Publishing Platform Manager

Headquarter users primarily use Publishing Platform Manager (PPM) to perform various administrative and configuration tasks, such as, batch creation, portfolio configuration, and central printing. PPM also installs the following customer products, which store users use to perform their tasks:

• In-Aisle Publisher: Create and print batches of signs and labels from the mobile devices.

• Central Publisher: Manage central printing and central automated publishing for printed and digital signs and labels.

• Publishing Manager: Manage and create batches, and distribute signs and labels to stores.

• Platform Administrator: Configure tasks such as portfolio configuration, edit form configuration, and application configuration settings.

This section shows how to install PPM.

Deployment readiness checklist

You can install PPM on a supported Microsoft SQL Server that runs on any of the following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2022

• Windows Server 2019

• Windows Server 2016

• Windows Server 2012

Before you begin, make sure that the following applications are installed on the server:

• Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 or later

• Microsoft ODBC Driver 17 for SQL Server

• Microsoft Visual C++ 2017 Redistributable

Setting up IIS

Make sure that the required server roles and features are installed or enabled.

• From the Server Manager dashboard, click Add roles and features, and then click Next.

• From the Installation Type section, select Role-based or feature-based installation, and then click Next.

• Select a server, and then click Next.

• From the Server Roles section, expand Web Server (IIS).

  • From the Web Server section, do the following:

    

    • Expand Common HTTP Features, and then enable Default Document, Directory Browsing, HTTP Errors, and Static Content.

    • Expand Health and Diagnostics, and then enable HTTP Logging and Request Monitor.

    • Expand Performance, and then enable Static Content Compression.

    • Expand Security, and then enable Request Filtering.

    • Expand Application Development, and then enable the following options.

      

  • From the Management Tools section, do either of the following:

    • Enable IIS Management Console.

    • Expand IIS 6 Management Compatibility, and then enable the following option:

      

• From the Features section, enable .NET Framework 4.x.

  
  Note: The specific .Net Framework 4.x version varies per machine. For this installation, users must install version 4.6 or later.

Installing Publishing Platform Manager

1. Obtain the PPM installer.

   Note: We recommend installing the Publishing Platform Manager on the same server where the Publishing Platform Engine is installed.

2. Run the PPMInstall.exe file as an administrator.

3. Read and accept the End-User License Agreement (EULA), and then click Install.

4. Provide the link to the Publishing Platform Engine installation.

   Note: Type http://<hostname>/LexmarkPublishing/promos.poc, where <hostname> is the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the Publishing Platform Engine server.

5. Select a Publishing Engine Database Setup option.

   Note: We recommend selecting the Configure connection to existing SQL Server database option.
   

6. Provide the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the SQL database server.

   Note: If the database is running on a non-default instance name and non-default port, then provide the instance name.
   

7. Provide the database server login ID and password.

8. Select a database.

9. Browse to a folder where you want to save the database files.

   Note: We recommend keeping the default directory.
   

10. Browse to a folder where you want to save the PPM files.

    Note: We recommend keeping the default directory.
    

11. Install PPM.

Notes:

• From a web browser, type http://<hostname>/ppm, where <hostname> is the fully qualified domain name or IP address of the PPM server.

• If the web browser shows the Publishing Platform portal login screen, then the installation is successful.