Q: What is Active Channel Server? Is it related to Microsoft Content
Replication System (CRS) in Microsoft Commercial Internet System (MCIS) or
Site Server?
A: Active Channel Server is not related to CRS, though it is part of the
Microsoft Internet Server products. Active Channel Server delivers
information by providing users with channels that deliver specific content.
A user subscribes to a channel of interest. The user's browser then
periodically requests updates from a Web server, and the information is
pushed or delivered to the browser on the user's desktop. For many users,
locating and filtering information is a time-consuming and cost-
prohibitive process. You can use the Active Channel Server feature of Site
Server Knowledge, in conjunction with Microsoft Internet Explorer version
4.0, to automate the process of information delivery.
Q: What is Channel Definition Format (CDF)?
A: CDF contains URL addresses to channels and their content items, as well
as tags that define scheduling and display options. For more information
about CDF technology, please visit the following Web sites:
Q: How can I create this .CDF file?
A: The .CDF file is created automatically by the Active Channel Server
after you create the project and at least one channel within the project.
Q: How do I initiate the delivery of the channel information?
A: You can create a link to the CDF on a main Web page or through the
Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.x Channel Guide. You can also create
a link in an e-mail message or through a link to the Objgetcdf.asp file for
the project for personalized channels.
Q: Why and when should I use multicasting?
A: Multicasting saves the network bandwidth by sending the same information
once to multiple users. The multicasting is appropriate for an intranet,
where you try to minimize the network traffic. The Internet Explorer must
have the Multicasting Delivery Agent (MDA) installed in order to enable the
reception of multicast transmission.
Q: How do I provide the MDA installation for the client browser?
A: You can create a simple page or a share point that exposes the
MDASETUP.EXE file. This allows clients to install MDA.
Q: I have set up the channel properly, but my Internet Explorer 3.0 still
cannot accept the Channel. Why?
A: You must use browsers that can accept Channel Definition Format (CDF)
technology. Internet Explorer 4.x provides full support of CDF technology;
Internet Explorer 3.0 does not.
Q: What is Agent?
A: An Active Channel Agent is basically a script that retrieves content
items from a specified source. Each channel in an active channel project
can use a different channel agent. When Automated Refresh is enabled for a
project, the channel agents run automatically, updating each channel's
content items according to the refresh schedule specified for the project.
The agent can retrieve from different type of sources:
- Any file directory in your network
- Any ODBC-enabled database
- Microsoft Index Server
- Commerce databases
- Search catalog
Q: Give me an example of how the Agent works.
A: For example, you can use Site Server Search to crawl the Internet and
then have Active Channel Server push the search-based content to the client
using the Search agent. The content will be based on the query you specify
in the Search agent.
Q: When I create my own branded icons, the image does not seem to display.
Why?
A: The icons must follow the exact size and appropriate style. Please
consult the documentation for more information. The fastest way to find
this information is to search the online documentation with the words
"designing branded icons".