Consultor Eletrônico

Running ProControl as a Windows NT service or as a User ID

ProControl Advantages and Disadvantages

In Progress Version 8.0 and later, there are two methods of
starting a database server on Windows NT:

1. Open a DOS window and use the _MPROSRV.EXE command. This is
the same as versions prior to 8.0. 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 Adminstrator 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 personnel
changes.

For detailed information on how ProControl operates, refer to the
Progress System Administration Manual and System Administration Guide.

If using the EDOC (electronic documentation) version, you can search
on the word ProControl to quickly find all the references.

For more information on Windows NT services, refer to the Microsoft
Windows NT Resource Guides for Windows NT Workstation and Windows
NT Server.

reastman
4-Sep-98