Back-end Service

Owned by Martin Gudme Søndergaard
Oct 26, 2022
3 min read

Introduction

In here you will find specifications as well as requirements and design of the CapaInstaller Back-end Server.The Back-end Server is an Http service offering a REST interface and is designed to be the point of connection for other CapaInstaller services that require access to the CapaInstaller Database or an Active Directory.

Requirements

  • The Back-end Server is a Windows Service that can run on both x64 and x86 processors. 
  • The service requires .NET Framework 4 to be installed.
  • The Back-end service requires SQL Browser to run if the SQL server is not running on a default port

Locations

  • The service is installed from the CMS console by the 'System' plugin.
  • The service is installed in C:\Program Files\CapaInstaller\Services\CiBack-end
  • One log files are written in C:\Program Files\CapaInstaller\Logs\Services during execution; ciBackend.log

Command Line Interface

The service retrieves its configuration from the SQL server but can take different command-line arguments. As the Back-end Server is a windows service, any arguments must be supplied to either the net.exe command or the sc.exe command.

Parameter syntax:

sc [\\computer] start cibackend [/debug|/d] [/noupdate|/n] [/refresh|r] [/xmlfile|/x]

Parameter

Meaning

/debug or /d

Run the service in debug mode.

/noupdate or /nSkips the update of CiBack-end from the database

/refresh or /r=##

The rate in seconds used for updating the service settings from the database.

/XML file or /x

Specify the service to use a different configuration XML file, primarily meant for debugging purposes.

Examples

sc \\backend01 start cibackend /d

Start the service on the server; backend01 in debug mode


sc start cibackend /refresh=10

Start the service and use using a 10 seconds refresh rate.


Description of the Rest API

The Rest API consists of numerous calls with lots of parameters on sub-pages to this page.

Service Management 

General 

This tab resembles the property page for the service found in the services of the control panel. Each of the settings available in each tab of this dialogue is described below.

 

   

Element

Description

Service status

Status of the Data Connection Service. Equivalent to services in the control panel.

Service Name

The name of the service used by the operating system.

Display name

The name you will see in services in the control panel.

Description

Description of the service.

Startup type

The type of service. This can be either; automatic, manual, or disabled. The default value is automatic.

Last heartbeat

This is a timestamp for the last synchronization activity.

Path to executable

The full path to the program that is started by the service.

  

Database

On the database tab, you can change the authentication method to the SQL server.


 

Element

Description

SQL server

The SQL server that the Data Connection Service connects to.

SQL database

The SQL database that holds the CapaInstaller Management Solution database.

Update

Clicking on this button the CIDal settings.xml is updated with the correct database.

Use Windows authentication

Instructs Data Connection Service to establish a database connection by identifying itself with the computer account.

Use SQL authentication

When this radio button is selected, the Data Connection Service will connect to the database with the credentials in the user name and password fields.

User name

The user name used to connect to the database when SQL authentication is selected.

Password

The password that goes with the user name stated above.

  

Back-end Config

On the config tab, you can change the URL and certificate.


  

Element

Description

Internal URL

This URL is used to communicate with the service from internal networks.

Public URL

This URL is used to communicate with the service from public networks.

Refresh rateThe number of seconds between each refresh from the database.
Default Authentication providerThe domain that usernames entered without domain information will be validated against.



Element

Description

OK

Clicking this button commits any changes that you may have made and closed the dialog.

Cancel

Cancels any changes made and closes the dialog.


Functionality

  • The Back-end service exposes the Capainstaller BAL objects through a REST interface.
  • Upon request, the Back-end must return a configuration for the MDM and SCEP service.
  • The Back-end must be able to validate Users on behalf of the MDM service to allow enrollment of new mobile devices.
  • The Back-end service must supply an Installation Endpoint, to allow for initial installation and update of the MDM and SCEP service.
  • The Back-end service Must update the BAL objects with heartbeat information and status information.


 
 

 
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