How to activate SFX without opening Z39_server port?

• Article Type: General
• Product: Aleph
• Product Version: 18.01

Description:
The sfx_fetch_address defined in $alephe/aleph_start, has the following setting:
setenv sfx_fetch_address ,Ip=$Z39_HOST,Port=$Z39_SERVER_PORT

We won't like to open our Z39_server - or at least open it for few campuses only.
Is it possible?

Resolution:
1) The sfx_fetch_address is not mandatory, it is used to fetch additional bibliographic information for the SFX service when unique information (such as ISSN/ISBN) is missing.

2) You can use IdAuthenticate to limit the access only to the SFX server. The default authentication accepted by the z39_server and Z39/Z39. You could agree on a separate, unique authentication (PRIVATEID/SFX_PW) for the SFX. You would then add this to staff permissions, instead of Z39/Z39. Then only Z39 connections sending this authentication prompt would be allowed to access the Z39.50 server. This assumes, of course, that the SFX application can provide the prompt data in the idAuthentication structure of the InitializationRequest. - please contact SFX Support.