HP Web Jetadmin
Database Connector
Plug-in reference manual
Copyright notice
© 2004 Copyright Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Reproduction, adaptation or translation without prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under the copyright laws.
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Edition 1, 10/2004. This document supports HP Web Jetadmin 7.8.
Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
Trademark notice
Microsoft® is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
Documentation conventions
This document uses the conventions described below.
Bold
Bold is used to identify the names of options, buttons, and pages within HP Web Jetadmin software, and options that the user types in within HP Web Jetadmin.
Italic
Italic is used for emphasis.
Monospace font
Monospace font is used to identify a command that the user types on the command line.
Blue, underlined text
Blue, underlined text is used to identify hypertext links. Depending on the settings in a particular user's browser, these links might be formatted differently.
Page references
HP Web Jetadmin documentation contains references to pages within the software. These references tell you how to navigate to that page using the expandable tree in the Navigation area. For example, to navigate to the Device Management > Device Lists > All Devices page, select Device Management from the Navigation drop-down list, expand the Device Lists folder, and click All Devices.
Notes, cautions, and warnings NOTE Notes contain important information.
CAUTION Caution messages appear before procedures that, if not observed, could result in loss of data or damage to equipment.
WARNING! Warning messages alert the reader to a specific procedure or practice that, if not followed correctly, could cause personal injury or catastrophic loss of data or equipment.
Contents
HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in reference
manual ...1
Copyright notice ...2
Trademark notice ...2
Documentation conventions ...3
Section 1
HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in
1 Introducing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector
Plug-in ...9
Overview ...10
Configuring the external database ...10
Configuring a Microsoft Access database ...11
Configuring a MySQL Server database ...11
Configuring a Microsoft Desktop Engine or Microsoft SQL
Server database ...11
Removing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in ...12
2 Comparing database management systems ...13
Overview ...14
Microsoft Access ...14
Database size ...14
Scalability and limitations ...14
MySQL Server ...14
Microsoft Desktop Engine ...14
Database size ...15
Scalability and limitations ...15
Microsoft SQL Server ...15
Glossary
Index
Section 1
HP Web Jetadmin Database
Connector Plug-in
This section contains the following chapters:
Chapter 1, Introducing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in Chapter 2, Comparing database management systems
1 Introducing HP Web
Jetadmin Database
Connector Plug-in
This chapter contains the following topics:
Overview
Configuring the external database
Removing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in
Overview
An increasing number of application plug-ins for HP Web Jetadmin need to share data and export and import data from external sources. Although some application plug-ins can use HP Web Jetadmin's proprietary device cache, some application plug-ins need to customize and track device data over time.
Application plug-ins that track device data from a large network can rapidly accumulate gigabytes of data. These application plug-ins require a more flexible database.
HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in is an application plug-in for HP Web Jetadmin that provides an interface layer between other application plug-ins for HP Web Jetadmin and a database management system (DBMS).
HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in uses Open Database
Connectivity (ODBC) to connect to a DBMS. This allows application plug-ins to share data without conflict.
HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in defaults to an internally generated Microsoft® Access database. Specifically, HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in supports the following database management systems:
• Microsoft Access, versions 2000 and 2002
• MySQL Server, versions 3.23 and 4.0
• Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE), versions 1.0 and 2000
• Microsoft SQL Server, versions 7 and 2000
When you create and configure a new external database, HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in creates the tables and starts collecting and storing data from devices. You can also configure HP Web Jetadmin Database
Connector Plug-in to use an existing database containing data that has already been collected from devices. This means that the device data does not need to be collected again and again for every application plug-in that uses HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in.
See the HP Web Jetadmin Report Generation Plug-in Installation Guide for more information about installing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in. To access the Installation Guide, go to http://www.hp.com/go/wja_reports, and browse to the HP Web Jetadmin Report Generation Plug-in information page.
Configuring the external database
Once you have installed HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in, you must create and configure a new external database or configure an existing external database. You can configure the external database on the External Database Connector > Database Configuration page. You must use an external database that has at least 1 GB of space available.
Configuring a Microsoft Access database
You should create a new Microsoft Access database so that HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector can create the tables in the database. However, if you have HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in already installed on another host machine and have configured a database on that host machine, you can use that database.
To configure a Microsoft Access database, you must specify the full path name, including the file name, where you want to create a new database file or where an existing database files resides. The following is an example:
C:\Program Files\HP Web Jetadmin\doc\plugins\hpjdb\database.mdb To optimize performance, you should store the database file on the host machine where HP Web Jetadmin is running.
Configuring a MySQL Server database
To configure a MySQL Server database, you must specify the following information:
• The name or IP address of the server where MySQL Server is installed and configured. For example, if MySQL Server is installed on a server called dbserver that has an IP address of 192.168.1.1, you can type either dbserver or 192.168.1.1.
• The port where MySQL Server listens. The default port is 3306.
• The login name of a user who has rights to create a database. When MySQL Server is installed, a user name called root is created with the rights that are required.
• The password for the login name that you specified. When MySQL Server is installed, root has a blank password.
Configuring a Microsoft Desktop Engine or
Microsoft SQL Server database
To configure a Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE) or Microsoft SQL Server database, you must specify the following information:
• The name or IP address of the server where MSDE or SQL Server is installed and configured. For example, if MSDE or SQL Server is installed on a server called dbserver that has an IP address of 192.168.1.1, you can type either dbserver or 192.168.1.1.
• The port where MSDE or SQL Server listens. The default port is 1433.
Removing HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector
Plug-in
You can only remove HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in through HP Web Jetadmin if you have not installed an application plug-in that has a dependency on HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in, such as HP Web Jetadmin Report Generation Plug-in.
To remove the software, perform the following steps:
1 Select Product Update from the Navigation drop-down list.
2 Click Remove.
3 Select HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in from the Installed Packages list.
4 Click Uninstall Packages.
5 If the list of packages to be removed is acceptable, click Next. The Results page indicates if HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in was successfully removed.
2 Comparing database
management systems
This chapter contains the following topics:
Overview Microsoft Access MySQL Server
Microsoft Desktop Engine Microsoft SQL Server
Overview
This chapter provides information about the database management systems (DBMS) that HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in supports. This information will help you select which DBMS you want to use.
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Access is a file-based, relational database. Microsoft Access supports fewer features than other database engines support. For more information about Microsoft Access, go to http://www.microsoft.com/office/access.
Database size
Microsoft Access supports up to 2 GB per database.
Scalability and limitations
For performance reasons, HP recommends the following:
• You should have no more than 20 concurrent connections.
• You should create the Microsoft Access MDB file on the server where HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in is installed.
MySQL Server
MySQL Server is an open source, enterprise class database server. For more information about MySQL Server, go to http://www.mysql.com.
Microsoft Desktop Engine
Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE) is a local 1-2 processor data engine that can be shared. MSDE is essentially a scaled-down version of, and fully compatible with, Microsoft SQL Server. For more information about MSDE, go to http://
www.microsoft.com.
Database size
MSDE supports a database that is a maximum of 2 GB. This limitation is per database, not per server. A single server can support multiple MSDE instances, each with a database of up to 2 GB.
Scalability and limitations
For performance reasons, HP recommends that you have no more than five concurrent connections. If your solution must support more than five concurrent connections, HP recommends that you migrate to Microsoft SQL Server for this higher level of scalability.
Microsoft SQL Server
Microsoft SQL Server is an enterprise class DBMS. For more information about Microsoft SQL Server, go to http://www.microsoft.com/sql.
Glossary
A - B - C - D - F - H - I - O - P - Q - S - U - W
A
About page
A page that displays information about HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in, such as the version number, license number, date the software was installed, HP Web Jetadmin version, browser version, and installation directory.
application plug-in
Optional software that is added to HP Web Jetadmin to increase its functionality.
B
Back
In most browsers, returns to the previous page that you viewed.
Bookmark
An icon on the content toolbar that "marks" an HP Web Jetadmin page so that you can quickly return to it later. When you select Favorites from the Navigation drop-down list, HP Web Jetadmin displays a list of the pages that you have bookmarked.
browser
A software application that lets you view information on the Internet. Also see Web browser.
C
content area
The main area of each HP Web Jetadmin page. This is where HP Web Jetadmin displays information, where you can apply settings, and where you can perform other tasks.
content toolbar
The part of the content area on each HP Web Jetadmin page that contains the following items:
On some pages, HP Web Jetadmin provides a drop-down list that you can use to access other related pages. For example, when you access a Device Status page, the drop-down list on the task bar provides access to other device-related pages, such as the Device
Configuration page and the Device Diagnostics page.
Several icons that provide specific functionality, including refresh, home, bookmark, and context help.
During some processes, HP Web Jetadmin displays a progress indicator on the content toolbar.
context help area
The area on each HP Web Jetadmin page where the context help is displayed if you have HP Web Jetadmin set up to display it within the software. By default, HP Web Jetadmin displays the context help in a separate browser window.
D
database management system
1) The database system that HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in uses, such as Microsoft Access or MySQL Server.
2) The ODBC driver that DSN uses.
device
Any peripheral, such as a printer or scanner, that you can attach to the network. Device usually refers to one of the devices that HP Web Jetadmin manages, including Standard Printer MIB-compliant printers, HP Jetdirect print servers, and HP network scanners. Also see device group.
device cache
The file where HP Web Jetadmin stores information about the devices that it discovered on the network. Web browsers can access data in the device cache faster than it can access data outside of the device cache, which reduces network traffic.
device group
A group of devices and other resources. You can group devices based on location, workgroup, owner, or other identifiers.
DNS
Domain Name Service. The DNS server maps each device’s hostname to an IP address. The ARP Table then resolves these IP addresses to hardware addresses.
DSN
Data Source Name. All of the information that is required for HP Web Jetadmin Database Connector Plug-in to make a connection to an external database.
F
Favorites
See Bookmark.
Forward
In most browsers, displays the next page of the pages you have viewed. You can only use Forward after you have either used Back to navigate or selected another page from a bookmark or favorite-list item.
H
hostname
A user-friendly name assigned to a device that eliminates the need to use an IP address to communicate with the device. The hostname can reside on the device itself or on a name server such as DNS.
HP Web Jetadmin
An application that you can use to remotely manage a wide range of network-connected devices across platforms from anywhere in the world that you can access your local intranet.
HP Web Jetadmin Report Generation Plug-in
An application plug-in for HP Web Jetadmin that collects and stores data about devices. You can use HP Web Jetadmin Report Generation Plug-in to create reports and graphs using the collected data, and then use the information in the reports and graphs to see how your assets are being used.
I
IP address
A unique identifier assigned to a computer that lets you use the TCP/IP protocol to communicate with the computer.
O
ODBC
Open Database Connectivity. A database access standard.
P
password
A series of letters and numbers that are required to access a secured system or device.
port number
The connection port where the database management system listens for incoming
connections. In MySQL Server, the default port is 3306. In MSDE and Microsoft SQL Server, the default port is 1433.
Q
Quick Device Find
A search feature in HP Web Jetadmin that lets you quickly find a specific device by its hardware address, IP address, IPX/SPX address, IPX name, or IP hostname.
S
server
The network computer where the database management system is installed and running.
SQL command
A command that is submitted to the database to perform an action, for example, update, select, delete, drop, and alter.
U
URL
Uniform Resource Locator. An address that you use to access information on the Internet, either a Web page, FTP, Gopher, Usenet, or database. URLs can take the following formats:
• http://host.domain/page
• mailto://[email protected]
user name
A registered database user who has the rights to create a new database.
W
Web browser
An application running on a workstation that you use to view HTML documents on the Web, access hyperlinks, and transfer files. Web browsers request information from Web servers and display the information that the Web servers send back. The information is organized into Web pages, which contain text, graphics, sound, and animation formatted by HTML and Java applets.
Index
C
configuring external databases 10 conventions, documentation 3
D
database management systems (DBMS) comparing 14
supported 10
databases, configuring external 10 documentation conventions 3
E
external databases, configuring 10
G
glossary 17
I
installing software 10
M
Microsoft Access
configuring databases 11 database size 14
limitations 14 overview 14 scalability 14
Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE) configuring databases 11 database size 15
limitations 15 overview 14 scalability 15 Microsoft SQL Server
configuring databases 11 overview 15
MySQL Server
configuring databases 11 overview 14
O
overview, product 10
R
removing software 12
S
softwareinstalling 10 removing 12
U
uninstalling software 12
