Learning about System Settings

System Settings is the Ambiance module where you can define system preferences and default values for global options. In some cases, the options in System Settings control whether Ambiance features are enabled and how the features operate. For example, if mobile keys are not enabled in System Settings, the option to make mobile keys is not offered during the process of making keys.

Configure System Settings

To configure system settings:

• Go to the System Settings module and specify settings for each category.

Configure system-wide defaults and enable licensed options. To make site configuration more efficient, Ambiance populates recommended or moderate values for most system settings. While it's a good idea to review all system settings, you have the option to use the system defaults.

System Settings Categories

You can specify settings for the following categories.

General

Define basic site information and enable phone/mobile number validation override. With the exception of the site name and site image, all settings have system defaults. None of the options in this category require attention.

Guest Registration

Configure defaults for the Guest Registration module and enable the licensed feature VIP guest registrations. Most settings have system defaults. If you plan to control access to elevators or issue keys that override a projected deadbolt/privacy switch, the options Display floor access and Enable deadbolt/privacy switch override for guest keys require attention.

When VIP guest registrations is enabled, additional system settings are automatically enabled and require configuration:

• PMS authentication (System Settings > Security > PMS)
• LGS SOAP API shared-with registrations (System Settings > PMS > Web Service)
• Online communication (System Settings > Advanced > Enable online communication and System Settings > Advanced > Online Communication)

Security

Configure settings related to passwords and account security, configure disability mode, and disable or enable and configure enhanced security mode. All settings have system defaults. However, the following situations require manual configuration:

• Disable authentication for PMS
• Disable authentication for Maintenance Unit accounts
• Enable client certificate authentication for PMS requests (for upgrades)
• Generate new client certificate for kiosks
• Enable Enhanced Security Mode (for upgrades and fresh installations that previously disabled the setting)

Staff Keys

Configure how many times a Limited Use Key can be used and select whether to display the menu to add additional access when making staff keys. Default values are populated. However, this category requires attention if you want to change the defaults.

Failsafe Keys

Configure default values for Failsafe Key options. Failsafe Keys are backup room keys made in advance and maintained in complete sets to be issued in the event of a system or power failure. The recommendation is to create three sets of two keys for each guest room and suite door.

Key Expiration

Configure default key expiration for all credential class types and key types. When making a Staff Key or System Key, the default expiration date is based on the calculation using the values specified here.

Email

Configure settings used to send emails to staff. No system defaults are populated. This category requires attention so that Ambiance can send automated emails and notifications to staff.

Configure settings used to send emails to staff/vendors. No system defaults are populated. This category requires attention so that Ambiance can send automated emails and notifications to staff/vendors.

Online Communication

This category only displays if online communication is enabled in System Settings > Advanced.

Customize settings for the online communication. Configuring the update time intervals for gateways and wake-up time intervals for paired access points are examples of the settings that you can configure. You can also define whether the gateway network uses a dynamic or static IP address for communication. Lastly, you can customize the settings that trigger intruder alert notifications and enable Rx-Link.

Database Backup & Archiving

dormakaba strongly recommends scheduling automated backups to a remote server and storing backup and archival data in a secure location off-site.

Database backups are the first priority for disaster preparedness. In the event of data loss or corruption, backups provide a full restore of the Ambiance SQL Server database and, when Online Communication is enabled, the MongoDB database. If the SQL Server database is not backed up, you lose all Ambiance data and must reconfigure the entire site including recreating access points and programming locks. If the MongoDB is not backed up, you lose all data related to Online Communication and must reconfigure the entire online environment including reconfiguring each gateway and pairing locks to gateways.

Archiving helps maintain sufficient space on the Ambiance Server by extracting historical records from high-volume database tables, such as the System Activity table. If archiving is not enabled, the database will grow to the system limit and space may become unavailable for normal processing. Because archiving occurs as scheduled immediately after backup, backups must be configured before archiving can be enabled.

Refer to the following table for backup/archive details.

Data	Location Stored	Backup Option	Frequency	Retention
SQL Server	Specified directory	On-demand	On-demand	Current backup
		Per schedule	Per schedule	Per setting
MongoDB	MongoDB folder in specified directory	Per schedule	Per schedule	Latest backup1 Because only the most recent backup of the MongoDB is retained, establish an external process to back up the MongoDB if more than the most recent backup is required.
Archive	Specified directory	Per schedule	Per schedule	Indefinite

For more information about disaster preparedness and quick recovery, refer to Appendix C.

Folio

The Guest Folio enables Ambiance to integrate with third-party POS (point-of-sale) services such as access to vending machines, parking areas or entertainment venues. The individual points of access, or fields, defined in the folio layout can be selected during guest registration. Ambiance encodes folio data on sector 2 of the key (sector 8 for VIP guest keys). The PMS and POS systems are responsible for reading, validating and utilizing the data.

For example, a guest folio may include a parking garage, water park and arcade. If the folio is selected during guest registration, access to any or all fields can be selected to encode on the key.

The folio data format is determined by PMS and third-party requirements. The following data formats are supported:

• Auto-Format - Room & Check-In/Check-Out—MIFARE Ultralight C keys are not suppoted. Based on the room number and check-in/check-out dates. This option requires that all guest room and suite access point names site-wide be numeric only.
• PMS and/or User Interface—Based on a custom folio layout defined in Ambiance that structures data on Track 2/8 according to the selected standard (ASCII or ANSI/ISO) . Typically, this format is used to associate a guest registration with an account or guest/staff ID. The following data encoding standards are supported:
  • ASCII data format—The format code is 3. Standard ASCII format.
  • ISO/ANSI BCD data format (1)—The format code is a single numeric character established by the PMS or POS system. The character code is numeric only, must be a binary-coded decimal (BCD) 5-bit subset with odd parity and padded with zeros. Mobile keys are only supported when using the LGS SOAP API protocol.
  • ISO/ANSI BCD data format (2)—There is no format code or character code padding. The character code which is numeric only and must be a binary-coded decimal (BCD) 5-bit subset with odd parity. Mobile keys are only supported when using the LGS SOAP API protocol.

  For technical details about folio formats, ask dormakaba Support for the document Ambiance Folio Data Formats.

PMS

Select and configure a PMS (Property Management System) protocol. Options include:

• LGS REST API (dormakaba)
• FIAS (Oracle®)
• LGS SOAP API (dormakaba)
• IRS/PRS (dormakaba)
• LGS REST API (KF2, dormakaba)
• BART (dormakaba)
• SkyTouch® (SkyTouch)

When the FIAS or LGS SOAP API protocol is selected, shared-with registrations can be enabled.

Shared-With Registrations

Shared-with registrations is a feature supported for LGS SOAP API and FIAS protocols. When enabled, up to four registrations can share access to one guest room. Check-out dates and the assignment of additional rooms, amenities and floors can be different for each shared-with registration. The shared room (or main room) is established as the first room specified in the original registration.

Example

Registration 1: Room 100 (main room), Room 101, Pool

Registration 2: Room 100, Room 102, Pool, Daycare

Registration 3: Room 100, Room 103 , Gym, Business Center, VIP Lounge

Registration 4: Room 100, Room 104, Pool, Gym, Daycare

Shared-with registrations must be created (and modified) in the PMS interface. Although the registrations are listed in Guest Registration, Check-out is the only action that can be performed in the Ambiance user interface or PMS interface.

Modifying shared-with registrations

All modifications must be made in the PMS interface. Modifications made to a shared-with registration apply only to the registration being modified. You can:

• Add vacant rooms
• Remove rooms
• Extend the check-out date and time
• Move a guest from a shared-with registration to a vacant room (Any guest in the original shared-with registration, can also move to the same room. For example, if Guest1 and Guest2 are assigned to MainRoom100 and Guest1 moves to vacant RoomX, then Guest2 can also move to (now occupied) RoomX.)

An existing guest cannot be added to a shared-with registration. (You must check-out the exiting guest, then add as a new guest; presuming this does not exceed the maximum shares).

Invalidating access

There are several ways to invalidate access for shared-with registrations:

• Check outs—Shared-with registrations can be checked out using the PMS interface and Ambiance user interface. When a shared-with registration is checked out, the main room is available for a new guest to join. When Online Communication is enabled, you can perform a remote check-out. Otherwise, Block Keys must be made and presented to relevant access points.
• Block/Inhibit/ELO Keys—These system keys can be used to invalidate access for shared-with registrations. When Online Communication is enabled, the command can be sent remotely. Otherwise, keys must be made and presented to relevant access points.
• New Keys—New Keys invalidate access as follows:
  • Making a New Key for Guest1 with a shared registration invalidates all previous keys for Guest1. No other guest access is affected.
  • After the maximum number of shared-with registrations is reached, making a New Key for a new registration for the main room may invalidate all access to all previous shared-with registrations for the main room. The result depends on options selected when making the registration.

Extended Support

Ambiance extends support for shared-with registrations to all System Keys and Keyscan Aurora. For details about working with shared-with registrations, refer to the PMS Interface Reference.

Return UID Interface

Ambiance supports integration with third-party destination elevator control systems to direct guests and other key holders to the elevator associated with their assigned rooms. Integration options support using a virtual UID or RFID key UID. Additional documentation resources are available depending on the selected interface type. For TCP/IP, refer to Ambiance | Return UID - TCP/IP (PK3763-EN); for REST, refer to Ambiance | Return UID - REST (PK3762-EN). Both documents can be obtained from your dormakaba Support technician.

Advanced

Change key technology settings, configure defaults for pre-registrations, and enable third-party integrations including mobile keys. This category requires attention when implementing any of the following:

• Mobile keys—Enable mobile keys. For more information, see "Working with Mobile Keys" in Troubleshooting and Learning topics on the Help Home page.
• MATRIX—For more information, see Ambiance MATRIX Integration (PK3770).
• Online communication—Enable Online Communication. For more information, see "Working with Online Communication" in Troubleshooting and Learning topics on the Help Home page.
• Keyscan Aurora—For more information, see Ambiance Aurora Integration (PK3768).

Licensing

Change the activation key to enable or disable Ambiance features. Licensed features include:

• Mobile keys
• Online communication
• VIP guest registrations
• Third-party integrations
• Kiosk
• PPK/SPK Storage