e-Business Suite
Server Install Guide
Version 1.0
Contents
Introduction ... 4
Installing the e-Business Engine ... 5
Hardware Specification ... 5
SQL Server recommended Hardware Specification ... 6
Access Users of Adviser Office ... 7
SQL Server 2000 Users ... 7
Installation of the e-Business Suite ... 8
Installation Brief ... 8
Getting Started – Installation Checklist ... 8
Installing Pre Requisite Components ... 10
Installing e-Business Suite ... 13
Server Install ... 14
Post Installation Checklist... 23
Configuring the e-Services Windows Service ... 24
Appendix 1 ... 28
Installing the Database on an existing Server ... 28
Appendix 2 ... 29
Backing Up the e-Valuations and e-Services Databases ... 29
SQL Express 2005\2008 Backup ... 29
SQL Server 2005\2008 Backup ... 32
Introduction
The Valuations Module was introduced with version 5.6 of Adviser Office. It sits within the e-Business Module, and allows users to generate and manage Valuation Requests.
Version 8.3 of Adviser Office includes the latest e-Business Module as part of the AO installation CD. From the e-Business Module users can access e-Valuations and the e-Services offering; you will also be able to access the e-Tracking service.
The e-Valuations database uses a separate component called the e-Business Suite to manage messaging between Adviser Office and the Providers.
This guide is intended to be used by users who are familiar with installing MS updates and Adviser Office onto the server.
This document details the installation process for the e-Business Suite, and provides an overview of the e-Business engine.
This document does not provide a functional description, details of this can be found in the e-Services User Guide v1.0. In addition this guide does not cover the upgrade to Adviser Office itself; this
Installing the e-Business Engine
Hardware Specification
The tables below indicate recommended requirements for running the e-Business Suite. As new versions of the software are released, there is a possibility that this information will change. All machines, servers and client machines should be set to UK regional settings. IN particular please check the date settings on the target machine:
Go to Control Panel / Regional and Language Settings.
On the TIME tab select the Customise button and ensure that the AM and PM symbols are selected.
SQL Server recommended Hardware Specification
We recommend that e-Valuations is run in a SQL server environment and the table below describes the recommended specification.
Database Server (SQL):
Recommended
Operating System Windows Server 2003 or higher
Database Version SQL Server 2005 SP3
Processor Dual Intel Xeon Processors (Minimum 2.8 GHz) L2 Cache 800MHz FSB
Memory 2 GB Memory - 4GB Preferred
Controller Smart Array Controller - To support RAID 1 or 5
Additional
Recommendation
Access Users of Adviser Office
Our recommendation is that users are running Adviser Office in a SQL environment; however this is not a mandatory requirement.
For users that are running an Access version of Adviser Office on a SQL server, the server specification should to the standard described above.
If a user does not have a central SQL server, the install will automatically install a free SQL Express Database.
SQL Server 2000 Users
It is possible to install SQL Server Express 2005 alongside an existing SQL Server 2000 installation provided Server Pack 4 is applied and the server hardware is capable of running SQL Server Express 2005.
The text below from the MSDN website confirms the following taken from the article -
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms345154.aspx
Installation of the e-Business Suite
Installation Brief
In order to run e-Services the e-Business Suite must be run. This is a separate component to Adviser Office however it is available to be installed as part of the AO 8.3 Installation CD onwards.
The e-Business Suite consists of three components that need to be installed:
E-Services Provider Messaging Database – this needs to sit on a new or existing SQL server Windows Service – this needs to sit on the same machine as the Database
Client Install – this needs to be run on every machine from which the e-Business module will be accessed
This guide describes how to install the e-Business Suite.
Getting Started – Installation Checklist
You must install Adviser Office 8.2+ for all users before you install the Business Suite. The e-Business Suite install is included on the AO 8.3 installation CD onwards.
Before doing the install you will need your Server Windows Administrators login, please note that during the install you will be prompted to enter your 1st Extranet login details so you will need to have these at hand.
On inserting the AO 8.3 Installation CD you will be prompted with the following dialog:
On clicking on the eBusiness Suite option the following dialog is displayed:
Clicking on the Install eBusiness Suite option will install the e-Business Suite setup files.
Once the pre requisites have been installed you can continue running the e-Business Suite install. This is detailed in the Installing e-Business Suite section below.
Installing Pre Requisite Components
On clicking on Install eBusiness Suite option the e-Business Suite installer will firstly check that the recommended pre requisites have been installed. These must be installed before the actual install can be run.
When installing the pre requisites a reboot is often required, you may therefore need to reselect the e-Business Suite install option from the CD after each reboot to continue with the install.
Please note, due to some of these components being installed using MSI, you may need to update the Windows Installer Service, please click here for more information. Some installations of Windows 2000 Terminal Server may require this update, so please install this update if you have any issues. This will require a restart of the server.
The pre requisites required before the actual installation can take place includes the following:
Component Description Windows Server
2003 Required/Optional Windows Server 2008 Required/Optional MS .NET Framework 3.5
MS.NET Framework is required to run the services from the e-Business Suite. The latest version is 3.5 and provided with the installer. Windows Server 2000 will not be able to run this version.
The installation of .NET 3.5 will abort automatically and a prompt will appear to request continue with the installation. You can install and run the service from a client machine instead installing both the Client and Server e-Services components
MS Windows Installer 4.5 for Windows Server 2003 and XP
Standard MS Component for installing and uninstalling software
It is recommended that you reboot if prompted to do so.
Required Not Required
MS SQL Server 2008 Express R2 Express RTM VALCENTR E
Any existing SQL 2008 instance can be used provided it has the correct collation settings(See Appendix 1 for details).
If there is no SQL 2008 instance available install this component on the server.
Optional Optional
1st
Management Console
Management Console to view and amend the e-Valuations service settings
Required Required
Microsoft SOAP SDKToolkit
Standard MS component which is required for the Service to MI to the extranet and retrieve the latest settings.
Required Required
MS SQL Server Backward Compatibility
This component is only required for the client installation and not needed on the server
Optional Optional
MS Windows MMC 3.0
Standard MS component required to run the e-Business Suite
Required Required
MS VC Redistributa ble 2008
Standard MS component required to run the e-Business Suite
1st Config Help
This component is required Required Required
The pre requisites required, but called from within the actual e-Business install, include the following:
Component Description Windows Server
2003 Required/Optional Windows Server 2008 Required/Optional MS Message Queuing Service
MSMQ is a messaging protocol that allows applications running on separate
servers/processes to communicate in a failsafe manner
This pre requisite is detected as required during the e-Business Suite install.
To install this you must locate and run this as follows: Control Panel>Programs>Turn Windows Features On or
Off>Feature>(right click)>Add Features>Message Queuing
For more detailed setup instructions for Server 2003 click here or for 2008 instructions
click here.
Required Required
AO Installed The e-Business Suite install checks that AO has been installed
This pre requisite is detected as required during the e-Business Suite install
Installing e-Business Suite
To activate the e-Business Installer, double click on the Install eBusiness Suite option if it has not already launched the installer itself. The e-Business Installer will then check that the pre-requisites mentioned earlier have been installed.
When this has been confirmed the e-Business Installer will start up and you will see the following Welcome Page.
The install is broken into Client Installs and Server Installs.
Server Install
IMPORTANT - the purpose of this guide is relating to the Server installation.
Please select the options as detailed below. Please note e-Services uses part of the Adviser Office Open API and needs to have a copy of Adviser Office installed on the server hosting e-Services.
The ‘Choose Destination Location’ screen, allows you to select where you would like the files to be downloaded to. The installer will choose a default location; select Browse to change the default location.
The install will then ask you to enter any Proxy Settings.
You will then be asked to enter your 1st Services Username and Password. This can be any user’s username and password; but it will be used to connect to 1st services to download any new settings; therefore if the user leaves or changes their password then these settings will need to be updated at a later date.
If you do not know your Username and Password, please e-mail the 1st Support Team
(Support@1stsoftware.com) requesting your Extranet login details for the website -www.1stextranet.com and they will e-mail your password to you.
You will then be required to enter details about the SQL Server that the e-Valuations Database (ValuationCentre) will reside on. A default SQL Server will be selected; but the Browse button can be used to select an alternative server. Appendix 1 denotes the required collation settings if this is a non-Adviser Office SQL instance.
You will also need to select the Connection Method.
If you have installed SQL Server Express using the installer the sa login has been setup with the password ‘1stTime’. Otherwise you will need the sa password for the existing SQL instance or be logged in as a windows user with the appropriate rights.
You will then be required to enter details about the SQL Server that the e-Services Database
(ProviderMessageStore) will reside on. A default SQL Server will be selected; but the Browse button can be used to select an alternative server. Appendix 1 denotes the required collation settings if this is a non-Adviser Office SQL instance.
You will also need to select the Connection Method.
If you have installed SQL Server Express using the installer the sa login has been setup with the password ‘1stTime’. Otherwise you will need the sa password for the existing SQL instance or be logged in as a windows user with the appropriate rights.
You will then be asked to identify the location of your main Adviser Office Database Access Database
For Access Database users, click the Folder button or type in the Server path to the Main1st.mdb database.
Please select the path in the UNC format e.g. \\Server\1stdir32\ rather than a drive letter T:\1stdir32\.
SQL Database
For SQL Database users, click Browse to locate the server with the Main1st database, you will need to check the login details are correct as they will default to the SQL 2005 (Username IAm1stUser). If on SQL 2000 then change the Username and password to the login for iam1stuser as this login needs to be all lower case.
Select Install from the next screen, and the installation process will begin.
Post Installation Checklist
Please check you have the Windows service VertexScheduler running within the Services management console (Start >> Run type services.msc and click OK).
The ValuationCentre database should be now available on the SQL server. You can check by going to Start – (All) Programs – Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008 – SQL Server Management Studio Express and logging into the SQL instance selected during the install. If you do not have SQL Server Management Studio Express available you can download it from here
The ProviderMessageStore database should also available on the SQL server. You can check by going to Start – (All) Programs – Microsoft SQL Server 2005/2008 – SQL Server Management Studio Express and logging into the SQL instance selected during the install.
Licence Adviser Office for e-Business Suite Valuations and also the Open API. Please contact our CRM team on 0845 0683000 to request this is added.
Advise whoever is doing the client install which SQL Server instance to use during the client install.
Configuring the e-Services Windows Service
Once the Server Install has been run, you will notice that a new icon will have been added to the desktop:
This is the 1st Management Service and this needs to be configured and started. Double click on the 1st Management icon. This will generate the following dialogue:
Right Click on the IS Manager listing on the left hand side and select Add Installation. In the dialogue that follows, type eServices (Please note that sometimes this dialog is hidden behind the main ‘1st Management Console’ window and you may need to select it from the taskbar at the bottom
Clicking on the OK button will add a new entry to the listing which will appear on the right hand side of the screen.
Click the IS Manager entry on the left of the screen to expand, and then click to expand the
This should create a tree structure which looks like the following
To start the Service, Right click on the second e-Services entry and select Start Messaging Services
Host. This will generate the following screen:
Right click on Provider Messaging and select Commands/Start Admin and then repeat for Commands/ Start Outbound
You can then close the 1st Messaging Service, ensuring that you select Yes when asked whether you wish to Save.
Appendix 1
Installing the Database on an existing Server
If you are to install on an existing server, then the server needs to be configured with the correct collation settings.
Appendix 2
Backing Up the e-Valuations and e-Services
Databases
SQL Express 2005\2008 Backup
There is an additional tool available for SQL Express 2005\2008 to allow you to backup the Valuation Engine Database.
You can use this to setup a backup for the e-Valuations database (ValuationCentre) or e-Services (ProviderMessageStore) database. The example below shows backing the ValuationCentre database but is exactly the same when referring to the ProviderMessageStore database.
1. Once the tool is installed please open this from Start (All) Programs MS SQL 2005 or 2008 (depending which version you have chosen to run) SQL Server Management Studio Express 2. Open the instance relating to e-Valuations and you will see the Valuation Engine database listed. 3. To backup the database browse to the option shown below. Right click on the Valuation Engine database go to Tasks – Back Up.
5. The location of the backup defaults to C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL
Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Backup\ to change it, click on Remove, then Add and specify the correct location and file name.
7. Once all the settings are added click OK to run the backup process. The success message below should appear.
.
SQL Server 2005\2008 Backup
You can use this to setup a backup for the e-Valuations database (ValuationCentre) or e-Services (ProviderMessageStore) database. The example below shows backing the ValuationCentre database but is exactly the same when referring to the ProviderMessageStore database for e-Services.
From the SQL server desktop start SQL Server Management Studio by choosing Start Programs Microsoft SQL Server 2005 \ 2008 (depending which version you have chosen to run) SQL Server Management Studio.
Right click the SQL Server Agent at the bottom of the Object Explorer and select Start.
Expand Server Objects then Backup Devices within the Object Explorer and right click in the right hand pane. Select New Backup Device. Name the device ‘ValuationCentreBak’ and save to an appropriate location.
Expand SQL Server Agent then Jobs within the Object Explorer. Right click in the right hand pane and select New Job.
Name the job Backup ValuationCentre Database and set to owner to SA. Select Steps and then New.
Enter ‘Backup Master Database’ for the step name and enter the following in the bottom left pane:
BACKUP DATABASE ValuationCentre TO ValuationCentreBak WITH INIT GO
Click on Parse to check the syntax.
Select Advanced and set the On success action to Quit the job reporting success. Leave the On failure action set to Quit the job reporting failure. Click OK.
Click Schedules then New. Name the Schedule ‘Schedule for backing up ValuationCentre database’.
Appendix 3
Trouble Shooting Guide
Error Problem Fix
EBusinessSuite ActiveX Error
Missing Connection String Ensure the connectionstring is present in the e-Valuations.Config file. This can be viewed by creating a new shortcut on the desktop with a target path of "C:\Program
Files\1st\e-Business Suite\EFiles\1st\e-BusinessLoader.exe" /Configure then click Apply then OK. Double
click on shortcut to EBusinessLoader.exe to view and amend the settings
When opening the e-Business Suite 1st [System Defined Events Libr has encountered an error and needs to close
Error 91
The Windows Application Log is Full
Go to Start – Control Panel – Administrative Tools – Computer Management. Expand Event Viewer and and right click Application and select Properties. Select the option Overwrite Events as needed, click Apply then OK to resolve.
Windows Service starting but then stopping.
No login user has been specified
Select the VertexScheduler windows service and view the properties. Check that a user has been specified rather than using the Local System Account
Windows Service starting but then stopping.
Also check that the user selected for the windows service has rights to access the database.
This also may be a problem because the Local System Account user on the Windows Service has insufficient rights to access the database. If so it is possible to add a specific user who has database rights to the Service. See the next sections on creating users for the Windows Service.
Connection to 1st Service fails
Check that the Application Reference and Service User Reference have been set up in the registry as the connection string above. See the utilities page above for information about changing these values.
Proxy settings Review the proxy settings in the registry. See the utilities page for more information.
Getting Help
If you experience any problems or have any questions, please contact our e-Business support team, on:
e-business@1stsoftware.com
