Installation

Prerequisites before installing INSIGHT::-

You will need to install Insight onto a Web Server with Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) and Microsoft.Net Framework 4.0 installed, and the SIMS workstation framework. The local CONNECT.INI file in %Program Files%\SIMS\SIMS .net additionally must not be a 'redirect' type - it must be and 'end-point' type, explicitly specifying the server instance and database name.

Installing INSIGHT:

On the IIS server, open the main Insight installer package and click 'run'.

• You will see a license agreement which you must accept to proceed. Following acceptance, the package files will be extracted.

• The following window will briefly appear as pre-requisites are checked:

• If all pre-requisites have been met then main Service Controller window will open. You can also view the Service Controller using \\simscentralservername\SIMSROOTFOLDER\SIMS\INSIGHT from now on (i.e. when you update).

The Service Controller is the program used to actually install the Insight database, and the web site or sites. There are a number of nodes on the left hand side, each revealing a page with a specific purpose in mind. In general, you should work from the top button down in turn.

• Data tier node: In here you will need to direct the service controller to a SIMS connect.ini file. Depending on the rights associated with your login you may or may not have to enter the SQL server’s SA username and password. Once the correct details have been added the service controller will display a successful login message.

• Then, click on the Application tier node to configure a website. You can either use one of the existing web sites listed in the left hand panel, or add a new site. If you add an new site you will be asked to specify the site name, the listening port (This port should not collide with any existing sites or services.), and an SSL certificate if any such are present (or choose (none) if you are to be installing this at a later date). Additionally, you need to specify a folder on the IIS server where the application files will be stored. It is important to choose a location that the IIS user (NetworkService) will have permissions to read. It is recommended to create a folder called INSIGHTFOLDER inside inetpub\wwwroot.

Once you have chosen your site, you can add an application to that site. There are no options for this stage.

• Then, click on the SIMS node where you will need to specify some SIMS usernames and passwords which Insight will use internally. These do not need to have any SIMS .net permissions set, although they do need to exist. Use the Add and Remove buttons to manage the SIMS users. Normally, only between one and three users will be required, dependant upon expected load. A warning - the passwords are not tested at this stage, so if you want to enter them here now and create them later you can, but type carefully if the users you enter here do already exist.

• Then, click on the Commit node. You will have options to:

• Select a theme.
• Choose an image to use as a logo, which must be in the root web folder (INSIGHTFOLDER), and will override any logo stored in SIMS.
• enable a link to PARS,if in use.
• An API can be enabled which can allow external applications to read data from Insight.

You will then be able to commit your selections to the application by clicking the Begin button. This same process will need to be performed each time an Insight service pack is downloaded, to apply the changes to the web server.

File:Sc application2.jpg

Following a commit process, a browser window is opened, on the server, to the default starting page of Insight. The first attempt to load Insight following one of these processes can take up to one minute, where it will appear not much is happening, but you should soon see a login page. Use the following credentials to login:

Username: admin

Password: password

• If this is your first log on, you will most likely be taken to a 'No license found' page. This screen will prompt you to retrieve a licence. Click on the ‘here’ link to attempt this. If proxy authentication is required, enter your proxy details into the boxes provided and click the "Update" button. Retry until a licence can be obtained. In extreme circumstances, you can also collect a licence key manually, and submit it using the area towards the bottom of the page.

• You can close the browser window once you can log in completely, and return to or re-run the Service Controller. Within the Services node are a pair of Windows services supporting the main application. The Keep alive and SIMS updater nodes allow you to install and configure these Windows services.

The Keep Alive service "prods" the web site to keep the application loaded in memory on the web server. To use this feature, click on the Install button, and then, when the service is installed, click on the Start button.

This SIMS updater service is there to watch the central SIMS file server for SIMS updates. IF you are using SOLUS3 this service should not be necessary. Because of this requirement to read information from a remote file server, this service must use a network account rather than a local system account. As part of the installation, you will be prompted for a username in the format DOMAIN\username and a password. To use this service effectively it is important that your %windir%\sims.ini file is accurate, having the correct UNC path specified for SIMSSetupsDirectory.

• Once Insight has been fully installed, it will next need to be configured. Please see the Getting Started guide click here for further information.

• When you are happy that your users and preferences are configured, you will need to ensure that a route is configured from outside to the Insight IIS server. Although not authoritative, the example below may help you to with this stage.

Where schools are linked via a Grid for Learning Network managed by their Local Authority slightly different procedures may be required. In this case talk to TASC and to your Local Authority Technical Officers.