Compass - Distribute Exam Content by LAN

Before you can deliver an exam on a machine, you need to install Compass and the required Exam Content on each device that you want to use for exam delivery.

The "LAN Settings" feature in Compass allows you to configure your Testing Machines (Compass Clients) to pull Exam Content and System Updates from a designated Machine (Compass Server), across a Local Network instead of having to get an Organisation Administrator to login to Compass then download and install Content/Updates to each machine individually.

Configuring a “Compass Server”:

Any machine can be designated as a Compass Server, as long as all of the other machines (Compass Clients) can "see" it on the network. It is possible to set this up on a Network Server but it is often best to configure a machine in each room/lab as a Compass Server. This allows better control of which exams are delivered in the lab/s. Also, Proctors/Test Centre Staff should be able to apply Exam Content/Updates. Configuring a Network Server as a Compass Server may mean that Proctors/Test Centre Staff would require IT Staff to apply Program Updates or that Proctors/Test Centre Staff are given access to the Network Server.

When configuring the "Server Address", we find it best to use an IP Address although you may use the machine name. If you do use an IP Address, please make sure that the Compass Server has a Static IP Address so that Compass Clients can consistently contact it.

Designate a Compass Server

To set a machine up as a Compass Server:

1. Install Compass then login as an Organisation Administrator
2. After setting your Test Centre ID, scroll down to “LAN Settings” and select “Compass Server”

• The settings for Compass Server will default to the IP address of your currently leased local area connection and a pre-selected dynamic port number. It will also list the machine name and any other actively assigned IP addresses from other connections if detected.

3. Select the Server Address/Name that you wish to use for the Compass Server.
4. Specify a Server Port number within the private range (49152 – 65535). The default Port is 52525.
5. Scroll down to the bottom then click Save and Compass will restart itself. The “Test Connection” button will not function on a Compass Server - this is to test the connection to the Server from a Client.

*NOTE: Irrespective of whether you routinely/actively use the Windows Firewall on your "Compass Server", you may have to create an Inbound Firewall Rule to Allow TCP connections on your chosen Port (i.e. 52525), in the Windows Firewall, so that "Compass Clients" are allowed to retrieve Exam Content from the "Compass Server".

**NOTE: The machine designated as the Compass Server must be powered on and contactable (connected to the network) while exams are being delivered.

Installing Exam Content or Performing Updates on the Compass Server

Once you have configured your Compass Server, it is best to download the Exam Content that you need/want before you install Compass on your Client machines. This way, the Content will be available when you install Compass on your Client machines. Provided that the Compass Server is accessible, the CertiportNow Update Service will automatically check for and apply any available Content.

To install new Exam Content:

1. Launch Compass and login as an Organisation Administrator
2. Click on Manage Exams in the menu on the left then click on Download Additional Exams
3. Scroll down the list and expand/select (tick the corresponding boxes) the Programmes/Exams as necessary. It is best to only select Content for exams that you will actually run, do not download all available Content.
4. Click Download Exams. Once the Content has been installed, close Compass fully, then restart it.

Updates

Compass on the Compass Server will periodically check for updates (subject to how the "Updates" settings are configured. By default, it will check every 24 hours at a set time) and in most cases will automatically distribute them but Org Admins should periodically login to Compass on the Compass Server to check if any Exam/System Updates have presented themselves on the Home page. If they have, click on the respective button/s to install it/them.

Distributing Content/Updates

Once Compass and relevant Content/Updates have been setup/installed on the Compass Server, there are a few ways to distribute them to your Client Machines:

1. While you are installing Compass on the Clients. If you are installing Compass with switches configured (see below), the Update Service will automatically check for and apply outstanding Content.
2. While launching Compass. Compass will automatically check for and install outstanding updates from the Compass Server, anytime you launch Compass on a Client Machine. If you have recently updated the Server, launch Compass on the Clients at least 10 minutes before you want your candidates to login.
3. Automatically with CertiportNow. Compass Updates are managed by the "CertiportNow" Service. By default, this service will check for updates every 24 hours (default time is set at time of installation - if you install Compass at 1pm, the service will check for updates everyday at 1pm) so long as the machine is powered on (Compass does not need to be running). You can change the time and/or frequency for this in Settings Updates or by using a switch at the time of install.

Configuring “Compass Client” Settings:

The settings for each of the Compass Clients simply need to match the Server Address and Server Port number specified on the Compass Server. To configure these manually, login to Compass as an Org Admin, click on the Settings button (gear icon) and select “LAN Settings” then “Compass Client”:  

1. Type in the Server Address of the Compass Server
2. Type in the Server Port number specified in the Compass Server settings.
3. Click the “Test Connection” button to verify communication.

Note: After configuring Compass, if the Client cannot find a path to the Server you will get a connection error.

On Multiple Machines:

To configure these settings across multiple machines, after downloading the Content on the Compass Server (be sure to close and restart Compass after the download), navigate back to LAN Settings and you can use the "Generate Script" button to generate a script that you can use to deploy Compass and these settings out to "Client" machines. This will save the script to C:\Certiport\Compass\MassDeployScripts and you can then use this to deploy Compass out to your testing machines. Be sure to run the script from the same folder as the "Compass_Setup.exe" file or add the path to where "Compass_Setup.exe" is saved.

Alternatively, you can also configure your own script using it's built in Switches (see Compass - Additional/Optional Settings for more on this). For example, your Test Centre Account Name is "Test Boss" and your ID is 1234567. The Compass Server's IP address is 10.10.0.1 & you are using the default port 52525. Your Installation arguments would be something like:

Compass_Setup.exe /Silent Path="C:\Certiport\Compass" /TestCenterID 1234567 /CertiportID 1234567 /TestCenterName "Test Boss" /LanguageCode ENU /LanServer 10.10.0.1 /LanPort 52525