Install the Jet Service Tier in Active Directory

Advanced - requires server-level knowledge and permissions. This information applies to version 2017 and later of Jet Reports. See the Related Articles for earlier versions

Overview

This article describes how to install the Jet Service Tier (including the Jet Configuration Service) for use with the Jet Excel add-in, the Jet Hub, and the dashboard features of Jet Analytics (2017 and later).

With the Jet Service Tier, company administrators can configure Jet data source properties for all their users in a single location. Administrators can define data sources and give users access to these data sources using the Jet Administration console. When new Jet users are deployed, they just need to point to the location of the Jet Service Tier to gain access all of their data source connections.

This also makes it easier to share reports as organizations can ensure that a data source has a consistent name, and does not vary from user to user.

How-To Video

Installing Jet Reports - Including the Jet Service Tier

This video provides a step-by-step overview of Installing all of the Jet Reports components.

Prerequisites

Users must be on Jet Reports 2017 or higher

If you are using Centralized Settings with Jet 2012 R2 or an earlier version, you will need to upgrade your Centralized Settings database using the Jet Configuration installation for Jet 2013 before your users upgrade to newer versions. The prior Centralized Settings database is not compatible with newer versions. See the section Upgrading from Centralized Settings for details.
If you are using the Jet Configuration Service for Jet 2015 Update 1 or earlier , your settings database will be upgraded for use with new versions Users of Jet 2015 or earlier will *NOT* be able to access the settings in this database.
The logged-in user installing the Jet Service Tier must have admin rights on the SQL server via Windows Authentication

Installation Process

The Jet Service Tier includes multiple components

The Services Database resides on a SQL server instance and stores information about data source connection properties and scopes, users, and user permissions.
The Jet Service Tier enables communication between the clients and the Services Database. This communication is encrypted as a security measure.
The Jet Administration Console – a graphical user interface that makes it easy for administrators to manage the information in the Services Database.

Note: the Jet Setup file cannot install the Services Database on an Azure server. To install this database on a server that is on Azure, please refer to the “Azure configuration files” folder found in the "2 - Jet Service Tier - Optional" folder in the product download.

Installing the Jet Service Tier, Services Database, and Jet Administration Console

After downloading the installation set (from the insightsoftware Download site ), right-click the downloaded file and select Extract All
Go to the Jet Reports folder and open Jet Reports Services Setup.
Initially you will see our End User License Agreement, this needs to be scrolled through in its entirety to be able to Agree.
Select only Jet Administration Console and Jet Service Tier (deselect the other options) and click Next
Next, specify the server name where the Service Tier is to reside and the port number that will be used to communicate with it, then click Next

We recommend that you use the default port of 7090 as this matches the default port that is defined in the Jet Application Settings and will make it easy for users to connect to the service.
Next, you will need to enter your organization's Activation Code. Since we are installing the Jet Service Tier this is required
Select the Run As account which you want to use to run the Jet Service Tier and click Next.

It is strongly recommended that you run the Service Tier under the Network Service account. The Network Service account is a predefined local account used by the service control manager. It has minimum privileges on the local computer and acts as the computer on the network ( More information from the Microsoft Dev Center). If you elect to use a different account and that account has a password, you will want ensure that it does not change regularly (as the Jet Service Tier will have to be uninstalled and reinstalled each time the password changes).
Enter the name of the SQL Server Instance and provide a name for the Services Database.

Select either to sign in to the database using the "Run As" account (specified on the previous screen) or provide the username and password for a different database user.

This is the account that the Jet Service Tier will use to login to the Services Database, and as such must have access to the Microsoft SQL Server.
If you already have a database with the name you specified on the previous window, you will need to decide if you want to upgrade or replace that database. Whichever choice you make, it is strongly recommended that you select to back up that database before proceeding.

Select the Next button to proceed.
The setup program is now ready to make changes to your system. Click the Install button to proceed.

If prompted, select Yes to allow the program to make changes to the system.
If you did not previously use the Centralized Settings feature with an older version of Jet Essentials, your installation process is now complete.

You can now use the Jet Administration Console to manage your data sources.

Additional Information

Upgrading from Centralized Settings

If you are using Centralized Settings with a versions of Jet Essentials prior to Jet Essentials 2013, you will need to update your Centralized Settings database using the "Jet Configuration Setup.exe" included with Jet Essentials 2013.

We recommend that you back up your existing database using SQL Server Management Studio prior to this upgrade.
Modifying Service Configuration after Installation

In some cases you may want to change how the Jet Service Tier connects to the Services Database. This requires stopping the Jet Service Tier, and restarting it with new command line arguments.

Command Line ArgumentsThe following command line arguments should be given when starting the service in order for it to connect to the database:
```
/server <database-server> /port <service-port> /database <database-name> [/user <user-name> /password <password>]
```
The port specified above must be the port used by the service tier, not the port used to connect to the database. If the user and password are omitted, Windows Authentication is used to connect to the database
Modifying the “Run as” Service Account
When installing the Jet Service Tier, the service account specified needs to have write access to the Jet Services folder in the Program Files directory. This permission is given by the Jet Service Tier installer unless the user account that runs services has been changed from the default. In this case, the permission will need to be given explicitly.