1 Installation and Configuration
1.1 Introduction
Deploying and configuring SAFR and AMAG Symmetry will allow SAFR to import AMAG person records and credentials to be used on SAFR SCAN face authentication readers. SAFR SCAN is using the imported face image, converted into a biometric signature, to verify a person identity when presented at a SAFR SCAN reader. When a person’s identity has been verified the SAFR SCAN reader transmits the imported Access Credentials to the access control panel via Wiegand or OSDP signaling.
Please note that SAFR will not import a person record if it does not have a card access credential. Likewise, if the access credential is removed from the person record, SAFR will delete the person record in SAFR. SAFR only supports one card access credential per person record. If multiple credentials exist, the most recently updated credential is imported.
For complete SAFR and SAFR SCAN documentation please visit http://docs.real.com.
1.2 Integration Overview and Requirements
Integrated SAFR - AMAG Symmetry is available on Windows and Linux.
Please note that this Guide does not include the Installation of the SAFR Server (SAFR Platform) or the AMAG with Symmetry. This guide specifically describes:
Configure Symmetry to allow SAFR server to import People and Access Credentials from Symmetry.
Configure the External Identification Synchronization in SAFR server.
A typical integration architecture:
1.2.1 Attribute mapping between AMAG and SAFR
The following is the current imported and supported attributes/field from Symmetry
AMAG |
SAFR (People data record) |
Notes |
First Name |
First Name |
|
Last Name |
Last Name |
|
n/a |
Person Type (default “none”) |
SAFR defaults all Person Type records to “None”. |
Picture |
Picture |
If no picture in person record, import only name and credentials for use with card only access. |
PIN |
PIN |
|
Card Format |
Access Card Format |
|
Facility code |
Access Card Facility ID |
|
Card Number |
Access Card ID |
|
Active Date |
Access Activation |
Record not added until Active Date is reached. |
Inactive Date |
Access Expiration |
SAFR Expiration set to same if before Inactive Date. If after Inactive date, record not added. |
1.3 Symmetry Configuration
SAFR integration to AMAG requires the AMAG Data Connect module which requires license from AMAG. It is also required to setup DataConnect Export and create a user with permissions to export data. These are described below.
No additional license or software is required on the SAFR server.
1.3.1 AMAG Module Licensing
The Data Connect modules must be installed on AMAG with an accompanying AMAG license. Follow the following for the Data Connect .
- Log in to Symmetry as a user with the System Manager role. (There is a default user called Manager; its password is the same as its username but with lower case m.)
- Click the Maintenance tab.
- Under Licensing select System Licenses.
- Click Add.
- Enter the serial number from the license PDF file for the Data Connect module.
One license is applied, you should now see a Data Connect Module License added.
- Log out of Symmetry and back in to apply this change.
1.3.2 DataConnect Export Setup
Log in to Symmetry as a user with the System Manager role. (There is a default user called Manager; its password is the same as its username but with lower case m.)
Select Operation, then Data, then Data Export.
Select all items that need to be exported and click OK. Use default as is. Default settings ok.
1.3.3 Add Export SQL User
This task is best done using SSMS (SQL Server Management Studio) which is freely downloadable from this link: Download SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) - SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS).
Account must use SQL Server authentication. Windows Authentication is not supported.
After you have installed the management studio, log in using Windows credentials.
Expand out the Security section, right click on Login, and select New Login…
Choose and enter a Login Name and Password. Also disable the password policy, expiration, and/or change checkboxes . Please note that the login name entered here will also be the login name that it used when configuring SAFR to connect to AMAG for External Identity Synchronization.
- Use SQL Server authentication. Windows authentication is not supported.
- Enabling “Enforce password expiration” is allowed but administrator will need to ensure to update password and update SAFR configuration at the required intervals.
Click OK.
Expand “Logins” and open the new user just created.
Select User Mapping, check multiMax and multiMaxExport databases. Then select each database you just added and select db_datareader for both in the “Database role membership” list below.
Click OK.
Right-click on each database (multiMax and multiMaxExport) and click properties.
Select Permissions and click on the username created in the earlier step. Then scroll to the “Execute” Permission in the “Explicit” list below and click “Grant” as shown:
Click Ok
Open properties again for that database and view the “Effective” tab. Ensure at least following effective permissions are present.
The permission is added from the Explicit tab as described above. Generally, all permissions except EXECUTE are already present.
Repeat Step 8 thru 11 for multiMaxExport database.
Click OK to save changes.
1.4 Configuring SSL
AMAG and SAFR must be use the same communication protocol. SAFR can be configured to handle the following conditions.
- SSL (HTTPS) with SSL CERT issued by trusted CERT Authority
- SSL (HTTPS) with self-signed SSL CERT
- No SSL (HTTP)
By default, SAFR is configured to expect an SSL CERT issued by a trusted authority. If AMAG is using a self-signed CERT (default), you will see the following error when trying to connect.
You can resolve this issue in one of three ways:
Install an SSL Certificate issued by certificate authority such as Thawte. |
Refer to AMAG documentation |
Configure SAFR to use internal trust manager which will truest self-signed CERTs. |
See section 1.4.1 below |
Configure SAFR and AMAG to use HTTP (Disable SSL) |
See section 1.4.2 below |
1.4.1 Use Self-Signed CERTS
To enable SAFR’s internal trust manager, modify SAFR Configuration and restart SAFR Server as instructed below.
Open a text editor with elevated permissions (“Run as administrator”)
?Notepad++ is a good text editor for Windows and will automatically elevate permissions when needed.
?On Linux use sudo to elevate permissions with editor of your choice (e.g. “sudo vi amag.properties”).
-
Open amag.properties file located in following locations (See SAFR Configuration File below)
Windows: C:\Program Files\RealNetworks\SAFR\covi\app\config\covi
Linux: /opt/RealNetworks/SAFR/covi/app/config/covi - Edit the following line
amag.trust.server.certificate:true
- Set value to true to implicitly trust cert (do not validate) AMAG SSL CERT.
- Save amag.properties file
- Restart “SAFR Covi” Windows Service in the Windows Services Control Panel (if on Linux, run ‘stop’ and ‘start’ in the SAFR/bin directory).
1.4.2 Disable SSL CERT Validation
1.4.2.1 Disable SSL CERT Validation in SAFR
- Open amag.properties as described in steps 1 and 2 of section 1.4.1 above.
- Edit the following line
amag.ssl:auto:disabled
- Set value to ‘disabled’ to disable SSL (use HTTP).
- Save amag.properties file
- Restart “SAFR Covi” Windows Service in the Windows Services Control Panel (if on Linux, run ‘stop’ and ‘start’ in the SAFR/bin directory).
1.4.2.1.1.1 Disable SSL CERT Validation in AMAG
- In AMAG, disable SSL
1.5 Set up External Identification Synchronization
To set up identity synchronization between SAFR and Symmetry, do the following:
- Open SAFR Software (either SAFR Desktop or SAFR Server Web Console)
-
Open System Configuration page
- SAFR Desktop: Tools menu > System Configuration
- SAFR Server Web Console: Click on “Status” page
- Scroll down Remote Control and Sync Configuration: section
- Enter information for the following fields:
User directory name |
The name of your SAFR database name where users and events are stored. Default is ‘main’. |
External identity host |
Select AMAG from the drop-down menu. |
Host Address |
The IP address or hostname of the SQL server. SAFR does not connect to netbios names. If you have netbios name of AMAG Server, you can get the ip address by executing following in a DOS command window: |
Host Port |
The port number that the target AMAG server is listening on. SAFR does not support “TCP Dynamic Ports”. “TCP Port” must be configured in the SQL Server IP Addresses configuration tab. If you know what the current dynamic port is, SAFR will connect to that port until next time it is updated, but this is not recommended because incremental sync will stop working at some point. |
Host User Id |
The User Id should be the same Login name created above in section 1.3.3 ”Add Export SQL User”. |
Host Password: The Password should be the password entered above in 1.3.3. “Add Export SQL User”.
- Click the Apply button.
1.6 SAFR Configuration File
The following file defines custom properties specific to AMAG Sync
Filename: amag.properties
Location: C:\Program Files\RealNetworks\SAFR\covi\app\config\covi
amag.card.format.mappings={'Legacy:0','PIV FASC-N:1','SR Series (15 digit):2','SR Series (10/12 digit):3','CMV_U:4','CMV_F:5','HID SE:6','HID Corporate:7','Barcode 37:8','NXP Desfire 56:9','AMAG – 62:10','AMAG – 32:11','AMAG – 63:12','HID Corporate 35:13'}
amag.integrated.security=false
amag.encrypt=true
amag.trust.server.certificate=true
amag.ssl.protocol=TLSv1.2
##
## changing this will set access facility id on all people imported
## amag.facility.id.override=123
## Set this to import only persons with indicated credential formats
## amag.card.format.filter=1,4,5
##
1.6.1 Card Format Mapping
The card.format.mapping list defined the string that, if matched to an existing SAFR card format (either builtin or custom) will appear in the SAFR person record.
Builtin card formats can be found in the Card Format configuration in the Person settings page (Tools > People > Edit Person > Card Format dropdown) or SAFR SCAN Reader Operation Settings (Tools > Video Feeds > Feed … menu > Operation Settings > Card Format > Card Format dropdown).
Custom Card Formats can be added to the Card Format dropdown by first defining them in Feed Default (Tools > Video Feeds > main … menu > Set Feed Defaults
2 Operation Guide
2.1 Synchronizing People
Person synchronization is automatic. Person records and their credentials are copied from AMAG Symmetry to SAFR Server and from there pushed to all readers. Synchronization occurs continually in the background.
SAFR will synchronize people and credentials as follows:
At initial connection time, all records pre-existing in Symmetry are copied to SAFR.
From then on, records added to Symmetry are copied to SAFR.
Records in SAFR are NOT copied to Symmetry.
Changes to records in Symmetry are updated in SAFR.
If record is changed in SAFR, a warning is displayed and sync to Symmetry will be disabled for that record.
Only records with access credentials and image will be copied to SAFR.
Removing credentials or the image in the Symmetry results in the record being removed from SAFR.
Setting record to inactive in Symmetry removes the record from SAFR.
Below describes the process (which is automatic).
1. Add a person in AMAG.
That person record and the corresponding credentials are be copied to SAFR and viewable in SAFR Person Window.
2.2 Card Format
SCAN reader card format config must be set to match the card format imported by AMAG. Moreover, only 1 card format can be supported at once.
Here is an example of how to set SCAN custom card format for the following AMAG 37 bits card format:
SCAN custom card format:
It’s important to mention that for people imported as "Legacy" and SCAN card format set as AUTO - No data will be sent to the Panel.
3 Troubleshooting
Questions or comments about the documentation? Email us at safr-doc-feedback@realnetworks.com .
3.1 Connection Error when Connecting to AMAG Server
There are a few reasons you may get connection errors. First check, the hostname and port of the SQL Server are accurate. Also ensure that the username and password are correct as sometimes this is misreported as a connection error. Following are some other possible causes.
-
SQL Server account is configured for Windows Authentication.
- Windows Authentication is not supported. Only SQL Server Authentication is supported by SAFR. Using Windows Authentication results in mis-reporting as Connection Failed: Unreachable.
- SQL Server is using “TCP Dynamic Ports” and not listening on port 1433 (default) or the port has changed from when initially configured. See SAFR Host Port in Setup External Identify Synchronization section above for more details.
3.2 How to check record count
- Open SQL Server Management Studio, connect to your server
- Select “New Query with Current Connection” from File menu.
- Run following query:
Select COUNT(distinct CardNumber) from multiMAXExport.dbo.DataExportTable where Active=1 and ActiveDate < '2024-01-05' and ExpiryDate > '2924-01-95' and RecordRequest=1
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