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Prerequisites

Each component of EasyBox has a different set of prerequisites. However, at a minimum, all servers should be installed with Windows Server 2008 R2.

It is recommended that you update your servers as frequently as possible to address any inherent issues with the systems that EasyBox is installed on.


Database

To deploy the EasyBox Database you must have the following software and features installed on the server:


Service

To deploy the EasyBox Service you must have the following roles and features installed on the server:

  • .NET Framework 3.5.1 Feature
    • WCF Activation
      • HTTP Activation
      • Non-HTTP Activation
    • Web Server (IIS) Role
      • Common HTTP Features
        • Static Content
        • Default Document
        • HTTP Errors
      • Application Development
        • ASP.NET (3.5)
        • .NET Extensibility (3.5)
        • ISAPI Extensions
        • ISAPI Filters
      • Management Tools
        • IIS Management Console

    

The roles and features listed above can be installed using the Server Manager wizard.


Web Front End

To deploy the EasyBox Web Front End, you must have the following installed on the server:


Installation

Extract EasyBox_v.1.7.x.zip to a location on the disk and the follow the instructions for each component below.


Database

Before you begin deploying the EasyBox Database, navigate to the Database folder under the installation files folder and copy EasyBox_Application_DB.sql to the server where SQL Server Management Studio is installed.

  1. Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the server where the database is going to be deployed

  2. On the menu click File > Open > File… and open the recently copied over sql file
  3. On the menu click Query > SQLCMD Mode
  4. In the script, modify the DatabaseName You can choose to leave this as EasyBox_Application_DB or provide a new name for the database. 


    Note: If a custom name is specified additional configuration will be needed at a later point. When specifying a database name, do not use spaces and make sure the name is enclosed in quotes. The line should read as follows: 
    :setvar DatabaseName “My_New_DatabaseName”


  1. On the menu click Query > Execute

  2. In the object explorer right click the Database folder and click Refresh in the menu. Verify that the database is shows up as a child node


Service

Before you begin, copy the entire Service folder to the target server where you intend to deploy the EasyBox Service

  1. Open IIS Manager
  2. In the Connections pane, expand the root node and click on the Application Pools node

  3. In the Actions pane click on Add Application Pool… and specify the following parameters
    • Name: EasyBox Service Application Pool
    • .NET Framework version: .NET Framework v2.0.50727
    • Managed pipeline mode: Integrated
    • Check Start application pool immediately

  4. Click OK to create the application pool

    Note: you can choose to use a custom application pool identity. If you would like to do so, please see the article Custom Application Pool Identity

  1. In the Connections pane, click on the Sites node

  2. In the Actions pane click on Add Web Site… and specify the following parameters
    • Site name: EasyBox Service
    • Application Pool: Click on Select… and pick EasyBox Service Application Pool from the dropdown list and click OK
    • Physical Path: Specify a path on the file system using the ellipses. For example, C:\inetpub\easyboxservice. You can use the Test Settings button to confirm access to the directory
    • Under Binding select the following
      • Type: http
      • IP Address: You can pick your own IP address or leave it as All Unassigned
      • Port: 60438
      • Hostname: You can provide your own host name or leave it blank
    • Check Start Web site immediately

  3. Click OK to create the new site

  4. In the Connections pane, expand the Sites node and click on the EasyBox Service site

  5. In the Actions pane click on Bindings…
  6. In the Site Bindings dialog click on Add.. and specify the following parameters
    • Type: net.tcp
    • Binding information: 60439:*


    Note: You may choose to use ports other than 60438 for http and 60439 for net.tcp. If you would like to do so, please see the article Custom Port Configuration   

  1. Click OK and then Close in the Site Bindings dialog

  2. In the Actions pane click on Advanced Settings…
  3. Under Behavior > Enabled Protocols change the value to http,net.tcp and click OK
  4. In the Actions pane click on Explore and copy the contents of the Service folder to this location

Web Front End

Before you begin deploying the EasyBox Web Front End, navigate to the Web Front End folder under the installation files folder and copy EasyBox.wsp to the target SharePoint server

  1. Launch the SharePoint 2010 Management Shell
  2. Run Add-SPSolution -LiteralPath <PathToEasyBoxWSP> 
    where <PathToEasyBoxWSP> specifies the full path to the EasyBox.wsp file. For example, C:\Temp\EasyBox.wsp

  3. Next, run Install-SPSolution -Identity EasyBox.wsp -GACDeployment -WebApplication <WebApplicationURL> 
    where <WebApplicationURL> specifies the address of the web application where the EasyBox Web Front End will be installed. For example, http://companyintranet

  4. In Central Admin navigate to Site Settings > Site Actions > Manage Site Features
     
  5. Activate the EasyBox Central Administration feature


Infrastructure Configuration

The infrastructure needs to be configured based on the topology of the deployment. Each deployed component needs to be made aware of a dependent component. For example, the EasyBox Service relies on the EasyBox Database to query for information. Therefore, each service component needs to be made aware of the database. Similarly, the database server will need to authenticate the service component.


Service – Database Configuration

  1. Open the physical path to the EasyBox Service site in Windows Explorer
     
  2. Open the web.config file in a text editor like notepad

  3. Under the XML element <appSettings> find the key SQL Server (SqlClient)
     
  4. Change the value to a connection string that is representative of the server where the EasyBox Database is deployed. For example: Data Source=MySQLServer;Integrated Security=True
     
  5. Under the XML element <appSettings> find the key CatalogNameToUse
     
  6. Change the value to the name of the EasyBox Database deployed. If the default name EasyBox_Application_DB was used, no action is required
     
  7. Save the changes to the file and close it
     
  8. Open SQL Server Management Studio and connect to the server where the EasyBox Database was deployed
     
  9. In the Object Explorer pane right click the Security folder and the click on New > Login
     
  10. In the Login name textbox specify one of the following:
    • If the EasyBox Service and Database reside on the same server, specify IIS APPPOOL\EasyBox Service Application Pool
       
    • If the EasyBox Service and Database reside on different servers, specify <DOMAIN>\<MACHINENAME>$ where <DOMAIN> is the domain name and <MACHINENAME> is the name of the server where the EasyBox Service is installed
       
    • If you used a custom domain account for the EasyBox Service Application Pool, specify the <DOMAIN\ACCOUNTNAME> of the domain user

  11. For the Default database pick the EasyBox Database that was deployed from the drop-down list

  12. In the Select a page pane click User Mapping
  13. Under the Map column in the Users mapped to this login: grid, check the box in the row for the EasyBox Database

  14. Under the list Database role membership for: <Name of EasyBox Database>, check the box next to db_owner
  15. Click OK to provision the user and grant the necessary privileges for the EasyBox Database


Web Front End – Service Configuration

  1. In Central Admin navigate to  General Application Settings > EasyBox Environment Configuration
     
  2. Select the Web Application you would like to deploy the EasyBox Web Front End component to
     
  3. Under deployment location, specify the full URL of a folder where the application pages will be deployed. For example, http://companyintranet/sites/easybox/pages
     
  4. In the service address specify the full service address of the EasyBox Service component. You may use a net.tcp or http address.

  5.  For the Tenant ID, specify an ID that was provided to you during the initial installation of EasyBox. If you do not have access to this information anymore, feel free to create a ticket for this.