GMON and network

Installation of the database on a network server

Up to GMON version 1.2.3 the installation of the database on a network server (Windows NT) is already prepared in the installation program of the Health Monitor:

The Server will be installed automatically under "[Programs]\Firebird\Firebird_2_X" with all options for administration and will run as a service on the operating system (Windows NT). The database file for customer and measurement data will be installed on the path "[Programs]\MedServ\GMon3\database\GMON3.GDB" and will be published by the configuration file "[Programs]\Firebird\Firebird_2_X\aliases.conf" with the alias name GMON:

GMON = C:\Program Files\MedServ\GMon3\database\gmon3.gdb

Then the installation on the server will be basically finished (see section Data security).

Installation of the Health Monitor on a network client

Even this setup is prepared in the installation program. You choose the option "Install only network server access (client)" with the according IP number (or DNS name) of the network server and the alias of the database:

Later you can change the network access in the setup dialog of the Customer Administration:

Firewall

For a correct connection between network client and server you need to release the FireBird data port in a possible Firewall. The standard TCP port for the database is 3050.

Data security

If the database runs on a network server you get more security of course:

• Periodical backups
• more reliable hardware (disc mirroring (RAIDx), Uninterrupted power supply (UPS) ...)
• Protection against unallowed access to the database file (password, file security)

The file security is often realized by the network server, because the path [Programs]\MedServ does not normally allowed free access over the network. Therefore you can not delete or copy the database file. But you still have to setup the password protection to access the database server. We recommend  to change at least the SYSDBA standard password of the FireBird server. You can use e.g. the program "[Programme]\Firebird\Firebird_2_X\bin\gsec.exe" for the user management:

Example: Changing of the password for the FireBird administrator (SYSDBA) from default password (masterkey) to (xxx):

C:\Program Files\Firebird\Firebird_2_X\bin>gsec -user sysdba -password masterkey
GSEC> modify SYSDBA -pw xxx
GSEC> q

This new password has to be setup in all allowed network clients in the setup of the Customer Administration.

Moreover you can create more private user with gsec. There are two access roles (GMON_R and GMON_RW) in the GMON database for read only and write access. They have to be assigned to new users. GMON_R is for instance an useful read only access via an SQL console just for investigation.

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