Cenova Command 1.0
Release date: 01-06-2026
This is the first release of Cenova Command, part of the wider Cenova ecosystem.
We encourage you to explore the capabilities and share your feedback via our support channels at support.geo@cegal.com or blueback.zendesk.com/home. Your input helps shape the future of Cenova Command.
1. Headline features
One-click installer
A single Windows MSI with guided prompts for authentication, database paths, and service account — no manual config editing.
Flexible authentication
Keystone (cloud) or Keystone On-Prem for air-gapped sites — OAuth2 + OpenID under the hood.
Web app on port 9797
No client install for end users. Tile-based Home page and modules unlocked by your license.
Pre-Assessment
One-off scan of any data landscape — instant snapshot of volume, distribution, applications, and Petrel projects.
Core Reporting
Scheduled scans, four native dashboards, search and tagging across Seismic, Well, and Application data.
Data Hygiene
Governed, audited deletion of Seismic and Well duplicates — MD5 verification, approval workflow, full audit trail.
Admin area
Licenses, indexes, scheduler, users, roles, preferences, audit log, and requests — all in one place.
Light footprint
Index is ~6 GB per 1 PB scanned. A real-world 9 PB landscape produced a 57 GB index.
2. Installation experience
Cenova Command 1.0 installs from a single Windows MSI, with on-screen prompts for every choice you need to make. The full walkthrough lives in the Installation guide.
2.1 Guided installer screens
The installer captures the configuration that used to require manual file editing:
- Authentication provider — pick Keystone (cloud, Cegal IAM + Entra ID) or Keystone On-Prem (Integrated Windows Authentication, no internet required). See §1.2 Choose an authentication method.
- Database storage locations — set Server DB and Edge DB paths independently, so large estates can be pointed at a roomier drive from day one. See Step 3 — Choose database storage locations.
- Service account for Cenova Edge — the account that needs read access to the file shares you plan to scan. See Step 4 — Set the service account.
2.2 Storage planning baked in
Cenova Command 1.0 ships with realistic sizing guidance: the index is roughly 0.001 % of scanned data (~6 GB per 1 PB) — a real-world 9 PB landscape produced a 57 GB index. See §1.3 Storage planning.
2.3 Two Windows services, one URL
After install, the host runs two services — Cenova Edge and Cenova Server — and the web app is available locally at http://localhost:9797, with a desktop shortcut created automatically. See Step 6 — Verify the installation.
2.4 Configurable database locations (post-install)
If sizing changes after the fact, the edge and server databases can be relocated by editing C:\ProgramData\Cegal\Cenova\config.toml and restarting the two services. See §6. Relocate the index and project databases.
WARNING
These locations should still be physical disks attached to the machine. Network locations are not recommended for performance and reliability reasons.
NOTE
The Windows services for the Cenova Server and Cenova Edge services should be restarted for changes to the config.toml file to take effect.
2.5 Clean upgrade and uninstall paths
- Upgrade — run the new MSI; the installer detects and removes the previous version automatically. See §7. Upgrade.
- Uninstall — either via Programs and Features or by re-running the MSI in Remove mode. See §8. Uninstall.
3. Licensing
Cenova Command 1.0 uses a customer-specific license key entered on first login. The model is:
- Simple and secure — keys are generated per site; everything stays inside the company network; no external connections required.
- Flexible — keys can be (re)generated in minutes, with no dependency on a license server.
- Modular — licensing is structured around core capabilities and optional modules (e.g. Storage Optimization, Project Governance), allowing customers to tailor their deployment.
Activation happens directly in the web app — see §3. Activate your license for the screen-by-screen flow.
4. The web app
The web app at http://localhost:9797 is the day-to-day surface for everyone using Cenova Command — see How it works.
4.1 Tile-based Home page
The Home page shows a tile for every module your license unlocks. In 1.0, the tile you'll use is Command — your entry point to Pre-Assessment and Core Reporting.
4.2 Roles in 1.0
Two roles are available out of the box:
- Admin — full configuration, including licenses, indexes, scheduler, users, roles, preferences, audit log, and requests.
- Standard — day-to-day use of the modules.
The first user to log in after installation is automatically promoted to Admin, so there's always at least one administrator on the system.
5. Pre-Assessment
A Pre-Assessment is a one-off scan that gives you an immediate snapshot of a data landscape — total volume, storage distribution, file composition, and notable applications and projects. Full walkthrough: Pre-Assessment guide.
5.1 Guided setup
The first time you open Cenova, the Command tile walks you through naming the landscape, adding local or network paths (with exclusions), reviewing the summary, and kicking off the scan. While the scan runs, a dedicated Scan Status view shows progress in real time.
5.2 Predefined results dashboard
When the scan finishes, results land in a predefined dashboard covering:
- Last Scan, Total Files, Disk Usage
- File Systems Indexed and Excluded Paths
- Access Denied paths
- G&G Applications with project counts, disk usage, and duplication %
- Petrel Projects with valid vs. corrupt counts plus internal/external ZGY breakdown
- Potential Mirrors for duplicate or mirrored data sources
5.3 Promote to monitoring
Happy with the snapshot? A single click promotes the Pre-Assessment into a scheduled Core Report without re-entering any of the configuration.
6. Core Reporting
A Core Report is a scheduled, repeating scan that builds on a Pre-Assessment and adds dashboards, searchable tables, and trend analysis over time. Full walkthrough: Core Reporting guide.
6.1 Flexible scheduling
Pick Daily, Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, or supply a custom Cron expression. While a scan runs, a blue ribbon and bottom status bar give one-click access to detailed scan status.
6.2 Four native dashboards
Summary
Total volume, storage efficiency, drive statistics, long-term trends, and per-data-type distribution.
Applications
Application projects (e.g. Petrel) with file counts, sizes, deltas, and trend charts.
Seismic
All seismic files in the latest scan — counts, disk usage, recoverable space, Added / Removed lists, and a Potential Duplicates view.
Well Data
Same shape as Seismic, applied to well files.
Every metric is paired with a delta vs. the previous run and a trend chart.
6.3 Search and tagging
- Subsurface Search — locate seismic or well files with filters on name, type, owner, tag, and path, plus sorting on size and dates. Includes full path search and a total result count.
- Application Search — same for application projects, with type-aware filters.
- Export — Subsurface and Application data can be exported for external analysis.
- Tags — a central place to create, edit, merge (with optional delete-on-merge), and bulk delete tags across all data domains. Tag changes propagate automatically to Subsurface and Application search.
7. Data Hygiene (Seismic and Wells)
The headline feature of 1.0 is a governed, audited way to act on the duplicates that Cenova surfaces — without anyone deleting subsurface data on a whim. Full walkthrough: Core Reporting → Data Hygiene.
The workflow:
- Review duplicate groups on the Seismic or Well Data dashboard, sorted largest first.
- Verify the contents of a group with a byte-level MD5 hash comparison — required before anything can be staged.
- Stage specific files for deletion. At least one file per group must remain — Cenova enforces it.
- Submit the staged files as a Request.
- An Admin approves or denies the request. At the moment of approval, Cenova runs a mandatory modification check — if a file has changed on disk since the request was raised, that deletion is blocked.
- Every step is recorded in the central Audit log, searchable, filterable, and exportable.
Built-in safeguards in 1.0:
- Smart exclusions — SEGY files inside Hampson Russell
.dirfolders, and files whose names containvsporcheckshot, are excluded from duplication detection. - Study awareness (Wells) — if a duplicate well file may belong to another study, both the requester and the approving admin are warned before approval.
- Distinct request approver preference — controls whether the same user may both raise and approve a request (default: must be different).
8. Admin area
The Settings area gives administrators control over the platform. Full walkthrough: How it works → Admin area.
8.1 Licenses
View and manage license allocations across the available Cenova modules.
8.2 Indexes
Review previous indexing runs and inspect key metrics for each — path, file count, directories, failed directories, disk usage, access-denied paths, and overall status.
8.3 Scheduler
View, edit, and delete scheduled scans. Change included paths, exclude specific files, and adjust frequency.
8.4 Users and roles
- Users view — everyone who has logged in, with role, creation date, and last access. Admins can change other users' roles. Role selection is disabled if only one user exists, so there's always at least one Admin.
- Roles view — counts of users in each role.
8.5 Preferences
System-wide behaviour, including the Distinct request approver policy that underpins Data Hygiene approvals.
8.6 Audit log
A complete, searchable record of every action carried out in the system — exportable in full or filtered form, with configurable retention.
8.7 Requests
A single view of every pending and completed request, including Data Hygiene deletions.
9. Authentication
Cenova Command 1.0 authenticates users via OAuth2 + OpenID Connect, with two supported providers.
| Keystone (cloud) | Keystone On-Prem | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity backend | Cegal IAM, backed by your Entra ID tenant | Integrated Windows Authentication |
| Internet required | Yes | No |
| Best for | Organizations already on Entra ID / Cegal IAM | Air-gapped or domain-only environments |
The installer captures the provider details up front, and CLI config commands are available for scripted OAuth configuration. Post-install Keystone On-Prem wiring (redirect URL, port changes) is covered in §4. Configure Keystone On-Prem.
10. Indexer
The Cenova Edge indexer is what feeds the dashboards. In 1.0 it captures:
- Name, Size, Path, Last modified, Last access, File owner, Extension
- Follow mount points and additional timestamp capture (
-at) enabled by default - Exclude patterns so specific files or directories are skipped during scans
- Resume from the last known location after a crash or interruption during the duplication phase
11. Detailed feature list ✨
Click to expand the full per-feature changelog
Web application & dashboards
Landing Page & Home Page
A modern web application with a landing page and tile-based home page for clear navigation and usability.
Pre-Assessment Dashboard
Dedicated pre-assessment dashboard providing a clear overview of pre-assessment scan results.
Core-Reporting Dashboard
Dedicated core-reporting dashboard for monitoring core report data and scan outcomes.
Pre-Assessment & Core-Reporting Status Pages
Real-time status pages show the progress of pre-assessment and core-reporting scans while they are running.
Scan workflow
Scheduling Flow
Schedule scans directly from the pre-assessment page, streamlining the scan workflow.
Datascape / Scope Definition Editing
Edit the datascape and scope definition directly from the pre-assessment or core-reporting page, allowing users to adjust scan paths with ease.
Search & data access
Subsurface and Application Search
Search functionality allowing users to quickly locate subsurface data and applications, with support for full path searches and a total result count for greater visibility and precision.
Export Overview Data
Export functionality for Subsurface and Apps data, enabling users to extract data for external analysis.
Tags
Tag Management
Create, delete, edit, and merge tags on selected data items for improved data organization. All tags are searchable and viewable in the Tags view, providing visibility and control over tagging operations.
Security & authentication
Roles and Permissions Framework
Two roles are available in Cenova — Admin and Standard User — providing different capabilities for managing data within Cenova.
Keystone / Keystone Lite Integration
Native integration with Keystone and Keystone Lite for a seamless single sign-on user experience.
Installer Keystone Auth UI Screens
The installer includes UI screens for configuring Keystone or Keystone Lite authentication options during installation, removing the need for manual file editing post-install. See the Installation guide for details.
CLI OAuth Configuration Commands
CLI config commands for setting and retrieving OAuth server options, enabling scriptable authentication setup.
Indexer
Capture Extra Data
The Indexer captures a range of metadata including Name, Size, Path, Last modified date, Last access date, File owner, and Extension. Follow mount points and additional timestamp capture (-at) are enabled by default.
Exclude Files
Define patterns to exclude specific files or directories from scans. During a scan, any paths matching the exclusion patterns are skipped automatically.
Resume Indexing
The indexer supports resuming operations from the last known location during the duplication phase or after an unexpected crash, reducing the need to restart scans from the beginning.
Data Hygiene
Seismic Data Hygiene (Delete)
Users can now act on potential duplicate seismic data identified by Cenova Command, with a full approval and audit workflow.
- Review duplicate groups — potential duplicates are grouped and sorted from largest to smallest by default for easier review.
- Verify before acting — manually trigger a comparison of the files in a duplicate group; Cenova clearly indicates which groups have already been compared.
- Stage files for deletion — select files within a group to mark for deletion. At least one file in every group must remain.
- Approval workflow — admin users review pending requests and approve or deny actions. Cenova performs a mandatory check for any modification to the file since the request was submitted, and notifies the requester of the decision.
- Configurable approver policy — admins can configure whether the requester and approver are allowed to be the same user (default: must be different).
- Smart exclusions — SEGY files inside Hampson Russell
.dirfolders, and files whose names containvsporcheckshot, are excluded from duplication detection to avoid false positives. - Audit history — every action is recorded with file name, type, path, size, requester, request date, reason, approval/denial, approver, decision date, and any denial reason. The history is searchable, filterable, and exportable in full or filtered form.
- Configurable retention — admins can set how long the audit log is retained (days, months, or years).
- Live results update — once a file is deleted, dashboard counts and sizes update automatically and the file appears under "Removed".
Well Data Hygiene (Delete)
Extends the same review, approval, and audit workflow to well data, with additional awareness of well studies.
- Same review, approval, and audit workflow as Seismic Data Hygiene — grouped duplicates sorted largest to smallest, manual verification, staged deletion (at least one file per group must remain), admin approval with mandatory modification check, configurable approver policy, full searchable/exportable audit history, and configurable retention.
- Study awareness — if a duplicate well file may be part of another study, both the requester and the approving admin are informed before any deletion is approved, helping prevent accidental loss of study-related data.
- Live results update — deletions are reflected immediately in dashboards and the affected file appears under "Removed".
Administration
Configurable Database Locations
System administrators can set the location of the Indexer index and project databases via C:\ProgramData\Cegal\Cenova\config.toml, allowing override of the default ProgramData location when size restrictions apply.
12. Known issues
- Owner and Last Modified date may not be displayed in Subsurface and Application search when used on Linux-based systems.
- A Pre-Assessment scan may loop or get stuck when there are too many levels of symbolic links.
- The installer may "hang" if the user does not have permission to run PowerShell scripts.
13. Where to next
Step-by-step MSI walkthrough, authentication setup, and post-install configuration.
Get oriented in the web app — modules, Home page, and the Admin area.
Your first scan — pick paths, name it, run it, review the dashboard.
Promote a Pre-Assessment to a Core Report and act on duplicates with Data Hygiene.
See what's coming next and help shape it.
Need a hand? We're here — email or Zendesk.