Overview of the Prinect Maintenance Center functions

Prinect Maintenance Center (PMC) is the interface between the Prinect software installed in the print shop and the Prinect Software Center (PSC). Prinect Software Center is operated centrally by HEIDELBERG and provides all Prinect software installation files and product updates via the Internet.

HEIDELBERG Customer Portal provides access to the digital services of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG. You need an active HEIDELBERG Customer Portal login to use all Prinect software functions.

The following components are part of a Prinect Maintenance Center system environment:

​•​On the HEIDELBERG side:

​•​Prinect Software Center

​•​HEIDELBERG Trust Service (License Management)

​•​The HEIDELBERG Customer Portal Control Center

​•​In the print shop:

​•​PMC computer

​•​Computer with Prinect software installed (servers and clients)

​•​License Server

The structure of a Prinect Maintenance Center system environment could look like the following example:

Prinect Maintenance Center performs the following tasks in the print shop:

​•​Establish a connection to the HEIDELBERG Prinect Software Center (PSC) and log in to HEIDELBERG Customer Portal.

​•​Compile the product list of installed Prinect software in the print shop and compare with currently available Prinect software versions in the PSC.

​•​Download update packages and hotfixes from the PSC and cache them in the PMC Repository, a local data store on a hard disk of the PMC computer.

​•​The PMC provides the functions and privileges for installing the Prinect software and update packages. "Background installations" are also carried out, which enable the continuous updating of the Prinect products ("Continuous Deployment").

​•​When installing the Prinect update packages, it may be necessary to stop and then start the Prinect components in certain cases; for this reason, the PMC is able to control this stopping and starting. In this case, the PMC operator always has control over such stop and start operations, so that unscheduled interruptions to the production processes can be prevented. Stopping and starting of Prinect components can be monitored and controlled in the "Supervisor view" of the PMC. Computer reboots, which may occur in the context of operating system update installations, for example, are also performed in a controlled manner in the PMC.

​•​To use all functions of the PMC software, a HEIDELBERG Customer Portal user account is required for the PMC; if necessary, a new user account must be set up. You set up a HEIDELBERG Customer Portal account with a Setup assistant. See PMC Setup.

​•​To verify the licenses, the PMC is connected to the HEIDELBERG License Management. It consists of the HEIDELBERG Trust Service and the License Server(s) installed locally in the print shop. In addition to the Prinect licenses, a License Server also manages the HEIDELBERG ID (Prinect Site ID), which is required for the authorization of the installations. In the case of online licensing, the PMC establishes the connection between the HEIDELBERG Trust Service and the License Server.

​•​In the case of online licensing, the extension of the operating license of the local License Server can be requested in the PMC user interface.

The PMC software is operated via a browser user interface (Web UI). This allows the PMC to be accessed from different computers within the print shop's network environment. The web UI provides all the controls required to manage and operate the PMC. A password protection in conjunction with the Prinect user administration secures the access to the PMC.

The Prinect Maintenance Center is constantly in contact with the HEIDELBERG Prinect Software Center and checks for updates daily.

If current software is available, the following actions are triggered:

​•​The PMC is usually automatically supplied with the latest software, i.e. new software is downloaded to a hard disk space of the computer on which the PMC software is installed — the "Repository" — and is then available for local installation.

​•​Once the download is complete, users of the Prinect software are informed that new software (upgrades, updates, hotfixes) is available and that the relevant update packages can be installed. The update process is then started manually in the PMC.

​•​Before installation begins in the context of a system upgrade, the affected computers are rebooted to ensure that no running processes or blocking states are hindering the installation process.

​•​If some installers require computer reboots during the installation phases, the PMC operator can decide that such reboots take place with a delay, e.g. in an uncritical phase.

​•​Before updating the Prinect software, the PMC checks for operating system updates. If this is the case, the installation of the operating system update is offered and recommended. Operating system updates should by all means be carried out at a different time than the Prinect software update, preferably before Prinect software is updated. If these installations run simultaneously, there may be severe time delays or conflicts between the operating system update and the Prinect software update.

Note: If Online Licensing is used, the central HEIDELBERG License Management, the Trust Service, can release updated licenses directly in the print shop via the HEIDELBERG Connection. These activations are transmitted to the local License Server via the secured HEIDELBERG Connection.

Connections Between Print Shop and HEIDELBERG PSC

There are the following types of connections between the HEIDELBERG network and the print shop network.

​•​Download connection

Large data volumes of the update packages are transferred via the download connection (secured with the https protocol).

​•​HEIDELBERG Connection (Remote Service connection)

This secure connection is intended for small volumes of sensitive data. This includes transferring customer data, technical data and the product list containing details about installed product versions. The product list, i.e. the list of installed Prinect products, is compiled and continuously updated throughout the print shop location. In the PSC, the product list is used to synchronize the versions. A detailed list of all of the data transferred can be found in chapter Prinect Maintenance Center — Data Security.

​•​HEIDELBERG Customer Portal connection

With this secure connection, a login to HEIDELBERG Customer Portal Control Center is possible.