the certificate on the specified card will be passed to the application.
If you are not using SSO you will not see the Serena Dimensions CM log in page and you will be presented with a slightly different Administration Console login page.
To log in to Dimensions CM using SSO:
Start your web browser, and type the URL for the Dimensions CM log in page.
The format of the URL is:
http://hostname:port/adminconsole/hostname is the Dimensions CM web server and port is the web server port number.
If you are not already authenticated for SSO, you will be presented with the Serena Dimensions CM authentication page.
Do one of the following:
If you are logging in using Smart Card Log in:
a Make sure your card is inserted, and click the Smart Card Log In button.
b Select the certificate you want to use. If you want to view the details, click View Certificate.
c Click OK in the Choose a digital certificate page.
d If you are authenticating for the first time, you are presented with a Login page asking for your PIN
e Enter your PIN and click OK.
If you are not using Smart Card log in, Enter your Username and Password, and click Log In.
If your login is successful, or you are already authenticated with SSO, “Your user name and password has been validated with SSO” will be displayed.
Click Log in.
To log out of Dimensions CM using SSO:
To partially log out, i.e. be able to log back in without entering your login/password, do one of the following:
Close the browser displaying Dimensions web client.
Close the browser tab displaying Dimensions web client.
Open another Web application, site, etc in a tab within Dimensions web client.
To fully log out,
Click the Logout button in Dimensions web client.
This will require you to sign in to the Serena Dimensions CM page the next time you access the Dimensions web client.
To log in to Dimensions CM without SSO:
Open your web browser and enter the Administration Console URL provided by your administrator. The format of the URL is:
http://hostname:port/adminconsole/
where hostname is the machine hosting the Administration Console and port is the web server port number.
Each time you access the Administration Console URL with your browser, you will be prompted to allow the Administration Console applet to run. Click Yes to allow the applet to run.
To log in, complete the fields on the Login page.
Enter your user ID in the User Name field and password in the User Password field. These are typically assigned by your administrator.
If you want to manually select the server and database:
Select Manual from the Connect to list. The possible settings here are configured in the web.xml file for the server installation. See the System Administration Guide for details.
Enter the name of the server in the Server field.
Enter the name of the base database that you want to access in the DB Name field.
Enter the database connection string in the DB Connection field, if this is not already present. This field enables you to connect to the database server for your Dimensions CM database.
Click Login. The Administration Console opens.
To view information about the Administration Console:
If you want to check the version of the Administration Console that is installed, or other system information, click the About link.
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