Autodesk Vault Service Account — Setup Guide

Overview Use this guide to create and configure an Autodesk Vault service account in MinuteView Console. This service account enables automated access to Autodesk Vault servers for:

• Mesh search integration - View and search Autodesk Vault files within MinuteView's search interface
• Capture markup viewing - Access and display markup annotations on Vault-managed documents
• Workflow automation - Integrate Vault operations into MinuteView automation workflows
• File metadata access - Retrieve and sync file properties, versions, and relationships
• Document lifecycle tracking - Monitor check-in/check-out status and revision histories

This service account uses standard Vault API authentication with server URL, database, username, and password credentials for unattended operations.

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1) Autodesk Vault Prerequisites

Vault Server Requirements

• Autodesk Vault Professional or Autodesk Vault Workgroup installed and configured
• Vault Server accessible via network (HTTP/HTTPS)
• Vault database properly configured and accessible
• API access enabled on the Vault server

Network Requirements

• MinuteView server can reach Vault server (typically port 80/443)
• Proper firewall rules configured for Vault API access
• DNS resolution configured for Vault server hostname
• Valid SSL certificates if using HTTPS

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2) Create Vault User Account

Create Dedicated Service User

1. Open Autodesk Vault Server Console
2. Navigate to Tools → Administration
3. Select Users in the left panel
4. Click New User to create a service account:
   • Name: minuteview-service
   • Full Name: MinuteView Service Account
   • Email: Service account email (optional)
   • Password: Strong password for API access

Assign Appropriate Permissions

Configure user permissions based on MinuteView requirements:

File Access Permissions

• Read files - Required for viewing documents in Mesh
• Read file properties - Required for metadata access
• Read item master - Required for accessing item data
• Read item properties - Required for item metadata

Optional Permissions (for workflows)

• Check out files - If workflows need to modify files
• Check in files - If workflows create or update files
• Create folders - If workflows organize content
• Delete files - If workflows include cleanup operations

Security Considerations

• Principle of least privilege - Only grant necessary permissions
• Audit access - Enable logging for service account activities
• Regular password rotation - Update credentials periodically

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3) Identify Vault Connection Details

Gather Required Information

You'll need the following details from your Vault administrator:

Server Information

• Server URL: http://vault-server.company.com or https://vault-server.company.com
• Port: Usually 80 (HTTP) or 443 (HTTPS)
• Protocol: HTTP or HTTPS (HTTPS recommended)

Database Information

• Vault Database Name: e.g., Vault$Company or Vault$Engineering
• Database Instance: SQL Server instance hosting the Vault database

Authentication Details

• Username: minuteview-service (the user created above)
• Password: The password set for the service user
• Domain: Windows domain if using domain authentication

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4) Create Service Account in MinuteView Console

1. Navigate to Console → Service Accounts
2. Click New to create a new service account
3. Configure the following settings:

Basic Configuration

• Name: AutodeskVault-Production-Main
• Service Account Type: Select Autodesk Vault from the dropdown

Connection Configuration

• Server URL: Enter the Vault server URL
  • Format: https://vault-server.company.com
  • Include protocol (http/https) and port if non-standard
• Vault Database: Enter the Vault database name
  • Example: Vault$Engineering or Vault$Company
• Username: Enter the service account username
  • Example: minuteview-service
• Password: Enter the service account password
  • Use the password created for the Vault user

Advanced Settings (Optional)

• Connection Timeout: Default 30 seconds
• Request Timeout: Default 60 seconds
• Max Retries: Default 3 attempts
• Enable SSL Verification: Check for HTTPS connections

4. Click Test Connection to verify credentials and connectivity
5. Click Save to create the service account

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5) Integration Configuration

Mesh Search Integration

1. Navigate to Mesh → Configuration → Data Sources
2. Add Autodesk Vault as a data source:
   • Service Account: Select your Vault service account
   • Index Schedule: Configure how often to sync files
   • File Types: Select CAD files, documents to include
   • Folders: Specify Vault folders to index

Indexed Content

• File metadata: Name, description, revision, date modified
• Custom properties: User-defined properties and attributes
• Version history: Track file revisions and changes
• Category information: Vault categories and classifications
• Lifecycle state: Current workflow state of files

Capture Markup Integration

1. Navigate to Capture → Configuration → Markup Sources
2. Configure Vault markup access:
   • Service Account: Select your Vault service account
   • Markup Types: DWF, PDF markups from Vault
   • Synchronization: Real-time or scheduled sync
   • Permissions: Read-only access to markups

Workflow Integration

Use Vault service account in automation workflows:

Available Workflow Nodes

• Get Vault File - Retrieve file metadata and content
• Check Out File - Check out file for editing (if permissions allow)
• Check In File - Check in modified file (if permissions allow)
• Get File History - Retrieve version history and changes
• Search Vault - Perform searches within Vault database
• Get Item Properties - Access item master data and properties

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6) Testing and Verification

Connection Testing

Test the service account configuration:

1. Basic connectivity test:

   • Verify server URL is accessible
   • Confirm database connection is successful
   • Validate user authentication

2. Permission verification:

   • Test file access permissions
   • Verify metadata retrieval works
   • Check folder browsing capabilities

3. Integration testing:

   • Trigger Mesh indexing and verify Vault files appear
   • Test capture markup viewing for Vault documents
   • Execute workflow nodes using the service account

Sample API Calls

The service account enables these Vault API operations:

GET /vaultapi/v1/files/{fileId}
Authorization: Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]

GET /vaultapi/v1/folders/{folderId}/contents
Authorization: Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]

GET /vaultapi/v1/items/{itemId}/properties
Authorization: Basic [base64-encoded-credentials]

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7) Security Best Practices

Credential Security

• Secure password storage - MinuteView encrypts service account passwords
• Regular password rotation - Update Vault user password quarterly
• Strong password policy - Use complex passwords with mixed characters
• Audit access logs - Monitor service account usage in Vault logs

Network Security

• Use HTTPS - Enable SSL/TLS for Vault server connections
• Network segmentation - Restrict network access to Vault server
• VPN access - Use VPN for external MinuteView deployments
• Certificate validation - Verify SSL certificates are valid

Access Control

• Minimum permissions - Grant only necessary Vault permissions
• Service account isolation - Don't use service account for interactive access
• Regular permission audits - Review and update permissions quarterly
• Logging and monitoring - Enable audit trails for all API access

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8) Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Cannot connect to Vault server

• Verify server URL and port accessibility
• Check firewall rules and network connectivity
• Confirm Vault server is running and responsive
• Test with web browser or curl command

Authentication failed

• Verify username and password are correct
• Check if user account is locked or disabled
• Confirm user has API access permissions
• Test credentials with Vault client application

Database connection failed

• Verify Vault database name is correct
• Check SQL Server connectivity and permissions
• Confirm Vault database is online and accessible
• Review Vault server logs for database errors

Permission Issues

Access denied to files

• Review user permissions in Vault administration
• Check folder-level access controls
• Verify file-level permissions and restrictions
• Confirm user is in appropriate security groups

Cannot retrieve metadata

• Check property read permissions
• Verify custom property access rights
• Review category-based security settings
• Confirm API access to property data

Performance Issues

Slow file access

• Monitor network latency to Vault server
• Check Vault server performance and resources
• Review database query performance
• Consider caching strategies for frequently accessed data

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9) Maintenance and Monitoring

Regular Maintenance

• Monitor connection health - Check service account connectivity
• Update credentials - Rotate passwords according to policy
• Review permissions - Audit and adjust access rights
• Performance monitoring - Track API response times

Vault Server Maintenance

• Coordinate with Vault administrator for server updates
• Test connectivity after Vault server maintenance
• Update service account if server configuration changes
• Monitor Vault server health and available resources

Integration Health

• Mesh indexing status - Monitor successful Vault file indexing
• Markup synchronization - Verify capture markups are current
• Workflow execution - Test automation workflows regularly
• Error monitoring - Review logs for integration issues

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Appendix — Configuration Examples

Production Configuration

Name: AutodeskVault-Production-Main
Type: Autodesk Vault
Server URL: https://vault.company.com
Vault Database: Vault$Engineering
Username: minuteview-service
Password: [hidden]
Connection Timeout: 30s
SSL Verification: Enabled

Development Configuration

Name: AutodeskVault-Development-Test
Type: Autodesk Vault
Server URL: http://vault-dev.company.local
Vault Database: Vault$DevEngineering
Username: minuteview-dev-service
Password: [hidden]
Connection Timeout: 60s
SSL Verification: Disabled

Department-Specific Configuration

Name: AutodeskVault-Mechanical-Dept
Type: Autodesk Vault
Server URL: https://vault.company.com
Vault Database: Vault$Mechanical
Username: minuteview-mech-service
Purpose: Mechanical engineering department files
Folders: /Mechanical Projects, /CAD Libraries

This configuration enables comprehensive Autodesk Vault integration, allowing MinuteView to search Vault-managed files, display capture markups, and automate Vault operations through workflows while maintaining secure, authenticated access.