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SurfControl Web Filter for ISA v5.5 Starter Guide 21
I
NSTALLATION
D
ECISIONS
Database Considerations
2
DATABASE CONSIDERATIONS
Before you start to install Web Filter, you should decide:
• Which database platform you plan to use (SQL Server Express or SQL Server).
• How Web Filter will connect to the database (Windows or SQL authentication).
DATABASE PLATFORMS
Web Filter uses SQL Server Express, or a fully-licensed version of SQL Server 2000 or 2005. SurfControl
recommends that you ensure your choice of database platform is installed and running, before attempting
to install Web Filter. SurfControl recommends that you use SQL Server rather than SQL Server Express
for the following reasons:
• SQL Server allows greater scalability.
• SQL Server enables you to fine-tune database performance.
• SQL Server is more suitable for environments with heavy Web traffic.
• SQL Server Express has a maximum size of 4GB.
Web Filter connects to the database using a fully-qualified connection string. This string contains all the
details required to connect to a database including database type, name of the server, user ID, password,
and database name. Using a connection string does not require the creation of Data Source Names
(DSN), therefore, any Web Filter client or server on the network can access the database without creating
a link through the ODBC driver.
SQL Server Express
If you are not using a SQL Server database, you need to install SQL Server Express. SurfControl
recommends you install your database platform before installing Web Filter. If you want to use SQL Server
Express, be aware of the following:
• You must install .NET Framework 2.0 before installing SQL Server Express.
• If installing on a Windows 2000 computer, you must install Windows Installer 3.1 before installing
SQL Server Express.
• You must install SQL Server Express as a Default Instance when prompted during installation.
• You must install the Database and Connectivity Components when prompted during installation.
• You must perform the steps outlined below after installing SQL Server Express, and before installing
Web Filter.
• By default, SQL Server Express runs as a Network Service. When performing a database archive or
restore, it needs to run with a local admin account to be able to access drive C.
The following post SQL Server Express installation configuration is taken from the MSDN Blog entry: http:/
/blogs.msdn.com/sqlexpress/archive/2004/07/23/192044.aspx which explains the steps in more detail.
The Post SQL Server Express Installation Configuration steps are as follows:
1 Make sure SQL Server Express is running correctly (assumes a default install).
2 Open a Command Prompt.