SQL Server provides a number of network communication protocols to transmit data between the server database and connecting client workstations. Workstations connect to the SQL server database via an ODBC data source created by the TIMS3 client installation procedure. The recommended communication protocol that provides the fastest data access is 'TCP/IP sockets'. However, if you have decided to setup your SQL Server with 'NT Integrated' security you must use the SQL server default protocol called 'named pipes'. This is due to the TCP/IP protocol being available only with 'Standard' or 'Mixed' security modes. Use the SQL Server setup utility to configure your security mode to one of 'Standard', 'Mixed' or 'NT Integrated'. Unless high security measures are warranted, we recommend the default 'Standard' security mode.
In addition to security mode you must also use the SQL setup utility to select the networking protocols that need to be supported. There are many protocols available unless you have selected 'NT Integrated' security mode. The default 'Named pipes' protocol should be selected as well as the 'TCP/IP sockets', if available.
The SQL client configuration utility is not required on any TIMS3 client workstation and is normally found only on the SQL server. The SQL client configuration utility allows you to define the default communication protocol ('Net Library') that will be used by SQL server applications when talking to the back end SQL server process. TIMS3 does not affect, nor should you change the SQL client configuration default net library from 'named pipes'. However, the SQL client configuration default net library setting does have an affect on the display of the ODBC data source net library setting when you review the TIMS3 data source created by the TIMS3 client installation procedure. When reviewing the TIMS3 data source, the ODBC net library setting may appear as '(Default)' if the chosen protocol is the same as the SQL client configuration's default net library. If the two settings are different then the ODBC data source net library settings will retain the name entered when the data source was first configured.
SQL Server requires that device files be created to store databases. The TIMS3 installation procedure creates two device files TIMS data and TIMS log; one for the database and one for the transaction log. The default sizes for these two device files are 20 and 10 megabytes., respectively. These sizes are fully allocated by the TIMS3 database that is also created during the TIMS3 Server installation procedure. These sizes should be sufficient to accommodate 20 000 document records along with an average number of related records in associated tables (e.g. keyword index, file transfers, projects, revisions, etc.).
In addition to creating two device files and the TIMS3 database, the installation procedure also creates two SQL Server tasks that are left for the System Administrator to enable should they be necessary. The first of these two tasks, called SQL Backup, is used to dump all SQL server databases into a single backup device file called SQL Backup.dat.
This task is necessary so that regular nightly disk backup (usually written to tape) can copy the SQL server data as well. Without the SQL Backup task, regular nightly backup will not be able to copy the SQL server device files to the tape device because the SQL server process itself will have the device files open all the time. The SQL Backup task is configured to run once per day at 12:00am. This configuration can be modified to suit your site's backup schedule. Use the SQL Server Enterprise Manager to enable the SQL Backup task and modify the execution time. Remember the SQL Backup task will copy (dump) all the SQL Server databases into the one SQL Backup.dat device file. See the SQL Server Enterprise Manager application help text for how to restore the TIMS3 database from the SQL Backup device file.
The second of these two tasks, called SQL BackupTrans, is used to dump the transaction log of all SQL Server databases. As you use SQL Server all database interactions are recorded in the transaction log of the associated database. Left unchecked the transaction log would eventually fill the size allocated for record the transactions. The SQL BackupTrans task is used to copy (dump) the transaction log of all SQL Server databases into the backup device file called SQL BackupTrans.dat. The SQL BackupTrans task is configured to run every two hours during the day. The SQL BackupTrans task can be though of as an incremental backup facility that copies all database transaction log records (changes) at periodic intervals during the day. The timely dumping of the transaction log will ensure a database's transaction log file will never get full and it will also provide the administrator with a disk file backup of all database changes that have occurred during the day since the last full database backup (execution of SQL Backup task).
Before installing the TIMS3 software on your server, you should ensure that the SQL Server software is functioning correctly. You should test it by creating a small database, and checking that you can access this database from another PC on the network. You must be logged in as the administrator on the server that already has the SQL Server software installed and activated.
*Please note that Server Installation should be completed before Client Installation
*Login under the "Administrator" account before performing the installation
You begin installing both the server and client software by running the Setup application from the root directory on the download. You will then be prompted to select either a server or client installation.
You should then select the TIMS3 server setup, and a general license agreement will be displayed which you must accept to proceed with the installation.
Select the installation options that you want to install. For new installations and version upgrades it is recommended that all options remain checked. Enter in your client license number, or leave blank for demo version.
Continuing with the installation, you will be prompted to stop applications that may be currently active, particularly Microsoft Access applications. If this is not done, you risk certain files not being installed or registered properly. This may result in TIMS3 not functioning correctly.
After accepting this, the setup application will check what TIMS3 software has been previously loaded on the system.
The file server - This is the TIMS3 network service that responds to document transfer requests from TIMS3 clients.
The database server - This is simply the back-end Access database file that must be installed on a shared network drive.
TIMS Cleanup is the automated nightly backup routine used to back up checked-out files to the file server.
ODBC is the connectivity service that assists in communication with the back end database.
The setup procedure first checks if there is sufficient disk space to load the software. After the files are copied to the server, you are prompted for important TIMS3 File Server parameters:
The XFER Server ID Number is the TCP/IP port that is used for the transfer of documents between the server and client workstations.
The TIMS3 XFER server directory is the location of the file transfer software. File transfer debug files for trouble-shooting sessions will also be recorded in this directory.
The next stage of the server setup is to install the automatic file transfer cleanup application. This is the software that runs each day at the configured time to ensure that all the files are updated on the file server and on the workstations depending on how the files have been checked out or copied out to the workstation. For a detailed explanation of the network file cleanup procedure, you should refer to the File Transfer section of this manual.
You will be asked if you want to install this nightly cleanup procedure and for the time that you want it to run. The time that you enter should be at least one hour before your nightly backup procedure runs. A batch file will be created in the file transfer directory and the setup application will run the Windows NT "AT" command to schedule the cleanup. Using Control Panel->Services, you must ensure that the Scheduler service is running.
The setup application will install various icons in the TIMS3 Server application group:
The Cleanup application, named OWL;
7 icons for each of the daily cleanup log files.
You will then be prompted for information regarding your SQL Server software installation.
The User ID and Password needs to be the system administrator's log-in to the SQL Server (sa)
The Server name is the host name of the server where the SQL Server software is installed. It is recommended that you perform this installation directly on the target server. However, you can perform this portion of the installation from any PC that has the SQL Server Utilities loaded and properly configured
DEMO Projects are a set of projects and documents that are automatically installed on the system. These help users to understand the functionality of the TIMS3 system, as well as corresponding to the lessons outlined in the User Guide.
Click on the "Connect" button to auto fill the information. Ensure that the File Server Node Name is filled out. In this example both the file server and database server reside on the same server - CRD18.
Create New if this is a new TIMS3 installation.
If the software had been previously installed on the server, you will have the opportunity Update components from the previous installation.
Completely Remove the software from your system.
If you selected the TIMS Cleanup option in the system configuration screen then you will be prompted for the installation and directory for the service files.
TIMS Cleanup automatically defaults to the proper program group - TIMS File Server.
The system will install any needed files including dll system files to ensure proper operating system support for the software. Recommended that if the files are not newer than the currently installed system file that you select "Yes" or "Yes to All".
After the successful installation of the server software, you should check:
That you have the sub-directories as shown in the figure above.
Using the Control Panel->Services icon, you should verify that you have the TIMS3 Server services installed and started.
If there is a problem with this service, you can manually stop and start it from the control panel, or by opening up a DOS window and using the INITSERV utility located in the default file transfer directory, as shown in the example below.
You may also check the server’s registry for the currently defined TIMS3 options. The registry settings for the server component are:
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FT_DEBUG |
The switch to control whether the TIMS3 file transfer software should run in debug mode. A value of 0 turns the debug mode off. A value of 255 is the highest mode for the most debug information logged. |
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FT_SID |
The TCP/IP port number or server ID number of the File Transfer server software. |
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FT_SRVDIR |
The location of the file transfer software on the server. |
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MS_SEEDFILES |
The location of the system default template files. |
After the installation is complete, you should proceed to load the TIMS3 Client software on the server system. This will provide you with easy access to maintain the tables within the TIMS3 database.