This article is focusing on how you can upload or download files using data share manager asynchronously and focusing on how you can apply file upload security policies.

Siemens Teamcenter 11.2 Enables Asynchronous File Upload/Download using Data Share Manager

Eliminate the need of keeping client session open during download/upload of files

It‘s a common business scenario where you need to upload / download large size files such as MS word, CAE result files and so on to/from Teamcenter. Primarily, this calls for a mechanism which can be used for downloading or uploading large size files from/to Teamcenter without keeping your Teamcenter client session running. To address above business requirements, Teamcenter 11.2 now offers Data Share Manager (DSM) to help user to efficiently download/upload the large size files asynchronously and allows end user to view file uploads and downloads and to manage them by pausing, resuming, or canceling the processes. DSM is a separate executable with its own user interface available with Rich Client and Thin Client, supports installation in different modes such stand-alone, using OTW installer and using TEM installer. DSM get automatically initiated during log on or file upload or download action< (Example named reference download /uplaod for specific dataset from rich client or thin client).

Let’s look at how you can deploy DMS in your Teamcenter Deployment and use in different business scenarios:

How to enable DSM in your Teamcenter Deployment?

Server Side Installation & Configuration:

1. Export a PUBLIC key for the data share manager

Steps:

Run install_datasharekeys -u=username -p=password -g=dba -f=exp_pubkey
This command exports *.pem file and a *.x509 key file, zip *.x509 file in to a keys.zip for end user (individual) user to install DSM Important Note:
End user cannot use the DSM unless it has been installed with a public key that grants access to the Teamcenter database. By default, each Teamcenter database contains a private/public key pair that validates Data Share Manager Clients accessing the database.
2. Admin can set the Use_DataShare_Manager preference to true (This can be overridden by individual user with “USER” protection scope)
Example: User can set this preference at user level to enable/disable DSM capability at individual user level

Client Side Installation & Configuration:

1. Distribute the public keys to end users for their usage which can be done in two different ways

1. Distribute the keys.zip file to users which they have to during DSM stand-alone installation
2. Distribute the *.x509 key files to users which they have to place into their keys directory after installation using the stand-alone installer. Example: a Windows machine that uses the stand-alone installation, end users copy the key files to the C:\Users\username\Siemens\dsmgr\dm\keys directory.
2. Install Data Share Manager on Client Machine which can be done in several ways

In Case of Rich Client:

• Rich client using the Over-the-Web Installer
• OTW Installer finds the already copied keys.zip file on the local system and uses it to install the Data Share Manager.
Example: If you have copied file keys.zip at c:\dm , (it’s something similar to providing NX installation for OTW rich client integration)

• Rich client using Teamcenter Environment Manager (TEM)

• Stand-alone for usage in Rich Client - Start install from “additional_applications\dsm_install” directory and follow the steps like typical install or custom install, in case you choose typical install copy *.x509 to the C:\Users\username\Siemens\dsmgr\dm\keys and if you choose custom then you can provide security key file keys.zip

In Case of Thin Client:

• Stand-alone for usage in Thin Client
1. Place the stand-alone installer file in a web application server such as Tomcat or WebLogic. For example, place it into its own dsm directory in the web application server.
2. Set the WEB_DSM_install_link preference to point to the URL where the stand-alone installer is located, for example, http://yourhost:9090/dsm/install.exe.

Important Note:

In the case of standalone (manual) installation, you have to perform some steps as a post-installation configuration to launch DSM automatically after login to OS.
1. Open the Data Share Manager Installation directory
2. RMB on DMLauncher.exe and select Create Shortcut
3. Select the created shortcut and select Cut.
4. Paste the shortcut there under the windows Startup folder and rename it to FMS Data Share Manager

3. User can set the Use_DataShare_Manager preference to true/false with a User protection scope to enable or disable DSM.

Let‘s understand different business usage scenarios:

1. Start upload of large file and close the client session: Sometime it is not possible to finish the upload of files may be because of large size as long as your client session is ON, in this scenario you want to start upload and close your client session but still want your file upload to happen. Now with DSM you can easily address this requirement.
a. Start upload of large file using DSM and close your client it will get uploaded asynchronously irrespective of client session

2. Start upload of large file and close the client session and pause the file upload in DSM: Sometime you need to start the file upload but want to leave for the day and hence pause file upload action and close the Teamcenter client and also shut down the machine. Next day when you log on to system, you want to resume file your upload action without starting the Teamcenter client. Now with DSM you can easily address this requirement.

a. Start upload of large file
b. Pause the file upload action in DSM client

c. Close the Teamcenter client and shutdown your system d. Once you back and log on to system, resume the file upload using Restore option to start DSM and then Resume option to resume the file upload

Note: Similar use cases for download of files

File Upload Security Polices:

DSM honor file upload security polices which you can define using BMIDE business constants on dataset to restrict user to upload undesired file to Teamcenter

Configuration:

1. Define business Object Constants on dataset as below

Usage: (File upload restrictions are applicable to synchronous as well as asynchronous file upload mode)

User intentionally or un-intentionally upload the file which is not supposed to be uploaded to the system, under this scenario system restrict user if file name/pattern/length/char policies are not satisfied

Business Benefits:
1. It helps you to upload/download files without keeping your client session open
2. It helps you to restrict file upload based on file upload security policies
3. It helps you to manage file upload such as pause, resume, cancel etc.
4. It helps you to resume your file upload even after you shutdown your machine

Data Share Manager (DSM) with Active Workspace helps you efficiently download/upload large-sized files asynchronously and eliminate the need of keeping client open during upload/download.