Last time i published this article i received many claims as compliment too. Claims about “NAV doesn’t work after this installation” and compliments about “this is very good for test or dev environment installation”. So after one claim i removed article, and now added again (with minor modifications), but now mentioning in the begin: this article purpose is help you to understand how NAV server, client work/connects; if accidentally you have problems, where it could come from, but i didn’t propose to use this installation.
This article is not focused on “real secure” NAV installation, it just describes “how to install NAV and set it to work” (for example for application tests) and nothing else. Also I’m talking about simplest setup: Database + NAV Service Tier + Classic client/WS; there is nothing about other NAV components/integrations – just simplest connection.
It is always is best way (supported way) install NAV as it is described in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd301330.aspx but some time we just need to have working environment. And here we are…
Let’s start from empty Windows 2003/2008 server.
It has already installed:
ü SQL server (or it could be on another PC)
ü All other prerequisites required for NST (NAV service tier). You can find it in installation cd in folder “\Prerequisite Components”.
First point: all actions must be done under server administrator account. Of course you can set any other account with required permissions but it is fastest&easiest way to use administrator.
1. Install SQL database to SQL server. Backup of demo Cronus db is on CD in the folder “SQLDemoDatabase\CommonAppData\Microsoft\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Database”.
a) Create new database in SQL and restore this backup.
b) If you are restoring W1 database, but will use from not EN-US, then you can change filed “checkcodepage” value to 0 in table “$ndo$dbproperty”. This will prevent from possible error about different code pages when you will try to connect to db.
c) Copy “CsideClient” folder from installation cd to somewhere on server. Start NAV CC by run finsql.exe. It is in “CsideClient\program files\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\60\Classic”. Better is install CsideClient using installer, however if there is already installed another version of NAV, you can only copy folder (by copying CC you will lose integration like: report designer; run CC reports from RTC; outlook integration and etc.). But here we have some workarounds as described in http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nav/archive/2009/11/17/how-to-run-2-rtc-on-the-same-pc-and-connect-it-to-different-db-how-to-run-pages-reports-from-diff-db.aspx
d) Possible you will receive license error, so be ready to upload license to client and to SQL server.
2. Install NST as it is described in (or you can do not install NST, but go to point 3 and do points “a..e” and then “I”)
a) http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nav/archive/2009/10/20/creating-a-web-service-manually-the-importance-of-what-name-you-give-it-and-a-few-small-things-to-remember.aspx . Please pay attention that in SC CREATE statement must to have space after every equal sign (for example: binpath= “something” DisplayName= “name”)
b) And one more time: more reliable is to install as described in http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd301130.aspx , but current is faster 🙂
3. Go to NST folder and edit CustomSettings.config file. Most possible you need to change values for :
a) DatabaseServer – SQL server name
b) DatabaseName – database name on SQL server
c) ServerInstance – serverinstance name (any name) will be used to recognize this service from RTC
d) ServerPort – tcp port will be used for communication (it must be opened), usually 7046
e) WebServicePort – tcp port will be used for web service, usually 7047
f) Open server manager>Configuration>Services. Find your installed service and open properties. In “Log On” tab set up administrator account and password (we don’t talk about security, just about how to run it). Start service and it must to start.
I. You can start NST without installing NST to services: open command prompt and run “Microsoft.Dynamics.Server.exe /console”.
This will start service tier and WS form console using settings from CustomSettings.config file. However keep in mind console will starts under user who loaded cmd. This will start service tier and WS, you can see results in event viewer.
4. Go to Diagnostics>Event Viewer>Applications. There must be new information event logged with text similar to: Service: “Service MicrosoftDynamicsNAVServer is listening to requests at net.tcp://full_qualified_servername:7046/DynamicsNAV/Service”. If you have any errors instead of this message then you need to analyze where problems comes from.
5. You can install RTC from installation cd (best way), but just for testing connection to service tier you can:
a) Copy RTC folder to somewhere on server. Copy from installation folder “RoleTailoredClient\CommonAppData\Microsoft\Microsoft Dynamics NAV\” file ClientUserSettings.config to new created RTC folder. Modify this file and add info from earlier described event:
· Server – this must be NST computer name
· ServerInstance – what you set previously on server
· ServerPort – tcp port set on server
6. Start RTC like I described in http://blogs.msdn.com/b/nav/archive/2009/11/17/how-to-run-2-rtc-on-the-same-pc-and-connect-it-to-different-db-how-to-run-pages-reports-from-diff-db.aspx meaning create shortcut and start RTC.
7. If you didn’t install Web Service in point 3 then install it now (if you run console then forget this) and:
a) Open server manager>Configuration>Services. Find your installed service and open properties. In “Log On” tab set up administrator account and password (we don’t talk about security, just about how to run it). Start service and it must to start.
b) Go to Diagnostics>Event Viewer>Applications. There must be new information event logged with text similar to: “Service: Service Microsoft Dynamics NAV Business Web Services are available at http://full_qualified_servername:7047/DynamicsNAV/WS/Services”. If you have any errors instead of this message then you need to analyze where problems comes from.
c) If you click on it, Internet Explorer must open web service page with published services. These addresses are case sensitive – be careful with it if enter addresses manually.
Yeeeee. Both services are working (it are not secure but it works). Now we can try to connect from users pc’s. But usually it doesn’t work – firewalls/DNS/AD replication problems… 🙁
8. Before start next actions, check does user pc really connected to network and see server pc (even “NAV classic client” or “network ping” are good tool here); is in the same domain; user is logged to domain; and user has permissions to db on SQL server. One day I lost half hour because network cable was unplugged. If everything OK in network, go to next point.
a) Go to server and open command prompt by run “cmd”. Run “ipconfig”. In answer must be IPv4 Address……192.168.1.1 (o something similar). Remember it.
b) Return to users pc. Start RTC and set connection server address instead of “servername:7046/DynamicsNAV” to “192.168.1.1:7046/DynamicsNAV” and push “Tab”. In “available companies” must to appear available companies.
c) Check web service using ip address too. In IE address field must be : http://192.168.1.1:7047/DynamicsNAV/WS/Services
d) If it still doesn’t work, check firewall on server and on client: are ports 7046 & 7047 opened; is communication on these ports available and not filtered in network environment; and etc. I’m pointing on this because if we came to point 7 then services itself are good – network is bad 🙂
e) If everything works, then easiest part is done. Now we must to make system secure, change services accounts, set SPN/delegations/users/permissions… as it is described at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd301254.aspx . But this isn’t in scope of current article.
These postings are provided “AS IS” with no warranties and confer no rights. You assume all risk for your use.
Best Regards
Gedas Busniauskas
Microsoft Lithuania
Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) EMEA