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  2. Control Center On-Premises Installation and Activation
  3. Advanced installations

Installing with database in a failover cluster

In comparison to a single-server database configuration, running the Control Center database in a failover cluster makes sure that your data is accessible even in case of a server failure.

Note

For instructions on how to complete the SQL Server Failover Cluster Installation, please visit the dedicated Microsoft article.

Complete these 3 installation phases to ensure high availability for your Control Center:

  1. Phase 1. Identify the required Windows and database users.

  2. Phase 2. Create and configure the database on your failover cluster.

  3. Phase 3. Install your Control Center application and connect your Control Center to the database that runs on the clustered servers.

Phase 1: Identifying the required users

To install and deploy the Control Center that works with a database that runs on a separate server, server cluster, or cloud server, have your required authorized users ready:

CCIG2019_Required_users.png

The required users for Control Center database

  1. Sysadmin. To create your Control Center database on the server that hosts your SQL Server instance, you need a system administrator or SQL user with administrative privileges.

    Note

    You can use Advanced installation > DBTool (Database Setup Tool installer) to create your Control Center database. In this case you don't need sysadmin privileges. A user that creates Control Center database must be a dbowner or a member of dbowner role. See detailed instructions about DBTool in the Creating your database in a failover cluster topic.

  2. EPM_USER. A user (Windows or SQL) that enables the Control Center to read data from the database.

  3. EPM_DBADMIN. A user (Windows or SQL) that owns the database.

    There are two options to create EPM_USER and EPM_DBADMIN users:

    1. Automatically. During the installation, your Control Center installer creates these two users for you.

    2. Manually. Before the installation, you can manually add EPM_USER and EPM_DBADMIN users in these two places:

      • On your Windows system. In this case, the EPM users are Windows users.

      • On your SQL Server. In this case, the EPM users can either be Windows or SQL users.

      Note

      NiceAN is the default name for the Control Center database.

  4. Windows admin. To install the Control Center on the dedicated server, you need a Windows local or domain user with administrative privileges.

Phase 2: Creating your database in a failover cluster

Before you start creating Control Center's database on your failover cluster, meet the following requirements:

  • To install the Control Center database, you need an administrative account for the SQL Server. You can be logged on as:

    • A Windows user, set up as the SQL administrator. See the Logins section in the SQL Server Management Studio.

    • A SQL user account with permissions to create a database, such as the "sa" user.

    Note

    By using Advanced installation > DBTool (Database Setup Tool installer) you don't need sysadmin privileges. User that creates Control Center database must be a dbowner or a member of dbowner role.

  • Make sure your SQL Server cluster is configured correctly. Please refer to the Microsoft user documentation that covers the installation and configuration of SQL Server.

  • Have your Database Setup Tool installer ready.

    Database Setup Tool is a utility tool that enables you to:

    • Create and manage the database on your SQL Server.

    • Create and manage the required database users.

    Important

    When you run your Database Setup Tool, the tool creates an .ini file. You need the .ini file to store your database configuration settings. These settings enable you to install your Control Center application.

  1. Create your database in the failover cluster from the server on which you are also installing your Control Center. Log on to this server.

  2. Copy the folder Install\DBTool from your installation files to your local disk. This folder includes the Database Setup Tool.

  3. Double click DBToolSFX.exe to run your Database Setup Tool. Go to Server Information.

    • SQL Server name is the name of the SQL Server instance on which you create your Control Center database. By default, the Database Setup Tool names your instance as SERVER\SQLSERVER.

    • Database name is the name of the database you are creating. NiceLabel recommends you to keep the default name NiceAN for potential future communication with NiceLabel support team.

    • Select your Authentication type. You can create your database by logging on as a Windows or as a SQL user.

      Important

      No matter which authentication type you choose, your user account must have sysadmin privileges on the SQL Server.

      • If you decide to use Windows authentication, you have two options. In both cases, your account needs Windows domain administrative privileges and SQL sysadmin role.

        • Select Use currently logged on user if you are currently logged as a Windows user with sufficient privileges.

        • You can use another Windows account if your current user account has insufficient privileges.

          Note

          Make sure you use the DOMAIN\USER syntax.

      • If you decide to use SQL Server authentication, provide a user, defined in the SQL Server that has a sysadmin role. This is usually the sa user.

    CCIG2019_DBT.png

    Working with the Database Setup Tool

  4. To define the database users, go to Database Information.

    • Users creation selects how you are going to define the required database users.

      • To let the Database Setup Tool automatically create the required users for you, accept the default Create EPM_USER and EPM_DBADMIN option.

      • To give your created users EPM roles, select I have created the users myself.

    • In both cases, you can use Windows or SQL Server authentication.

  5. Click Create database. A confirmation window appears.

  6. Click Save settings and exit. Your File Explorer opens.

    CCIG2019_Save_settings.png

    Saving the database settings

    Warning

    Keep the .ini file in a secure location. This file contains sensitive configuration settings that could compromise the security of your labeling system.

    Store your .ini configuration file on a USB key or at an accessible location on your network.

    Certain companies require regular database configuration changes. In most cases, such changes are part of regular security updates. To change the database configuration:

    1. Click Update installation configuration.

    2. A new window opens. Choose what to upgrade.

Phase 3: Installing the Control Center application

Before you start installing the Control Center, meet the following requirements:

  • You must be logged on to your computer as the administrator. If you are the only user on your computer, you are probably also the administrator.

  • Have your NiceLabel license key ready for activating the Control Center. You can complete the installation without your license key, but you cannot start working with Control Center unless you activate your license.

Tip

NiceLabel recommends accepting all the defaults that Control Center installer offers. This is how you enable your Control Center to automatically configure itself on your computer. This includes installing the SQL database and configuring the IIS.

Storing installer and .ini file in the same folder

  1. Create a dedicated Control Center installation folder on your computer.

  2. Copy the Control Center installer file to the dedicated folder.

  3. Copy your .ini file to the folder.

    CCIG2019_Ini_CC_installer_same_folder.png

    Control Center installer and .ini files in the same folder

Warning

Keep the copy of your. ini file in a secure location. This file contains sensitive configuration settings that could compromise the security of your labeling system.

The Control Center installer uses your .ini file to automatically configure the clustered database connections.

Starting Control Center installer

  1. Close all open applications on your computer.

  2. After receiving your purchase confirmation email from NiceLabel, click the included link to download the Control Center installation file.

  3. Installation checks the installation package content. Start the installation.

  4. Select your Control Center installer language. Click OK. The installer now checks if your computer is properly configured.

    CCIG2019_Setup_Language_Selection.png

    Selecting your setup language

  5. Accept the license agreement. Click Next.

  6. Select the installation destination folder. Click Next.

Enabling Internet Information Services (IIS)

Enable Internet Information Services to install your Control Center.

CCIG10_Enabling_Internet_Information_Services__IIS_.png

Enabling Internet Information Services (IIS)

Note

If you don't see the Enable Missing IIS Features button, your computer is already properly configured. Continue with your installation.

The Control Center installer checks if the required .NET framework and IIS features are available and properly configured on your computer.

If the Control Center installer finds missing features, the Enable Missing IIS Features button appears automatically.

  1. Click the Enable Missing IIS Features button and the Control Center installer enables the missing .NET framework and IIS features for you.

  2. Accept the license agreement terms.

  3. Click Next to configure your website and storage settings.

Setting up website and storage access

In Control Center you centrally store your labeling files (label templates, graphics, Solutions) in Documents. Set up access to your Control Center storage in Documents and make your Control Center connections with other NiceLabel applications secure.

  1. This step is optional. Select HTTPS support to establish a secure client-server connection. NiceLabel recommends you secure your Control Center connections if the communication with clients uses open internet connections.

    Important

    After completing the installation, use the IIS manager to manually add HTTPS site binding and X.509 (SSL) certificate to your selected site. If you do not complete this step, your Control Center does not open. The steps for adding HTTPS site binding and SSL certificate in IIS are described in section Adding HTTPS site binding and SSL certificate in IIS.

  2. Define the WebDAV site settings. Type your site name and port number on which your site runs.

    This site is the WebDAV entry point into your Documents storage for all applications that work with files stored in your Documents. This site installs in the IIS on your current machine. NiceLabel recommends keeping the default settings.

    Important

    Make sure your selected port number is not in use by a site in IIS or any other application on this computer.

    CCOPIG10_CC_HTTPS_Support.png

    Enabling HTTPS and setting the WebDAV port

  3. Click Next. The installer checks if everything is OK and starts installing your Control Center.

Completing Control Center installation

  1. Installing Web Printing site is optional. Before your browser launches and opens your Control Center Dashboard page, you can also start the installation of your Web Printing site.

    If the folder containing your Control Center installer also includes the installation file for Web Printing, you can select Install NiceLabel Web Printing after this installation is complete. If your installer does not find the Web Printing installation file, this option is not visible to you.

    CCIG2019_Web_Printing_after_installation.png

    Starting the Web Printing installation

    Do this to share your Applications (labels and Solutions) from your Control Center within your company or with external business partners.

    This opens the Web Printing installer. See section Installation steps for the Web Printing site for details on how to install your Web Printing.

  2. Click Finish.

Your browser opens the Control Center Dashboard page.

The address of your Control Center is: http://yourcomputername/EPM.

Important

Control Center cannot work properly with JavaScript disabled. If you are installing Control Center on a server, it is possible that due to security reasons, JavaScript is disabled by default. If there are no security issues, enable JavaScript in your browser and reload the page. Find more information in the How to enable JavaScript in Windows article.

If you experience any issues during the installation, please contact our NiceLabel support team at https://www.nicelabel.com/support.

Activate your Control Center with the key that you received via email after your purchase.