NT Services 1.2
Installation Guide

This is the step-by-step guide to install the Backbone software NT Services 1.2 Remote Administrator.

NT SERVICES REQUIREMENTS:

NT Services have been tested and can be hosted on NT 4 Server (requires WMI installed), 2000 Server, 2003 Server, 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional


NT Services host:
The NT Services host is the server you install NT Services components and web interface on.
The following components are required to host NT Services:

  • Internet Information Server 4, 5 or 6.
  • Windows Management Instrumentation
  • Workstation (lanmanworkstation) service running.
  • Server (lanmanserver) service running.
  • Computer Browser (Browser) service running.
  • TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper (LmHosts) Service running
  • Netbios over TCP/IP enabled.

NT Services remote hosts:
NT Services remote hosts are all computers you plan to access through NT Services. To administer other servers than the one you installed NT Services on,you need to enable the following:

  • Windows Management Instrumentation
  • Workstation (lanmanworkstation) service running.
  • Server (lanmanserver) service running.
  • Netbios over TCP/IP enabled.
  • A duplicate of the administrative account used for NT Services on NT SERVICES HOST computer.

NT Services client:
NT Services clients are the web browser you use to get access to NT Services.
The web based interface of NT Services can be accesset with virtually any pda or device that have a HTML browser. During development we have used PC version of Opera 7 (with and without SSR), and a HP IPAQ 5450 with PocketPC 2002 and Pocket IE.

 

Upgrade from earlier version

If you have version 1.0 or 1.1 installed you should uninstall and delete the earlier version. Do this by by selecting shutdown when you rightclick on the COM+ application name in the Component Services console, rightclick again and select delete. Delete all the procview files you have that is not version 1.2.

NT SERVICES RUNNING AS IIS VIRTUAL DIRECTORY:
Delete the NT Services virtual directory, and then delete the physical folder containing the NT Services webfiles.
NT SERVICES RUNNING AS IIS HOST:
Stop the IIS host and jump to the installation guide.

Installing NT Services 1.2

SHORTDESC:

Extract the NT Services archive to a location where you want to install it.

Create an administrator account (ie: BB_NTServices) - if you already have an account and are upgrading you can skip this part.

From the COMPlus directory, install the NTServices.msi file, this will create a COM+ application for NT Services called Backbone Software NT Services.

Open the properties tab for the Backbone Software NT Services COM+ application, and on the identity tab, use the account you created (or have from earlier versions) as account for the COM+ application.

Create an IIS Host or IIS Virtual Directory with the www_root folder as path. (or remap the root of you existing iishost if you are upgrading.)

Create the same administrator account on all servers/computers you plan to access with NT Services.
If you have a network with a domain, you can create an domain administrator and use this IF all your computers are members of that domain.

NT Services should now be up and running, jump to the Security section

DETAILED:

1. First you have to create a administrator account for NT Services (ie: BB_NTServices), this is the user the COM+ application that hosts the NT Services back-end system will use to access your computer.
If you plan to access computers other than the local computer with NT Services you will have to create the same user on all computers you want to access, or create a domain administrator for NT Services if you have a network with domain.

If you are upgrading from an earlier version of NT Services there is no need to create a new user.

2. Go to the COMPlus folder of the NT Services install folder and run the NTServices.MSI installation file, this will create a COM+ Application called Backbone Software NT Services. When the installer have completed, open the Component Services Management Console and open the properties for the Backbone Software NT Services COM+ application. Select the Identity tab, and check "This user:" and enter the username and password you have for NT Services.

3. Open the Internet Information Server management console and create either an Virtual directory with a name of your choice, under an existing host that maps to the www_root folder, or create a new IIS Host pointing to the www_root folder. If you are upgrading from an earlier version already have an IIS Host you can simply remap the root directory to the www_root folder.

4. NT Services should now be up and running on port 80 (or any other port if you changed from default when creating a iis host or your virtual directory is hosted by a iis host on other port than default.

It is now time to read the security section.

NT Services and security
A few tips (but not a complete list):

NT Services uses the Internet Information Server as an host for the application frontend (user interface), this means that you have to secure the IIS before you start using the application.

First of all you should deny anonymous access to the virtual directory or the IIS host you created, and limit the user accounts that can access the site. A good practice would also be to install a SSL certificate, to enable encrypted communication between the NT Services host(s) and clients.

There are several other ways of securing IIS, read more about this here: https://www.unc.edu/security/securing_iis.html

For the BB_NTServices user account you have created,you should disable the "allow logon to terminal server" from the "Terminal Services Profile" tab. Also the password you selected should be as long as possible and consist of random characters. The windows 2000 maximum password length is 127 characters, but if you plan to administer NT 4 the maximum number of characters you can use is 14.

You can read more about passwords here:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/columns/security/askus/au042400.asp

To extend the functionality of NT Services you should take a look into the tools folder, read the README.txt file for information about the tools.

We promise to have a fully automated installer in the near future...

If you encounter any problems, please email us, we need feedback, good or bad. We also would like to know more about what you would like to see as new features in upcoming releases, email us at support@ntservices.net

 

Backbone Software, Oslo, Norway 2003-06-25