BSN.cloud is BrightSign’s robust cloud-based platform designed to help users manage their network(s) of players.
BSN.cloud consists of two tiers:
The free Control Cloud tier offers many useful tools for player configuration and management (more details below).
The subscription-based Content Cloud tier includes everything the Control Cloud offers plus content hosting and management.
Both tiers thus offer the same functionality for player configuration/management. The primary difference is that the Content Cloud also offers content hosting and tools to manage that content. The Control Cloud’s functionality can be thought of as a subset of the Content Cloud, both of which are powered by the BSN.cloud platform.
Control Cloud (Free)
In addition to provisioning, the free Control Cloud offers many powerful features, all of which can be seamlessly accessed with BrightAuthor:connected.
control.bsn.cloud
The Control Cloud’s functionality can also be accessed via the free and unbranded web interface at control.bsn.cloud. Partners are highly recommended to take advantage of this option when integrating with BrightSign.
Note that since control.bsn.cloud is a web interface, players must be connected to the internet in order to be accessible via this interface.
Many partners choose to use the “Swivel Chair” approach where their users utilize two browser tabs alongside each other: one tab is used for content management through the partner’s CMS, and another tab is used for player configuration/management via control.bsn.cloud. More info about this approach can be found in the Partner Packet here.
API Integration
BrightSign offers a rich set of APIs which enables partners to tap into the functionalities of the Control Cloud using their own custom user interfaces. This enables the partner to define the user interface for accessing Control Cloud features instead of the web interface at control.bsn.cloud.
Additional info about the Control Cloud can be found here.
Content Cloud (Subscription)
The subscription-based Content Cloud is designed to be used in conjunction with BrightAuthor:connected. It consists of all the features of the Control Cloud plus the hosting of presentations and media assets along with tools to manage that content.
More info about the Content Cloud can be found here.
User Flow
As covered previously, the desired Publishing Mode will define what interface the end user will use to interact with their players.
In nearly all cases, users will utilize BSN.cloud (either the Content Cloud or the Control Cloud) for player configuration/provisioning and management.
For content management, users have the option of managing their content on their own, using BrightSign’s Content Cloud CMS, or using a CMS from one of our many partners.
The following graphic helps illustrate these options:
