2.7.3.1. Check access, permissions, and availability of the backend

Purpose

Follow this procedure before working with clustering jobs or results. It explains how access rights determine the available actions and how the backend status determines whether you can begin working.

Requirements

Log in to the PARTapplicationServer dashboard using the designated user account.
The assigned role determines which entry points, actions, and context menu items for clustering are available.
"clustering-view" is required for the "Clustering" menu item and for viewing the overview or a saved result.
clustering-edit is required if you modify parts or tree nodes in an open clustering result.
clustering-manage is required when you start, cancel, resume, remove, or delete jobs and stored clustering data, or when you export a cluster.

Procedure

In the PARTapplicationServer dashboard, open “Clustering” [1]. The overview is the common starting point for users who view results and for users who manage clustering tasks. If “Clustering” is missing from the dashboard menu, the account does not have the clustering-view permission; request it before using the application.

Clicking the "Clustering" navigation item takes you to the overview for the current account.

Without "clustering-view," "Clustering" is missing from the same location in the navigation [1]. A saved clustering URL is not a supported substitute; request read access before working with an overview or a saved result.

Without read access, the navigation menu shows "Part Number Manager" immediately after "Duplicate Analysis" [1].

Wait until the overview has loaded its backend status. “Connected” [1] means that the services checked for the current role are ready. Users with read-only access can use the overview if “Shared Data” is connected; the remote clustering services are not checked for this role, since it cannot start or manage jobs.

A read-only role can view the overview ; job management actions remain unavailable.

For an account with administrative privileges, the "Start new cluster job" [2] action is available next to the "Connected" [1] status. It opens the configuration screen for a new job. The fact that this option is missing for an account with read-only access is an intended permission restriction, not a backend warning.

An account with administrative privileges can create a new job from the associated overview.

If the status is "Degraded," hover over it with the mouse or select it [1] to view the affected services. Postpone new jobs, recurrences, and other operations that depend on the backend until the listed services are available again and the status returns to “Connected.”

The "Degraded" status lists the unavailable services, thereby distinguishing a service disruption from an authorization limit.

When opening a saved clustering, use the role assigned to the intended activity. All users with the "clustering-view" role can view the tree, graph, parts, status distribution, and statistics. "clustering-edit" adds the controls that allow you to modify the clustering. "clustering-manage" adds the "Export" action to the header of the detail view and the lifecycle actions to the cards in the overview view.

In a read-only result, “Cluster hierarchy - overview” [1] remains available for viewing. There is no “Export” action, no save option, no change to the part status, and no context menu action that modifies the result. Use this mode when you want to review the result without modifying it.

Accounts with read-only access can view the results hierarchy [1] without seeing any controls for making changes .

With clustering-edit, but without clustering-manage, the context menu of the results card offers the permitted editing actions, including renaming, status changes, and part selection [1]. The account is still unable to start or manage jobs and does not have an “Export” action. Additional actions for the tree, parts, and storage depend on the state of the selected result.

Accounts with only editing permissions can change the result via the map menu [1] without being granted administrative or export permissions.

Options and Decisions in Operations

Access and Readiness – Controls, Status, and Operating Instructions

Control or Status	Operating Instructions
"Clustering"	Opens the shared overview. Select this before assessing job controls or the readiness of the backend; direct links to an attachment or detailed view do not replace the review in the overview.
"Connected"	All services checked for the current role are available. For an account with administrative privileges, these are “Shared Data” and the remote clustering services; for an account with read-only access, only “Shared Data” is checked. Proceed with the procedure that corresponds to your role.
"Degraded"	At least one monitored service is unavailable. Hover your mouse over the status or select it to view the affected services. Do not start any new tasks or restores; restore the listed service and then reload the page or wait for the next status update.
"Unreachable"	The front end did not receive a response to the status query. Treat the backend as unavailable and check the clustering API routing before starting a job.
"Unknown"	Currently, there are no results available for the checked services, usually because the first request is still in progress or the response does not contain any service entries. Please wait for a stable status; “Unknown” does not confirm readiness.
Menu item "Clustering"	Available only with clustering-view. If it is missing, the account does not have a supported navigation entry; request read access instead of using a saved direct URL.
"Start new cluster job"	Appears only with "clustering-manage" . Opens the job configuration and confirms that the account is authorized to create jobs. If the action is missing for an account with read-only access, this is a permission restriction, not a service warning.
"Export"	Appears in the header area of the detail view of a saved clustering only when used with `clustering-manage`. Starts the catalog export; `clustering-edit` alone does not authorize the export.
"Retry," "Remove," and lifecycle actions	Available only if the account has the "clustering-manage" permission and the job is in the appropriate state. The fact that they are missing for accounts with read-only or edit permissions follows the same permission restrictions as those for the actions to start and export.
Context Menus for Trees and Clusters	The general navigation actions are available to all users who are authorized to view the results . Actions for creating, renaming, moving, merging, and deleting, as well as for removing a tree level, appear only with `clustering-edit` and only if the selected node allows the operation.
Controls for editing parts and clusters	With clustering-edit, you can select parts and place them in the bin, move them between clusters, create a cluster from the bin, set the part status individually or for an entire cluster, and use context menu actions that modify the result. Without this permission, the result remains readable, but these controls and changes are not available.

Result

The Overview and Results views show only the actions that are permitted for the logged-in role . A user without the "clustering-view" permission cannot open the clustering from the dashboard. A user with read-only access can view the available information if “Shared Data” has the status “Connected.” A user with editing rights can maintain parts and the tree ; a user with administrative rights can execute jobs and exports if the verified services have the status “Connected” .

Tips and Troubleshooting

A "Degraded" warning may refer to "Embedding Server," "Tree Model Server," "Cluster Server," "Label Server," or "Shared Data." Restore each service required by the intended operation before proceeding.
Wait After a backend service has been restored, wait for the next status update before considering the interface ready. The overview updates its status every 15 seconds.
If an expected menu item or action is missing, even though the overview shows "Connected," check the appropriate permission and log in again: clustering-view for navigation and reading, clustering-edit for making changes to the results, and clustering-manage for job lifecycle actions and exporting.

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2.7.3. Operation	Home	2.7.3.2. Start the first clustering job