Infralution Support

[hypehuman]

I'm a dummy when it comes to web development. I'm evaluating ILS and I'm pleased with the features as I have been working with the local development authenication server. I tried to create authentication server on Windows Azure, but I can't get Install.aspx to find my db server. Here are the steps I took:

• Using Infralution License Tracker, created a product and keys
  
• Added code to my project so that it checks for licenses the way I want it to
  
• Create an ASP.NET website on Windows Azure
  
• Uploaded the contents of my computer's C:\Program Files (x86)\Infralution\Licensing System 5\AuthenticationServer into my website's /site/wwwroot directory
  
• Using Infralution License Tracker, configured the server at the new URL

The authentication server is now active and my program communicates with it, but the database is still on my computer. I want to be able to create keys from multiple computers, so I will attempt to link an Azure SQL database to my website.

• Using the Azure web interface, created a new SQL database
  
• Linked the database to the website
  
• Navigated to /Install.aspx on the website
  
• Chose "SQL Server" and clicked "Next>>"
  
• Entered parameters on the "SQL Server Database Configuration" page that appeared:
  
  • Server: a 10-digit alphanumeric string that I got from the "SQL Databases" tab of the Azure web portal
    
  • Database Name: the name that I gave to the database when I created it
    
  • Integrated Security? unchecked
    
  • User ID: the only user ID in the database
    
  • Password: the password I created for that user
    
  • Encrypt Connection Details in Web.Config checked
• Clicked "Next>>"

A red error message appeared at the bottom of the page:

[Infralution]

It sounds like the server name is not correct. It should be a URL. Can you post what it looks like - obviously if you don't want to post the full path you can change it to protect that.
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Infralution Support

[hypehuman]

Thanks for the tip. I found the URL by navigating to the Azure portal's database dashboard and clicking on "Show connection strings". It was <servername>.database.windows.net.

Instead, I now get the following error:

[Infralution]

What version of ILS are you installing? The issue of Azure requiring clustered indexes was fixed in Version 5.10.0. If you are using 5.10.0 or 5.10.1 and are still having this problem then can you please contact support@infralution.com and provide details of your database connection so that we can try to create the database for you to see exactly what the issue is.

Note that if you were trying to install an earlier version then you will need to completely delete the database and start again with 5.10.1.
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Infralution Support

[hypehuman]

I managed to get it to work! I deleted the database that I had created through the Azure portal, and instead created it using the ILS installer (the exe that installs the License Tracker application).

[Infralution]

I've checked the code and it looks like there is still a problem installing the standalone Authentication database on SQL Azure. Connecting the Authentication Server directly to the License Tracker database (which you configured using the License Tracker database install wizard) will work around the issue - but it does mean that you will have to use that single database model which may or may not be what you want.

We will try to get a fix for this issue in a release next week.
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Infralution Support

[hypehuman]

I'm glad I helped you find a bug Fortunately, I do want to use the single database model, provided that the communication between the License Tracker application and the License Tracker database is encrypted (like communications between the Authentication Server and the end user). Is that the case?

[Infralution]

Whether the SQL connection is encrypted depends on your SQL Server provider. See the following MSDN article:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms189067.aspx
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Infralution Support

[hypehuman]

Thanks. It appears that Azure SQL Database does indeed encrypt its connections: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windowsazure/ff394108.aspx#encryption

[hypehuman]

Note to future users: when using a cloud-based server, be sure to UNCHECK the "Encrypt Connection Details in Web.Config" option on the Install.aspx page. The encryption key is specific to the machine it was installed on, and since cloud-based servers can change machines, encrypting the connection details will cause your authentication service to become unresponsive every few days.