The exact infrastructure used for a WEBcnx installation is largely dependent on scale of use, any existing suitable infrastructure and preference. The following therefore should be used as a guideline, with further information supplied based on your proposed configuration.
Single Site Installation
The most common and straightforward configuration makes use of an existing Impact database server and mail server, and simply adds a new web server configured to run WEBcnx's various components. This web server would typically run WEBcnx, nServer and Licence Server and communicate with the databases and mail server through the Internal Firewall.
WEBcnx is very flexible in where the various component parts are situated and supports combinations from everything installed on a single server to each individual component being installed on their own servers.
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Software Requirements
WEBcnx
- Microsoft Windows Server 64-bit (version 2016 or later), configured as a Web Server
- IIS 10
- .NET Framework 4.8 running on the server and any clients containing WEBcnx components
- Suitable client database drivers - see Databases
nServer
- nServer compatibility to be confirmed for each WEBcnx release
- O/S requirements to match WEBcnx
- Suitable client database drivers - see Databases
Licence Server
Arden Licence Server is required by nServer, and is therefore typically installed alongside WEBcnx on the web server itself, and has no specific software or hardware requirements*. Should the use of an existing and/or separate Licence Server installation be desired, any network traffic would need to be allowed to flow between the web server and the alternate Licence Server host, as detailed in the relevant KB articles, here.
*Licence Server installations on physical servers may optionally utilise a physical USB dongle.
Databases
WEBcnx connects to the existing Impact database (via nServer) for user, customer, and design data, and to its own database for all task and WEBcnx specific functionality. These two databases are most commonly hosted alongside each other. This isn't necessary, but does simplify the resources needed and is therefore the recommended configuration.
The minimum supported database platform for Arden products follows the Microsoft SQL Server Extended End Date. See here for details. As each version of SQL Server Microsoft's products reach their supported end-of-life, Arden products will similarly cease to support them for subsequent product releases.
- Recommended: SQL Server 2016 / 2017 / 2019 / 2022 - Workgroup, Standard, or Enterprise Edition
WEBcnx Plugin
The WEBcnx plugin is installed on each Impact client computer to allow CAD users to access WEBcnx directly from within Impact. This enables Impact to interact with WEBcnx for actions such as creating and opening task linked Projects, as well as allowing the CAD user to update WEBcnx tasks, all without the need to open up their web browser separately.
- Access to the WEBcnx site
- .NET Framework version as per WEBcnx server
WEBcnx Document Extender
The WEBcnx Document Extender is a utility that can be installed on each Impact client computer to provide CAD users with additional information about any WEBcnx references (aka 'Relationships') between documents and any tasks or Document type WEBcnx Custom Fields. Without this, users will only be able to see that a document has one or external references.
- Access to the WEBcnx site
- .NET Framework version as per WEBcnx server
Internet Browsers/Clients
For information on Supported Browsers, please see here.
Hardware Requirements
Our hardware recommendations are based on a customer's intended scale and nature of use, as determined by their site's configuration and the licensed WEBcnx modules. The following is also based on the assumption that the Web Server is to be dedicated to hosting WEBcnx, and that the nServer component is both installed alongside it, and is also dedicated to only WEBcnx specific usage.
- CPU (Processor)*:
- x86-64 compatible processor (Intel® or AMD®)
- Up to 25 users**: 4 cores (or logical processors in a VM)
- 25-50 users*: 6-8 cores…
- 100+ users*: 12 + 6 cores per 50 users
- RAM (Memory)
- 3-4 GB per allocated CPU
- Disk
- SSD or equivalent high-speed disks
- 25 GB disk space
- Network
- 1 - 10 Gbps+ network card(s)
- GPU***
- nVidia chipset offering OpenGL version 2.1+ compatibility
* An important consideration with processor selection for an Impact CAD client is that those CPUs with higher clock speed tend to perform more strongly than those with more cores. As a predominantly single-threaded application, pay particular attention to the 'single thread speed' offered by each available CPU.
** Concurrent user sessions
*** For 3D layer thumbnail and Impact report template generation, and to aid LiveProof render performance.
Port Configurations
Below, you can find the ports which need to be open/available for proper functioning of WEBcnx in a single site (non-Enterprise) installation:
- Port 80 (HTTP) from the internet to the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ)
- Port 443 (HTTPS) from the internet to the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ)
- Port 80 (HTTP) from the LAN to the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ)
- Port 443 (HTTPS) from the LAN to the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ)
- Port 25 (SMTP) from the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ) to the Mail Server
The following ports are those most typically required for connection to a Microsoft SQL Server hosted Database:
- Port 1433 (TCP) from the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ) to the Database server
- Port 1434 (TCP) from the WEBcnx Web Server (DMZ) to the Database server
Note. These port configurations are based on Arden Licence Server being located on the WEBcnx Web Server.
Feature Change History
The following changes have been made to this feature.
| History of Change | Version |
|---|---|
| Dropped support for SQL Server 2014 | WEBcnx 2024.2 |