Advanced Configuration for a System Management Server

The System Management Server page in Configurator includes an Advanced button that provides access to the Advanced Configuration dialog.

If you have already configured a System Management Server, you can use the tabs on this dialog to adjust the following settings.

Certificates

By default, the System Management Server is configured to generate its own certificates for distribution to any connecting computers.

You can verify this setting on the Advanced Configuration dialog; the Certificate Source field will be set to "Automatically Generated".

However, you may need to enable encryption using certificates provided by a system administrator, a corporate IT department, or a certified third-party vendor. You can use this section of the Advanced Configuration dialog to achieve this. For more information, see Use Externally Provided Certificates for Encryption.

Note: Automatically generated certificates are renewed automatically. An externally provided certificate will need to be renewed by the provider.

If you are on a computer that has Connect to an existing System Management Server selected, the Certificates tab will include a field labeled System Management Server. This field will display the name of the computer that hosts the active System Management Server. The Port field to the right is automatically populated with the port number that the System Management Server is configured to use.

If required, you can connect the local computer to a different System Management Server. From the drop-down list in the System Management Server field, select the computer you would like to use to generate and host your certificates.

Note: You should only specify a computer name or a fully-qualified domain name for a System Management Server. Specifying the name in a different format, for example an IP address, may not be successful.

Ports

The Ports tab on the Advanced Configuration dialog shows the current setting for the following ports:

• HTTP Port (not used by Plant SCADA)

• HTTPS Port.

These represent the local ports that are used by web services and clients connecting to the computer you are currently using. In the case of Plant SCADA, only the HTTPS Port value is considered.

The default value used for an HTTPS Port it is 443. If you need to change the port that is currently being used (for example, you are seeing a "Port number conflict" error message), you can enter a new port number.

To enter an new port value:

1. In the HTTPS Port field, enter any port number that has not been blocked or is currently in use. HTTPS ports can range from 0 to 65535.

2. Click OK to save your settings. The Configurator’s main screen will display.

3. Click Configure to apply your changes.

   The Configuration Messages area displays the steps in the configuration process and the progress. If the configuration is unsuccessful, refer to the error messages in the System Management Console.

   See Troubleshooting - Certificate Error Messages.

Note: The functionality described on the Authentication tab of the Advanced Configuration dialog is not supported by Plant SCADA.

See Also

Use SMS Certificates with Web Applications

Enable Encryption