Initializing the InterAction Database

Once you have installed InterAction Administrator, you need to use the application to initialize the InterAction database and create users. 

The physical database you create using the database manager for your platform is initially empty. Initializing the InterAction database actually adds the tables, records, indexes, stored procedures, views, and triggers needed. The SQL Server Master, Temp, and the InterAction physical database should all use a case-insensitive and accent-insensitive collation.

Initializing the InterAction database does the following:

• Creates the necessary InterAction tables, default records, indexes, stored procedures, views, and triggers in the physical database.
• Creates the two database accounts InterAction uses to connect to the server on which the database is stored. These accounts are covered in more detail in InterAction Database Accounts.
• Creates the InterAction system administrator user account. This is the super user account needed for performing a variety of administrative tasks. This is not the same account as the Database System Administrator Account. For more information on this account, see Managing the Administrative User Accounts.

The default account name for the InterAction system administrator user is “IAADMIN,” but you can rename the account if needed. This special account is discussed in more detail in Managing the Administrative User Accounts.

You must initialize the InterAction database before you can install the InterAction Windows Client and Application Server.

Before you can initialize the InterAction database, you need to know the following:

• The name of the database platform installed at your site. This will be Microsoft SQL Server.

• The name of the physical database server you are using.

  We recommend that you use the fully-qualified domain name of the server when you configure this. It will be very important to continue using this same SQL Server name throughout all installations of InterAction software.

• The name of the physical database created on that database server. This is the Database Name.
• The database system administrator account name for the specified database server and the password for this account. For more information on this account, see Database System Administrator Account.
• The port number of the database server.

These items are determined when installing and setting up the relational database platform you are using.

After you have initialized the InterAction database, you can create the initial user accounts and begin configuring your InterAction environment.

Initialize the InterAction Database

1. Open the InterAction Administrator.

   Before you have initialized an InterAction database, InterAction Administrator does not require you to log on.

2. From the main window, double-click InterAction Database to open the Manage InterAction Database dialog box.

3. Choose the Initialize button to open the Initialize InterAction Database dialog box.

   

4. Complete the following fields and choose the Next button:
   • The Database Platform you are using.
   • The Server Name is the physical server. The physical server should not include the instance name since the instance will be called via the port number.
   • The Physical Database Name is the name of the empty physical database created on the server.
   • The Port Number on which the database communicates. In most scenarios, keep the default port of 1433. However, if your database resides on a secondary instance of SQL Server, you may need to change the port number.
   • The system administrator Account and Password for the specified database server.

5. In the InterAction Database field, enter the name to use for the InterAction Database. The name is a label which will be seen in InterAction Administrator as well as other programs. This is described in more detail in Physical Database vs. InterAction Database, Then enter your InterAction account number and choose Next.

   

6. In the next dialog in the sequence, enter the system administrator user Account and Password that you would like to use and confirm the password.

   The default name is IAADMIN. You can rename the IAADMIN user account just as you can rename any other user account.

   

   IAADMIN is the “System Administrator User” account (“super user”) for the InterAction system.

7. Choose the Finish button. The initialization process begins building tables, etc.

   

8. After the database finishes initializing, choose Close.

   

9. Choose whether the database is a Test database or a Production database.

What's the Difference Between a Test Database and a Production Database?

A test InterAction database should be used when setting up an environment to test synchronization between Microsoft® Outlook® and InterAction.

For more information about testing Outlook to InterAction Sync, see the test environment documents on the LexisNexis InterAction Support Center Web site under Documentation.

If you accidentally choose the incorrect button, delete the database and initialize a new one after creating a new physical database.

If you create a test database from a backup of your production database, you must perform some important steps to ensure that no connections exist between the test database and your production environment. For instructions on moving a database, see the Moving an InterAction Database article on the InterAction Support Center Web site.

Training Environments

A successful InterAction implementation requires that users know how to use the software to enhance their daily work life. Users should be educated to understand how InterAction can enhance their day-to-day tasks. To achieve this goal, training personnel should develop an effective education plan that incorporates your organization's business processes with the features of InterAction.

To have a realistic setting for training while also preserving the integrity of your production environment, you should create a training environment similar to the test environment described above.

The most common scenario for creating test environments is to copy the production database. This lets you use the most relevant data during training sessions. For important information, see “Creating a Test Database from a Backup of Your Production Database,” later. The LexisNexis InterAction Support Center Web site provides detailed information about testing InterAction with Outlook in the test environment documents.

Creating a Test Database from a Backup of your Production Database

A popular way to set up a test or training environment is to restore a backup of your production InterAction database using a different name or a different server. If you choose to do this, you MUST follow specific instructions to ensure that nothing in that test database is still referring to anything in your production environment. This includes processes, settings for your Application Server, and messaging settings. Failure to properly clear these references could corrupt the data in your production InterAction environment. For full details on how to create a test or training environment using a backup of your production environment, see the Support Center Web site. This includes instructions on how to properly clear all settings from your test database that could lead to these database integrity issues.

Is there any impact on Other Portions of my InterAction Environment if I change the IDCAPP or IAADMIN Passwords?

Be cognizant that other utilities may be using the IDCAPP or IAADMIN password. For example, some organizations run Application Collaboration through a DTS package on the command line by passing either the IDCAPP or IAADMIN password. If the password is changed, Application Collaboration no longer runs.