This chapters explains the components of Alpana Server.
Alpana Server is a website that deploys on Microsoft IIS and stores data to databases in Microsoft SQL Server.
Websites
Alpana Server runs two websites on Microsoft IIS :
- the Back-End Site
- the Front-End Site
The application is run under Microsoft IIS by the Windows User called IIS APPPOOL\Alpana3App
The Back-End Site
The Back-End Site is named Alpana3App in IIS.
This is where the application runs (this is where everything is actually managed, permissions, dashboards, authentication, etc…).
Any client application needs to connect to this Back-End :
- Users will connect to this site for publishing from Alpana Designer
- Users will log in to this site when using Alpana Mobile
- User-created applications will connect to this site when using the API
- actually, the Front-End Site also connects to the Back-End in the background
The Front-End Site
The Front-End Site is named Alpana3Client in IIS.
This is where the web portal is made available.
Users will connect to this site to view dashboards from a web browser.
The Front-End site actually connects to the Back-End site for every action.
Application Databases
Alpana Server also requires two types of databases :
- the actual Alpana Server database
- the Buffer database(s)
These databases are accessed by the Back-End application using SQL Windows Authentication under the Windows User called IIS APPPOOL\Alpana3App.
Alpana Server database
The Alpana Server database is named AlpanaDb by default.
It stores all information about the application (users, dashboards metadata, logs, …)
Buffer database(s)
Each Tenant of Alpana Server has its own Buffer database called AlpanaBuffer_X, where X is the internal ID of the Tenant. (e.g. : on a single-tenant installation, the database is called AlpanaBuffer_1).
For more explanations about the Buffer, see the dedicated chapter.
Access to user data
Dashboards point to data through Connections.
When a Dashboard makes a new query to a Connection, new data is fetched by the Back-End application.
This means in particular :
- When using Windows Authentication in connections, they will be run by the corresponding IIS Windows user
IIS APPPOOL\Alpana3App. So this user must have appropriate permissions to the data. - This data access must be allowed by firewalls, port redirection, anti-virus, etc…
Folders
Website folders are by default located inside C:\inetpub\alpana3\.
Under this folder, user data relevant for backup is located under \app\App_Data\.
In particular, the actual published Dashboards are located inside \app\App_Data\Published\.
Ou si vous voulez utiliser sql server pour stocker les données alpana
Third-Party Licensing
Alpana needs Microsoft SQL Server Express to run (or higher version of SQL Server.) If you are using SQL Server to access data or if you store Alpana data inside SQL Server, you have to hold CAL licenses to comply with Microsoft licensing system.
More information can be found here
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