Kbase P8478: Running ProControl as a Windows NT service or as a User ID
| Autor |
Progress Software Corporation - Progress |
| Acesso |
Público |
| Publicação |
09/09/2008 |
|
Status: Verified
GOAL:
Running ProControl as a Windows NT service or as a User ID
GOAL:
How to start a Database server on Windows using ProControl
FACT(s) (Environment):
Progress 8.x
Progress 9.x
Windows NT 4.0
FIX:
There are two methods of starting a Database server on Windows NT:
1. Open a DOS window and use the _MPROSRV.EXE command. A DOS window must be
opened by a user and the command or Batch file must be entered at the
command line. The window must remain open (although it may be minimized) and
the user must remain logged onto the system.
2. Use the new ProControl service. ProControl is a graphical tool that you use
to manage the PROGRESS service (ProService), and to run PROGRESS processes
like databases, DataServers and batch applications as registered Windows NT
services. You can also use ProControl to update the registry to include
PROGRESS environment variables, startup parameters, databases, and the other
PROGRESS components like the PROGRESS AppServer, DataServers, and
Administration utilities.
Most Progress customers prefer to use ProControl. Since ProControl runs as a registered NT service, it runs in background and does not require any particular user to be logged on. ProControl offers many advantages for NT server systems that normally run unattended.
However, like all other NT services, ProControl can run either as a system service or under a User ID. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. The system administrator needs to decide which is best for his or her installation. Note that the default is to run as a registered NT service.
Windows NT services have full control of the local system resources but cannot access resources on other systems on the network. A Windows NT service cannot use mapped network drives or remote printers in the same manner that a user can. While a service can shut down a local database in order to make backups, it cannot properly execute a Batch job that copies files or an entire database to another system on the network as Windows NT services cannot access remote drives on another system.
Running a service under a User ID does allow that service to access any resources where the User ID has sufficient privileges. Files can be copied to remote drives on another system, assuming that the user has permission to write to the drive in question.
The disadvantage of running ProControl or any other service as a User ID is that User IDs and user privileges sometimes get changed for business reasons. Depending upon the change, a Progress database may no longer operate properly and the cause may not be obvious. One common scenario occurs when ProControl operates under the personal User ID of the system administrator. As long as that person remains an active user with Administrator privileges, the database will operate normally. However, if that person leaves the company and/or is replaced by another person then the User ID probably will be deleted from the system. Once that happens all services that operated under that User ID will cease to operate and yet will not generate any error messages showing why. The first indication of a problem is that the database will not start or will not shut down. The error
messages, if any, will not point to the true cause.
Many system administrators work around this shortcoming by creating a special User ID just for NT services rather than using anyone's personal User ID. That pseudo User ID has Administrator privileges but access to the account is restricted to those individuals who know the password. Having a "pseudo account" with Administrator privileges reduces the risk of system problems created by personal changes.