Before you can begin installing any InterAction components, you must set up the relational database server. For more information about the relational database server and how it is used with InterAction, see Overview of the Relational Database Platform.
In a client/server system such as InterAction, the configuration of the server has a direct impact on how the client software performs for individual end users. Setting up a good database server environment is much more complicated than setting up an end-user workstation.
The LexisNexis InterAction Support web site offers the latest compatibility information about relational database platform versions and service packs. For details, see the InterAction Support Center web site.
There are a number of areas that you need to address, including the following:
- Locks
- Network packet size
- User connections
- Disk space and memory
- Priority Boost
- Sort Pages
- Sort Order
More information about all these items can be found in the documentation provided with your relational database platform.
InterAction supports both SQL Authentication and Windows Authentication. See the InterAction Support web site document "Using SQL Server Windows Authentication in an InterAction Environment" for more information.
Can You Tell Me How I Should Configure My Database Server?
LexisNexis InterAction can provide you with recommendations and guidelines for your database server. However, because new versions and service packs for database platforms can affect these recommendations, we are constantly improving and changing our recommendations. Because of this, we do not include these guidelines in our printed documentation.
You can find specific recommendations and guidelines for setting up InterAction on your database server in the InterAction System Resource Guidelines and the Version Compatibility Matrix documents. These are available in the Documentation area of the Support Center Web site. These documents provide the most up-to-date recommendations for how your database server should be configured to maximize performance.
Database System Administrator Account
Database administrators or other users who are responsible for maintaining the physical database typically access the server using the Database System Administrator Account. For example, the person who is responsible for scheduling backups or restoring the database in the event of a problem should have access to the Database System Administrator account. Using this account and password, you can directly access the database through software provided with the relational database platform.
For SQL Server environments, this account is specific to a database server and is created when setting up the server. By default, the Database System Administrator Account name in Microsoft SQL Server is sa. You can rename this account or create a new Database System Administrator Account if needed.
In an InterAction system, you need to know the Database System Administrator Account name and password when initializing and deleting the InterAction database, installing patches, and upgrading your system.
A user with access to the Database System Administrator account for a database server can access and delete your InterAction data! Be sure to maintain a secure password for this account and change it often.
Periodically change the password for the Database System Administrator Account as you would for any other database account. Consult the database documentation for more information.