Intuitive for SAFEQ6 Installation Guide 

1 Introduction 

Intuitive Dashboards for SAFEQ enables you to harness the data stored within your SAFEQ print management software by presenting a visual and dynamic data summary for all key stakeholders, ensuring you can easily manage and control print usage and spend. 

 

2      Solution Architecture 

The Intuitive for SAFEQ solution harnesses the data of SAFEQ via an ODBC connection to the PostgreSQL database. The dashboard solution is deployed onto a Windows server which can be a physical, virtual or hosted platform. The Intuitive solution cannot currently be co-hosted with your SAFEQ application. 

The Intuitive for SAFEQ solution queries the below data points from a SAFEQ V6 database daily: 

• Print data 

• Job types 

• File Types 

The data files are processed by the Intuitive ETL application (Extract Transform Load) and prepared in a SQLite database for use by the Intuitive Dashboards application. The entire data load process is automated and refreshes the data overnight. Data is automatically collected and updated overnight and used to populate the dashboards.  

 

The dashboard solution maintains a multiyear record of the print, copy, scan and fax activity in a local SQLite database. Database views are created within the dashboard application known in Intuitive as Datafeeds. Each Datafeed performs a specific piece of analysis and are used to create the Datasets which underpin the visual components and dashboards. 

 

Users access the dashboards by connecting to the dashboard server via any network connected device with a HTML5 compliant browser (Usually a PC or tablet). 

 

In order to access the dashboards, users first need to pass authentication. Intuitive for SAFEQ ships with its own internal user authentication and permission system. Users can also be attached from a Microsoft Active Directory (‘AD’) or other LDAP compliant repository. This enables users to authenticate to the dashboards using their network username and password. 

 

2.1      Preparing the environment for installation 

Dashboard Server 

The Dashboard Server can be installed on the following Windows platforms: 

• Windows Server 2012 and above.  
• The server must run on a .Net server framework of 4.5 and above. 

 

Single Server Implementation (Intuitive and SAFEQ Collocation) 

The computer hosting the Dashboard software should have the following minimum specification: 

• Dual-Core processor 2GHz or faster. 
• 12GB RAM. 

• 1Gbps network connection (LAN) 100GB of free disk space (after installation) 

• Connection to storage with a throughput of at least 150MB/s and 300 IOPS  

 

When collocating solutions and to avoid port conflict issues with SAFEQ, the Intuitive Dashboard service cannot run on port 80 or 443. Standard installations of Intuitive for SAFEQ V3.1.2 and newer will run on port 8008 by default. 

 

External Intuitive Server (Standalone) 

The computer hosting the Dashboard software should have the following minimum specification: 

• Dual-Core processor 2GHz or faster. 
• 8GB RAM. 

• 50GB free hard disk space. 

The dashboard server can be hosted on a local network or in the cloud. A virtual machine is preferred for configuration flexibility as the system evolves. 

 

Dashboard Client (UI) 

Intuitive Dashboards uses HTML5 which is supported across all modern browsers across Windows, Apple and Mobile platforms. 

 

Customer Requirements 

Good practice is to check the actual amount of memory used by the application after you have loaded the dashboard for the first time.  Take into account how much historical data you have available at the time of installation and perhaps schedule to check the installation again after it has been running for a few months. 

The memory used can be checked through the task manager on your server and searching for the Intuitive Dashboard Service.  There is also a memory manager included in the administration screens of the user interface which give an estimation of the memory occupied by Intuitive Dashboards. 

Since Intuitive Dashboards is an in memory application, the memory usage is persistent and will not be released whilst the Intuitive Dashboard service is still running. 

The Intuitive Dashboard service uses CPU on demand and therefore only tends to occupy the CPU for short periods.  The Intuitive Dashboard service will call for CPU when:- 

1. The ETL service is loading data - Default is once per day at 2 a.m. 

1. When the Datafeeds refresh the data in memory - Default is once per day at 4 a.m. 

1. When a user views a dashboard or applies a filter - On demand 

The below illustrates a real-life customer scenario of the resources occupied on the server. This example will give you an approximation of the impact on your customer, although it should be noted each customers usage pattern will create a unique set of requirements. 

  

Customer Scenario 1
SAFEQ TABLES (ROWS)	SAFEQ DEVICES	INTUITIVE MEMORY USAGE
safeq_stats  260k  safeq_stats_full  10.5k	46	0.7 GB

 

Network Security 

When running Intuitive Dashboards, the Intuitive service should be able to network to the SAFEQ Database Server, with permission to Read the database. 

A recommended approach is to create a single user called 'DashboardService' which can hold all of the required permissions to the local server, SAFEQ server and (depending on configuration) PostgreSQL / SQL Server. 

 

User Permissions 

• Administration rights for local server 

• Depending on database configuration, SQL server administrator for the Intuitive configuration database or read access to the PostgreSQL database 

 

3       Preparing the SQL Server Instance (Optional) 

Intuitive Dashboards uses SQL Server 2008 R2 SP2 (and above) or a SQLite database as a persistence layer to store dashboard definitions.  

The recommendation is that you select the SQLite option as the the creation of the SQLite database, drivers and libraries is automatically handled by the installer. 

For a SQL Server implementation, the details of the SQL instance will be requested during installation process so please have both the instance details and security credentials to hand. You will need to create or use an existing SQL user that has permissions to create a database and then have ongoing permission to READ/WRITE e.g. dbo 

 

4      Installing the Intuitive for SAFEQ Software 

Locate and run the Intuitive Dashboards installation file provided. 

Intuitive Dashboards 6.1 Release Build (6.1.x.xxxxx).exe 

This will launch a setup Wizard which will talk you through the installation steps. 

Click next to proceed to the first step of the installation. 

Please read the terms and conditions and select to accept.  Click next to proceed to the next step of the installation. 

Specify a path for Intuitive Dashboards or to use the default click Next 

Select the appropriate database type for the Intuitive Dashboard definitions. The recommended database is SQLite. 

4.1 SQL Server Implementation 

If you have selected SQL server, insert the path to your SQL server instance that will host the dashboard definitions database. 

Configure the credentials and if necessary, enter the username and password to be used. Test the connection and ensure that the connection is successful.  You will not be able to proceed to the next installation step if the connection fails. 

Once you have performed a successful connection test, Click Next. 

Specify the name of the database to be created on the SQL and then click Next 

4.2 SQLite Implementation 

The default path of the dashboard.db file can be found in the path below, but if you specify any other directory, the installer will update the ETLService.config automatically. 

C:\Program Files\Intuitive Business Intelligence\Intuitive Dashboards\ 

Once you've confirmed the location, click next. 

4.3 Target SQL Database 

PostgreSQL Database Configuration 

On this screen, highlight PostgreSQL and then click Next: 

In the PostgreSQL SAFEQ Configuration Screen, the connection details to the target PostgreSQL database must be supplied. The required fields are below, but you must check these details prior to an installation: 

• Server Name (which hosts the database) 

• The Database name (SQDB6 by default) 

• The Schema name (dwhtenant_1 by default) 

• The Username connecting to the database and its associated Password 

• The Port number the PostgreSQL instance is running on must be supplied, which by default may be 5432 or 5433. 

After entering your credentials, ensure that you can test a connection to the target Database: 

Please note, if you cannot connect to the database, please ensure that there is network connectivity between the two servers, that the credentials supplied are correct, the PostgreSQL Windows services have been started and that the Intuitive server has PostgreSQL ODBC drivers installed. 

Click Next afterwards. 

 

SQL Server Database Configuration 

On this screen, highlight SQL Server and then click Next: 

In the SQL Server SAFEQ Configuration Screen, the connection details to the target SQL Server database must be supplied. The required fields are below, but you must check these details prior to an installation: 

• SQL Instance (the name of the SQL Server instance, prefixed by the Server Name) 

• The Database name (SQDB6 by default) 

• The Schema name (dwhtenant_1 by default) 

• Authentication Type  

• • Windows - The current logged on user will be used 

• • SQL Server - You must supply a Username or Password 

After entering your credentials, ensure that you can test a connection to the target Database: 

Please note, if you cannot connect to the database, please ensure that there is network connectivity between the two servers, that the credentials supplied are correct, the SQL Server Windows services have been started and that the Intuitive server has SQL Server ODBC drivers installed. 

Click Next afterwards. 

4.4 Installation Continuation 

Specify a folder for the shortcut icons or to use the default click Next 

Lastly, click Install 

5     Configuring Internet Information Services (IIS) 

In order to make Intuitive Dashboards reachable by client browsers you will need to configure a web page in IIS. 

First locate and open IIS on your server. 

Once open Right click on the sites and select 'Add Website' 

The physical path for the website should be set to match your installation.  The default path, if not changed during installation would be as follows: - C:\Program Files\Intuitive Business Intelligence\Intuitive Dashboards\Client 

As a default Intuitive is set to run on port 8008.  If you wish to run Intuitive on a different port please raise a ticket with support for guidance.  There may be a default website running under IIS.  

Once configured you will need to start your website using the controls on the right hand side of the screen.