Automated Process Scheduler

The Automated Process Scheduler (APS) is responsible for maintaining a database of information about your Crystal Enterprise system; the other components can therefore access that data as required. The data stored by the APS includes information about users and groups, security levels, Crystal Enterprise content, and servers. This data allows the APS to perform its three main tasks:

• Maintaining security

  By maintaining a database of users and their associated object rights, the APS enforces who has access to Crystal Enterprise and the types of tasks they are able to perform. This also includes enforcing and maintaining the licensing policy of your Crystal Enterprise system.

• Managing objects

  The APS keeps track of the location of reports and maintains the folder hierarchy. By communicating with the Job Server, the APS is able to ensure that scheduled jobs run at the appropriate times.

• Managing servers

  By staying in frequent contact with each of the servers in the system, the APS is able to maintain a list of server status. The WCS accesses this list, for instance, to identify which Cache Server is free to use for a report viewing request.

Typically, you provide the APS with database connectivity and credentials when you install Crystal Enterprise, so the APS can create its own database using your organization's preferred database server. For details about setting up the APS database, see the Crystal Enterprise Installation Guide. See the Platforms.txt file included with your product distribution for a complete list of tested database software and version requirements.

Note:    

• It is strongly recommended that you back up the APS database frequently. The backup procedure depends upon your database software. If you are unsure of the procedure, consult with your database administrator.
• The APS database should not be accessed directly. System information should only be retrieved using the API calls that are provided in the Crystal Enterprise Software Development Kit (SDK). See the Crystal Enterprise Web Developer's Guide for details.

On Windows, the Setup program can install and configure its own Microsoft Data Engine (MSDE) database if necessary. APS clustering is automatically supported by the default MSDE database. MSDE is a client/server data engine that provides local data storage and is compatible with Microsoft SQL Server. If you already have the MSDE or SQL Server installed, the installation program uses it to create the APS database. You can migrate your default APS database to a supported database server later.

For details about configuring the APS, its database, and APS clusters, see Configuring the intelligence tier.

Related topics

Intelligence tier