Filesystem Setup

We recommend installing the server components in a folder structure under a base folder named D:\OctoSAM. The installation media contains a script create_folder_structure.ps1 under Support/Install/Scripts that creates the recommended folder structure and network share.

First Installation

For a fresh install, extract the installation archive to a temporary folder, adjust and execute the create_folder_structure.ps1 script. By convention, copy the installation archive to the Install/Delivery folder in the newly created folder structure. This helps to find the installation archive if you later require additional artifacts.

Server Software Installation

The Server folder contains the Server software. If updating an existing installation, make sure all services and other applications are stopped. Extract the installation archive and replace the Server folder in the OctoSAM base directory with the one from the installation archive.

Tip

It's recommended that you rename the existing Server folder to Server_OLD or similar. Do not just copy a new Server Folder over the existing one as this may lead to leftover files. Leftover files from earlier installations may impact the functionality and/or stability of the OctoSAM Server software.

The Server folder and its subfolders also may contain configuration files. These files should only be altered if advised by Octosoft. A viable scenario to alter such files might be to enable additional diagnostics. If you modify files within the Server structure you have to manually re-apply the changes after each software update (if required).

The easiest way to collect your scan files is to configure the scanner in such a way that the scan files are all written to a central share. For simple installations, define a hidden share called OctoSAM$ on your storage system. Place the following folders in that share:

\\servername\OctoSAM$\Bin: (read-only for all users except OctoSAM administrators) to hold octoscan2.exe and its configuration file.
\\servername\OctoSAM$\Data: (read/write for all users) to accept scan files from all users/computers in the network.

Tip

create_folder_structure.ps1 creates the OctoSAM$ share with simple default configuration..

Tip

The Import Service reads only complete files from configured import folders. When copying files to the central share, you therefore don't have to apply any fancy copy and rename strategy.

Tip

We recommend to place the Bin folder with the Octoscan2 executable and the Data folder on the same network share. That way, the Group Policy Engine on the client takes care of potential network startup timing issues.

Configuration Basics

OctoSAM Inventory uses standard .net 5.0 configuration appsettings.json files for all server components and the GUI. All server components can be configured through a single appsettings.json file located in a configurable folder that is referenced via the OCTOSAM_CONFIGURATION_FOLDER variable.

Tip

create_folder_structure.ps1 configures the environment variable OCTOSAM_CONFIGURATION_FOLDER.

Configuration File Location(s)

In addition to the folder referenced by %OCTOSAM_CONFIGUATION_FOLDER% each program also looks for a appsettings.json in its start directory.

If %OCTOSAM_CONFIGUATION_FOLDER% is not defined or does not point to a valid folder, the programs try to find the following config files:

    ../../Config/appsettings.json
    ../Config/appsettings.json

The files are processed top down, settings in each file override/extend the settings made in an earlier file.

Configuration Template Files

The installation media provides documented template configuration files in the Directory SampleConfigurationFiles within the Server folder.