› eCopy extenders › The eCopyAuthentication Extender

The eCopyAuthentication Extender

The eCopy Authentication Extender is compatible with major cost recovery systems.

Use it as an alternative to the Cost Recovery Service if you want to use a Cost Recovery system integration only for user authentication and you need neither Cost Recovery logging, nor scanning reports delivery to the Cost Recovery system.

The Authentication Extender requires a separate license.

Configuring the extender

The ShareScan software includes timers that automatically log you off after a certain period of inactivity. However, when the Authentication Extender is enabled, these timers are disabled and you remain logged on until you press End or Complete on the terminal, or until the terminal times out.

To configure the extender:

  1. In the ShareScan Administration Console, select the Configure services tab. The tab displays a list of available services.
  2. Select the service name. The service configuration and the settings pane open.
  3. On the configuration pane, select Authentication Extender: Configured. The fields become active, ready to be edited.
  4. To use Encryption, select a Type and specify the settings.
  5. To enable the service for all devices, select Enabled.
  6. Click Save, then click Test. The eCopy Cost Recovery Terminal Emulator opens.

If you are passing user credentials from your cost recovery terminal to the eCopyAuthentication Extender, Session Logon must be set to Enabled in the Enable for all devices tab and Configured in the Configuring Service: Session Logon tab. This functionality is only available if you are using the Unicode/XML (v3) protocol.

To test the service, in the eCopy Cost Recovery Terminal Emulator, click Connect to connect with your server.

Authentication Extender settings

The following table describes the settings available for the Authentication Extender.

Setting

Description

Authentication Extender

Configures the Authentication Extender settings.

Configured

Enables all settings for the service.

Port number

Enters port number. The port number must match the TCP port configured for the cost recovery device. The default port is 9325.

If you change the Port field, the Manager is automatically restarted after saving your settings.

Show Lock Button

Shows Lock Button at the client. This button allows you to lock the terminal from any screen during a session. This option is only available for ScanStation devices.

Protocols

Selects the protocol. This version of the service supports cost recovery terminals that were configured to work with previous versions of the eCopyCost Recovery Service.

  • Unicode/XML (v3): Select this option if your terminal is configured to use the latest version of the Cost Recovery Service (recommended).
  • Auto detect (v1, v2): Select this option if your terminal is configured to work with earlier versions of the Cost Recovery Service.

All devices controlled by a Manager must use the same protocol.

Encryption

Encryption settings must be used if a password is included.

Type

The encryption type for the Authentication Extender:

  • None: Passes credentials to ShareScan without encryption.
  • TripleDES: Enables you to encrypt the information from the application that is supplying the credentials to ShareScan. You can do this by creating an encryption key that you store on the computer where the Manager is running and on the Cost Recovery device.

Path

Set the path for the encryption key. Specifies a path to the storage destination for the encryption key on the device where the Manager is running.

Key

Generates a new key. Generates the encryption key and stores it in the eCopyCRSKey.txt file. You must manually copy this file to the Cost Recovery device. If you regenerate the key, you must copy the new key to the Cost Recovery device.

All devices that use the Authentication Extender and are managed by the same Manager must use the same encryption key. After generating a key for the first device, when you configure subsequent devices, you must select the same path you selected for the first device. ShareScan automatically recognizes the key file that is already in the storage destination.

Enable for all devices

Enables for all devices settings.

Enabled

Enables the service for all devices.

If the key is re-generated, the eCopyCRSKey.txt file must be copied to the Cost Recover terminal again. If a key mismatch occurs, the data is not decrypted correctly.

eCopy Cost Recovery Terminal Emulator

eCopy Cost Recovery Terminal Emulator appears when you click Test in the Authentication Extender.

To configure the emulator, launch the dialog by clicking the Config button on the main dialog.

Configuration settings

Setting

Description

Server name

Specifies the name or IP address of the machine running the TCP server. The default value is localhost, which is the machine that the emulator is running on.

Port number

Must match the port number set in ShareScan Administration Console. Default value is 9325, which matches the default for ShareScan.

Timeout (seconds)

Value in seconds until the terminal times out if no pulses are received from ShareScan Manager. The default value is 120 seconds.

Device IP

Specifies the IP address of device.

CLID

Emulates the type of data fields (client identification) you enter in a terminal.

Delimiter

The field delimiter for the activity tracking and fake CLID and MID fields. This value matches the value set up in ShareScan Administration Console, the default is ",", which matches the default used in ShareScan.

MID

Emulates the type of data fields (Multiplex Identification) you enter in a terminal.

XML name

Inserts the XML name.

Value

Inserts values.

You can add, view, and clear the XML attributes.

Encryption type

The type of encryption used to encrypt the XML data:

  • None: Passes credentials to ShareScan without encryption.
  • TripleDES: Enables you to encrypt the information sent from the application that is supplying the credentials to ShareScan. You can do this by creating an encryption key that you store on the computer where the Manager is running and on the Cost Recovery device. If TripleDES encryption is enabled, the eCopyCRSKey.txt file must reside in the path location specified in the eCopyShareScan Administration (Activity Tracking, Cost Recovery tab). After this file is generated by the Administrator Console, the file is copied to the Cost Recovery Terminal so that it uses the same TripleDES key encryption value.

Key path

You can browse for the path location of the encryption eCopyCRSKey.txt file. This file contains the Initialization Vector (IV) key used to seed the encryption provider.

Protocol version

You can choose which eCopy protocol to send and receive data between the Cost Recovery terminal and ShareScan Manager. The following versions are available: v1, v2, and v3 (default).

Enter credentials

Click to bring up a dialog to enter the following user credentials for use: Username, Password, Domain, and UserID.

If UserID is being used, UserName, Password, and Domain must be blank.

Save and close

Saves all field data to tcpclient.ini. The emulator always tries to load any value held in this file, which is located in the same folder as the emulator executable.

The text at the top of the status window (default value of Waiting for server messages) gives helpful tips about the state of the emulator.

Once the emulator has been configured, it is ready for use.

Terminal Emulator settings

Setting

Description

Status window

Displays time stamped status messages.

Connect

Connects to ShareScan using the server name and port configured in the configuration dialog. Once a connection has been established, the emulator sends an ECOPY_SCAN_BEGIN message to ShareScan. The CLID, MID, and Device ID values are all passed with this message.

This button is disabled once a connection has been established.

End

Only enabled once a connection has been established. Sends an ECOPY_LOCK_NOW message, waits for an ECOPY_LOCK message from ShareScan, and then disconnects from the TCP server.

Clear

Clears all text in the status window.

Top most

When checked, the emulator is always displayed on top of any window. When unchecked, the emulator retains its normal order.

Seconds left until lock

Displays a running countdown in seconds until the emulator times out. When the emulator times out, it sends the ECOPY_LOCK_NOW message, waits for the ECOPY_LOCK message from ShareScan, and then disconnects from the TCP server. Maximum timeout is 120 seconds.

Config

Pops up the configuration dialog.

NetStat

Pops up a command prompt window that runs the netstat –a –p TCPcommand.

Exit

Closes the application.