Installing the Prerequisites for Windows Server 2008R2

Installing the Prerequisites for Windows Server 2008R2

Important Pulse is deprecated in Flare, which means that it is slated to be removed in a future version.

Information for Network Administrators

To prepare for a Pulse installation, you need to prepare the systems that will be hosting the Pulse server application and the Microsoft SQL Server instance for the Pulse database.

Before You Begin

In order to download and install the prerequisites, you need an internet connection.

You also need the ability to log on the server(s) as a user who has access permissions to install software and change configuration settings on the system. This requires you to have access credentials for one of these accounts:

  • The Built-in Administrator Account for Windows Server This account has full administrative privileges and is included with the operating system by default. See the person who installed the server's operating system for the user name and password.

    OR

  • A Local User Account with Administrative Privileges If available in your environment, you can use a local administrator account. With a local administrator account, the server checks its own files to authenticate the user and determine if they have the appropriate administrative rights to install software on the system. This account is created on the server, typically by a Network Administrator.

Installing the Prerequisites

First, install Windows Server 2008R2 (SP1) on the system acting as the Pulse web server and Pulse database server. Whether you are setting up a new server or just using an existing Windows server, you should also ensure that the operating system is updated with all of the latest service packs, critical patches, and security updates from Microsoft.

If you are not familiar with how to install a server operating system, contact your Windows Administrator and/or Network Administrator for assistance. This will help to ensure that your server is in compliance with any security and network requirements specific to your environment.

Important You must upgrade the operating system to Service Pack 1 (SP1).

Important If you are not familiar with how to install a server operating system, contact your Windows Administrator and/or Network Administrator for assistance. This will help to ensure that your server is in compliance with any security and network requirements specific to your environment. See Windows Server 2008R2 Requirements.

How to Install IIS

IIS provides the server hosting Pulse with web server capabilities and the ASP.NET framework, which is a feature of the .NET Framework. It supports the creation of web pages and web services. If you are setting up a new web server for Pulse, it is very important that you install IIS before installing the .NET Framework.

In the Web Server (IIS) page, review the information. Then click Next.

Important Always make sure that you are installing IIS on the system designated as the Pulse server. If you are setting up a new server, IIS must always be installed before the .NET Framework.

Important Do not run IIS on a domain controller or a backup domain controller.

Note IIS is a built-in component of the Windows OS. For Windows Server 2008 R2, the OS lets you install IIS 7.5.

  1. Log in to the system that you selected to be the Pulse web server using one of these accounts:

    • Built-in Administrator Account for Windows Server This account has full administrative privileges and is included with the operating system by default. See the person who installed the server's operating system for the user name and password.

      OR

    • A Local User Account with Administrative Privileges If available in your environment, you can use a local administrator account for the server. With a local account, the server checks its own files to authenticate the log in and determine if the user has the appropriate administrative rights to install software on the system. This is different from a network domain account.

  2. Determine if the appropriate version of IIS is installed on the operating system.

    1. Click Start > Administrative Tools and look for the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager menu command.

    2. Depending on whether or not the menu command is visible, select the appropriate option:

      • If the Menu Command is Not Visible You need to install IIS.

        OR

      • If the Menu Command is Visible Select the menu command to open the IIS Manager window. Then choose Help > About Internet Information Services to see the version number.

        • If IIS is already installed on the server, you can add a new web site in IIS to use with Pulse.

  3.  If you need to install IIS on the server, add the Web Server (IIS) role service:

    1. Click Start > Administrative Tools and select Server Manager from the context menu.

    2. In the left-pane under Server Manager, highlight Roles. Then in the right-pane under Roles Summary, click Add Roles.

      The Add Roles wizard opens.

    3. In the Before You Begin page, click Next

    4. In the Select Server Roles page, place a check mark in the Web Server (IIS) box. Then click Next.

    5. In the Web Server (IIS) page, review the information. Then click Next.

    6. In the Select Role Services page, place a check mark next to all of the role services in the list below. When finished, click Next.

      Select the desired services using the recommended role services listed below. Role services required by Pulse are marked with an asterisk (*).

      Role Services Category

      Select These Role Service Check Boxes

      Common HTTP Features

      *Static Content

      Default Document

      Directory Browsing

      HTTP Errors

      Application Development

      *ASP.NET

      .NET Extensibility

      ISAPI Extensions

      ISAPI Filters

      Example When you select ASP.NET, you will be prompted to install additional required services (this occurs only if the services are not already installed on the system), click Add Required Role Services.

      Health and Diagnostics

      HTTP Logging

      Logging Tools

      Request Monitor

      Tracing

      Security

      *Basic Authentication

      *Windows Authentication

      Digest Authentication

      Request Filtering

      Performance

      Static Content Compression

      Dynamic Content Compression

      Management Tools

      IIS Management Console

      IIS 6 Management Compatibility

      *IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility

    7. In the Confirm Installation Selections page, click Install. A progress indicator shows you the status.
    8. After the "Installation Succeeded" message appears, click Close in the Installation Results page.
    9. Click Close to quit the Add Roles Wizard.