Navision 2.60F on Windows Server 2003

jared

Hi.

I am new to the Navision Circle. The company I work for now has this installed and running on Windows Server 2000. The server is about 5 years old and needing to be replaced. I have a new Windows Server 2003 running next to it and have moved almost everything off the Win 2000 Server and all is ok now, but I would like to port the Navision to Win Server 2003. I looked over the literature which was in their network room, but it looked as if it would not run on 2003. Will Navision 2.60F run on a 2003 server? When I tried to do it initially I was not able to install it, there were errors generated. If this can run on Windows Server 2003, what is the best configuration to use it in? Lastly, the system is still using the FDB single file database, not SQL server. The db is approx. 9.5 GB, can we still run with this or would it be better to go to SQL server?

Appreciate any help you can provide.

Jared

ara3n

A few questions,

Has the company been up to date on maintenance plan?
How many users are using Navision?
What is your hardware configuration on 2003?
Which sql server 2000 or 2005?


I believe you can install navision db on 2003. You have to simply copy the server folder and install it through command prompt.
Search the forum and you'll find examples.


As to go sql. If you go with 2005, then you need the latest client executables which is 4.0 sp3. This means that your company has been paying for free upgrades.

2.6F can still run on sql 2000. I have several clients that run it. If you have 30 or more users, sql would be better. You still have to purchase the sql granule for navision, and of course purchase sql server, unless you already have it.


If users are not complaining about performance, I would stick to what you have now. just move the server and db and register it as services from command prompt.

jared

Thanks.

For 2003 I have 3.2 GHz Xenon Processor, 2 GB Ram, Raid-1 15k RPM 73 GB SCSI Drives. We have approximately 13 users. The people have not been complaining about speed or anything like that. I believe they are paying the annual fees, but never upgraded the version.

So, to install it on 2003, I don't need to run the installer, which originally was run on the 2000 server?

Also, the owner has about 30 outside sales people. They work directly with the customers and call in the orders. She wants to have a web app setup to allow customers and also sales people to check inventory and order statuses. I did some research and found that the programmers I spoke with will be able to work with the native fdb navision database. One thought was to upload nightly the updated fdb file so that the data would be no more than 24 hours old. I have been thinking about maybe moving the navision out of the office and into a data center. We would be able to connect to it through VPN and then the db would always be live and up to date for inventory and order status. Have you heard of people using this way before? If I was to move out of house, I can then use SQL server instead of the fdb database. If I was to do that, I have SQL Server 2000 WorkGroup running for our website and dynamic things on it.

Thanks,

J

ara3n

Moving to SQL for integration with website sounds like a good idea.
As to using vpn, Navision is a fat client and any lower connection than 100 mbit/s will slow down navision. So it has to run on that kind of network.
You can use citrix or terminal services for remote access. If that's a possibility then go for it.


Yes you don't have to run the installer. Just copy the server folder and then go go command prompt install it through command prompt. Search mibuso for syntax.


As for sales people to see updates. Once you are on sql, you can do a lot of things. If you have a website, you can connect to the db directly and read the data. So your developer will have much easier time to connect to sql than the fdb.


Also 5.0 is comming out in march. It's a big release, if you upgrade you can upgrade to 5.0. As for now you can use the new client 4.0 sp3 with your 2.6 database.


Another option is to get your license updated so that you can use 4.00 sp3 with 2.6 right now on win 2003. That way you can use the actual installation.

jared

Thanks.

Would it be a possibility to go to SQL server and have that off site? Also, I think one of the reasons we did not upgrade the Navision is b/c there were some custom modifications to the procedures, etc. Would they be stored in the db, so if we upgraded they would continue to work and would not be affected?

Thanks.

J

Waldo

jared wrote:

I think one of the reasons we did not upgrade the Navision is b/c there were some custom modifications to the procedures, etc. Would they be stored in the db, so if we upgraded they would continue to work and would not be affected?

If there are just modifications in the C/SIDE code, than they are stored in the Objects Table (in the database) and you don't have to worry about that.

What I just would do is a testmigration to SQL Server. Your modification will still be in the database.

jared

How would I know if the change are only in the C/SIDE code?

Waldo

Usually there are ONLY changes in C/SIDE.

If there are third party apps connecting to C/SIDE database, they'll have to be rewritten to SQL Server ... .

Such things...