Installation Guide

Install and configure Alloy Navigator Express web applications

Updated in 2021.2

This article describes how to install the most recent version of Alloy Navigator Express web applications in a pilot environment. Alloy Navigator Express web applications include:

  • the Web App
  • the Self Service Portal
  • the API module

Where to install the new web applications

If you want to leverage the pilot upgradepilot upgrade, it is important to choose the proper pilot environment for your Alloy Navigator Express web applications.

  • From version 8 or later: A separate computer

    Pilot upgrade from version 8 or later requires that you install web applications on a virtual machine or a separate computer dedicated to testing, different from the web server (IIS server) hosting your production web applications.

    When moving your pilot system to production, you will need to install the new web applications once again, now on your production web server, and upgrade your existing installation. This will seamlessly replace your existing web applications with the most latest version.

  • From version 7 or earlier: Your production web server

    For pilot upgrade from version 7 or earlier we recommend that you install the new version of web applications on the web server that currently hosts your production web applications, to a new, different web site. You will use this new web site as the pilot site. Because the pilot site is temporary, it is convenient to use a temporary name, such as Alloy Navigator Express Pilot Site. We also recommend installing each application instance in a separate virtual directory. This will install all components of the new web applications and let you test the new version with your pilot Alloy Navigator Express database, while still using the existing system in production.

    NOTE: When moving your pilot system to production, you will reconfigure new web applications to use the existing URLs that your users currently access, which will seamlessly replace your existing web applications with the new version. For details, see Reconfigure updated web applications.

Installation steps

Run the Alloy Installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install the Web App, Self Service Portal, and the API module (the order of installation does not matter). If needed, refer to the detailed instructions below.

NOTE: The instructions below apply to upgrades from version 8 or later.

To install a web application (Web App, Self Service Portal, or the API):

  1. Run the AlloyInstaller.exe file from the network share, where you saved extracted installation files earlier. Alternatively, you can run Alloy Installer and extract its temporary files again.

  2. Click Advanced Installation. The Advanced Installation page appears.

  3. Click Install Alloy Navigator Express Web App / Self Service Portal / API 2023.2.x.

    The installation wizard will automatically analyze your computer, and test for prerequisites. If any of the tests fail, the wizard displays a warning message along with a hyperlink, which shows additional information about the encountered issue.

    You can make the necessary changes and then recheck the prerequisites by clicking Recheck. To go back to the Advanced Installation page of the installation wizard, click Close.

  4. Click Install to proceed. The Setup Wizard starts.

  5. On the Welcome page, click Next. The License Agreement page opens.

  6. Review and confirm the terms of the license agreement, then click Next. The Installation Folder page opens.

  7. Click Next to install the web application to the default installation folder.

    If you want to change the installation folder, click Change, browse to choose a different folder, click OK to return to the wizard page.

    Click Next. If you are installing the Web App, the Report Viewer page appears.

  8. Report viewer components are necessary for viewing and printing reports in the Web App. Select which component to install or accept the default selection.

    Click Next. The Ready to Install page appears.

  9. Click Install to begin the installation. Click Back if you need to review or change any of the choices you made.

  10. On the Completed page, keep the Run the Web Configuration check box selected, so you can immediately proceed with the configuration.

    TIP: You can launch the Web Configuration tool whenever you need using the Alloy Control Panel or from the Start menu.

    Click Finish to complete the installation process.

Configuration steps

Run the Web Configuration tool and follow the on-screen instructions to configure the Web App, Self Service Portal, and the API module to work with your pilot database. If needed, refer to the detailed instructions below.

NOTE: The instructions below apply to upgrades from version 8 or later. Users of version 7 can import the most configuration settings from their production web applications.

To configure the Web App, Self Service Portal, or the API for your pilot database:

  1. On the Database page, import the Database Access Key to allow the web application to connect to your pilot database.

    1. Click Import Key to import the Database Access Key. This is the key that was generated during the creation of the pilot Alloy Navigator Express database.

    2. If needed, fine-tune the database connection details: in the SQL Server field, enter the network address of the SQL Server, which may differ from the SQL Server name specified in the Database Access Key.

      INFO: For details, see Importing the Database Access Key.

    2. Click Next. The Web page opens.

  2. Specify a description of your pilot web application and click Next. The Installation Type page opens.

  3. Specify where to install the application. We recommend that you create a pilot web site and install all Alloy Navigator Express web applications there, each in a separate virtual directory.

    Click Install into a virtual directory, then click Next.

  4. The Web Site page displays all web sites available on your IIS server. Select your pilot site and click Next. The Virtual Directory page opens.

  5. Keep the default name of the virtual directory to create or type in a different name. Click Next.

  6. Follow he on-screen instructions to navigate to the Ready to Apply Settings page. Depending on the version you are upgrading from, the new version may introduce new functionality that you can test now.

    INFO: For detailed instructions on configuring Alloy Navigator Express web applications of the latest version, see Configuring the Web App, Configuring the Self Service Portal, and Configuring the API module

  7. Click Apply to apply your settings. Click Previous if you need to make any changes. Wait for the Web Configuration tool to configure the application.

  8. When completed, the Web Configuration tool shows the Web App page with the newly applied settings. Using the Configure buttons you can adjust any settings, if needed.

NEXT STEP: Test your pilot Alloy Navigator Express system.