Home > Articles > Operating Systems, Server > Microsoft Servers

SureSync Part 2: Installing and Configuring SureSync to Run As a Service

How and why would you install and configure SureSync? In the second article of a three-part series on SureSync, Rob Hawthorne tells you how to install SureSync to run as a service, and set up a basic file copy (Mirror) to sync two servers.
Like this article? We recommend

Why have I decided to devote an entire article in this series on the installation and configuration of SureSync? It's not that the product is complicated to install. In fact, it is relatively easy to install; it just needs a little tweaking to get it to run nicely as a service. However, Software Pursuits (the makers of SureSync, http://www.softwarepursuits.com) has assured me that the following installation guide is necessary only when configuring the product to run as a service.

With SureSync, there are two types of installations: a local server install (as most products are) and a remote (or network) install. The local server install option allows you to install SureSync on each server, and configure options that only affect the individual installation of the product on each server.

The network install leaves all the required files for SureSync to run on a single specified server (including the back-end database), and allows you to configure options for all the referenced servers in a central place.

Just a small warning here, though. I recently helped a global organization implement SureSync into its publishing process, and found that the network installs were not really the best option when there are servers in different countries around the globe (on a slow WAN link). A network installation works best on a fast network (10Mbps or greater) among the servers involved.

Let's take a look at installing and configuring SureSync to run as a service on a Windows 2000 Advanced Server (with SP2 installed).

What you need to install SureSync as a service are the following:

  • The installation software! (A 30-day trial version can be downloaded from http://spursuits.com/suresync/download.asp.)

  • A Domain Service account (which is just a user account that will have special permission on the server) that you want SureSync to run under.

  • Optionally, you can install Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.6, which may be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/data/.

After you have the Service account set up, log onto the server as an administrator (either local or domain). The service account you have created needs to have the capability to log on as a service (I'll show you how soon), and also needs the capability to read and write to specified directories on the server. For ease of deployment, you can place the service account within the Administrators group on the local machine, although this is a very high level of access, and may not suit your business requirements.

If you are not going to place your Service account in the Local Administrators group on the server, you should create a new group on the server (or preferably within the domain). This allows you to assign permissions to that specific group rather than the actual service account, and so offers more flexibility in the future.

Go to Administrative Tools in Control Panel on the server, and open the Local Security Settings—Policy application, as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1 Locating the User rights assignment in the Local Security Policy tool.

Navigate to Local Policies and then to User Rights Assignment. Find the Log on as a batch job option, and add your service account (or group) to this option. Do the same thing for the Log on as a service option. This allows the service account that you have to run Sure Sync when noone is physically logged onto the server.

Ok, now log off the server, and log on again as a service account. This enables Windows to create a profile for your user account, and to initiate a few basic tasks (and files) that Windows seems to require to allow the service to run in the background.

If you have assigned your service account to the Administrator group on the server, you can now go about installing SureSync. If not, log off and log on again as an Administrator.

WARNING

If you are installing SureSync via Terminal Server (or some other remote console program), make sure you go to Control Panel, Add/Remove programs to perform the installation. This ensures that the server is in install mode. Don't just double-click the .exe file unless you are physically in front of the server.

The installation of SureSync is actually in two very distinct parts. The first part I think of as being like unzipping the installation program (although it is a little more than this) into the specified directories on the server. The second part is when the actual files, registry keys, and required components are set up on your server.

After you are ready, kick off the install program of SureSync; then, when prompted, follow the installation wizard for the first part of the installation.

When you have completed the first part of the installation, after making the changes you need, you see a confirmation screen similar to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 Confirmation that the first part of the installation program is complete.

As the confirmation states, you cannot use SureSync until each server (including the one the installation was just performed on) runs the next part of the setup program.

When you are ready, navigate your way to the folder where you extracted the files for SureSync, such as C:\Program Files\SureSync, and run the setup.exe program, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3 Locating the setup.exe program for the installation of Sure Sync.

Remember, however, that if you are performing this installation through Terminal Server or some other remote administration tool, you must run the install program through Control Panel (Add/Remove Programs); otherwise, the installation will fail.

Follow the second-stage installation wizard; you need to decide if you will use the Install to Hard Disk option or the Run from Network Copy option. Remember that a network copy works far better on a fast network than it does on a disparate slow network.

When the installation is complete, you can actually run SureSync, although not as a service because you haven't configured it yet! However, just hang on a moment or two longer from running Sure Sync, and you will be ready to complete the installation and configuration of Sure Sync.

Exploring the DCOM Configuration Tool

All righty then. After you have SureSync installed, you will configure it so it can run as a service. Go to Start, Programs, and find SureSync in the program file list. Select the DCOM Configuration tool, as shown in Figure 4. For those of you who have come across this tool before, it really is only a shortcut to the tool that Microsoft provides (dcomcnfg) for adjusting the DCOM configuration on your machine.

You should have a window that looks similar to the one shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4 The dcomcnfg tool used to manipulate DCOM settings.

Select the Default Security tab; then within the Default Access Permissions section, click the Edit Default button, as shown in Figure 5.

Figure 5 The Default Access Permissions section of the DCOM utility

What you do here is add your service account to the list of names allowed to launch DCOM applications on your server. You need to make sure that the following accounts have launch permission (Allow Access) for DCOM on the server:

  • Local machine account NETWORK

  • Local machine account SYSTEM

  • Local machine account INTERACTIVE

  • Service account

  • You can, if you want, add the Administrators group to the list as well

After you have completed this step, perform a similar procedure for the Default Launch Permissions section.

What you have done is configure DCOM for your whole server to allow the accounts you specified to have permission to not only launch your applications, but also to access applications on the server.

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020