SMart eSolutions

Frequently Asked Questions - Windows Client

What is SMart eSolutions?
How does it work?
What equipment do I need?
What impact does Xerox SMart eSolutions client have on my network?
Can Xerox gain access to my network?
Is my data secure?
Who at my company needs to be involved in this?
Why are some or all of the printers I registered for SMart eSolutions missing from the "Automated Equipment Detected" page in Part 3 of the Install Guide?
What happens when the PC with the Smart eSolutions client installed is turned off?
What if I install a new piece of equipment at a later date?
What if one of my devices has to be replaced?
What if one of my devices breaks down?
Where can I go for support?

What is SMart eSolutions?
Xerox SMart eSolutions is a new system designed to take the hassle out of collecting and submitting meter readings and supplies data from Xerox equipment via a hands-free, secure data transmission process.
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How does it work?
Xerox SMart eSolutions works by loading Xerox software onto your PC. This software talks to Xerox devices to get the necessary data and send it back to Xerox using standard Internet protocols similar to those used for business-to-business transactions.
Setting up Xerox SMart eSolutions requires three steps:
1. Install the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client
2. Configure Xerox SMart eSolutions Client
3. Sign up at Xerox.com.
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What equipment do I need?
The Xerox SMart eSolutions Client is designed to be installed only on specific computers running the Windows operating systems defined below.

Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003

Additional requirements are:

• PC with a 400 MHz or higher Pentium III processor recommended
• 40 MB of available disk space
• TCP/IP
• MDAC
• .net

Xerox SMart eSolutions uses standard industry protocols to communicate between the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client and your printers approximately every two hours. SNMPv2 is used to read the MIBs, which contain the meter read values for billing and supplies usage data for replenishment. The Xerox SMart eSolutions Client communicates with the Xerox Communication Server once a day using Web service protocols, including:

• HTTPs-Certicom SSL 128 Bit with server side certificates from Verisign
• SOAP-1.1
• Wsdl-1.1
• WS Security-Oasis-Working Draft 11-3 March 2003

There are several different types of transactions that can occur between the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client and the Xerox Communication Server. The network loading varies based on the type of transaction and the number of devices that are in the Xerox SMart eSolutions group. These transactions are:

Registering the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client and devices with Xerox Allows Xerox to identify and authenticate the client and devices. This communication happens only once in the life cycle of the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client and devices.
reg proxy = 1526 bytes
reg proxy device = 393x + 1503 bytes
Total: reg proxy + proxy devices = 393x + 3029 bytes
x = the number of devices

Sync Request
Sent once a day by the client to ask Xerox if an automatic meter read is due.
sync proxy request = 1425 bytes

Sync Request Response
Tells the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client to turn on Xerox SMart eSolutions for each device. This communication happens only once in the life cycle of the device.
sync proxy request response = 1510x + 1425 bytes

Sync Status
Lets Xerox know that the Xerox SMart eSolutions service has been turned on, enabling Xerox to know that a request can be made and responded to. This communication happens only once in the life cycle of the device.
sync proxy status = 260x + 1247 bytes

Billing Transaction Request
The response from Xerox asking for meter reads to be sent once each billing cycle, whether monthly, quarterly, or semi-annually.
sync proxy request response = 1510x + 1425 bytes
Billing Transaction Response
The Xerox SMart eSolutions Client sends the billing meter reads once per billing transaction request for each device.
billing transaction response = 1314x + 1993 bytes
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Can Xerox gain access to my network?
1. In order to participate, you must personally initiate device registration and sign up for the Xerox SMart eSolutions service. The Xerox SMart eSolutions Client will not automatically find and register your equipment unless you enable it to do so.
2. All transactions between the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client and the Xerox Communication Server are initiated within your environment by the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client. There is no way for Xerox to initiate the communications to the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client or for Xerox to probe your network.
3. You can turn off communication to Xerox at any time.
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Is my data secure?
1. All communications occur over a secure channel using 128 bit SSL with server side certificates. This means that the data is encrypted and communications to the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client must hold a valid certificate from Xerox.
2. No customer data is communicated to Xerox. The only data that is sent for Xerox SMart eSolutions is the printer serial number, the meter name, the meter values, supplies usage values, and the date of the reading.
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Who at my company needs to be involved in this?
For Xerox SMart eSolutions to run properly, the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client must be installed first and the eligible Xerox equipment signed up at Xerox.com. Because Xerox SMart eSolutions involves loading software on the PC, it is likely that approvals need to be provided by your Network Administrator or someone with similar responsibilities at your company. The Xerox SMart eSolutions Client installation may involve an IT Administrator and the Billing Administrator.
The IT Administrator may be needed to:

• Provide the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client with the location of the proxy server that connects your network to the Internet (defaults to your current Web browser settings)
• Run the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client device discover tools to find all of the Xerox devices that will be participating in automatic meter reading The person within your organization who is responsible for providing Xerox with the Billing Meter Readings will need to:
• Identify which devices should participate in Xerox SMart eSolutions and provide this information to the person who will load the software on their PC.
• Log onto Xerox.com and sign up those devices for Xerox SMart eSolutions. This can only be done after the Xerox SMart eSolutions Client has been installed and the devices have been registered.

Why are some or all of the printers I registered for SMart eSolutions missing from the "Automated Equipment Detected" page in Part 3 of the Install Guide?
1. You may not have allowed sufficient time for the SMart eSolutions Client to complete communications with the Xerox Communication server as required to register your equipment for SMart eSolutions. You must allow a minimum of one hour for printer registration to take effect before beginning Part 3 of the Install Guide.
2. Some or all of the equipment that was discovered and registered for SMart eSolutions by the SMart eSolutions Client may be assigned to another individual at your firm for purposes of reporting meter reads. This can be resolved in one of two ways:

• You can re-assign the missing equipment by selecting Update Your Equipment List on the "Automated Equipment Detected" page at Xerox.com. If you choose to do this, be sure to notify the person who previously reported meter reads for the re-assigned equipment. Additionally, they should be made aware that you intend to sign-up the equipment for automatic meter read submissions via SMart eSolutions.
• Alternatively, each of the individuals assigned equipment for purposes of reporting meter reads can go to Xerox.com and complete Part 3 of the Install Guide instructions for their pieces of equipment.

3. For equipment that has been installed within the last 30 days it is possible that it has not yet been entered in to the administrative systems used for SMart eSolutions. If you believe this to be the case you should return to the Account Management section of Xerox .com at a later date.
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What happens when the PC with the Smart eSolutions client installed is turned off?
There will be no meter read data collected or sent to Xerox while the PC is powered off. The Smart eSolutions client will resume this activity when the PC is powered on again. If Xerox does not receive meter reads when expected, a notification is sent by email to the key user at your company.
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What if I install a new piece of equipment at a later date?
If you would like this new device to automatically provide meter reads to Xerox you will need to repeat Step 2 in this install guide. Right click on the Xerox SMart eSolutions icon located on the right side of the menu bar on the bottom of your desktop. Select the 'Configuration Wizard' to detect and register the new device.
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What if one of my devices has to be replaced?
To activate Smart eSolutions for the replacement device follow the process for installing a new device, described above.
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What if one of my devices breaks down?
If your device breaks down it is typically repaired by the following day and it is unlikely that it will ever be out of action for more than a week. The SMart eSolutions client will allow for this and will pick up on the automatic meter reads again when the device is up and running.
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Where can I go for support?
Xerox provides a comprehensive On-line Support Assistant at Xerox provides a comprehensive On-line Support Assistant at www.xerox.com/smartesolutions

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