	Product:	SELECTserver
	Version:	All
	Environment:	N\A
	Area:	N\A
	Subarea:	N\A

Warning: Making these changes can cause serious, system-wide problems within your environment. Do not make these changes unless you are confident with these steps and understand the impact to your system and other applications running on it.

Deployed SELECTserver Knowledge Requirements

This document outlines what technical knowledge and requirements are needed by the Site Administrator if the decision is made to use a DEPLOYED SELECTserver.

** For those users unable to meet the new knowledge requirements outlined below, we offer a HOSTED SELECTserver option which off loads all of the Administration prerequisites listed in this document to Bentley Systems, Inc. This makes it extremely easy to configure. Bentley Systems internal support team handles the software upgrade and maintenance of the HOSTED server so you don’t have to take any action! This remains the most efficient and widely adopted way of managing your licenses. Use this link for more information on the Advantages of the Hosted Option, or contact our Licensing department through our Technical Support group to have your sites simplified to the HOSTED option. The DEPLOYED SELECTserver allows users to install and manage a licensing server locally or on your domain. Here are a few main items to note in the differences between our previous Legacy Licensing model and the new Trust Licensing model:

· There are now more associated Microsoft prerequisites for SELECTServer. Many of the components associated are developed by Microsoft, therefore they have the ability to support them.

**PLEASE NOTE: Your administrator will need to know how to configure and troubleshoot all of the following areas which are defined in more details in this document:

1)      Administrative Privileges to the server\workstation
2)      System Administrative Tools
    § System Services
    § File System Navigation and Component Management
3)      Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
4)      Microsoft SQL Server Express
5)      Microsoft SQL Administration (Recommend downloading and installing of the Microsoft Database Studio Manager. You do not have to be a Database Administrator (DBA) but database administration is necessary)
6)      Microsoft ASP.NET

·         There is no constant connection between Bentley applications that are the XM client versions (or later) and SELECTserver.

·         Pre-XM clients (legacy clients) created before the release of XM must communicate to the server through the SELECTServer Gateway. The Gateway’s job is to replace the legacy SELECTServer version (08.05.xx.xx) in form and function.

·         The Gateway is a LAN device and is considered a client to your SELECTserver.

These skills will allow you to minimize the time involved with installation and configuration of SELECTServer. It will also help reduce overall management time for normal and remedial maintenance, either on your own or involving members of Bentley’s Support team. Let’s review each section listed above.

1) Administrative Privileges to the Server \ Workstation

Any application installed should be done by a user with Administrative privileges. This will ensure the installer has the rights to make changes or updates to any item or utility that does not meet the application requirements. Links to the SELECTserver requirements and FAQ are below.

SELECTserver Technical Requirements

SELECTserver Technical Requirements [TN] - Licensing - Wiki - Licensing - Be Communities by Bentley

SELECTserver FAQ

http://communities.bentley.com/products/licensing/w/Licensing__Wiki/selectserver-general-faq.aspx

2) System Administration Tools \ Networking

Completing the installation of SELECTserver will take you through a configuration wizard. It is designed to assist you with informing SELECTserver on how to interact with your internal systems and networking configurations. It will take you through the following steps.

Serial Number and Activation Key
Provided to you by the Bentley Licensing Department
Proxy Configuration (Optional)
Site specific information. SELECTserver does not require a Proxy Server. If there is a Proxy Server implemented on site SELECTServer must be configured to work with the Proxy Server just as any other application communicating to the world outside of your network. These configurations are internal to your site and are the responsibility of the Systems Administrator. This information is not transmitted to, or managed by Bentley Systems.
Notification Settings “E-mail” (Optional)
This is your specific mail server configurations. This will allow you to set the application to notify the Administrator or selected groups of current or potential issues with SELECTServer. It is used in conjunction with the “Site Settings > Notifications Settings” link to the Enable Notifications checkbox. These configurations are internal to your site and are the responsibility of the Systems Administrator. This information is not transmitted to, or managed by Bentley Systems.
License Retrieval (There are two methods, electronically or a file import.)
Electronic, is done via internet access
Manual, would be the delivery of a LicenseConfiguration.xml file and importing the file.

The Administrator is responsible for the overall network functionality and tools needed to support and administer those functions (including but not limited to) security and certificates, load balancing, computer management and component services.

**PLEASE NOTE: SELECTserver is configurable in your environment but it is not the controlling factor of the environment. These configurations are internal to your site and are the responsibility of the Systems Administrator.

3) Microsoft Information Services (IIS) Manager

This utility is responsible for the display and configuration of SELECTserver. It allows you to view and utilize the SELECTserver Administration Site web page.

· Without IIS you cannot view the Administration Site page.
· Without viewing the Administration Site page you cannot properly install and configure SELECTserver.

IIS has existed in the Microsoft hierarchy for years in a couple of different versions. In general they are as listed below but they are not restricted to just these configurations. It is very important that the Administrator is aware of the specific site configurations and is able to work within the detailed parameters of the installed version.

IIS5 in the XP and SERVER 2000 based operating systems.

IIS is capable of supporting multiple website and web configurations. SELECTserver is designed to make use of this utility but it is not designed to control it. SELECTserver will follow the configuration rules just as any other web application will making use of IIS. The application will install to the DEFAULT WEBSITE location by design. It can be configured to work around any pre-existing web applications but the ultimate decision of the IIS configuration will be the Administrators. There are many options and possible configurations inside of the IIS Manager. IPADDRESSES, Host Header values, and Directory Security are values that can be manipulated through the interface.

**PLEASE NOTE: Working knowledge of IIS is required. Management of the Microsoft Information Services (IIS) Manager is the responsibility of the System Administrator.

4) Microsoft SQL Server Express

This database utility is free to the public from Microsoft. This utility is delivered with SELECTserver but is absolutely the same as the version available from Microsoft. The SELECTserver Administration Site that is displayed in the aforementioned Internet Information Services (IIS) along with a delivered smaller utility from Bentley SELECTserver Database Setup Utility (DSU) allows SELECTserver to communicate with the SQL Database. This database stores your actual License Configuration file that it will download from the Bentley Servers during the installation process. Queries to the database from SELECTserver determine the actual Right to Run (RTR) status of all your applications, be it a single seat of a particular application or a SELECT agreement for unlimited usage to all Bentley applications. All actual usage information from the client information is also stored in the database and updated to the Bentley server at predetermined intervals. The details of this action are covered in the SELECTserver FAQ included previously in this document.

A database is a constantly changing and growing entity that will require some maintenance of its own. Microsoft developed the SQL Express Management Studio tool for this purpose. It is a graphical management tool for the SQL databases. All basic and many complicated SQL actions can be administered from it. It is strongly recommended that you implement this tool into your environment. Microsoft does offer some "Best Practices" documents that can be found online.

**PLEASE NOTE: Bentley does not develop Microsoft SQL Server Express. We recommend following Microsoft’s practices for any database management, tuning, backup, restore and maintenance. Database management is the responsibility of the System Administrator.

5) Microsoft SQL Server

SELECTserver will also function with a fully developed SQL Server. The SELECTserver Database Setup Utility (DSU) will direct the application to SQL Server instead of SQL express. A full SQL Server should be managed by a Database Administrator (DBA). The DBA will provide the needed information to connect to the SQL server.

The aforementioned Bentley SELECTserver Database Setup Utility (DSU) is the interface for connecting to your SQL Database for both the Express and Fully Deployed versions. The DSU defines the user that has permission to do the work in the database. The default and preferred method of defining this user is to use a “Specific Username and Password”. This is configured by a radio button under the SERVER section of the DSU. The other option available is the “Use Windows NT Integrated Security”.

To use Integrated Windows Authentication for SQL Server, the following component configurations are required.

·         Configure SELECTserver to use Integrated Authentication (completed via the (DSU).
·         Allow the Windows domain account to log on as a service.
·         Configure IIS to use Integrated Authentication.
·         Configure the Bentley SELECTserver Service.

These are four separate steps that are defined in more detail under the SELECTServer help file (selectserver.chm) under the SELECTServer Installation > Advance Configuration > Use Integrated Windows Authentication for SQL SERVER.

** PLEASE NOTE: Bentley does not develop Microsoft SQL Server. We recommend following Microsoft’s practices for any database management, tuning, backup, restore and maintenance. Database management is the responsibility of the System Administrator.

6) Microsoft ASP.NET

ASP.NET is Microsoft’s a unified Web development model that is part of the .NET Framework used for coding web applications. There are multiple releases of this model with the most common being versions 1.1, 2.0, and 3.5. These models are not interactive to each other and basically operate independently. The current SELECTserver release functions on the ASP.NET 2.0 development model. It is an essential “worker bee” part of the SELECTserver application. It’s configuration in IIS allows it access to perform tasks for SELECTServer. The rules and models followed by SELECTserver are in accordance with Microsoft guidelines.

**PLEASE NOTE: Bentley SELECTsupport will not be able to make site specific decisions about internal configuration but can offer guidance in helping the administrator decide what is right for the sites specific needs.

IIS6 in the Server 2003 operating system.
IIS7 in the Vista, Windows 7, and Server 2008 based operating systems.

Other language sources

Original Author:

James White