Optional Components - Data Store Manager


By default, ServerAssist uses its own internal data store, implemented as a Jet database, but it can use any OLE DB compatible relational store, such as an SQL Server or Oracle RDBMS.

The data store manager provides the ability to switch between these different storage technologies without losing data, and, for systems that do not have an OLE DB compatible relational store already installed, can install and configure an instance of Microsoft SQL Server Express 2005. All data is moved from the current data store to the new one, with ServerAssist services being stopped and started as required.

Operation

The data store manager offers five modes of operation:
  • Install an instance of SQL Server Express 2005, configure ServerAssist to use the new database and copy existing data to the new database.
  • Copy existing data to a pre-configured external database and configure ServerAssist to use this as the data store.
  • Copy existing data to the internal data store, configure ServerAssist to use the internal data store and remove the configured instance of SQL Server Express 2005.
  • Copy existing data to the internal data store and configure ServerAssist to use the internal data store.
  • Remove a previously installed instance of SQL Server Express 2005.

Not all options will be available; only those that make sense given the current configuration will be available.

Security

When installing and configuring SQL Server Express, for security, the database instance is configured to only allow access using shared memory, so if access to the instance is required from systems on the network (for example SQL Server Management Studio), additional manual configuration will be required to enable one or more network protocols for the instance.