Centrally Configuring the SoftLINK School Extension for Google Chrome
Download PDF: KB0146
Summary
With the release of SoftLINK version 11, support has been included to connect to and monitor Google Chromebook Student devices. One of the benefits of using Google Chromebook devices is that they can be centrally managed through the web. Unfortunately, the Google Management Console does not currently provide the ability for an administrator to centrally configure deployed Google applications or Extensions. Therefore, this must be configured with a valid Name and Connectivity Server address and Port number.
In order for the SoftLINK for Google Chrome to work, it must be configured with a valid Name and Connectivity Server IP address and Port Number. In the details section below we explain the method to configure the SoftLINK Student Extension on the Google Chromebook devices to use a Name and Connectivity Server.
Details
To allow the Administrator to configure these settings without having to manually enter them on each Chrome device, the SoftLINK Student for Google Chrome will read web pages that are opened on the device. If it finds the following HTML Meta Tag within a page, it will use the information to set the Name & Connectivity Server IP address and Port Number.
<meta name=”nslsettings” content=”IPADDRESS:PORT” /> Where IPADDRESS:PORT is replaced with the IP address and port number of the SoftLINK Name & Connectivity Server. Our suggestion is that you add the above to the home page configured in the Google Chrome management console – therefore ensuring that it will be launched and read by the SoftLINK Student for Google Chrome. If your home page does not easily allow you to add information you could set a secondary home page and add the parameter rel=”close” which will close the secondary page as soon as the settings have been read.
<meta name=”nslsettings” rel=”close” content=”IPADDRESS:PORT” />
Note: Once all Student Chromebooks have connected to the SoftLINK Name & Connectivity Server and have read the settings from the HTML Meta Tag, the setting/secondary home page can be removed until a change is required. The URL must be served from a Webserver – e.g. IIS or Apache not from a File URL.