About:

The Application Configuration Tool Guide describes how one can configure the Interprise Suite application and web services to enable internet connection. To download this document, go to www.interprisesuite.com/t-moredownloads.aspx. See Also: Getting Started > User References > Manual References

 
About the Interprise Suite Configuration Tool

Regardless if you are connecting using LAN or Internet, you have to be familiar with the Configuration Tool. This tool allows you to provide configuration settings that you can use to connect to the databases (demo database or your newly created company database) in a remote server or in your local machine. You can provide as many configuration or connection settings as you may need for the databases you use for Interprise Suite. 

To load the Configuration Tool, click the F2 button (or press F2) in the Configuration field of the Sign In panel of Interprise Suite. Alternately, you can bring up the Configuration Tool from Start > Programs > Interprise Solutions > Interprise Suite > Management Tools > Configuration Tool if you plan to open or import an existing configuration.

The Company Setup list shows all the configurations you have. This entire list will be displayed in the Configuration field in the Sign-In panel in Interprise Suite to use when signing in. Each configuration setting stands for every database you have. For example, if you have a database for your UK company and another database for your US company or a database you can access to via LAN and internet, then you should have a configuration setting for each. This is then the primary use of the configuration tool.

The Connection Protocol option determines the connection setting for the application: it would allow you to use settings for a LAN only connection or an Internet only connection. Choosing Both allows you to use both connection types alternately. You can read on for the demonstrations of connecting over the two modes of connection. See Also: Connecting to the demo databases | Connecting to the company databases.

The following discussion describes how one can configure the Interprise Suite application and the web services.

 Steps:

Configure the Interprise Suite Application

Choose from the options to configure the Interprise Suite application.

• Use default configuration
  If both client and server components are installed in the same machine.
• Open or Import an existing configuration
  Open or import configuration from other machines.
• Define new configuration
  Create new configuration for newly installed systems.

Use default configuration
If you have the the client and server components installed in the same machine, you will find default configurations for the demo databases that will allow you to sign in directly to Interprise Suite.

• Demo Company US and Demo Company UK – points to the demo database installed in the server machine and uses LAN as default database connection
• Demo Store – points to the demo store database at Interprise Data Center and uses Internet as default connection. This demo database runs the sample web store, http://www.interprisedatacenter.com/demostore. 

Note that signing in to the demo databases is necessary for you to setup your new company database. After creating a new database, Interprise Suite creates a default configuration (applies only in the system that created the new database).

To connect to a remote server machine, you can either import a  configuration or define the configuration. See Also: Open or Import a configuration | Define new configuration.

Open or import an existing configuration
If you choose to install only the client components, you would have to manually configure the connection to the Interprise Suite databases installed on another server or machine. The easiest way to do this is to open an existing application configuration from that machine into the newly installed system.

1. Open the Configuration Tool.
   1. To open an existing configuration, open the Configuration Tool from Start > Programs > Interprise Solutions > Interprise Suite. The Configuration Tool window will display. Notice that the Configuration Tool window here is different from the Configuration Tool that is displayed when clicking on the F2 button. Click on the File menu and select Open. 
   2. To import an existing configuration, open the Configuration Tool by clicking on the F2 button in the Configuration field in the Sign In panel. The Configuration Tool window will display. Click on the Import button in the toolbar menu.
2. Browse for the configuration file, InterpriseSuite.exe.config file (usually found in …\Program Files\Interprise Solutions\Interprise Suite\InterpriseSuite.exe.config).
3. Click Open to import the configurations. You will notice that the server names are pointing to the SQL server in the local machine (e.g. .\SQLEXPRESS or (local)\SQLEXPRESS). Click on the ellipsis button inside the database name to display the Database Connection window. Rename this to the SQL server instance where the databases were installed e.g. RemoteServerName\SQLEXPRESS or pick up from the list of servers detected by Interprise Suite. Then, provide the appropriate login authentication User Name and Password. Click OK to apply the changes.
4. Test the connection by clicking on the Test buttons next to the Database Name.
5. Select the Connection Protocol to use.
   1. Use LAN Connection Only if you are to connect to the database server via LAN
   2. Use Internet Connection Only if you are to connect to a database over a remote server (note that the Interprise Suite web services must be installed to be able to connect to the database server over the internet.
   3. Use LAN and Internet Connection if you want to alternately use LAN and Internet connection.
6. Save to retain the configuration.
7. You may now sign in to Interprise Suite. See Also: Getting Started > Signing in to Interprise Suite

 
Define new configuration
If you installed only the client components of Interprise Suite, you will need to configure the connection to the database manually. To create new configuration setting, follow this procedure:

1. In the Configuration Tool window, click the New button from the toolbar. A new configuration name is added in the Company Setup list.
2. Provide the Configuration Name for the new configuration.
3. Then provide the information for the Company Database and Offline Database connection and the web service to use (if connecting over the internet).
   

Company Database connection
To provide details for the company database, first click on the ellipsis button beside the Company Database field. This will bring up the Database Connection window for the company database.

Note: When connecting to a remote company database over the internet, you can leave the company database connection as it is.

1. Enter the Server Name (or pick up the server from the list of servers detected by Interprise Suite).
2. Then provide the Database Name.
3. When connecting via LAN, you may choose to use a local cache database or not. Switch from using the cache database or not by clicking on the Cache Enabled/Cache Disabled button beside the Company Database. When using internet connection, the Cache Enabled option is selected and cannot be modified since caching is required when working over the internet. See Also: Offline Database Connection.
4. The login authentication type, User ID, and Password are provided as default from the installation. You may modify this information as necessary.
5. Click on the Test button to test the connection.
6. Click OK to close the Database Connection window.

 

Offline Database connection
Take note that the offline database is intended for data caching that is why it is installed in the local machine. The enabling/disabling of the offline cache database is available when the connection protocol is set to use LAN connection and required when using internet connection.

1. To view the connection settings for the offline cache database, Cache Enabled must be set from the Company Database field. If Cache Disabled is specified, Interprise Suite will connect and use the company database for caching.
2. Click on the ellipsis button beside the Cache Database field. This will bring up the Database Connection window.
3. Click on the Test buttons to test the connection.
4. Click OK to close the Database Connection window.

See the following demonstration for connecting to the demo databases or connecting to your company database over the two modes of connection. See Also: Connecting to the Demo Databases or Connecting to the Company Database.

 

Web Services
The web services allows Interprise Suite to connect to the internet. Connecting to the internet via web services is enabled in the Standard and eBusiness editions of Interprise Suite only. Web service is optional and can be purchased separately. Whenever ready, Single User edition users can purchase Web Services and install to connect to the internet.

By default, the web service is installed in the local host of the computer where Interprise Suite is installed. During installation, the user can specify a website to install the web services to given the website is running on Microsoft IIS. The user can also specify a folder in the local host to install the web services to. It is recommended that the user does so.

Prior to connecting to the internet, the web service component, Interprise Suite Business Service, have to be configured appropriately from the installation. To avoid getting errors, follow the instructions and look for known issues in the installation of the web services for the Standard and eBusiness Editions of Interprise Suite.

For more information on how to install the web services, download or view the Installation Guide for the Standard and eBusiness Edition of Interprise Suite from http://www.interprisesuite.com/t-moredownloads.aspx. See Also: User References > Manual References

To connect to a remote server via internet,

1. Provide the web service URL in the Business Service URL field.
2. Test the validity of the web service by clicking on the Test button.

 

The following demonstrates how to connect to the demo or company database over the two modes of connection:

 

Connecting to the demo databases
This part of the discussion demonstrates how to connect to the demo databases, Demo Company US, Demo Company UK or Demo Store through LAN or internet. If you have yet to set up your company database, connecting to the demo databases is necessary to access the New Company Wizard.

If you want to configure the connection to your company database, see Connecting to your company database.

 

Connecting to the demo databases via local area network

After Interprise Suite is installed, a default configuration for the demo databases (installed in the server in the local machine). With the default configuration, you can leave the connection as it is. However, if the demo database you will connect to is installed in a server or machine connected to your network, you will need to specify the connection to the demo databases using the Configuration Tool. To do this, follow the steps:

1. From the Configuration Tool window, select the demo database to connect to (whichever component is installed). You may select from the Demo Company UK or Demo Company US that uses LAN connection as default.
2. Set the Connection Protocol as LAN Connection Only or both – Use LAN or Internet Connection. 
3. Click on the ellipsis button inside the Company Database field. The Database Connection window will display.
   1. By default, the connection for the demo databases connects to the server installed lin the local machine. If installed in the local machine, the database connection would look like the image below:
   2. If the demo databases are installed in the local machine, leave the Server Name as it is. If installed in a server machine over the local area network, point to the server in the remote server. The database connection would then look like the image below:
4. You can switch from using the offline cache database by clicking on the Cache Enabled/Cache Disabled option from the Company Database field. When clicked, the Cache Database connection settings will appear. Not using the cache database means that the Company Database would be used for offline caching. See Also: Offline Database Connection
5. Test the connections by clicking on the Test buttons for each database.
6. If the  connection is successful, you may sign in to Interprise Suite. See Also: Signing in to Interprise Suite.

Connecting to the demo databases over the internet via web services

Important! Before attempting to connect to the remote database, make sure that your SQL server allows for remote client connections. To do this,

1. Go to Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > Configuration Tools > Surface Area Configuration. The Surface Area Configuration window will display.
2. In the options for Configure Surface Area for localhost, select Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
3. Click on the Database Engine node and select Remote Connections. Make sure that Local and Remote Connections is selected. Under this option, make sure that the third option, Using both TCP/IP and Names Pipes is selected.
4. Then, restart the server. Under the Database Engine node, click on the Services . Click Stop then Start to restart the server.

 

To connect to demo databases from a remote server via the internet,

1. Select the Company Database to connect to (whichever is the installed component)
   • Demo Company UK – UK-based Demo database; uses LAN as default connection
   • Demo Company US – US based Demo database; uses LAN as default connection
   • Demo Store – installed along with the Standard and Ebusiness editions, this demo database  runs the demo website, http://www.interprisedatacenter.com/demostore/ ; uses Internet as default connection
     
     Note: If you have yet to set up your company database, connecting to the demo databases is necessary to access the New Company Wizard of Interprise Suite. After creating a new company database, Interprise Suite will create a default configuration to allow you to sign in to your company database right away (see Connecting to your company database).
2. If you are connecting to the Demo UK or Demo US databases, set the Connection Type as Internet Connection Only or both - LAN or Internet Connection. Internet connection is already specified in the Demo Store database.
3. Test the validity of the web service by clicking on the Test button inside the Business Service URL field.  Make sure that the web service URL follows the format: http://localhost/virtualdirectory/businessservice.asmx
4. When connecting to the remote database, you can leave the Company Database Connection settings as it is. The Cache Enabled option is set for internet connection since caching is required for working over the internet.
5. You may now sign in to Interprise Suite. See Also: Signing in to Interprise Suite.

 

Connecting to the company databases

This part of the discussion demonstrates how to connect to your company database in the server installed in your machine, installed in a server in your local area network or in a remote server away from the office.

Note that after finishing the New Company Wizard, Interprise Suite creates the connection setting for your company using the company and database name you provided in the creation and the connection setting you used in the Demo Database you are in. When bringing up the Configuration Tool, you will find the configuration for your company database (applies only to the system that created the new company).

 

Connecting to your company databases via local area network

After creating a new database using the New Company Wizard, a default configuration is created (applies only to the machine that  created the database. To connect to the company database,

1. Sign out of the demo database you are in. Click on File > Sign Out.
2. Open the Configuration Tool. Click on F2 button in the Configuration field.
3. Click on the New button from the toolbar menu. a new configuration is created in the Company Setting list. Rename this with your company name or database name.
4. You will find the default configuration created for your new company. You may rename the configuration as you like.
5. Set the Connection Protocol to LAN connection or both (LAN and Internet Connection). 
6. Click on the ellipsis button in the Company Database and Offline Database fields to display the Database Connection window. Then Test the connections before clicking Ok to close.  
   Notes:
   If the database server was installed in the local computer, the default configuration would look like the one below. Default login authentication depends on the authentication set in the installation. Test the connection before clicking Ok to close.  
   If the database server is installed in a server that you can connect to in the local area network, the default configuration would like the one below. 
7. Click Save to retain the database connection settings. Your settings are saved into a configuration file, InterpriseSuite.exe.config that you can import and apply to newly installed systems to get them up and running quickly. See Also: Open or import an existing configuration.
8. You may now sign in to Interprise Suite. See also, Signing in to Interprise Suite.

Connecting to your company database over the internet via web services

Connecting to your company database over the internet via web services
Notes: Connecting to the internet via web services is enabled in the Standard and Ebusiness editions of Interprise Suite only. Single User edition users would need to purchase the web services from Interprise Suite.com and install to be able to connect to the internet.

Before attempting to connect to the remote database, make sure that your SQL server allows for remote client connections. To do this,

1. Go to Programs > Microsoft SQL Server 2005 > Configuration Tools > Surface Area Configuration. The Surface Area Configuration window will display.
2. In the options for Configure Surface Area for localhost, select Surface Area Configuration for Services and Connections.
3. Click on Remote Connections and make sure that Local and Remote connections option is selected. Under this option, make sure that the third option, Using both TCP/IP and named pipes is selected.
4. Click on Apply button to apply the new settings.
5. Restart your server. Click on the 
    

To connect to a remote database through internet via web services,

1. Sign out of the demo database you are in.
2. In the Sign In panel, bring up the Configuration Tool by clicking on F2 button. You will find that Interprise Suite has created a default configuration for your company database. The default connection for this is LAN.
3. To connect via web services, set the Connection Protocol as Internet Connection Only or both – Use LAN or Internet Connection.
4. Check for the validity of the web service by clicking on the Test button. Make sure that the web service URL follows the format: http://localhost/virtualdirectory/businessservice.asmx
5. You may now sign in to the company database. See Also: Signing in to Interprise Suite. 
   

 

 How To:

Set a default configuration

Delete a configuration

Update the Database

Configure the website for AspDotNetStorefront for Interprise Suite

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  Next Steps:

• Signing in to Interprise Suite. See Also: Signing In to Interprise Suite

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