running Server as an NT Service?

rbuser

Hi,

I took a look at ReportBuilder Server Edition about a month back. I'm
running the interface in a web tier and I posted a message about running
the server as an ISAPI dll (since my middle tier is running as an RO
ISAPI dll as well) and apparently this isn't possible, because of the
RBuilder Architecture...

That's only a minor sticking point most of the time, since most of the
customers who would use this product will be running the software on
their own servers, so won't be restricted to ISAPI dlls like you would
if you gave the software to a hosting company. However, can the server
be run as an NT Service? I don't want the user to have to be physically
logged into the machine to be able to run a "server" component.

The other thing I'm considering is just plugging the pdf extra device
into RB Enterprise in an ISAPI and then streaming this output to the
user's browser - in which case I'd have to build a Report Explorer
myself, but that might actually be an advantage, since I have certain
security considerations as well. What advantage would RB Server give
over doing this?

Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

James Crosswell
Software Engineer
Microforge.net Limited
http://www.microforge.net

nardmoseley

Yes. RB Server Edition includes a Windows service application called
ReportBuilder Services that is designed to host a report server application.
See the information below for more details. Additional information can be
found in the ..\RBServer\Developers Guilde and the ..\RBServer\Windows
Service\ReadMe.doc.

If you want to publish reports to web browser clients, then you need to also
build a WebTier application:

report server <----> web tier <----> web browser client

report server <----> client report


ReportBuilder Services
------------------------
ReportBuilder Services is a Windows service designed to act as a host to a
report server application. This two-piece architecture isolates a report
server application in its own process, allowing it to be started and stopped
from the service. By default, the service is configured to start
automatically each time the server machine boots. Once the service is
started, it launches the report server application. The service is also
configured to automatically restart the report server application in the
event of a crash.

To install ReportBuilder Services, you simply run the included
RBWinService.exe installation program. The program installs and starts the
Windows service and deploys a server management application, accessible from
both a system tray icon and a Start menu item. You can then access the
management application and point the Windows service to the location of your
report server application.


--
Nard Moseley
Digital Metaphors
http://www.digital-metaphors.com