Overview
This section describes how to manually configure Automation Server for a Test or Production environment running in a .NET platform, and whenever it is not an option to run the Automation Server installer (i.e, without the Management Console included by it).
Keep in mind that this procedure is not needed when using the One-click Deployment feature in Bizagi (it is applicable when using Advanced Deployment).
Before you start, it is important you make sure that your Authoring (Development) environment is already set.
The path where Bizagi is installed in your Development environment (by default at C:\Program Files\BizAgi\[Bizagi_edition]\) will be referred to as <BIZAGI_PATH> from this point on.
Prerequisites
Installing Automation Server (via its installer), includes required components. However and given that this manual configuration parts from not running the installer, then the following steps are carried out.
Notice that Bizagi does not require additional components at the database server.
If you will be manually installing your Bizagi operating environment, you will need to make sure your server has these components previously installed:
1.Microsoft .NET Framework 4.8 full
You may install this component as directly available from download at Microsoft Support web site:
2. Internet Information Services components
To make sure your server has a supported version of IIS and the necessary components, refer to: IIS configuration.
3. Additional components according to your project's characteristics
•If you are using for your Process repository is an Oracle Database, or you use the Virtualization/Replication features to connect to an external Oracle Database, you will need to install the ODP.NET connectivity client.
•If your project integrates with SAP systems, through the use of Bizagi SAP connector, you will need Visual C++ 2010 redistributable.
Before you start
Before you set up Bizagi's operating environment in a Production server, make sure:
1. Having purchased the proper Bizagi license
This license should be at hand in order to activate it in the production server, otherwise Bizagi Work Portal will not work.
For further information about licenses, please contact sales@Bizagi.com.
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If you are setting up a clustered environment for Bizagi (multiple nodes to support load balancing capabilities), you may carry out the steps described below, but it is important to contact our support team to make sure you have activated your license in the clustered environment (for all Bizagi nodes). |
2. Having acknowledged the implications of a manual installation
When manually setting up the runtime of Automation Server for your processes, note that you will need to carry out a similar procedure when upgrading your project to a newer Bizagi version.
Plan accordingly so that you acknowledge that you will need to upgrade Bizagi version with a previous assessments, replacing files and by running scripts.
Contact our support team if you wish to carry out this procedure.
Additionally, it is recommended to install as well the Management Console (in a machine having access to the database server), in order to be able to administer your project's parameters, as described in the Additional steps section.
What you need to do
Once you have met the prerequisites, in order to configure your Production or Test environment in Bizagi, these steps are taken (further detail is explained in the Procedure section):
1. Create your Production or Test Database
2. Create your project's folder structure
3. Install and configure the Work Portal
4. Install and configure the Scheduler service
5. Install the Connector Service
7. Set the source for Event Viewer
Procedure
Carry out the following:
1. Create your Production or Test Database
When the One-click Deployment feature is not used, you will need to create a Database for your Production or Test environments.
You create this Database with your published processes by using the Advanced Deployment tool. For that Bizagi provides an executable file called createdatabase.exe. This executable file comes in by default installed where the Management Console is installed (at C:\Program Files\Bizagi\Bizagi Studio\MC\).
Configuration files for the executable file has the same name to the corresponding file, though it has .config as its extension.
Such configuration files are XML-formatted, and would be accordingly:
•CreateDatabase.exe.config for CreateDatabase.exe
The configuration file has the following structure and required configuration in which three main keys are found inside of the <appSettings> element:
•ProofConcept_Utility: Contains the name of the executable file without its extension.
•DSNDB: Contains the connection string to the database that the executable connects to. For the CreateDatabase.exe, this connection represents the database that will be created.
•PROVIDERTYPE: Contains the specific data provider to be used for the above connection (SQL Server or Oracle).
To configure the executable, you need to make sure that you specify the connection and provider as described below.
When using SQL Server:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Persist Security Info=True;User ID=[SQL_Login];Password=[Login_password];Data Source=[DB_Server]\[Named_instance];Initial Catalog=[Database];" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="MSSqlClient" />
Consider:
•[SQL_Login]: The login account used to connect to that SQL Server database instance.
•[Login_password]: The encrypted password for the above login.
•[DB_Server]: Name or IP address of the database server. Use \[Named_instance] when applies, if your database instance is not the unnamed default one.
•[Database]: The name of the project environment's database. Recall that specifically for the CreateDatabase, this database you specify is the one that will be created.
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When configuring the executable, the SQL Server login used will require sysadmin rights. |
When using Oracle:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Data Source=[DB_Server]:[Port_number]/[Service];User ID=[User_schema];Password=[User_schema_password];Unicode=True;" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="Oracle" />
Consider:
•[DB_Server]: Name or IP address of the database server.
•[Port_number]: The TCP port used for the connection to the database service.
•[Service]: The service identification for an Oracle instance.
•[User_schema]: The name of the project environment's database. Recall that specifically for the CreateDatabase, this database you specify is the one that will be created.
•[User_schema_password]: The encrypted password for that user schema.
You will need it to create a blank database of Bizagi's model, only the very first time when you actually create the target environment's database.
Otherwise, for incremental deployments, you do not need to use it since you will be deploying changes and new process versions over an existing database.
Recall that for projects running in a .NET platform, you may consider using the One-click Deployment for the very first deployment.
If you do use the One-click Deployment for the initial deployment, then you may skip the CreateDatabase.exe use.
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Keep in mind regarding the new database you want to create: •If you are using SQL Server, then your instance should have an explicit predefined TCP/IP port. For more information about SQL Server requirements and configuration, refer to SQL Server Configuration. •If you are using Oracle, you need to have previously created the BizagiAdmon user and consider that the password you set for your new Database, must be the same one used by the BizagiAdmon user. For more information about Oracle requirements and preconfiguration, refer to Creating a project using Oracle. |
To use CreateDatabase.exe, first make sure you have copied the whole MC folder in a local path of a machine that has network access to your Production environment database (the MC folder contains the executable files and the dlls needed).
Then:
1. Edit the CreateDatabase.exe.config file so that you specify the connection details of the database you want to create.
2. Execute CreateDatabase.exe.
You will see its user interface present the following:
•Target: Shows the database and its database server, to which the executable was configured.
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Bear in mind that the unicode settings of your development database will be copied to your production environment. |
3. Create the database.
For this, use either of the 2 create options.
•Create Bizagi Test database: Click this link to start with the creation of the blank Bizagi model database.
Through this option, this database will be automatically marked as a Test database.
•Create Bizagi Production database: Click this link to start with the creation of the blank Bizagi model database.
Through this option, this database will be automatically marked as a Production database.
Once you confirm this action, the database creation will show its current progress:
Once you are notified it has been finished, you may close the executable.
Once this step has been completed, make sure that you end up having the details of the connection to your Production or Test Database (these will be needed to configure the Work Portal and the Scheduler service).
2. Create your project structure
Before you install the components for the operating environment of Bizagi, make sure you create a local directory at the server, in which you will place all relevant files and structure for your Bizagi project.
Keep in mind:
•The path on which this directory is created, will be addressed from now on as <PROJECT_PATH>.
•Name the directory after the name of your project.
•Inside of the created directory, you will need to create the following sub-directories:
Backups, ComponentLibrary, Database, Docs, Domains, EntityManager, Resources, SOA, Temporary, Tools, and Trace.
Your <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name] structure should have at this point:
3. Install and configure the Work Portal
To install Bizagi Work Portal, you will need to copy Bizagi web folder and files into <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name].
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These set of steps for the Work Portal should be done in any number of servers, if your solution considers more than one in a clustered environment that supports load balancing capabilities. Therefore and for a cluster configuration, make sure you install and configure the Work Portal in each of your cluster nodes. |
3.1. Copy the Web application folder
Take a copy of the WebApp folder found at the Bizagi's Project Model files (located at <BIZAGI_PATH>\ProjectModel\WebApp\), and place it into the server's local path of your project (inside of <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name]).
3.2 Review the Work Portal folder’s access rights
Once you have copied the WebApp folder into the new path, make sure it is not marked as read-only content.
To review this, you may right-click that folder to select its properties and make sure that the Read-only checkbox is unselected.
Then, make sure that you also grant Full control rights.
We recommend you use one account that has such access rights and that is valid within your domain (a dedicated network's service account).
Click OK to save changes.
3.3 Preconfigure the Work Portal.
Edit the Work Portal configuration file so that it includes the connection details to your project's database.
To do this, locate the <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name]\WebApp\web.config file and edit its DSNDB, PROVIDERTYPE and PROJECT keys according to the detail of the connection to your Test or Production database. Follow the detail provided below.
•If you are using SQL Server:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Persist Security Info=True;User ID=[login_account];Password=[login_password];Data Source=[db_server_instance];Initial Catalog=[project_database];Min Pool Size=[db_pool_size];Application Name=BizagiEngine;" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="MSSqlClient" />
<add key="Project" value="[project_name]"/>
For this consider:
o[db_server_instance]: The Database server, including the instance name if explicitly defined.
o[project_database]: The name of your project's Database.
o[login_account]: The user login used to connect to that Database instance.
o[login_password]: The password for the user login. This information can be included as encrypted.
o[project_name]: The name of your Bizagi project for this environment.
o[db_pool_size]: The number of connections reserved in the connection. The default value is 50.
Notice that this detail should refer to the database created with the Advanced Deployment procedure.
•If you are using Oracle:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Data Source=[db_server]:[port_number]/[service_name];User ID=[user_schema];Password=[schema_password];Unicode=True;Min Pool Size=[db_pool_size];" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="Oracle" />
<add key="Project" value="[project_name]"/>
For this consider:
o[db_server]: The Database server.
o[port_number]: The port in which the Database service listens to.
o[service_name]: The Database service identifier.
o[user_schema]: The name of your Bizagi project (seen as the user schema).
o[schema_password]: The password for that user schema.
o[project_name]: The name of your Bizagi project for this environment.
o[db_pool_size]: The number of connections reserved in the connection. The default value is 50.
Notice that this detail should refer to the database created with the Advanced Deployment procedure.
The following image illustrates the Work Portal configuration file connecting to a SQL Server database:
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It is important to make sure that the value for the Project key (<add key="Project" value="[your_project_name]"/>) matches the name of your project which should match the folder' name at <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name] |
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If your server uses IIS 7 or higher, keep in mind that you need the HTTP compression feature enabled for performance enhancements in Bizagi. You may want to review that your web.config contains the <httpCompression> use (specified inside of <system.webServer>) :
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Save the changes and close the file.
3.4 Create the Work Portal's Web application
To create the Work Portal as a Web application, first make sure you have a proper application pool for the Work Portal.
To do this open the IIS Manager (inetmgr).
Under the application pools, use the Add application pool... option to create one having:
•Name: Give a unique name to this pool.
If you are using a 64-bit installation, it is suggested naming the pool as Bizagi 64-Bit ASP.NET v4.0.
Otherwise, for a 32-bit installation you may name the pool as Bizagi 32-Bit ASP.NET v4.0.
•.NET Framework version: 4.5.2.
•Manage pipeline mode: Integrated.
Click OK.
Then edit its advanced settings to make sure the following values on its properties:
•Enable 32-Bit Applications: False (if you are using a 64-bit installation).
For 32-bit installations, select True.
•Identity: [your domain\service account]
Make sure you select the service account you configured for step 3 having rights over:
•The project's Work Portal path: <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name]\WebApp
•Temporary folders used by the .NET Framework, such as C:\Windows\Temp or C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework64\v4.0.30319\Temporary ASP.NET Files\
We recommend you use one account that has such access rights and that is valid within your domain (a dedicated network's service account).
Click OK.
Once the application pool is set, add a new Web application for Bizagi's Work Portal by using the Add application... option:
Notice that by default and most commonly, the Application is set to the Default Web site.
Though, you may use different Web site and consider its port number setting if different than the default port 80.
Make sure you set:
•An Alias for its location.
•Use the Application pool defined previously.
•Reference as the physical path the WebApp folder located at <WEB_PATH>\WebApp
Click OK.
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By default, the Web application's Authentication settings are created having Anonymous authentication enabled and Windows authentication disabled. It is required that Anonymous authentication is enabled regardless of the authentication used by your project.
You will need to review the Windows authentication setting only if you will be using integrated Windows authentication in your project. |
Finally, run the following commands in a command prompt:
%systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\APPCMD unlock config -section:system.webServer/httpCompression
%systemroot%\system32\inetsrv\APPCMD unlock config -section:system.webServer/serverRuntime
At this point, the Work Portal has been set for your Bizagi operating environment.
4. Install and configure the Scheduler service
To install this service, you will need to copy Bizagi Scheduler folder and files into <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name].
4.1. Copy the Scheduler folder.
Take a copy of the Scheduler folder found at the Bizagi's Project Model files (located at <BIZAGI_PATH>\ProjectModel\Scheduler\), and place it into the server's local path of your project (inside of <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name]).
4.2 Review the Scheduler folder’s access rights.
Once you have copied the Scheduler folder into the new path, make sure it is not marked as read-only content.
To review this, you may right-click that folder to select its properties and make sure that the Read-only checkbox is unselected.
Then, make sure that you also grant the proper access rights to the following users:
USER |
RIGHTS |
|---|---|
ASPNET |
Modify, Write |
[your domain\service account] |
Modify, Write |
SYSTEM user |
Full control |
Click OK to save changes.
4.3 Preconfigure the Scheduler.
Edit the Scheduler's configuration file so that it includes the connection details to your project's database.
To do this, locate the <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name]\Scheduler\BizAgi.Scheduler.Services.exe.config file and edit its DSNDB, PROVIDERTYPE and PROJECT keys according to the detail of the connection to your Test or Production database. Follow the detail provided below.
•If you are using SQL Server:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Persist Security Info=True;User ID=[login_account];Password=[login_password];Data Source=[db_server_instance];Initial Catalog=[project_database];Min Pool Size=[db_pool_size];Application Name=BizagiScheduler;" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="MSSqlClient" />
<add key="Project" value="[project_name]"/>
For this consider:
o[db_server_instance]: The Database server, including the instance name if explicitly defined.
o[project_database]: The name of your project's Database.
o[login_account]: The user login used to connect to that Database instance.
o[login_password]: The password for the user login. This information can be included as encrypted.
o[project_name]: The name of your Bizagi project for this environment.
o[db_pool_size]: The number of connections reserved in the connection. The default value is 50.
Notice that this detail should refer to the database created with the Advanced Deployment procedure.
•If you are using Oracle:
<add key="DSNDB" value="Data Source=[db_server]:[port_number]/[service_name];User ID=[user_schema];Password=[schema_password];Unicode=True;Min Pool Size=[db_pool_size];" />
<add key="PROVIDERTYPE" value="Oracle" />
<add key="Project" value="[project_name]"/>
For this consider:
o[db_server]: The Database server.
o[port_number]: The port in which the Database service listens to.
o[service_name]: The Database service identifier.
o[user_schema]: The name of your Bizagi project (seen as the user schema).
o[schema_password]: The password for that user schema.
o[project_name]: The name of your Bizagi project for this environment.
o[db_pool_size]: The number of connections reserved in the connection. The default value is 50.
Notice that this detail should refer to the database created with the Advanced Deployment procedure.
The following image illustrates the Scheduler's configuration file connecting to a SQL Server database:
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It is important to make sure that the value for the Project key (<add key="Project" value="[your_project_name]"/>) matches the name of your project which should match the folder' name at <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name] |
Save the changes and close the file.
Your <PROJECT_PATH>\[Your_project_name] structure should finally look like:
4.4 Install the Scheduler service.
To install the Scheduler as a Windows service, create a file called BizAgi_[Project_name]_Scheduler_Service_Install.bat with the following content:
CD /D "%~dp0"
C:\WINDOWS\Microsoft.NET\[framework_version]\v4.0.30319\installutil /name=BizAgi[project_name]SchedulerService BizAgi.Scheduler.Services.exe
NET START "BizAgi[project_name]SchedulerService"
pause
Consider:
•[project_name]: Is the name of your project.
•[framework_version]: Should be defined as framework64 or framework according to your Bizagi installation (32 or 64 bits).
Once you have created this file, run it with an administrator account to install the service. You may want to review the log and the machine’s services to make sure that the service has been successfully created and that it appears listed as available.
Right click on the Scheduler to select its properties and make sure it is started under the same identity and account used by the IIS application pool:
Notice that at the end, the service called BizAgi[project_name]SchedulerService will need to be started.
5 Install the Connector service
Take a copy of the Scheduler folder found at the Bizagi's Project Model files (located at <BIZAGI_PATH>\ConnectorsService), and place it into the server's local path where you are going to install this service.
Then run the batch file named install.bat
Activate your purchased license in which for this specific setup, you may activate licenses through a Bizagi which is installed in a server within the same network as your test/production server.
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If you are setting up a clustered environment, please contact our support team. |
At this point, you will be set with your Bizagi operating environment.
7. Set the source for the Event Viewer logs
When running your environment you can review logs registered at the Event Viewer, for troubleshooting purposes. You can define the source of those logs. Refer to Set the source for Event Viewer logs.
Additional steps
To administer your operating environment, keep in mind that you may use the Management Console, even from a different server (it requires connectivity to the database).
By using the Management Console you may configure active parameters in production such as: the SMTP server, URLs and systems involved in external Web services, ECM and Virtualized systems, among others.
To use the Management Console, keep in mind you need to install it in a server with network access to the project's database.
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When defining the documents repository of your project (where case attachments are stored), note that if you are using a file server's shared folder then you will need to make sure that the service account described above (used to startup the application pool and Scheduler), have read and write access to that folder. Recall that if you are using a clustered setup having more than one node, then each node should be able to access this shared folder with the required rights. |