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Admin 101

This topic highlights some of the areas you need to consider when setting up MOVEit DMZ to integrate within your organization and network.

MOVEit DMZ can be almost entirely administered from a web browser. Some system configuration tasks are handled within the Configuration Utility, which is a Windows application. Backup and restore activities are also handled outside of the MOVEit DMZ web interface.

Admin vs. SysAdmin

The difference between Admin and SysAdmin can be initially confusing, but it provides a logical and scalable separation of operations. SysAdmin is the more powerful permission class, but SysAdmin file and secure message privileges are minimal. (For example, SysAdmins can set up a user but cannot read that user's files.) For this reason, Ipswitch generally encourages people to use Admin accounts for daily administration (working with users, folders, etc.) and save SysAdmin account sign ons for special occasions (new org, IP lockout change, etc.)

More specifically, SysAdmins have exclusive access to the settings detailed in the documentation sections referenced below:

...but are never allowed to upload/download files or send/receive secure messages in any organization other than the System organization.

Modern versions of MOVEit DMZ force you to set up both a SysAdmin and an Admin account when you install and encourage you to use the new Admin account unless you absolutely need to use a SysAdmin account. In fact, SysAdmin accounts are only permitted to sign on from the console (i.e., localhost, 127.0.0.1 or local IP addresses) by default. (To change this, you must sign on as a SysAdmin from the console and expand the IP range from which System Organization SysAdmins are allowed to sign in.)

For a complete explanation of Admins, SysAdmins and other user permissions classes, please see Web Interface - Users - Permissions. For a complete explanation of what orgs are and when they should be used, please see Web Interface - Organizations - Overview (Definition).

Policies and Procedures

After you get comfortable with some key features, you will probably want to come up with answers to several policy and procedure issues. Fortunately, the flexibility of MOVEit DMZ allows you to answer these almost any way you want; options exist to establish and enforce many different policies in MOVEit DMZ. (Ipswitch can also help you come up with answers to these questions if you are unsure or need some advice.)

Authentication Policies

Folder Policies

Ad Hoc Transfer Policies

Appearance

Logging and Reporting

Real World Administration

Other Tasks

What else you do next depends a great deal on the application for which you are using MOVEit DMZ. (See Common Setup for a brief list of common applications.) However, most administrators will shortly find themselves making use of Groups to organize the way users may access files and folders. Many administrators will also be interested in setting up strong password requirements (on the Settings page) and/or folder settings to allow for automated cleanup of old files (on individual Folder pages.)

Ongoing Maintenance

As an administrator you will most likely "hover over" the Logs page more than any other page. (You will likely want to familiarize yourself with the various log filters available.) Most of your changes will involve adding and removing individual users, or tracking down and dealing with files which have been placed in the wrong place, not processed by internal systems appropriately, etc.