IT Management Suite

You can simplify solution development by carefully setting up the development environment for Notification Server (NS) 7 (the central piece of the Symantec Management Platform) and ensuring that the environment meets the hardware and software requirements listed in this document.

Symantec assumes that you are skilled in hardware and software setup and installation and does not attempt to provide instructions beyond the scope of installing and using Symantec products.

Notes:

• The following instructions are for setting up a development computer (not a build machine).
• If you are developing on the Unix, Linux, Macintosh platform, you must follow additional guidelines found in the topic titled "Setting up the NS 7 development environment for Unix, Linux, or Mac."

Please read through the requirements and installation steps before you begin.

Hardware and software requirements

Make sure that you meet the hardware and software requirements of a successful NS 7 development environment before proceeding with the installation steps. Ensure that you have CDs with the required software and an Internet connection for software that you will download.

Hardware requirements

The following hardware is required for NS 7 solution development:

• 800 MHz processor
• 1 GB RAM
• NTFS
• 105 MB free disk space
• 1 GB free disk space for SQL server

Software requirements

To install the Symantec Solution Software Development Kit (SSDK), the following software is required:

• ASP.NET 2.0 (Notification Server requires this.)
• Internet Information Service (IIS)
• FrontPage Extensions (Extensions must be enabled for SQL Server 2005)
• Visual Studio 2005
• Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack (SP) 1

To develop an NS 7 solution that integrates with the Symantec Management Platform, the following software is required.

Software location for internal developers

If you are a Symantec-internal solution developer, check with your manager about the location of licensed software. Two internal locations were set up on servers at the former Altiris site in Lindon, Utah specifically for licensed software downloads. Keep in mind that these paths may change at any time, so you  may need to download your licensed software from the vendor directly:

• ali-mydev > Software Library
• For SQL Server and Visual Studio: qastorage.altiris.com > ISOs > ISOs > MS > Applications 

Determining whether to install on a virtual machine

Many developers prefer to create a virtual machine (VM) on their development computer and configure it specifically for solution development.

You have this option for developing solutions on the NS platform. Although VMs sometimes run slowly, you can usually improve performance by (1) adjusting the VM "RAM" usage or (2) running SQL from the VM host computer or from a remote computer. Using a VM for solution development has some advantages:

• You can have multiple VMs with various configurations of operating systems and installed software on a single computer.
• You can save a state of a VM (take a "snapshot"), make changes to it, and revert to a previous state when needed.
• Depending on the VM software and/or licensing options available through your organization, you may be able to take multiple snapshots.
• All changes that you make are on the VM and not on your installed operating system. This reduces the risk of corrupted your OS.

When choosing VM software, consider the following:

• The VM software that you select must be able to run the Windows Server 2003 with SP1 operating system.
• You may need only a base snapshot, or you may find it more useful to take multiple snapshots. Check to see how many snapshots your VM software allows. (Sometimes a free version will allow you a single snapshot, whereas a licensed version may allow multiple snapshots.)
  • Single snapshot: Taking a base snapshot after installing the OS and the VM will allow you to revert to that point.
  • Multiple snapshots: In addition to taking a base snapshot, you can create an NS "kit" snapshot. See step 9 in "Setting up the NS 7 development environment on a VM" and the note that follows it. Some like to take a snapshot before installing software that will be updated since updates can sometimes cause problems. Taking snapshots at these points means that you can revert to the point at which your development environment was working well rather than having to start from the beginning in the event of a conflict.

Setting up the NS 7 development environment on a VM

If you choose to develop your solution on a VM, follow these instructions. If you are not installing on a VM, skip this section and proceed to "Setting up the NS 7 development environment on a traditional operating system."

1. Read through the installation steps in "Setting up the NS 7 development environment" before you begin.
    
2. Complete steps 1 and 2 in "Setting up the NS 7 development environment."
   Note: Make sure that you install not only the required OS but any updates and service packs that are available for it.
    
3. Install the VM software and create a VM.
   Important! Perform all remaining installation steps on the VM.
    
4. On the VM, follow steps 1-8 in "Setting up the NS 7 development environment."
   Notes: Make sure that you install not only the required OS but any updates to it and everything that NS requires. If the VM product that you have chosen includes tools that enhance screen resolution, install them at this point.
    
5. With the OS , its updates, and everything that NS requires installed, create a base snapshot.
   Note: If your VM software allows only one snapshot, Symantec recommends taking it at this point in the setup. 
    
6. Now complete step 9 (install .NET 3.5 and Notification Server 7 on each development machine, if this was not already done through SIM). 
    
7. If you are running VM software that allows you multiple snapshots, you may want to take one at this point again.
   If you are running SQL remotely, take a backup of the Configuration Management Database (CMDB). If SQL is not remote, it is in the Otherwise, SQL is in the base snapshot you took previously. (To take a snapshot in SQL Server Studio 2005, open Object Explorer. Then right-click Altiris DB and select Tasks > Back up.)
    
8. Now install the Solution SDK. (See step 10 under "Setting up the NS 7 development environment on a traditional operating system," below.)
    
9. With both NS and the SDK installed, and if your VM software allows for multiple snapshots, create an NS "kit" snapshot at this point.
   Note: Taking the base snapshot, backing up the database, and creating the NS "kit" snapshot will allow you to go back to your initial NS installation and your base snapshot. When installing a new NS, you can revert to the base snapshot, install the new NS, create a new snapshot, and then delete the old NS snapshot. This will guarantee that you are installing NS on the most pristine environment each time.

See the Release Notes at the end of this document for details (including troubleshooting notes) about using a VM.

Setting up the NS 7 development environment on a traditional operating system

If you choose to develop on a traditional operating system, follow these steps. If you have chosen to develop on a VM, start with "Setting up the NS 7 development enviornment on a VM."

Before you begin, you must ensure that you have a completely clean computer on which to install. When you are ready, install the software.

Important! You must install the software in the following order to prevent conflicts. 

1. Install the operating system along with all the updates and service packs.
   Symantec recommends using the Windows Server 2003 operating system. (You can also use Vista IF you install the registry key listed in the chart above.)
    
2. Install IIS and ASP .NET. If you are using Windows Vista, the options may be different. These detailed steps pertain to Windows Server 2003.
   1. From Windows, install IIS by clicking Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
   2. From the left pane select Add/Remove Windows Components.
   3. In the dialog box that appears, check Application Server. This option includes ASP.NET, IIS, and the Application Server Console.
      1. Click the Details button.
      2. In the dialog box that appears, check Internet Information Services (IIS). This will enable FrontPage Server Extensions, among other things.
      3. Click OK.
   4. Click Next to complete the installation.
       
3. Install SQL Server. 
   SQL Server 2005 or SQL Express is required for NS 7.0 development.
   Note: Symantec recommends using SQL Server 2005, as SQL Express is insufficient for use with a production Notification Server.
   1. When installing SQL Server 2005, you have an option to select database services. Select this option.
   2. You should accept the default Collation settings with one exception: The Product Quality Lab (PQL) recommends setting the English case-sensitive option to On. (If you set the option to Off, you run the risk of writing case-insensitive SQL into the solution. This will then fail on servers running SQL with case sensitivity turned On.) Setting the option to On standardizes the environment to prevent such problems both in the development environment and in the release. If you have questions about this, contact Developer Support at DL-AL-SDKSupport@symantec.com.
       
4. Install Visual Studio 2005.
   To develop NS 7 solutions, you must use Visual Studio 2005. (Both Visual Studio 2003 and Visual Studio 2005  can be installed on the same computer.) The supported versions are Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition and Visual Studio 2005 Team System for Software Developers or versions with additional features (such as the Architect version). The reason for these recommendations is that certain tools in these versions are required by the SDK to support your development work. 
   
   Note: Visual Studio 2008 is not recommended for use with the SSDK as of summer 2009. If you choose to develop a solution using Visual Studio 2008, contact Developer Services at DL-AL-SDKSupport@symantec.com to discuss known issues. 
    
5. Install Update for Windows Server 2003 (KB 925336).
   If you are installing on a Windows Server 2003 machine and did not install KB 925336 when you installed the other updates and service packs, you must install it before proceeding to the next step. Without this patch installed, the Visual Studio 2005 SP1 installation will fail.
    
6. Install Service Pack 1 for Visual Studio 2005. 
   After installing Visual Studio 2005 and Update for Windows Server 2003,  install Visual Studio 2005 Service Pack 1. This service pack includes support for Web Application project types. For more information, see VS 2005 Web Application Requirement.
    
7. Enable ASP .NET 2.0.
   This is a core functionality required by NS 7. If for some reason ASP .NET was not enabled when you installed IIS, enable it now.
   1. From Windows, click Start > Control Panel > Add or Remove Programs.
   2. From the left pane select Add/Remove Windows Components.
   3. Click Application Server > Details > ASP .NET.
   4. Click the checkbox to enable ASP.NET, and click OK.
   5. To make sure that ASP.NET 2.0 is configured properly, open a DOS window, enter cd c:\windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727, and run the following commands:
      
      aspnet_regiis –i
      aspnet_regiis –ga “wise-dev\username”

The first command makes sure that IIS will use ASP.NET 2.0. The second command grants access rights to the specified user (you).

8. Update to the latest version of Internet Explorer (IE), and set it as your default browser. (If you have installed Firefox or another browser, run IE again and set it as the default browser.)
    
9. Install .NET 3.5 and Notification Server 7 on each development machine. You will download the Symantec Installation Manager (SIM) on each development machine, and SIM will automate these two installations.
   
   Important! If you are using a VM, you must install NS from within the VM. Launch your Internet browser within the VM, and still on the VM browse to the Developer Portal to download SIM. Be sure to execute all remaining steps on the VM.
   
   The Symantec Installation Manager will install both .NET 3.5 and Notification Server 7.
   1. To install the latest version of SIM, log in to the Developer Portal (http://portals.altiris.com/dev).
   2. Click the Downloads tab, and then click the green down-arrow next to the Download SIM entry.
      This will launch the download package.
      
      Note: Microsoft .NET 3.5 is necessary for using the Solution Software Development Kit (SSDK). If, for some reason, you choose to install .NET 3.5 and NS 7 separately, note that a free download of .NET 3.5 is available from Microsoft at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=333325FD-AE52-4E35-B531-508D977D32A6&displaylang=en. (Scroll down to the download package.)
      
      Important! You must install Notification Server (NS) 7 on each computer that you intend to use for solution development with the Symantec SSDK. 

   Be advised that the installation will take some time to complete as it builds up the database tables.

10. Install the Symantec SSDK.
    
    Important! If you are using a VM, you must install the SSDK from within the VM. Launch your Internet browser within the VM, and still on the VM browse to the Developer Portal to download the SSDK. Be sure to execute all remaining steps on the VM.
    
    1. After SIM has completed the installation of .NET 3.5 and NS 7, log in to the Developer Portal again.
    2. Click the Downloads tab, and then click the green down-arrow next to the Download SSDK entry.
       This will launch the download package. The SSDK is packaged in a zip file that includes all the SDK installation files. The SSDK contains .NET assemblies; C++ libraries; tools; templates, wizards, and code snippets integrated into Visual Studio; and documentation.
    3. Save the SSDK zip file to a location that is convenient and easy for you to get to.
    4. Extract the files.
    5. Double-click SDKInstaller.exe to install the SSDK.
       In the SDK Installer versions released prior to February 2010, a window appears with the Simple tab highlighted by default. You will also see a  list of available modules presented in a hierarchy. In these older versions of the installer the available modules appear gray until they are installed. 
       
       Note: Versions of the SDK Installer released after February 2010 will include usability improvements to the Simple tab as well as the option to install all commonly used modules for developing with a specific release of the platform, allowing users to skip the complexity of manually selecting modules.

11. Regardless of other modules that you choose to install when preparing to develop a solution to integrate with the Symantec Management Platform, you should always install the Common Modules and the SDK Base from the SDK Installer window. Remember to install the latest version:
    1. Under 7.0 (Polaris), right-click Common Modules and select Install.
    2. Under 7.0 (Polaris), right-click the latest version of the Platform and select Install. (To see which is the latest version, check the Downloads page on the Developer Portal at http://portals.altiris.com/dev.)
    3. Under SDK Tools, right-click SDKBase and select Install.
    4. After you have selected the modules to install, click Next. The modules you selected, and other Visual Studio enhancements, will then be installed. In the future, you can install additional modules by clicking Start > Program Files > Altiris menu. (If you have set up a VM, remember to do this from within the VM; otherwise, you will not find the SDK Installer window.) Available updates show up in red. You can install them by right-clicking them and then clicking Next. 
       
12. Once you have set up the development environment, you are ready to determine the basic design of your solution and then set up a basic solution, which is a skeleton that you use the SDK to create and that becomes the basis for your custom solution. 
     

Release notes

Following are performance issues related to using a VM when developing solutions for the Symantec Management Platform.

Issue: SQL holds on to too much memory.

Graphical. Follow these steps to check out this issue:

Command Line. From OSQL, execute the following statements:

c:\>osql -E -S

1>use master

2>exec sp_configure 'show advanced options','1'

3>reconfigure

4>go

1>sp_configure 'max server memory','150'

2>go

1>exit
 

Issue: VM performance may affect the NS installation.

Defragment the host and then the guest disks.

Issue: VM memory is insufficient.

See the following document, which provides details: https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=3977&p=1

In short, the document author recommends using the /3gb switch if memory is more than 2 GB and less than 16 GB. Do not set the VM for more than the physical memory you have available for applications, which is usually half the memory Windows indicates you have (between 0 and 4 GB), or if you use the /3gb switch, whenever Windows says you have minus 1 GB. Also, leave 100 to 200 MB available for the host machine.

Issue: Health checks on ASP.NET worker threads may cause resets.

This should affect single proc VMs only. IIS 6.0, which is installed with Windows 2003 Server, monitors the health of its worker process to ensure that it remains "alive" and able to service Web requests. A variety of settings control how IIS monitors and recycles its worker process. By default, IIS is configured to regularly "ping" its worker process and recycle the process if it does not respond within a specified timeframe.

Unfortunately, when a machine is under high CPU load (such as during solution configuration), it is possible that the worker process will not respond to a "ping" within the specified timeframe. This may cause IIS to incorrectly recycle the worker process. If this occurs during solution configuration, as part of the Symantec Installation Manager (SIM) installation process, the overall installation may fail. If this occurs, you should disable the Health Monitoring features within IIS during installation. Follow these steps to disable this behavior:

For more information, please see: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003/Library/IIS/04cef3ab-c2bb-4e9b-9183-58edcc5fcf23.mspx?mfr=true.

Note: Using SQL on a physical machine separate from the NS running in a VM makes a significant difference in the time it takes to configure NS 7. Even if the SQL is on the physical host where the virtual VM is running, this scenario is faster and less prone to hanging.

Uninstalling and reinstalling NS

 If you need to reinstall NS 7, you must first uninstall it using the Symantec Installation Manager (SIM). Follow these steps to uninstall NS prior to reinstalling it: 

1. Use SIM to uninstall NS.
2. Uninstall old SDK Modules from the SDK Installer Kit. (Only one version of the SDK Modules should be installed.)
3. Create a new database.
4. Reinstall NS, and update the SDK to the latest available version.
5. Open SQL Server Management Studio Express (commonly referred to as SQL Studio).
6. Right-click the root node and select Properties > Memory.
7. Set Maximum server memory.
   
   Note: Developer Services has set this as low as 85 MB; however, depending on your memory situation, you may go higher. For development-only environments, not testing an installation with thousands of machines in the database, 85 to 200 MB should be plenty. If you have a great deal of physical memory, then you may go higher. If you need help, contact Developer Services at DL-AL-SDKSupport@symantec.com.
    
8. Start the Internet Information Services Manager.
9. Expand the local computer node and the Application Pools folder.
10. The Notification Server webs by default use the DefaultAppPool, so right-click the DefaultAppPool.
11. For the Context menu, select Properties.
    The DefaultAppPool Properties dialog box should appear.
     
12. Select the Health tab and uncheck the Enable pinging and Enable rapid-fail protection checkboxes.
13. Click OK.