Configure Braid Network Console (BNC) in Flow

Issue

What is BNC and how to configure it in Flow ?

Solution

Braid Network Console (BNC) is a graphical tool for monitoring the Messenger system.  It highlights potential risks so preventative measures can be taken to minimize downtime, system overload and inefficiency.
The primary function is to monitor the state of a Messenger system, in real time, and to alarm when critical and unusual events are detected.  In addition, it stores performance data in an ODBC compliant database against which a set of standard reports can be run. BNC allows the system administrator to constantly monitor the status of the system. part from these visual alarms, BNC’s error trapping and reporting is configurable.

Below are steps to enable BNC in Flow:

Create DSN in ODBC Datasource :

1.      Run the ODBC setup (32bit or 64bit based on machine). Check if Microsoft Access DB driver is present else download it from Web.

2.      Select Add to open the form so that the BNC database can be specified.

3.     Select Microsoft Access driver and click Finish

Enter Datasource name , Description and use the Browse function to locate the database.

(Copy the BNC.accdb from FLOW Install package and place it in Data folder)

The DataSource name must match exactly the entry defined in the [BNC] section in Flow.ini

The DSN should now be visible in the Data Sources driver list.

Configuring Flow.ini :

Once ODBC  has been installed and the Data Source Driver specified, add the following entries to the Flow.INI file.

Installing BNC:

Click on setup.exe from Flow Install package and select ‘Client side’. Then Browse Application folder and click Next.

Select ‘Network Console’ from component list and click ‘Next.

Select the Program Folder and click Next to complete the install.

Below files need to be present in respective directory. If it is not present, please copy them from Flow Install Package.

NOTE: The *.ocx files MUST be registered from command prompt using regsvr32.

WSETUP Configuration:

Login to WSETUP ->Systems-> File Control. Click ‘Advanced’ tab and browse to the network console data directory.

Select the ‘USER’ icon in WSETUP and select the ‘UserID’ used to logon to BNC. Click on Modify -> Capabilities-> Ancilliary Programs.

Select the ‘Braid Network Console’ option.

No other gateways or Messenger processes should be logged in when BNC starts up for the first time.  In practice, most BNC installations monitor only the gateway activity, so if users are logged in, it doesn’t really matter as long as the gateways are not logged in.

When BNC is started for the first time, it creates the bnc.dat file.  It is important this is created whilst no other processes are already logged into Messenger, so that it is “clean”, and the other Braid processes have something to update their status to when they come back on line.

 

BNC Monitoring utility

Click on WBNC.exe from Flow app folder and enter the credentials. Create a shortcut icon in Desktop.

When BNC loads, the default window displays which can be customized.

Please contact Optitrade Tech Support via the Kofax Customer Portal for further questions or if you need any assistance in enabling BNC.

 

Level of Complexity 

High

 

Applies to  

Product	Version	Build	Environment	Hardware
Kofax Optitrade Flow	1.0x+