First Steps

When setting up Portal a number of steps should be completed, after the initial installation. This document doesn’t cover installation or system requirements and it is presumed that these steps have been completed successfully by a Cantemo reseller or by following this guide. We also assume that you have completed running through the setup wizard if that was required.

  1. Install any plugins that are to be used.

  2. Setup integration points

  3. Define transcode formats

  4. Define preview formats and shapes

  5. Define export locations

  6. Define groups for the users.

  7. Define users.

  8. Setup storage.

  9. Set the site name and domain

Note

Depending on how you have installed your Portal, the administrator username and password are usually: admin/admin. For changing the admin password see Users.

Plugin installation

Plugins should be installed either before starting Portal, or by issuing a restart afterwards. This will require access to the server running Portal to upload the files into the plugin directory.

Setting up integration points

This will vary between installations but basic integration such as firewall setup, User directory integration should be achieved in this step.

Defining transcode profiles

Additional transcode formats can be setup for users of the system to support multiple workflows or different needs on the system. This doesn’t need to happen up front and as needs change you can add or change the formats supported. Transcode Profiles.

Defining Preview formats

Every Portal system should utilize a backend that supports transcoding between formats, and transcoding to a preview version upon import into the system. These preview formats should be named and then configured as preview formats for the main content groups capable of preview, such as video, audio and images. See Transcode Profiles.

Defining export locations

If your workflows need to have locations that files can be sent to, you can setup export locations for them. It is often best to set these up so that users can be trained on where the locations are and what they are to be used for. Additional export locations can be added or removed at a later date as needed.

See Export Locations.

Define metadata groups

Collections and Items rely heavily on metadata, and in the system you can setup multiple metadata groups. When the system is freshly installed a metadata group “Film”, has been created. You need at least one metadata group in the system.

Once you have defined a metadata group, you can then apply the metadata group to users by setting up a user in a user group. User groups can then have metadata groups associated to them.

Define groups of users

Depending on whether you integrate with a third party system or not you can create groups and then associate the group to have access to the transcode formats, export locations and roles needed to complete the workflows.

Users have to belong to groups.

Please remember to set users to have access to at least one metadata group in the system.

Setup Storage.

Setup storages so that we have places to store and use files. The setup wizard will create a storage for you pointing to /srv/media1/ on the same server that it is installed to.

See Storages.

Setting the site name and domain

After you have setup the system and configured it, giving it a easy to remember name and domain name is recommended. From the home admin screen, click edit on the button top right and you will be taken to a form for adding the domain name and display name of the system. Input and press submit, it is saved in the database separately from the license key information.

Inform your users

There will be aspects of the system that you will configure and create for them that will impact their workflow with Portal. After setting up the above inform the users on:

  • Where to find the Portal User’s Documentation.

  • How to access the system.

  • How to reset their password if necessary to your network security and if you are not using an external directory system.

  • What the different export locations are.

  • What transcode profile formats to use and when to use them.

  • To what rights they have in the system.

  • On any extra features they might have that is not covered in the Portal User’s documentation.

  • Who to go to if they need help with the system.

This should be done before they are left with the system.

ometimes hardware is changed or updated for various reasons, the instructions below should help with the procedure of moving Cantemo from one server to another.