Introduction; Why Would I Use Cds; Coalesce Discovery Service (Cds) - Black Box Coalesce WC-COA-I User Manual

Coalesce Directory Service (CDS) User Guide

1. Introduction

The Coalesce Directory Service (CDS) provides an IT-friendly mechanism for finding displays near you throughout the enterprise.
This service is an optional component that enables users to click-to-connect to Coalesce displays near you from a dropdown list
on their client devices. Without CDS, users can still connect to any Coalesce display near you either by entering the display IP in a
browser window or in the Coalesce client itself.

1.1 Why would I use CDS?

Typically, CDS is used when multiple Coalesce displays are deployed on enterprise networks, and it is installed during the initial
deployment phase. Use CDS on your network for any of the following reasons:
• To enable click-to-connect capability on networks that do not allow broadcast.
• To choose which displays near you should and should not appear to users for connection.
• To enable users on your network to connect without entering an IP address or launching Coalesce from their browsers.
• To enables user to connect without displaying an IP address on the Coalesce display.
• To enable users to view which displays are locked and how many users are connected to the display on the network.
CDS software comes with Coalesce at no additional cost and runs on a Windows computer that is connected to the same net-
work as the display software host computers. To access this additional program, visit blackbox.com, search for WC-COA and
download the newest version available under Resources. Then install the program on your Windows computer.
This guide serves as a functional overview of CDS. There is a separate Coalesce Product Reference Guide that details the Coalesce
control settings and user features. You can also find additional details in the tool tips that are included in the software itself.
1.2 Coalesce Directory Service (CDS)
Coalesce can use UDP broadcast for click-to-connect capability without the need for CDS. However, if UDP broadcast is disabled
on your network, users will connect by entering the IP address of the display host PC, or CDS is available as an alternative. CDS is
available as an IT-friendly mechanism for displays near you throughout the enterprise. CDS uses lightweight TCP/IP packets over
ports 53200, and 53201, which will need to be allowed through the host machine's firewall, as well as on the network(s).
CDS enables the click-to-connect mechanism that allows Coalesce client devices the ability to connect to displays near you by
selecting the display name from a dropdown list. CDS is a standalone application that needs to be installed on a Windows com-
puter residing on the same network as the displays. This CDS host computer can be a server or workstation that is being used to
provide other network services such as DNS.
Setting up CDS for a campus: A university campus uses both wireless and wired networks that are bridged by routers that do not
forward UDP broadcast discovery packets. Instead CDS is installed on an IT server that is reachable by both networks. Each display
is given an intuitive name for the click-to-connect feature. For example, displays are named "Classroom1" though
"Classroom100." The administrator then uses the Coalesce Central to select all Coalesce displays near you by clicking the "Publish
Display Name to Coalesce Directory Service" setting under the "Enable Click-to-Connect" field.
When students arrive at campus, they are presented with a splash screen that informs them of both the display name and an IP
address. If a student doesn't have the Coalesce client app, they open a browser and type the display IP address to connect and
share. Their new client app now points at the CDS host machine on the campus network. When the client app is next opened,
all classroom display names will be shown in a dropdown list. From now on, the student can use the click-to-connect feature to
connect to more displays.
NOTE: Click-to-connect does not circumvent on-screen security codes and passwords that may be enabled.
724-746-5500 | blackbox.com
Page 3