Configuring database synchronization

When Axxon PSIM is used in a large-scale system with distributed architecture, databases of Servers and Remote Admin Workstations must be synchronized. Database synchronization allows storing data both centrally (on a single server or Remote Admin Workstation) and in a distributed manner (data replication from different servers and Remote Admin Workstation databases of the video surveillance system). Database synchronization provides parallel operation with servers and Remote Admin Workstations databases and their automatic updating after they have been modified.

By default, Axxon PSIM databases on servers and Remote Admin Workstations are not synchronized. Usually, Axxon PSIM is configured to synchronize all databases with a single centralized database hosted on the Administration Server.

The Administration Server acts as a synchronization source. The second-level Server/RAW will accept all database changes from the Administration Server. Synchronization must always be performed from the second-level Server to the Administration Server, or from the RAW to the Administration Server.

To synchronize the Axxon PSIM Configuration database with the Administration Server database (or any other database), do the following on RAW/second-level Server:

1. Make sure that MS SQL Server software is running.
2. Start the idb.exe utility from the root of Axxon PSIM installation directory (for example, C:\Program Files (x86)\Axxon PSIM). The dialog window of the idb.exe utility opens.
   
3. Select the Synchro source item from the Select data source list.
4. Set the Use checkbox.
5. Click the Configure button.
6. The Data Link Properties dialog window opens. Go to the Provider tab in the Data Link Properties dialog window.
   
7. Select Microsoft OLE DB Provider for SQL Server from the OLE DB Provider(s) list.
8. Click the Next button.
9. After you click the Next button, you are automatically redirected to the Connection tab.
   
10. In the 1.Select or enter a server name select from the list or input manually the address of MS SQL server containing the database that is used as a source to sync with the current database.
11. The 2.Enter information to log on to the server group is used to enter the type and authentication parameters of the MS SQL server connection. MS SQL server authentication is performed through the user account, authorized in the Windows OS, or by user name (login) and password that protect the MS SQL server connection.
    The method and parameters of authentication at the MS SQL server are set during MS SQL server installation.
    Different parameters need to be entered, with different authentication techniques for MS SQL server connection:
    
    1.  If MS SQL server authentication is performed through a user’s Windows OS account, switch to the Use Windows NT Integrated security position. The user’s current account on the computer, from which the synchronization is performed, must be logged into the computer with MS SQL server and the database to be synced with.
    2. If MS SQL server authentication is performed through user login and password, follow the sequence:
       
       1. switch to the Use a specific user name and password position;
       2. in the User name field, enter the user name (login) to connect to the MS SQL server.
       3. if access to the MS SQL server is password protected, clear the Blank password checkbox and enter the database access password into the Password field.
       4. set the Allow saving password checkbox.

       5. go to the All tab.
          

       6. in the Persist Security Info field, set the True value. This is necessary to correctly save the user password.

          Note

          Each time you change the server connection parameters, you must set the Persist Security Info field value to True.

          
          

12. Click the Test Connection button.
13. If the MS SQL server was successfully connected, the “Test connection succeeded” message is displayed.
    
    Click the OK button to close the window.
14. If the MS SQL server name and/or authentication parameters of MS SQL server connection were specified incorrectly, the error message will appear.
    
    Click the OK button to close the window. Then enter the correct password and try MS SQL server connection again.
15. From the Select the database on the server list, choose the name of the database to be synced with the current base.
    

    Note

    You must select a database at this step. If you leave the database field blank, after you close the Data Link Properties window, the line "Database is not set in connection settings" appears in the database description window of the IDB.exe utility and the OK button to save changes is inactive.

16. Click the OK button in the Data Link Properties dialog window. The window closes.
17. Click the OK button in the right bottom corner of the idb.exe utility window.

Database synchronization setup is completed.