Users and user access to fonts is managed as it should be–in an intuitive interface built to administer users and access to data, not in a font management interface that happens to include user management commands.
Fonts are organized into one or more sets–by job, by client, however you like–and then sets are given to one or more workgroups. Users assigned to those workgroups automatically have access to the sets and fonts within. Workgroups become the point through which a many-to-many, fonts-to-users, relationship is managed. And, it’s all done visually via drag-and-drop from within a Web browser.
User permissions and security is role-based. Permissions like the ability to create, delete, or modify fonts and font sets, copy fonts in a collect for output or package operation, manage font licenses, and create or apply to fonts keywords, styles, classifications, and foundries are assigned to a specific role or user type. Users are then added to the role whose permissions match their job requirements. In this way each member of the team can do what she needs, but not what she doesn’t. For instance, an art director should be able to create new keywords in the Universal Type Client and apply them to specific fonts, but production designers may need to only apply existing keywords without the ability to create new ones.
UTS will ship with a selection of preconfigured roles, but these can be modified, renamed, or deleted, and new roles created with the allowed or denied rights required by your workflow and users.
In addition to roles, permissions may be modified globally according to workgroup–for example to grant all members of the “Prepress” workgroup the right to collect fonts for output. They can also be modified per user–to give only a specific individual the right to modify existing font sets, for instance.
License compliance is another major concern of type-heavy workflows, one which UTS addresses beautifully. Users lacking the specific rights to create (or add) fonts or modify existing font sets will be unable to add new fonts, protecting against unlicensed fonts creeping into the company. Proper licensing of authorized fonts is handled through a granular management system that offers the ability to limit the number of concurrent users of a specific font and even to withhold font availability on the expiration date of a license. Complete data concerning font licensing–number of seats, inception and expiration date, vendor, and more–can be stored inside the UTS database. Administrators can quickly find records according to licensing criteria, sort fonts by license criteria, and print out detailed reports for compliance and asset management officers.
The truly security conscious will be pleased to note an efficient backup system integrated directly into UTS. The entire database–fonts, sets, workgroups, users, roles, licensing information, and so on–can be backed up, downloaded, or saved to the server or network resource with the click of a button. In the event of data loss, backups can also be instantly restored just as easily. Because UTS is a Web-based interface to a SQL database, backups can be done at the server, from administrators’ desktops, from home, from the road, or from the local sports pub via iPhone. Daily or weekly automated backups can also be scheduled with a simple cron job.
[Click image to zoom] Managing client connections in Universal Type Server.
Detailed access and activity logs can be tracked, and IT personnel can manually open or close ports for JBoss HTTP / Web Service, Jetty Web App, JBoss AJP, JMX RMI Object Port, and more. During backups or server maintenance the entire UTS can be paused or restarted, and connected users manually disconnected–administrators can even push fonts down to client systems so that users may continue to work while the server is offline.
In larger workflows with more than a few users, UTS speeds the creation and management of password protected user accounts with import from LDAP Active Directory, and can even connect to external MS SQL 2005 databases.
Oh, yeah–and the server is fast. I don’t want to forget that point (again).
Small, Medium, and Large
Universal Type Server is currently still in development and will be released in Spring 2008. (Considering the confusion surrounding the 2007 release date for Creative Suite 3 due to Adobe’s fiscal year not matching up with the calendar year, I nailed Extensis down to a confirmation that UTS will release in calendar Spring 2008–that’s March, April, or May in the U.S.) The product will come in three flavors, each built for a specific workflow size.
Universal Type Server Lite allows up to 10 concurrent connections–the client can be installed on any number of desktop and laptop systems, but only ten connected at a single time. The Lite version will not include the ability to connect to external databases or LDAP/AD, and is intended as the font management solution for small workflows.
Universal Type Server Professional, which Extensis is positioning as the upgrade for existing Suitcase Server and Font Reserve Server customers, allows up to 250 concurrent client connections and includes a maintenance contract and priority 24-hour technical support. Connection to LDAP/AD and MS SQL 2005 databases will be available as an optional add-on.
Universal Type Server Corporate, the largest of the packages, automatically includes external database and Active Directory connectivity, a maintenance contract, priority 24-hour support, and connection to an unlimited number of concurrent users.
All versions of the server will include Universal Type Client, and both will arrive pre-configured for four languages–English, French, German, and Japanese. I’m very disappointed to see the lack of support for other major languages, most notably Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Cantonese. Extensis did indicate that they would entertain my suggestion to translate the server and client user interfaces into those languages, and perhaps even enable the UI for translation by third parties in a future release or patch.
Extensis has not yet set full or upgrade pricing for the three products. Customers under a current Annual Service Agreement with Extensis at the time of release will receive Universal Type Server and the clients free of charge.
System Requirements
Universal Type Server will support Mac OS X v10.4, 10.4 Server, 10.5 or 10.5 Server; G5 or faster processor; 1 GB RAM; 250 MB Hard Drive space + space for fonts; Safari 2.0 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher; Adobe Reader 7.
Universal Type Server will also support Windows 2000 Server, Server 2003, XP Professional; P4 or faster processor; 1GB of RAM; 250 MB of hard disk space + space for fonts; Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Flash Player 9 or higher; Adobe Reader 7.
Universal Type Client for Macintosh will support Mac OS X v.10.4 or 10.5; 50 MB of hard disk space + space for fonts; 256 MB RAM; Safari 2.0 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Reader 7.
Universal Type Client for Windows will support Windows XP Professional or Vista P4 or faster processor; 256 MB RAM 50 MB of hard disk space + space for fonts; Internet Explorer 7 or Firefox 2.0 or higher; Adobe Reader 7; Microsoft .NET 2.0 for Windows XP installations.
Can You Be Cool All Alone?
As I said at the beginning, I was just fine with my desktop versions of Suitcase Fusion and Suitcase for Windows until I got a taste of broadband speed in UTS. Of course I had to ask: When will non-workgroup designers get a standalone desktop font manager with the speed and metadata features in Universal Type Client? Cindy Valladares, Extensis product marketing manager, merely smiled at me and said: “In a future release.” I’ll admit it: I am holding my breath.
If you happen to be at Macworld this week, stop by expo booth #1020 to see Extensis’ live debut and showcase of Universal Type Server. Tell them I said: “fast, fast, damn fast!”