SAFARI Montage^® Version 6.3.x

Introduction

This document contains the release notes for SAFARI Montage 6.3. This is a full release of the SAFARI Montage System and the following sections provide details to its release.

This SAFARI Montage 6.3 upgrade is not a software-only upgrade from SAFARI Montage 4.x and earlier versions. Upgrading from SAFARI Montage 4.x or earlier versions requires a new OS drive, may require increased RAM and/or a new server. Contact SAFARI Montage Customer Service (1-800-782-7230) regarding SAFARI Montage 6.3 upgrade options.

New in this Release - 6.3.49

• Digital Learning Platform (DLP)
  • Course/Unit/Chapter/Lesson
    • Teachers and above can now view Unit/Chapter overview on redesigned Class overview and Lesson Prep pages
    • Teachers and above can now print full lesson summary
    • Full title of a learning object is now displayed in Lesson Snapshot on mouseover
    • Unit/Chapter/Lesson Overview meta data field names may be customized and new meta data fields may be added
    • Course, Unit, Chapter, and Lesson target Standards may now be added in bulk
    • Target Standards for Unit, Chapter, and Lesson may now be quickly selected from previously identified higher level Course, Unit, and Chapter target Standards
    • Modern DLP user interface and improved user experience
  • View & Chat
    • View & Chat may now be launched before starting playback
  • Slates
    • Course Developers and Teachers may now create rich text Slates or may select pre-created Slates from a Slate Library to enrich DLP lessons
  • Rich Text
    • Expanded rich text support in the following areas:
    • Course, Unit, Chapter, and Lesson Overviews
    • Assignments
    • Get It?
    • Vocabulary
  • Math Markup
    • New Math Markup editor allowing teacher to include mathematical equations in the following areas:
    • Course, Unit, Chapter, and Lesson Overviews
    • Assignments
    • Get It?
    • Vocabulary
• Interoperability Support Services (ISS)
  • Google^® Integration
    • Single Sign-On Access to SAFARI Montage via Sign in with Google
    • Single Sign-On Access to Google Drive and Google Apps
    • Federated search of Google Drive from within SAFARI Montage
    • Direct upload of files from Google Drive in any of 50+ supported file formats – plus Google Drive file formats
    • Auto-conversion of Google App file formats to PDF or compatible MS Office formats
    • Ability to save Google Drive search results as live web links, allowing continuing collaboration on shared Google files while accessing them through the SAFARI Montage LOR
  • Expanded Student Information System (SIS) integration via IMS Global One Roster CSV standard, enabling districts to automate the creation of classes and associate Teachers, Students and Courses
• Playlist
  • Playlist items may be resequenced by using drag and drop
  • When playlists are published to and approved by the district, any unpublished playlist items will automatically be published to the district as well
• Universal Live Broadcaster (ULB)
  • ULB HTML5 streams are now fully integrated into the SAFARI Montage interface and playable on all supported devices without the need for a plugin
  • WebM and FLV stream formats and playback have been added to existing HLS format greatly expanding device coverage to include Android and Windows devices, Chrome and Chomebooks
  • New iOS app enables users to broadcast live and record directly from their iOS device
• Pathways SM
  • HD Set-top Box support enabling users to push content and live streams, receive ALL-Call events, and display digital signage
• Digital Signage
  • New template based digital signage designer supporting the most common district digital signage needs, such as, events, menus, messaging and live media
• System
  • Updated system help
  • Updated DLP and LOR guides
• Web Browser Support
  • Support for the following web browser types:

    Operating System	Microsoft® Internet Explorer®	Firefox®	Apple® Safari®	Chrome™
    Microsoft Windows® 10	20 (Edge), 11.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Microsoft Window® 8.1 (Desktop)	11.0, 10.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Microsoft Windows® 7	11.0, 10.0, 9.0 and 8.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.11	N/A	42.0	9.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.10	N/A	42.0	8.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.9	N/A	42.0	7.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.8	N/A	42.0	6.0	46.0

  • HTML5 Player supported browsers:

    Operating System	Microsoft® Internet Explorer®	Firefox®	Apple® Safari®	Chrome™
    Microsoft Windows® 10 (Desktop)	20 (Edge), 11.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Microsoft Windows® 8.1 (Desktop)	11.0, 10.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Microsoft Windows® 7	11.0, 10.0	42.0	N/A	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.11	N/A	42.0	8.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.10	N/A	42.0	8.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.9	N/A	42.0	7.0	46.0
    Apple Mac OS® X 10.8	N/A	42.0	6.0	46.0

Installation and Upgrade Notes

• Installation and Upgrade
  • See the SAFARI Montage 6.3 Upgrade Instructions tab above.
• Minimum System Requirements
  • See the SAFARI Montage 6.3 System Requirements tab above.

6.3 Release Details

• SAFARI Montage Media Player
  • SAFARI Montage Media Player version 6.3.13 (Microsoft^® Windows^® 8.1 and 7)
  • SAFARI Montage Media Player version 6.3.2 (Apple Mac OS X 64-bit)

Browser Plug-ins (All Platforms)

• SAFARI Montage Media Player
  • Plays both Windows Media^® and Apple QuickTime^®

  Installers

  • Version 6.3.13 (8.1 and 7)
  • Version 6.3.2 (OS X 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, and 10.8)

  Required for:

  • Windows 7 Compatibility
  • Digital Learning Platform^™ (DLP)
  • Pathways SM^™
  • SAFARI Montage Managed Home Access Module
  • Closed Captioning Toggle
  • Alternate Language Audio Tracks
  • Enhanced Full-Screen Playback
  • Playback of Career Clips Content
• VideoLAN

  The SAFARI Montage Media Player is compatible with the use of the VideoLAN VLC media player for streaming media playback.

  • Version 2.2.2 (Windows all versions)
  • Version 2.0.10 (OS X all versions)
• Apple QuickTime

  Required for Windows operating systems and Mac OS for playback of QuickTime and H.264 content, and Managed Home Access.

  • X (OS X 10.11, 10.10, 10.9, 10.8)
  • 7.7 (Windows 8.1, 7)
• Microsoft Windows Media Player 12 (Windows 8.1 and 7)
  • Required for the playback of Windows Media. Windows Media playback not available on Mac OS.
• Adobe^® Flash^® Player 18 - Required for Visual Dictionary interactive image package.
• Adobe^® Acrobat^® Reader 15.
• Sun^® Java^® 7 or higher - required for CreationStation uploads.
• Cyber-Science 3D v4 Viewer
  • Required to view Cyber-Science Interactive 3D models

  Installers

  • Version CS.4.0b.2075 (Windows and OS X all versions)

Additional Local Software

Additional software maybe required to create or view certain CreationStation content.

• Software clients for the associated file types
  • SMART Notebook^® software / SMART Notebook Interactive Viewer software - .NOTEBOOK / .NBK
  • Promethean^® ActivInspire^® / ActiveStudio^® / Flipchart Viewer - .FLIPCHART / .FLP / .AS3A
  • Hitachi^® StarBoard^® - .YAR
  • eInstruction^® Workspace^™ - .GWB
  • Egan^® TeamBoard^® - .TMB
  • Mayer-Johnson^® Boardmaker^® - .BM2
  • Microsoft Office / Office Vewiers - .DOC/.DOCX, .XLS/.XLSX, .PPT/.PPTX
  • OpenOffice.org^® - .SDW/.ODT, .SDC/.ODS, .SDD/.ODP, .ODG; .ODF, .SDP
  • Apple iWork^® - .PAGES, .NUMBERS, .KEY
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader - .PDF
  • An EPUB^® Reader - .HTML, .MOBI, .LIT, .EPUB
• Interactive Whiteboard Integration - supported software versions.
  • SMART Notebook Software / Notebook Interactive Viewer - v 9.5 or greater
  • Promethean ActivInspire (v 1.5 or greater) / ActiveStudio (v 2.5 or greater) / Flipchart Viewer
  • StarBoard (v 8.11 or greater) / StarBoard LE - Viewer Only (v 3.0 or greater) / StarBoard for OS X (v 9.2 or greater)
  • eInstruction Workspace for Windows (v 8.90 or greater) / eInstruction Workspace for OS X (v 5.10 or greater)
  • Egan TeamBoard Draw v3 or greater
  • Mayer-Johnson Boardmaker (v6 or greater) / Boardmaker Studio (v14 or greater)

Managed Home Access Clients Using SAFARI Montage Media Player Plug-in

• SAFARI Montage Media Player 6.3.13 (Windows) or 6.3.2 (OS X)
• Appled QuickTime
• 768kbps Broadband Internet Connection

Local Area Network

• 100Mb Wired Ethernet
• NetBIOS Protocol
  • Windows: "Client for Microsoft Networks" protocol must be active on client machines.
  • OS X: The "Samba" suite of protocols is already active. No changes are required.
• Switched Backbone
• Full Duplex

Please read these instructions in their entirety before you begin:

• These instructions and all related documents are available online at http://www.safarimontage.com/support
• It is important that you review the SAFARI Montage 6.3.x Release Notes available online, as these may include Known Issues that you should understand before running the upgrade.
• Review the SAFARI Montage 6.3.x System Requirements, which include important information that will ensure your environment meets all requirements.
• Allow for time to backup your system in your update planning.
• No one should use the SAFARI Montage System during the update process, so please perform this update during off-hours.
• Review any questions with Technical Support in advance. Please note that SAFARI Montage Technical Support is available Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern Time and they may be contacted by telephone at 800-782-7230 or online via http://www.safarimontage.com/support.

Important Considerations:

1. We recommend you update all client computers to the current version of the SAFARI Montage Media Player prior to running the OS upgrade. Not doing so will result in all users receiving an alert upon logging in to SAFARI Montage instructing them to upgrade the player. Administrators can suppress this notification in the following location: ADMIN -> Settings -> System -> Alert to Install SAFARI Montage Media Player. The latest version of the player is available for download at http://www.safarimontage.com/support.
2. If monitoring the update from the console, be aware that the system may appear to be inactive at certain times during the upgrade. This does not mean that the upgrade has stopped.

WARNING: DO NOT interrupt the update in any way or power off the server at any time during the update process or database optimization. Doing so may severely and irreparably damage your Safari Montage system.

If you are running WAN Manager with Expansion Server(s):

1. The Expansion Controller must be upgraded first. See Upgrade Instructions below.
2. Once the Expansion Controller has been upgraded, it will automatically push the upgrade to all of the Expansion Servers. The progress of the upgrade can be viewed by navigating to Admin -> Expansion Server -> Expansion Servers.

If you are running WAN Manager with Remote School Server(s):

1. The WAN Manager Parent server must be upgraded first. See Upgrade Instructions below.
2. Once the upgrade is completed on the WAN Manager Parent server, you will be able to automatically 'push' the upgrade to the Remote School Servers, thereby eliminating the need to upgrade them separately on-site.
   1. Navigate to Admin -> WAN Manager -> Remote School Servers
   2. Either check 'Remote update all servers', which will update five servers at a time until they have all been upgraded, or select individual servers to be upgraded by checking the box next to the server name.

Total time to upgrade all expansion and/or remote school servers will depend upon the total number of servers and available bandwidth. The upgrade will be downloaded to each remote server, where the upgrade process will run automatically and take approximately one to two hours. If 'Remote update all servers' is selected, servers will be processed in groups of five, and upgrades will run concurrently on each group of remote servers.

Download and Upgrade Instructions:

1. Backup your SAFARI Montage system via the Administration tools:
   1. Navigate to Admin -> Data Recovery -> Backup
   2. Perform a full backup using one of the following methods:
      • SAFARI Montage version 5.9.19 or earlier - Set Data Only to No and select to either keep or overwrite the previous backup.
      • SAFARI Montage version 5.9.28 or later - Set Type to Data & User Content and select to either keep or overwrite the previous backup.
2. Download upgrade media (ISO) using the link provided in the email from SAFARI Montage.
3. Upload the downloaded ISO file to the SAFARI Montage system via the Administration tools:
   1. Navigate to Admin » Tools » Software Update History.
   2. Click on the Upload an ISO image of the update and install link.
   3. Browse to the location of the ISO file downloaded in Step 2 and click on Open.

   The ISO will begin uploading to the server. Once the upload is complete, the upgrade will begin and will take approximately one to two hours, after which the server will reboot.

~ THIS COMPLETES THE SERVER UPDATE PROCESS. PLEASE TEST FROM A CLIENT BROWSER. ~

Deploying the SAFARI Montage Media Player:

Go to http://www.safarimontage.com/support to download the latest version of the SAFARI Montage Media Player and for instructions on how to deploy the player to your client environment.