PostgreSQL Server Customer Install

[NewsArchive]

For those using PostgreSQL, how are you handling the customer
installation of the SQL Server and related stuff?

First off I don't have any customer installations out there yet, still
in house. But when we are ready to distribute our update which goes
from TPS to SQL, there are going to be a lot of sites to deal with
(hundreds).

I know that I can give them a set of instruction on how to install the
server, make the changes for network access and then do all of the
client ODBC installs.

However would like to be able to make it easier for the end user and
our office as well. Though of writing my own installation script (I
have SB7) but not sure how well that would work.

So would appreciate any feedback, suggestions or examples that the
group might have on how you are handling this.


Barton Whisler
Prosoft Inc.
Tampa, Florida

[NewsArchive]

Hi Barton,

We built our own 2 years ago using a combination of SB7 and a Clarion app
and it has worked very well for us.

SB7 takes care of the initial installation of all files and dependencies,
then we run the Clarion app that does the configuration for our specific
requirements (Service setup, DB Init, DB create, install ODBC Driver etc)

One issue we encountered is quirks between different versions of Windows iro
Postgres service user creation. Occasionally on Windows XP, the DB Init
fails (this has to be "RUNAS" the Postgres service user) and we haven't
found the magic bullet to overcome these very occasional fails. Here we
have to manually intervene - fortunately it's very few and far between.

Another potential headache is Corporate Networks - can occasionally be a
challenge to get them to alter Domain Security Policies so that Postgres
doesn't break eg. Password Policy: "Please exclude the Postgres Service
User from your automatic Password Change policy" "Why?" "Well, if the
password changes, the Postgres service won't start due to a logon failure
and then our applications won't run"

Once Postgres is running, we have another clarion app with Capesoft's FM3
which creates all our tables and loads required/demo data from preconfigured
TPS files.

You can get a copy of the PG binaries install image here:
http://www.enterprisedb.com/products-services-training/pgbindownload. To
date, we have only installed the 32 bit version of Postgres

PM me - happy to share our efforts with you (along with the usual
disclaimers <g>)

Cheers
Graham Smith

[NewsArchive]

I may be talking to you at some point. So far we do all our
installations directly, as configuration and training is usually done
on site at the same time. However, I could forsee cases in the future
where we'll do that less.

Mike Hanson
www.boxsoft.net

[NewsArchive]

Very interesting. You brought up a couple of points that I had not
thought of yet like the "Requirement to change password".

As far as initializing the databases, I think we got that handle from
within our program. I will be shipping a TPS file that contains all of
the various SQL Scripts that I need including the database creation.
Of course until we get it out into the real world, not sure how well
that will work<g>.

I appreciate your offer for further insight and might very well take
you up on that! Since you have confirm my thoughts on how to approach
it, figure I will give it a go first and see what happens.

Thanks!
Barton

Barton Whisler
Prosoft Inc.
Tampa, Florida

[NewsArchive]

Hi Graham,

Does SB install Postgres directly? or do you call the enterprisedb
installer?

If directly I'd love a copy of the SB scripts for doing that.


Sean H

[NewsArchive]

Hi Sean,

Unfortunately we only use SB to install the PG binaries image from a zip
file, installs some dependencies, sets PG Registry values and Firewall
rules.

We use a small Clarion app along with some 3rd party tools that does the
rest of the PG setup.

Regards
Graham

[NewsArchive]

Hi Barton,

For the small number of users I had to deal with I just included the regular
postgres install and ran it from setupbuilder. I gave them instructions to
use the Stackbuilder to install the ODBC driver afterwards, but I think it
would be better to include the executable in setupbuilder.

You still have to give them instructions not to forget the database
administrator password they enter in the postgres install.

But I also put in the seupbuilder script to write the pgpass.conf file, so
the next scripts could run without them having to enter the passowrd.

I then just called psql to run a script that installed the database and set
up users, etc.

I had one user just could not get postgres installed, and I still haven't
figured out what the problem is.

Jon

[NewsArchive]

Thanks for the idea!

Barton

Barton Whisler
Prosoft Inc.
Tampa, Florida