Product specifications are subject to change without notice and do not represent a commitment on the part of Avid Technology, Inc.
This product is subject to the terms and conditions of a software license agreement provided with the software. The product may
only be used in accordance with the license agreement.
This product may be protected by one or more U.S. and non-U.S patents. Details are available at www.avid.com/patents
This document is protected under copyright law. An authorized licensee of Avid Interplay may reproduce this publication for the
licensee’s own use in learning how to use the software. This document may not be reproduced or distributed, in whole or in part, for
commercial purposes, such as selling copies of this document or providing support or educational services to others. This document
is supplied as a guide for Avid Interplay. Reasonable care has been taken in preparing the information it contains. However, this
document may contain omissions, technical inaccuracies, or typographical errors. Avid Technology, Inc. does not accept
responsibility of any kind for customers’ losses due to the use of this document. Product specifications are subject to change without
notice.
The following disclaimer is required by Apple Computer, Inc.:
APPLE COMPUTER, INC. MAKES NO WARRANTIES WHATSOEVER, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, REGARDING THIS
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MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY PROVIDES YOU WITH SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. THERE MAY BE OTHER
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The following disclaimer is required by Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics, Inc. for the use of their TIFF library:
Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software [i.e., the TIFF library] and its documentation for any purpose is
hereby granted without fee, provided that (i) the above copyright notices and this permission notice appear in all copies of the
software and related documentation, and (ii) the names of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics may not be used in any advertising or
publicity relating to the software without the specific, prior written permission of Sam Leffler and Silicon Graphics.
THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED “AS-IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR OTHERWISE,
INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
IN NO EVENT SHALL SAM LEFFLER OR SILICON GRAPHICS BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, INDIRECT OR
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The following disclaimer is required by the Independent JPEG Group:
This software is based in part on the work of the Independent JPEG Group.
This Software may contain components licensed under the following conditions:
Copyright (c) 1989 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Redistribution and use in source and binary forms are permitted provided that the above copyright notice and this paragraph are
duplicated in all such forms and that any documentation, advertising materials, and other materials related to such distribution and
use acknowledge that the software was developed by the University of California, Berkeley. The name of the University may not be
used to endorse or promote products derived from this software without specific prior written permission. THIS SOFTWARE IS
PROVIDED ``AS IS'' AND WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE
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Copyright (C) 1989, 1991 by Jef Poskanzer.
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby
granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice
appear in supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
Copyright 1995, Trinity College Computing Center. Written by David Chappell.
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software and its documentation for any purpose and without fee is hereby
granted, provided that the above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice
appear in supporting documentation. This software is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
.
2
Copyright 1996 Daniel Dardailler.
Permission to use, copy, modify, distribute, and sell this software for any purpose is hereby granted without fee, provided that the
above copyright notice appear in all copies and that both that copyright notice and this permission notice appear in supporting
documentation, and that the name of Daniel Dardailler not be used in advertising or publicity pertaining to distribution of the software
without specific, written prior permission. Daniel Dardailler makes no representations about the suitability of this software for any
purpose. It is provided "as is" without express or implied warranty.
Modifications Copyright 1999 Matt Koss, under the same license as above.
Copyright (c) 1991 by AT&T.
Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any purpose without fee is hereby granted, provided that this entire
notice is included in all copies of any software which is or includes a copy or modification of this software and in all copies of the
supporting documentation for such software.
THIS SOFTWARE IS BEING PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTY. IN PARTICULAR,
NEITHER THE AUTHOR NOR AT&T MAKES ANY REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY OF ANY KIND CONCERNING THE
MERCHANTABILITY OF THIS SOFTWARE OR ITS FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
This product includes software developed by the University of California, Berkeley and its contributors.
The following disclaimer is required by Nexidia Inc.:
The following disclaimer is required by Paradigm Matrix:
Portions of this software licensed from Paradigm Matrix.
The following disclaimer is required by Ray Sauers Associates, Inc.:
“Install-It” is licensed from Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. End-User is prohibited from taking any action to derive a source code
equivalent of “Install-It,” including by reverse assembly or reverse compilation, Ray Sauers Associates, Inc. shall in no event be liable
for any damages resulting from reseller’s failure to perform reseller’s obligation; or any damages arising from use or operation of
reseller’s products or the software; or any other damages, including but not limited to, incidental, direct, indirect, special or
consequential Damages including lost profits, or damages resulting from loss of use or inability to use reseller’s products or the
software for any reason including copyright or patent infringement, or lost data, even if Ray Sauers Associates has been advised,
knew or should have known of the possibility of such damages.
The following disclaimer is required by Videomedia, Inc.:
“Videomedia, Inc. makes no warranties whatsoever, either express or implied, regarding this product, including warranties with
respect to its merchantability or its fitness for any particular purpose.”
“This software contains V-LAN ver. 3.0 Command Protocols which communicate with V-LAN ver. 3.0 products developed by
Videomedia, Inc. and V-LAN ver. 3.0 compatible products developed by third parties under license from Videomedia, Inc. Use of this
software will allow “frame accurate” editing control of applicable videotape recorder decks, videodisc recorders/players and the like.”
The following disclaimer is required by Altura Software, Inc. for the use of its Mac2Win software and Sample Source
Code:
The following disclaimer is required by Ultimatte Corporation:
Certain real-time compositing capabilities are provided under a license of such technology from Ultimatte Corporation and are
subject to copyright protection.
The following disclaimer is required by 3Prong.com Inc.:
Certain waveform and vector monitoring capabilities are provided under a license from 3Prong.com Inc.
The following disclaimer is required by Interplay Entertainment Corp.:
The “Interplay” name is used with the permission of Interplay Entertainment Corp., which bears no responsibility for Avid products.
This product includes portions of the Alloy Look & Feel software from Incors GmbH.
3
This product includes software developed by the Apache Software Foundation (http://www.apache.org/).
Avid Interplay contains components licensed from LavanTech. These components may only be used as part of and in connection
with Avid Interplay.
Attn. Government User(s). Restricted Rights Legend
U.S. GOVERNMENT RESTRICTED RIGHTS. This Software and its documentation are “commercial computer software” or
“commercial computer software documentation.” In the event that such Software or documentation is acquired by or on behalf of a
unit or agency of the U.S. Government, all rights with respect to this Software and documentation are subject to the terms of the
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Trademarks
003, 192 Digital I/O, 192 I/O, 96 I/O, 96i I/O, Adrenaline, AirSpeed, ALEX, Alienbrain, AME, AniMatte, Archive, Archive II, Assistant
Station, AudioPages, AudioStation, AutoLoop, AutoSync, Avid, Avid Active, Avid Advanced Response, Avid DNA, Avid DNxcel, Avid
DNxHD, Avid DS Assist Station, Avid Ignite, Avid Liquid, Avid Media Engine, Avid Media Processor, Avid MEDIArray, Avid Mojo, Avid
Remote Response, Avid Unity, Avid Unity ISIS, Avid VideoRAID, AvidRAID, AvidShare, AVIDstripe, AVX, Beat Detective, Beauty
Without The Bandwidth, Beyond Reality, BF Essentials, Bomb Factory, Bruno, C|24, CaptureManager, ChromaCurve,
ChromaWheel, Cineractive Engine, Cineractive Player, Cineractive Viewer, Color Conductor, Command|24, Command|8,
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Digidesign TDM Bus, DigiLink, DigiMeter, DigiPanner, DigiProNet, DigiRack, DigiSerial, DigiSnake, DigiSystem, Digital
Choreography, Digital Nonlinear Accelerator, DigiTest, DigiTranslator, DigiWear, DINR, DNxchange, Do More, DPP-1, D-Show, DSP
Manager, DS-StorageCalc, DV Toolkit, DVD Complete, D-Verb, Eleven, EM, Euphonix, EUCON, EveryPhase, Expander,
ExpertRender, Fader Pack, Fairchild, FastBreak, Fast Track, Film Cutter, FilmScribe, Flexevent, FluidMotion, Frame Chase, FXDeko,
HD Core, HD Process, HDpack, Home-to-Hollywood, HYBRID, HyperSPACE, HyperSPACE HDCAM, iKnowledge, Image
Independence, Impact, Improv, iNEWS, iNEWS Assign, iNEWS ControlAir, InGame, Instantwrite, Instinct, Intelligent Content
Management, Intelligent Digital Actor Technology, IntelliRender, Intelli-Sat, Intelli-sat Broadcasting Recording Manager, InterFX,
Interplay, inTONE, Intraframe, iS Expander, iS9, iS18, iS23, iS36, ISIS, IsoSync, LaunchPad, LeaderPlus, LFX, Lightning, Link &
Sync, ListSync, LKT-200, Lo-Fi, MachineControl, Magic Mask, Make Anything Hollywood, make manage move | media, Marquee,
MassivePack, Massive Pack Pro, Maxim, Mbox, Media Composer, MediaFlow, MediaLog, MediaMix, Media Reader, Media
Recorder, MEDIArray, MediaServer, MediaShare, MetaFuze, MetaSync, MIDI I/O, Mix Rack, Moviestar, MultiShell, NaturalMatch,
NewsCutter, NewsView, NewsVision, Nitris, NL3D, NLP, NSDOS, NSWIN, OMF, OMF Interchange, OMM, OnDVD, Open Media
Framework, Open Media Management, Painterly Effects, Palladium, Personal Q, PET, Podcast Factory, PowerSwap, PRE,
ProControl, ProEncode, Profiler, Pro Tools, Pro Tools|HD, Pro Tools LE, Pro Tools M-Powered, Pro Transfer, QuickPunch,
QuietDrive, Realtime Motion Synthesis, Recti-Fi, Reel Tape Delay, Reel Tape Flanger, Reel Tape Saturation, Reprise, Res Rocket
Surfer, Reso, RetroLoop, Reverb One, ReVibe, Revolution, rS9, rS18, RTAS, Salesview, Sci-Fi, Scorch, ScriptSync,
SecureProductionEnvironment, Serv|GT, Serv|LT, Shape-to-Shape, ShuttleCase, Sibelius, SimulPlay, SimulRecord, Slightly Rude
Compressor, Smack!, Soft SampleCell, Soft-Clip Limiter, SoundReplacer, SPACE, SPACEShift, SpectraGraph, SpectraMatte,
SteadyGlide, Streamfactory, Streamgenie, StreamRAID, SubCap, Sundance, Sundance Digital, SurroundScope, Symphony, SYNC
HD, SYNC I/O, Synchronic, SynchroScope, Syntax, TDM FlexCable, TechFlix, Tel-Ray, Thunder, TimeLiner, Titansync, Titan, TL
Aggro, TL AutoPan, TL Drum Rehab, TL Everyphase, TL Fauxlder, TL In Tune, TL MasterMeter, TL Metro, TL Space, TL Utilities,
tools for storytellers, Transit, TransJammer, Trillium Lane Labs, TruTouch, UnityRAID, Vari-Fi, Video the Web Way, VideoRAID,
VideoSPACE, VTEM, Work-N-Play, Xdeck, X-Form, Xmon and XPAND! are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid
Technology, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries.
Adobe and Photoshop are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated in the United States and/or
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Footage
Eco Challenge Morocco — Courtesy of Discovery Communications, Inc.
News material provided by WFTV Television Inc.
Ice Island — Courtesy of Kurtis Productions, Ltd.
Interplay Engine and Interplay Archive Engine Administration Guide • 0130-07640-03 Rev K • December 2014 •
Created 12/15/14 • This document is distributed by Avid in online (electronic) form only, and is not available for
purchase in printed form.
Congratulations on your purchase of Interplay®| Production, a powerful system for managing
media in a shared storage environment. This guide describes how to use
Interplay | Administrator, an Interplay client application that provides tools to configure the
Interplay | Engine and to manage the database on the server.
This guide is intended for all Interplay administrators who are responsible for installing,
configuring and maintaining an Interplay Engine or Interplay Archive Engine (database, server,
and all related client connections and user rights) in an Interplay workgroup. This guide includes
a detailed description of each of the Interplay Administrator task groups and how you can use
them to administer your server and databases. Some of the settings that you are able to change
affect the server itself, while others only affect the database stored on the server.
®
The Interplay Administrator is supported on both the Microsoft
platforms. When necessary, the guide describes platform-specific differences.
The documentation describes the features and hardware of all models. Therefore, your system
n
might not contain certain features and hardware that are covered in the documentation.
Windows® and the Mac OS®X
Limited number of client applications per user per machine: A user can run only one Interplay
n
Access session and one Interplay Administrator session on one machine. This software does not
support terminal/server sessions.
Symbols and Conventions
Avid documentation uses the following symbols and conventions:
Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action
n
c
w
A note provides important related information, reminders,
recommendations, and strong suggestions.
A caution means that a specific action you take could cause harm to
your computer or cause you to lose data.
A warning describes an action that could cause you physical harm.
Follow the guidelines in this document or on the unit itself when
handling electrical equipment.
11
If You Need Help
Symbol or Convention Meaning or Action
>This symbol indicates menu commands (and subcommands) in the
order you select them. For example, File > Import means to open the
File menu and then select the Import command.
This symbol indicates a single-step procedure. Multiple arrows in a list
indicate that you perform one of the actions listed.
(Windows), (Windows
only), (Macintosh), or
(Macintosh only)
Bold fontBold font is primarily used in task instructions to identify user interface
Italic fontItalic font is used to emphasize certain words and to indicate variables.
Courier Bold font
Ctrl+key or mouse actionPress and hold the first key while you press the last key or perform the
| (pipe character)The pipe character is used in some Avid product names, such as
If You Need Help
If you are having trouble using your Avid product:
1. Retry the action, carefully following the instructions given for that task in this guide. It is
especially important to check each step of your workflow.
2. Check the latest information that might have become available after the documentation was
published. You should always check online for the most up-to-date release notes or ReadMe
because the online version is updated whenever new information becomes available. To view
these online versions, select ReadMe from the Help menu, or visit the Knowledge Base at
www.avid.com/support.
This text indicates that the information applies only to the specified
operating system, either Windows or Macintosh OS X.
items and keyboard sequences.
Courier Bold font identifies text that you type.
mouse action. For example, Command+Option+C or Ctrl+drag.
Interplay | Production. In this document, the pipe is used in product
names when they are in headings or at their first use in text.
3. Check the documentation that came with your Avid application or your hardware for
maintenance or hardware-related issues.
4. Visit the online Knowledge Base at
www.avid.com/support. Online services are available 24
hours per day, 7 days per week. Search this online Knowledge Base to find answers, to view
error messages, to access troubleshooting tips, to download updates, and to read or join
online message-board discussions.
12
Viewing Help and Documentation on the Interplay Production Portal
Viewing Help and Documentation on the
Interplay Production Portal
You can quickly access the Interplay Production Help, links to the PDF versions of the
Interplay Production guides, and other useful links by viewing the Interplay Production User
Information Center on the Interplay Production Portal. The Interplay Production Portal is a Web
site that runs on the Interplay Production Engine.
You can access the Interplay Production User Information Center through a browser from any
system in the Interplay Production environment. You can also access it through the Help menu in
Interplay | Access and the Interplay | Administrator.
The Interplay Production Help combines information from all Interplay Production guides in one
Help system. It includes a combined index and a full-featured search. From the Interplay
Production Portal, you can run the Help in a browser or download a compiled (.chm) version for
use on other systems, such as a laptop.
To open the Interplay Production User Information Center through a browser:
1. Type the following line in a Web browser:
http://Interplay_Production_Engine_name
For Interplay_Production_Engine_name substitute the name of the computer running the
Interplay Production Engine software. For example, the following line opens the portal Web
page on a system named docwg:
http://docwg
2. Click the “Interplay Production User Information Center” link to access the Interplay
Production User Information Center Web page.
To open the Interplay Production User Information Center from Interplay Access or the
Interplay Administrator:
tSelect Help > Documentation Website on Server.
13
Interplay Documentation
The following documents describe how to use Interplay Production:
•Interplay | Production Best Practices — provides an overview of the major Interplay
components, shows sample configuration diagrams, and describes several of the key
features, such as setting up a user database and using the Interplay Archive Engine.
•Interplay | Production Software Installation and Configuration Guide — describes how to
use the Interplay Production installation programs to install and configure software on the
various systems that make up a Interplay environment.
•Interplay | Engine Failover Guide — describes how to set up a cluster configuration for the
Interplay Engine and the Interplay Archive engine. There are two versions of this guide: one
for SR2500 systems and one for AS3000 systems.
•Interplay | Engine and Interplay | Archive Engine Administration Guide — describes how to
administer your Interplay Engine or Interplay Archive Engine and Avid Interplay database.
•Interplay | Access User’s Guide — describes how to use Interplay Access to browse, search,
and work with assets in the Avid Interplay database.
•Interplay | Assist User’s Guide — describes how to use Interplay Assist for logging,
archiving, and sending to Playback material in an Interplay environment.
Interplay Documentation
•Avid Instinct User’s Guide — describes how to use the Avid Instinct application to write
iNEWS stories and put together simple audio and video sequences.
•Interplay | Media Services Setup and User’s Guide — Interplay Media Services lets you
control and automate Transcode, Archive, and other Interplay Media Services.
•Interplay | Transfer Setup and User’s Guide — describes how to use Interplay Transfer to
transfer media to and from another workgroup, send finished sequences to a configured
playback device, ingest media from a configured ingest device, and perform standalone
transfers between workstations.
•Avid Service Framework User’s Guide — describes how to use the logging, monitoring, and
management features of the Avid Service Framework applications.
•Interplay | Capture User’s Guide — describes how to use Interplay Capture, a newsroom
ingest tool that enables automated recordings.
•Interplay | Capture Administrator’s Guide — describes administrative concepts, tasks, and
reference material for Avid Interplay Capture.
All documents are available in PDF form on the Avid Knowledge Base at
www.avid.com/onlinesupport.
14
Avid Training Services
Avid makes lifelong learning, career advancement, and personal development easy and
convenient. Avid understands that the knowledge you need to differentiate yourself is always
changing, and Avid continually updates course content and offers new training delivery methods
that accommodate your pressured and competitive work environment.
For information on courses/schedules, training centers, certifications, courseware, and books,
please visit
800-949-AVID (800-949-2843).
www.avid.com/support and follow the Training links, or call Avid Sales at
Avid Training Services
15
1Getting Started with the
Interplay | Administrator
The Interplay Administrator provides database administrators and maintenance engineers with
the tools required to configure the Interplay Engine and to manage the database on the server.
The following topics provide basic information for using the Interplay Administrator:
Understanding the Interplay Engine and Interplay Workgroups
•
•Using the Interplay Administrator
•Starting the Interplay Administrator
•Using the Interplay | Administrator Window
•Opening an Interplay | Administrator View
•Opening Interplay | Production Help
•Exiting the Interplay Administrator
For an overview of all Interplay components, see the Interplay Best Practices Guide.
Understanding the Interplay Engine and Interplay
Workgroups
The Interplay Engine forms the backbone of the Interplay environment. The Interplay Engine is a
server that combines an asset database with workflow management software, both of which are
integrated with Avid shared storage and Avid archive solutions. This topic provides basic
information about the functions and components of the Interplay Engine.
One Interplay Engine, One Interplay Database, One Shared Storage Network
The Interplay Engine is one component of an Interplay workgroup. At a minimum, an Interplay
workgroup is composed of one Interplay Engine, one Interplay database, one Avid ISIS
shared-storage network, and associated software and services.
Understanding the Interplay Engine and Interplay Workgroups
Metadata
Database
Avid
Shared Storage
File Assets
Media for
Avid Assets
Avid Interplay Engine
An Interplay database consists of two parts:
•A metadata database, which holds information about the assets, or metadata.
•Source files for the assets, for example, graphics files and Avid media files. The source files
for file assets can be stored on the Interplay Engine or on an Avid shared-storage system.
The source files for Avid assets are always stored on shared storage.
The following illustration shows the metadata database and the source files for file assets stored
on the internal drive of the Interplay Engine server and the source files for Avid assets stored on
an Avid shared storage workspace.
For information about all Interplay components and detailed sample configurations, see
Interplay Best Practices.
Avid Assets, File Assets, and Splitting the Database
Interplay manages two different kids of assets. Avid assets are assets that are created by Avid
applications through capture, ingest, import, or transfer. Avid assets include:
•Master clips
•Subclips
•Sequences
•Effects
•Motion effects
•Rendered effects
•Group clips
File assets are any assets that are not created by an Avid application. Any file you can create on
your workstation, through applications such as Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Word, can be
added to the Interplay database and managed by Interplay as a file asset.
17
Understanding the Interplay Engine and Interplay Workgroups
Media files for Avid assets are always stored on an Avid shared-storage system. Source files for
file assets can be stored on the Interplay Engine or on an Avid shared-storage workspace. The
location that holds file assets is called the file repository.
c
Previous versions of this guide described how to set up a split database. A split database
refers to a configuration in which only the metadata database is stored on the Interplay
Engine. All other database files and folders are stored on an Avid shared-storage
workspace. This configuration is no longer recommended. See “Reuniting a Split
Database” on page 234.
Multiple Workgroups
A large production facility can have more than one Interplay workgroup. Each workgroup must
have its own Interplay Engine, database, and shared storage network. Users on Interplay Access
can view and access assets from more than one workgroup and can transfer them from one to
another using a file copy procedure for file assets and Interplay Transfer for Avid assets. You can
also use the Interplay Delivery service to transfer Avid assets.
Interplay Archive Engine
A facility might also include an Interplay Archive Engine. An Interplay Archive Engine is
configured similarly to an Interplay Engine. An Archive Engine is integrated with a third-party
archive system. An Interplay Archive database is always named AvidAM. An Interplay database
is always named AvidWG.
An Interplay Archive database and an Interplay database use different icons, as shown in the
following illustration from Interplay Access. The archive database is represented by a safe, and
archive folders are represented by boxes.
18
Understanding the Interplay Engine and Interplay Workgroups
Interplay online
database
Interplay
Archive Engine
database
For more information about the Interplay Archive Engine, see Interplay Best Practices.
In this guide, references to the Interplay Engine also refer to the Archive Engine, unless
n
otherwise noted.
Central Configuration Server
If a production facility includes more than one Interplay workgroup, you can specify one
Interplay Engine as the Central Configuration Server (CCS). The CCS is an Interplay Engine
module that stores information that is common to all other Interplay Engines. The CCS provides
a means to manage user accounts across multiple workgroups. For more information, see
“Understanding the Central Configuration Server” on page 104.
19
Using the Interplay Administrator
Server Execution User
The Server Execution User is a Windows operating system user that runs the Interplay Engine
processes. You specify the user name and password for the Server Execution User when you
install the Interplay Engine on the server. The Server Execution User needs local administrator
rights on the operating system for the Interplay Engine server and read/write access to the Avid
shared-storage file system.
For more information, see
Interplay as a Client-Server Application
“Troubleshooting the Server Execution User Account” on page 229.
Interplay is designed as a client-server application. The Interplay Engine is configured to run on
a central machine that is accessible to all users through a network. An Interplay application that
runs on a client machine is a client of the Interplay Engine server. Interplay client applications,
such as Interplay Access, Interplay Assist, Avid Instinct
the Interplay Window can access and browse multiple databases. The Interplay Administrator is
also a client application.
Interplay uses TCP/IP and related protocols for its network communication. Therefore, TCP/IP
must be installed on all machines. Since TCP/IP is used to access the Internet, most users already
have this component installed. See
“Required TCP/IP Ports” on page 255 for more information.
Using the Interplay Administrator
The Interplay Administrator is a client application that you use to manage either the Interplay
Engine or the Interplay Archive Engine. The Interplay Administrator is installed at the same time
that you install Interplay Access. You can install the Interplay Administrator as a client on any
computer in your network and then use it to manage any Interplay Engine or Interplay Archive
Engine that is available on the network. For information on installing Interplay Access and the
Interplay Administrator, see the Interplay Software Installation and Configuration Guide.
®
, and Avid editing applications that use
The Interplay Administrator provides you with the tools you need for the following major tasks:
•Setting up a new database. See
“Creating an Interplay Database” on page 26.
•Backing up the database. Backing up the database regularly protects your data, allowing you
to restore the database to a saved state in the event of failure. See
Database Backups” on page 29
.
•Maintenance tasks, such as locking, unlocking, and restarting the server. See
Settings” on page 86
.
•Creating, editing, and deleting user accounts and managing user authorization. See
Management” on page 104
.
20
“Creating and Restoring
“Server
“User
Starting the Interplay Administrator
•Configuring client applications and the workgroup. See “Site Settings” on page 145.
•Configuring the Interplay Archive Engine. See
For more information on archiving, see Interplay Best Practices and the Interplay Media Services Setup and User’s Guide..
•Configuring Application Settings and Interplay Services. See
page 197
and “Interplay Services” on page 224.
“Specifying Archive Settings” on page 174.
Starting the Interplay Administrator
To start the Interplay Administrator:
1. Do one of the following:
tClick the Start button and then select All Programs > Avid >
tFrom Interplay Access, select Tools > Open Interplay Administrator.
The Interplay Administrator Server Login screen appears.
“Application Settings” on
The first time you open the Interplay Administrator, the Server text box is empty. If you have
already logged into a server, the text box shows the last server you logged in to.
21
Using the Interplay | Administrator Window
2. Select the server you want to work with by doing one of the following:
tAccept the server that is displayed.
tType the name of the server that you want to log in to. You can also use an IP address.
tClick the arrow for the Server list and select the server name from the list.
The first part of the list shows recent servers, the second part of the list shows servers
that were added manually (not on a local area network), and the third part shows servers
available on your local area network.
tClick the arrow for the server list and select Add Server. Type a new server name.
3. Type a user name and password for an account with administration rights.
On the first start after installing the Interplay Engine, only the user Administrator exists.
Type “Administrator” in the dialog box. The password is empty by default. Change the
password of the Administrator as soon as possible (see “Viewing and Setting Attributes” on
page 127
The Interplay Administrator account is different from the Server Execution User account. The
n
Interplay Administrator account is used to manage users and the database. The Server Execution
User account is used to run the Interplay Engine processes.
4. Click Connect.
The Interplay Administrator window opens.
If you have any problems logging in, see
).
“Troubleshooting Login Problems” on page 226.
Using the Interplay | Administrator Window
The Interplay Administrator window is divided into six groups: Database, Server, User
Management, Site Settings, Application Settings, and Interplay Services. The name of the
Interplay Engine server you are connected to is displayed in the upper right of the window.
22
Using the Interplay | Administrator Window
Each group contains views for managing components of the Interplay Engine. Each group is
described in a separate section of this guide:
•“Database Settings” on page 26
•“Server Settings” on page 86
•“User Management” on page 104
•“Site Settings” on page 145
•“Application Settings” on page 197
•“Interplay Services” on page 224
23
Opening an Interplay | Administrator View
Opening an Interplay | Administrator View
To open an Interplay Administrator view:
tIn the Interplay Administrator window, click an icon.
The view you select replaces the Interplay Administrator window. Each view includes a path
that shows the relative location of that view. The following illustration shows part of the
Create Database view. In this example, the path shows that the Create Database view is
included in the Database section of the Interplay Administrator window (In the path, the
Interplay Administrator window is represented as the Interplay Server).
To return to the Interplay Administrator window:
tClick the Menu button in the upper left of the view.
Opening Interplay | Production Help
The Interplay Production Help system is installed when you install the Interplay Engine. The
Interplay Help system provides all user and administrator information that is contained in the
Interplay manuals. The Interplay Administrator Help menu provides five entry points: one for
the Welcome screen and four that correspond to four Interplay applications:
•Interplay Administration Help
•Interplay Media Services Help
•Interplay Transfer Help
•Interplay Installation Help
You can access the entire Help system, including the Search and Index tabs, from any of those
entry points.
To access Interplay Production Help:
tSelect Help, and then select the desired application.
24
tSelect Documentation Website on Server.
The Interplay Production User Information Center page opens. You can open the Help, PDF
versions of the Interplay user guides, and other useful links. See “Viewing Help and
Documentation on the Interplay Production Portal” on page 13
Exiting the Interplay Administrator
When you are finished using the Interplay Administrator, you should log out or close the
application. Logging out can be convenient if you want to log in to a different database.
To log out:
tClick the Log out button in the upper right of the Interplay Administrator window.
The application remains open, with the login screen displayed.
To close the Interplay Administrator, do one of the following:
tSelect File > Exit.
tClick the close button in the upper right of the window.
The Interplay Administrator window closes.
Exiting the Interplay Administrator
25
2Database Settings
The Database settings allow you to create, configure, and manage the Interpla y database. The
following topics describe how to use these settings:
Creating an Interplay Database
•
•Interplay Databases, Folders, and Files
•Creating and Restoring Database Backups
•Performing a Consistency Check
•Viewing Database Information
•Locking and Unlocking Databases
•Managing Databases: Deactivating, Activating, and Migrating
•Moving a Database to Another Server (Non-Clustered Systems)
•Moving a Database and Users to Another Server (Non-Clustered Systems)
•Moving a Database to Another Server (Clustered Systems)
•Moving a Database and Users to Another Server (Clustered Systems)
•Moving a Database Under Low Disk Space Conditions
•Renaming a Database
•Running Database Maintenance Tools
Creating an Interplay Database
The Create Database view lets you name and create a new Interplay database. You need to create
an Interplay database after you install the Interplay Engine and Interplay Access software.
c
Avid supports only one database for each Interplay Engine. The database must be named
AvidWG, or for an Archive Engine database, AvidAM.
The root folder for a new database is set during the installation of the Interplay Engine software.
By default, the installation program creates one shared folder for both the metadata database and
the source files for file assets (the file repository). The default location is the
D:\Workgroup_Databases folder (or S:\Workgroup_Databases on a cluster system). This folder
is represented by the administrative share name WG_Database$. The $ indicates a hidden share.
Interplay Databases, Folders, and Files
To identify the actual folder, open a Command Prompt window and type
n
To create an Interplay database:
1. In the Database section of the Interplay Administrator window, click the Create Database
icon.
The Create Database view opens.
2. In the New Database Information area, leave the default “AvidWG” in the Database Name
text box. For an archive database, leave the default “AvidAM.” These are the only two
supported database names.
3. Type a description for the database in the Description text box, such as “Main Production
Server.”
After the database is created, a set of default folders within the database are visible in
Interplay Access and other Interplay clients. For more information about these folders, see
the Interplay Access User’s Guide.
5. Keep the root folder for the New Database Location (Meta Data).
The metadata database must reside on the Interplay Engine server.
6. Keep the root folder for the New Data Location (Assets).
7. Click Create to create directories and files for the database.
The Interplay database is created. For information about the folders and files that compose
the database, see
“Interplay Databases, Folders, and Files” on page 27.
net share
.
Interplay Databases, Folders, and Files
When the Interplay Engine creates a database, it creates a set of directories and files in the
locations you specified in the Create Database view (see
page 26
The Interplay Engine also creates a user database, which is located on the server that you
designated as the Central Configuration Server during the installation (see
Central Configuration Server” on page 104
Database File Structure
The database file structure is based on the administrative share that was set during the Interplay
Engine installation. By default, this administrative share is named WG_Database$ and is
associated with the folder D:\Workgroup_Databases (S:\Workgroup_Databases for cluster
systems). The “$” indicates a hidden share. To identify the actual folder, open a Command
Prompt window and type
).
net share
).
.
27
“Creating an Interplay Database” on
“Understanding the
Interplay Databases, Folders, and Files
This folder contains either the AvidWG or the AvidAM folder. If the server is functioning as the
Central Configuration server, the folder also includes the _InternalData folder. The following
table describes these folders:
DatabaseDescription
_Internal DataUser database: Contains Central Configuration Server information such as
users and roles.
AvidWGInterplay Engine database: Contains metadata for Avid assets and file
assets, and source files for file assets.
AvidAMInterplay Archive Engine database: Contains archived metadata for Avid
assets and file assets, and source files for file assets.
Database Folders and Files
The following table lists the folders that are included in the AvidWG or AvidAM folders. During
normal work, users or administrators do not need to work directly with these folders and files.
All access for normal work is through Interplay products. You need to work with these files
when splitting a database or possibly when troubleshooting a problem.
c
You should exclude the _Database and _PropertyStore folders of each database from any
kind of virus checking because virus checking tools might try to lock the database files).
Database Directories and Files
Directory or FileDirectory or File Description
_DatabaseThe main database directory, which contains database files and the
database journal. These files contain the database structure and all
metadata. All files within this folder contain binary information and
cannot be viewed or edited with a text editor.
_MasterThe main data directory, which contains the source files for file assets that
are managed by the database (the file repository). This directory contains
source files for all versions of the file assets.
Source files for Avid assets are always stored in Avid media folders
Whenever a file is copied from the client to the server, the file is first
copied into one of these directories, depending on what operation (check
in, import, and so on) was performed. The server then moves the file from
these handover directories into the _Master directory.
28
Creating and Restoring Database Backups
Database Directories and Files (Continued)
Directory or FileDirectory or File Description
_PropertyStoreThe database directory that contains files holding the contents of streamed
properties. Streamed properties include metadata about Avid assets, such
as head frames and AAF information.
_BackupThe data folder that contains backup versions of the database that are
created through the automated backup process (see
Automatic Database Backups” on page 35
AvidWG.pro, AvidAM.proA cookie file representing the database. It contains no vital information,
but it is needed to activate a deactivated database (see
Deactivated Database” on page 65
Folderlocations.xmlA file that informs the server about the location of the _Database directory.
_BucketsNot currently used.
Maximum Number of Characters for Clip Names, Folders, and Files
).
).
“Scheduling
“Activating a
Avid recommends adhering to a best practice of a 255 character limit for clip names. While it is
technically possible for clip names to be longer, folders and files are hard set at this 255
maximum and using it as a guideline may be easier to enforce over time across staff or teams.
Maximum Number of Characters in Interplay Path
The maximum number of characters you can have in a path on the Interplay Engine is 32,767,
based on the Windows operating system limit.
Creating and Restoring Database Backups
There are two basic approaches to backing up an Interplay database:
•Using a combination of backups scheduled through the Interplay Administrator (automatic
backups) and manual backups of other parts of the database. This approach should be used
as part of a regular backup strategy.
•Using a professional backup tool to do a complete backup to offline media. This backup
should include both the Interplay backup and the folders that Interplay backup process does
not include.
Creating a complete copy of the complete database using Robocopy or 7-Zip is useful before
doing a major system upgrade. These tools can be used in place of a professional backup
tool. However, keep in mind that performance and stability might suffer.
29
The following topics provide information about creating and restoring database backups:
•“Types of Interplay Administrator Backups” on page 30
•“Recommendations for Backup Configuration” on page 31
•“Scheduling Automatic Database Backups” on page 35
•“Setting the Number of Database Backups to Keep” on page 34
•“Starting a Backup Manually” on page 39
•“Using an Archiving Tool for Backup” on page 40
•“Restoring an Earlier Version of a Database” on page 42
•“Performing a Partial Restore of an Interplay Production Database” on page 53
•“Creating a Metadata-Only Backup for Customer Support” on page 57
Types of Interplay Administrator Backups
The Interplay Administrator lets you run create two different kinds of metadata backups: a
Complete metadata backup and a Fast metadata backup. You can schedule backups to run
automatically or you can run a backup manually. The following table describes the different
types of backups.
Creating and Restoring Database Backups
Backup TypeDescription
Complete (Full) backupCreates copies of database files in the _Database folder and streamed
properties files in the _PropertyStore folder. Streamed properties include
metadata about Avid assets, such as head frames and AAF information.
This is the preferred backup.
Fast backups:
- IncrementalCreates copies of database files and streamed properties files that were
added to the database since the last Complete Backup, the last Incremental
Backup, or the last Differential Backup.
- DifferentialCreates copies of database files and streamed properties files that were
added to the database since the last Complete Backup. In most cases, this
backup takes longer to perform than an Incremental backup.
- Metadata Only(Manual backup only) Creates copies of database files in the _Database
folder, but not streamed properties files in the _PropertyStore folder. This
type of Fast backup is less useful than an Incremental or Differential
backup. See
“Starting a Backup Manually” on page 39.
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