Fresh installation
The following two methods could be used to perform a fresh installation of SigningHub:
Fresh installation via SigningHub installer
Before starting the SigningHub installation, ensure the following:
The SigningHub Enterprise installer generates all the required database tables and populates the default data required to run the system. Therefore, there is no requirement for separate SQL scripts or equivalent for non-SQL databases. Once the above conditions are satisfied, launch the installer by right-clicking the file [SigningHub-Installation-Dir]/setup/install.bat and selecting Run as administrator from the menu will present the welcome screen. Note: There is a ‘back’ arrow towards the top left of the installer dialogue window. Use this button if you wish to return to previous screens and modify your input values/ configuration choices. Note that the SigningHub installer will show the following screens during the installation process:
Welcome
Click the Next button to continue.
System Requirements
A check of various operating system requirements is performed to check if the required prerequisites are installed or not. If any of the SigningHub Enterprise system dependencies are not found or are not functioning, then this will be reported on this screen.
You can only proceed with the installation once all issues related to system dependencies are resolved, as shown here:
Installation Type
The Installation Type screen will appear. Select the option shown below:
License Agreement
Select the option Install SigningHub for the first time and click the Next button to show the License Agreement.
Click the I Agree button to proceed.
Database Configurations
The following screen for database details is displayed:
On the SigningHub Database Configurations screen, you can either choose a Microsoft SQL Server or an Oracle Database Management System. Further, you can either choose to do a basic installation or use an advanced one. If this is a basic installation, then use the first option, Basic and provide the appropriate SigningHub database credentials. The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment.
Note that once you enter the database credentials and select Next, the installer uses the information to test the connectivity to the database. If the installer can establish the connection with the database, then it will proceed with the installation.
Basic Installation
The following table details the configuration options:
Configurations
Item
Description
Database Server / Host Name
Database server IP or DNS name.
Port
Database listening port. For SQL Server, the default port is 1433, and for Oracle, the default port is 1521.
Database Name / Service Name/SID
Name of the database instance. Note that this must exist prior to the installation.
Provide the Service Name/SID for the Oracle database management system.
Use Windows Authentication
If enabled, the installer will use the Windows logged-in user to communicate with the database. You are required to enter a password because it will be used in the Application Pool to set the Identity against this user for all websites.
By default, the currently logged-in user will be configured in the Application Pool Identity. If you wish to run SigningHub Enterprise under a different Windows user, then you need to change it manually.
If your requirement is to use SQL Server authentication, then type SQL Server Username and Password in the fields without enabling this option.
Username
Name of the database user. Note that this must exist prior to the installation. It is not required in the case of Windows Authentication.
Password
Password credential of the database user.
Advanced Installation
If this is not a basic installation and you choose the second option, 'Advanced', then the following screen is shown:
The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment.
Once you complete the options and select Next, the installer uses the information provided to test the connectivity to the database. If the installer can establish the connection with the database, then it will proceed with the installation. The following table details the configuration options:
Configurations
Item
Description
SigningHub Connection String
The following are sample connection strings for SQL Server:
Simple One -
“data source= [Database Server Address];initial catalog= [Database Name];user id=[Database User Name];password=[Database User Password];MultipleActiveResultSets=True;Pooling=true”For Named instance -
“data source= [Database Server Address]\[SQL Server Instance Name];initial catalog=[Database Name];user id=[Database User Name];password[Database User Password];MultipleActiveResultSets=True;Pooling=true”For Windows Authentication -
“data source= [Database Server Address];initial catalog=[Database Name];integrated security=SSPI;MultipleActiveResultSets=True;Pooling=true”
The following are sample connection strings for Oracle Server:
Simple One -
“Data Source=(DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = [Database Server Address])(PORT = 1521))(CONNECT_DATA =(SERVER = DEDICATED)(SERVICE_NAME = [Service Name/SID])));User ID==[Database User Name];Password==[Database User Password];Pooling=true;Min Pool Size=0;Max Pool Size=100;Connection Lifetime=0”
If Windows authentication is enabled in the connection string, the installer will use the Windows logged-in user to communicate with the database upon clicking the Next button. You are required to enter a password because it will be used in the Application Pool to set the Identity against this user for all websites.
By default, the currently logged-in user will be configured in the Application Pool Identity. If you wish to run SigningHub Enterprise under a different Windows user, then you need to change it manually as shown in the following screen:
Click the Next button to select the SigningHub data storage directory:
Document Storage Configurations
On the SigningHub Document Storage Configurations screen, you can choose either a File System Storage, Azure Blob Storage or Database Storage.
If the Document Storage is either on the local file system or on the local network path, then select the option File System Storage.
Document Storage path can be a local drive, a network drive or an Azure blob. If the path is on a local drive, then the installer will automatically assign the read/write permissions to the IIS_IUSRS user group. If the path is on a network/Azure drive, then the permissions should be assigned manually to a user before continuing the installation process. To add the permissions on a network drive, follow these instructions:
Create a domain/Azure user with read/write permissions.
Add the read/write permissions on the directory [Document Storage Path] and complete the installation process.
Now go to IIS Manager and add the user created in step 1 in Application Pool against all SigningHub websites one by one as shown below (Skip this step if SigningHub Enterprise is installed by using Windows Authentication.
File System Storage
Click Browse and specify a storage path to store the SigningHub data.
Azure Blob Storage
If this is not a File System Storage, and you choose the second option to Azure Blob Storage, then the following screen is shown:
The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment. The following table details the configuration options:
Configurations
Item
Description
Account Name
Account Name of the Azure. Note this must exist prior to the installation.
Account Key
Account Key of the Azure. Note this must exist prior to the installation.
If the path is on a network/Azure drive, then the permissions should be assigned manually to a user before continuing the installation process. To add the permissions on a network drive, follow these instructions:
Create a domain/Azure user with read/write permissions.
Add the read/write permissions on the directory [Document Storage Path] and complete the installation process.
Now go to IIS Manager and add the user created in step 1 in Application Pool against all SigningHub websites one by one as shown below (Skip this step if SigningHub Enterprise is installed by using Windows Authentication)
Database Storage
If this is not a File System Storage, and you choose the third option to Database Storag,e then the following screen is shown:
Redis Server Configurations
Click the Next button to proceed. The following screen for the Redis Server will appear:
On the Redis Server Configurations screen, you can either choose a New Instance or an Existing Instance option. If this is a new instance, then use the first option, i.e. New Instance and provide the appropriate Redis server configurations. The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment.
The following table details the configuration options:
Item
Description
Server Address
Specify the Redis server address. This server is used to send real-time on-screen notifications for document sharing.
Port
Specify the service port for the Redis server.
Redis App Name
Specify the name of Redis App. This can be any random name that will be used to identify this server in Redis console logs for monitoring or debugging.
Password
Specify the password to authenticate the Redis server.
Confirm Password
Specify the same password again as provided in the above password field to confirm it.
Redis can enforce password-based security to save or read the key-value pairs from the Redis server. To enable password-based security, follow these instructions:
Go to [SigningHub Installation Directory]/Redis
Run the Redis command line interface by clicking on the redis-cli application in administrator mode
Run the command CONFIG SET requirepass "[password]"
Sign in to the SigningHub Administrator account
Go to Configurations>Redis and change the password in the Redis Server Connection String
Update the settings and Restart IIS
Redis can disable asking for a password for saving and reading the key-value pairs from the Redis server. To turn off the password, follow these instructions:
Go to [SigningHub Installation Director]/Redis
Run the Redis command line interface by clicking on the redis-cli application in administrator mode
Run the command CONFIG SET requirepass ""
Sign in to the SigningHub Administrator account
Go to Configurations>Redis and change the password to empty in the Redis Server Connection String
Update the settings and Restart IIS
If this is not a new instance, and you are choosing the second option, i.e. Existing Instance, then the following screen will appear:
The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment. The following table details the configuration options:
Item
Description
Redis App Name
Specify the name of Redis App. This can be any random name that will be used to identify this server in Redis console logs for monitoring or debugging.
Connection String
The following is a sample connection string for a Redis Server:[Redis Server Address]: [port], password=[Redis Server Password],ssl=False,abortConnect=False
Click the Next button to select specific modules:
SigningHub Modules Selection
Select the appropriate modules to install the required features. For each selected application, provide the web application name and port. A typical in-house installation of SigningHub Enterprise should only include Admin, Core, Desktop Web and Mobile Web. Where tight integration through Web Services API is required, the API Web Services option must also be installed. The information displayed above is an example, which you may change to suit your environment and organisation preferences. However, the example shown is sufficient. The names will appear as websites under IIS.
The following table details the module options:
Item
Description
SigningHub Admin
SigningHub Enterprise Admin console is used by the administrators to manage the system wide configurations, service plans, user accounts, billing, access control etc.
SigningHub Admin API
SigningHub Enterprise Admin API provides API-based functionality to manage system-wide configurations, service plans, user accounts, billing, and access control programmatically, offering an alternative to the Admin Console.
SigningHub Desktop Web
SigningHub Enterprise Desktop Web is used to create workflows, share documents, create digital/electronic signatures etc.
SigningHub API
REST API provides the functionality to communicate with SigningHub Enterprise server to create workflows, upload documents, apply templates, share documents etc. from business applications.
SigningHub Website Integration Demo
A demo application to illustrate SigningHub Enterprise and business application integration.
SigningHub Core
SigningHub Enterprise Core is used to manage backend processes, e.g. send emails, delete documents, auto reminders for pending documents and many others. This is a mandatory module for SigningHub Enterprise.
SMTP Configurations
Click the Next button to configure the SMTP server and email settings:
The configuration items are explained in the following table:
Configurations
Item
Description
SMTP Server
Defines the email server address. This email server is used to send email notifications to users as required, such as for account registration, document sharing, and workflow completion. It is also used for sending notification emails to SigningHub Enterprise administrators.
Port
Define the service port for the SMTP mail server.
Use SSL/ TLS authentication
Select this option if the SMTP mail server requires SSL/TLS.
Username
Configure the SMTP mail server username that is used to send SigningHub Enterprise generated emails.
Password
Define the password to authenticate the SMTP server.
From
Configure the From email address that should be used to send notification emails to users and administrators.
To
Configure the email address where error notifications should be sent. This is usually the IT support team address.
Email Subject
Define a subject line for the notification emails that are sent to the administrator, e.g. SigningHub Enterprise Issue Alert.
After configuring these SMTP settings, click the Test Email button to verify that the SMTP configurations are valid.
Click the Next button to proceed.
ADSS Server Configurations
Now it is time to install the ADSS Signing Server engine that powers SigningHub Enterprise.
The following screen is shown:
On the ADSS Signing Server screen, you can either choose to do a fresh installation of the ADSS Signing Server along with a SigningHub Enterprise installation or use an existing ADSS Signing Server installation.
If this is a fresh installation of SigningHub Enterprise, then use the first option “Install New ADSS Signing Server”, provide the appropriate ADSS Signing Server database credentials and specify your ADSS directory in the browsing option for “ADSS Signing Server directory”.
The information displayed above is an example, and you should configure the relevant settings for your own environment. This table details the configuration options:
Configurations
Item
Description
Database Server
Database server IP address or DNS name.
Port
Database listening port. For SQL Server the default port is 1433 and for Oracle the default port is 1521.
Database Name
Name of the database instance. Note this must exist prior to the installation. Provide Service Name/SID for Oracle database management system.
Use Windows authentication
If enabled, the installer will use the Windows logged-in user to communicate with the database. If your requirement is to use SQL Server authentication, then type the SQL Server user name and password in the fields without enabling this option.
Username
Name of the database user. Note this must exist prior to the installation.
Password
Password credential of the database user. Note this must exist prior to the installation.
ADSS Signing Server directory
Browse for your ADSS Server directory.
When you select the Install New ADSS Signing Server option, then from the next screen, you need to generate a Master Key to encrypt the database data and take a backup of the Master Key in the form of three components. Use the Backup buttons one by one to take the backup of each Master key component. The installer will prompt to provide a password for each Master Key component and encrypt it with the provided password before saving it on the disk:
The following dialogue will appear to input the password and confirm the password for backup keys:
If this is not a fresh installation and you choose the second option to Use an existing ADSS Signing Server, then the following screen is shown:
Configure the ADSS Signing Server Address and Originator ID. The ADSS Signing Server administrator will be able to provide this information. The Originator ID shown above is the default one when installing the ADSS Signing Server with sample data. Ascertia recommends configuring a dedicated Originator ID for the use of SigningHub Enterprise.
Every client of the ADSS Signing Server requires an Originator ID to identify itself. Click here to get details on how to obtain it from the ADSS Signing Server. This is like the well-known API keys of Google, etc. Note that this Originator ID will be created automatically if you choose to install a fresh ADSS Signing Server via the installer.
Click the Next button to see the summary and complete the installation:
This screen shows the installation summary by listing the different product modules that will be installed.
If you think any listed item is incorrect, then use the Back button (arrow towards the top-left of the dialogue box) to correct your choices before proceeding. Otherwise, click the Next button to continue with the installation.
The following screen may also occur to show the ADSS Signing Server installation progress if it is a fresh installation:
Click Finish to complete the installation process.
Fresh installation via XML
Silent installation via XML refers to a method of installing SigningHub silently or without user interaction using an XML file as a configuration or parameter file. In this approach, the installer reads instructions from an XML file to perform the installation without requiring any user input. Given below is a list of parameters to be configured for carrying out a fresh installation via XML. Click here for a detailed breakdown of each component in the XML file, indicating its purpose and visibility settings for a silent installation scenario.
Welcome
System Requirements
Installation Type (The mode of installation should be set to "FIRST_TIME")
License Agreement
Database Configurations
Document Storage Configurations
Redis Server
SigningHub Modules Selection
SMTP Configurations
ADSS Server Configurations
Installation Progress
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