Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

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snagles
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Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by snagles »

Mini HowTo

Author: Alexander Damyanov

In this document:

Installing and setting up Firebird data base server on debian linux box.

References:
http://www.debianhelp.co.uk/firebird.htm
http://www.essentialpim.com/forum/


Install Firebird database Debian

#apt-get install firebird2-super-server firebird2-utils-super firebird2-dev

This installs the bulk of firebird to /usr/lib/firebird and is configured for the data files to be stored in
/var/lib/firebird/data

You can start and stop firebird with /etc/init.d/firebird or the ibmgr utility in /usr/lib/firebird/bin.

Changing the sysdba password

Firebird comes with a special user called sysdba that is very useful tool on your database server. You should first modify the default password for this user using the firebird security tool called gsec.

$ /usr/lib/firebird/bin/gsec -user sysdba -password masterkey

GSEC> modify sysdba -pw newpasswd

GSEC> quit

Make sure that you setup correctly firewall, for port 3050, if you use it.
Simple example how to check is everything OK with your firebird server:

ns2:~# telnet localhost 3050
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.localdomain.
Escape character is '^]'.
quit
Connection closed by foreign host.
ns2:~#


Setup Data base

1. Run EPIM in Windows and create a clear a new data base from file menu.
2. Save as what_you_wish.epim and close EPIM.
3. upload new data base called what_you_wish.epim in /var/lib/firebird2/data/
4. Run EPIM, from File menu select Connect to data base


When you connect with SYSDBA user you have privileges to add/remove users which use database server.

When connecting as standard user this option was excluded.



With many thanks of MAX, system administrator of Essential PIM Forum
http://www.essentialpim.com/forum/
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Connection interface, and User interface.
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Max
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Post by Max »

Thank you for posting this!
Maxim,
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pmadden
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Post by pmadden »

I would like to add a note about security to Alexander's helpful post.

I set up a Firebird server as described but ran into trouble making a connection to my server when I enabled iptables (the Linux firewall). I had created a rule to allow incoming connections on port 3050, the main Firebird port, but by monitoring the packets dropped by iptables, I could see that the client was trying to make a second connection to the server on a high-numbered random port. Since the port changed each time, it was impossible to add a port number to the iptables configuration to allow the packets through.

After some searching, I found this article: http://www.flamerobin.org/events_paper.pdf. It describes how the RemoteAuxPort can be set in Firebird's configuration file to force this second connection to use a static server-side port instead of a random one. With this setting (I chose port 3051) I could tell iptables to accept the incoming connections. This solved the problems I was seeing both when connecting to the remote server with EssentialPIM PRO, and with EPIM Synchronizer.

Please note that there are two version of Firebird available for installation (at least in Debian): The "classic" server and the "super" server. This fix works only with the super server; it is apparently impossible to use the classic server behind a firewall, as the RemoteAuxPort setting is ignored in that version.

I would also like to say that allowing only 2 synchronizations with the trial install of EPIM Synchronizer makes it difficult to fully evaluate. I would never have solved this problem had I not had access to a VMware virtual machine for testing, where I was able to set the disk image to non-persistent mode so I could keep reinstalling Synchronizer. Of course, I could always buy and ask for a refund if things didn't work out. In any case, I'm one step closer to a purchase now!
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Post by Max »

You are absolutely right, AUXPORT is the solution. Next update will include AUXPORT 3051 by default for events. We will also document it. Thank you!
Maxim,
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globaltech
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Post by globaltech »

Hi, i had a problem when connect to .epim db in a Linux Firebird server, Windows EPIM show me this message: "file **/**/data.epim is not a valid database"

What is the problem?
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pandeng
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by pandeng »

thanks ,I got it done following the guide

still have 2 question:
1. it seems I have done it with a pro license(not network license),dont know why ...
2. I run the server"firebird2.0 super" in ubuntu8.04,is there any problem with it?
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by Max »

Hi,

1- EPIM Pro allows 1 Network client
2- from 3.x version EPIM uses Firebird 2.x
Maxim,
EPIM Team
jimm1909
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Re:

Post by jimm1909 »

[quote="Max"]Thank you for posting this!
I agree. Thanks for posting this it really helped me with the issues I was having setting up EPIM using an internet data base.

Best regards,

-Jim
Last edited by jimm1909 on Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:27 pm, edited 2 times in total.
TerryM
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by TerryM »

Hi Guys, I suspect that this thread answers my questions, but since I'm not a 'techie', would you please confirm ...

I would like to install EPIM Pro Network version on a linux web server, such as provided by Zen Internet:

http://www.zen.co.uk/business/hosting-a ... sting.aspx

I would then like to access customer information in the EPIM database, initially from three Windows PCs, in two different countries. I might want to add more Windows PCs to the network later.

Would you please confirm that this is technically possible and that Zen Internet provides suitable hosting for this purpose.

Would you also say what limits there are to this setup, in terms of number of networked PCs, database size, etc.

Are there any serious security issues that I should know about?

If I give the instructions in this thread to a suitably qualified person, is this all the information they would need?

Many thanks for your help.

Terry
EssentialPIM Pro Lifetime Licencee 8)
Max
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by Max »

You will need root access to the server. I am not sure the provider you mentioned provides that.
Yes, the post above is all the qualified person needs.
Maxim,
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TerryM
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by TerryM »

Bother! Not the answer I wanted to hear, but thanks for your help anyway.
Shared hosting does not allow root access and a dedicated server would cost me way too much!
Looks like I'll be using a CRM web app.
EssentialPIM Pro Lifetime Licencee 8)
TerryM
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by TerryM »

P.S. I've changed the way I work and I am now using EPIM successfully ... database updates via csv files.
EssentialPIM Pro Lifetime Licencee 8)
xq4
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by xq4 »

Hello guys!

EPIM is work very very slow :cry:

Epim base size is ~ 300 mb.

Ping for epimbase server is ~ 40 ms.


We have:
Epim Network Pro 6.05;
Cloud server on Ubuntu 12, with firebird 2.5 super server;


In file settings

/etc/firebird/2.5/firebird.conf

edited:

RemoteBindAddress = 0.0.0.0 ## for up incoming connections from all ip
RemoteServicePort = 3050 ## defaul port of firebird
RemoteAuxPort = 3051 ## port for notifications

How to check RemoteAuxPort for work?


See wthat:

root@epimbase:~# telnet localhost 3050
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is '^]'.
^CConnection closed by foreign host.
root@epimbase:~# telnet localhost 3051
Trying 127.0.0.1...
telnet: Unable to connect to remote host: Connection refused
xq4
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by xq4 »

support team... anybody same ?? :(
Max
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Re: Setup EPIM using Internet Data Base

Post by Max »

We can't help you with setting up your Network settings, but ping 40 might slow things down.
Also, please make sure you are using 2.1.5 server
Maxim,
EPIM Team
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