Reference material for PS2003 and SQL connections

[jwn]

Hi y'all.

A while back, I was having heaps of trouble with my Project Server 2003/SQL
Server/Sharepoint setup and thanks to everyone here, I finally got it up and
running without any problems (for about a month now).

My question is, during this digging process, several people (and info in
threads) spoke of the way Project Server (and/or Project Desktop Pro)
"connected" directly to the SQL Server database once authenication was
verified by Project Server. Is there specific, technical documentation
explaining this somewhere? It'd be preferable if it's documentation
sanctioned by Microsoft... but I'll take pretty much anything. I can't seem
to find this "spec" in the KB.

Also, if this rings a bell with anybody, somewhere I read (could have been
in IIS 6.0 Help) that starting the "Routing and Remote Access" service
(normally disabled) on the server running Project Server and SQL Server was
necessary for remote users loggin in with VPN. That service and/or ICS.

If anyone can point me in the right direction, I'd really appreciate it. You
guys are da bomb.

Thanks.

 

[Gene]

I assume you will be using Windows authentication. To link Microsoft
Office Project Professional 2003 to the Production Project Server, set
up the following in Project Pro:
1 Create an account within Project Pro that allows access to the
Project Server.
· Tools > Enterprise Options > Microsoft Office Project Server
Accounts
· Click the Add... button
· Complete the Account Properties as shown below on the next page
· Click the Set as Default button
· Select "Automatically detect connection state"
· Click OK
· Enter any name you wish for Account Name:
· Enter http://<project server>/projectserverip/ for the Project
Server URL:
· Click Test Connection to verify you have entered the Project
Server's URL correctly
· Select "Use Windows user account"
· Check the "Set as default account" check box
· Click OK

GENE

 

[jwn]

Thanks Gene. I reread what I wrote and I guess I need to plead mea culpa.

I'm not looking for an explanation "to help me accomplish the task"... as I
stated in my first paragraph, I've got our system(s) up and running smoothly
for about a month now (with everyone's help here).

I'm looking for "documentation"... something I can refer to later, and
something that carries indepth explanation and/or description of HOW and WHY
Project Server 2003 connects to SQL databases (especially the "how").

Again, the explanation I've heard (but can't find it in writing) is that
once Project Server authenticates a user, any queries to the database is
routed DIRECTLY to the SQL server database and not through a round-about
method.

The problem (now solved) that I had with remote users was that they
authenicated to our corporate domain (via VPN through our firewall) and once
"inside" they could access Project Server projects (via PWA) but
subsequently, they couldn't "publish" projects to the server, or sometimes
they couldn't even "open" projects. Any time they performed a database
request or query... i.e. open, publish (collaborate) they'd get an error
saying their credentials were unknown (and there'd be a reference that IIS
was returning this error message).

Somewhere, I read (either in a Help file, or on-line in the KB) a suggestion
for remote users connecting via VPN, to enable ICS service and/or the Routing
and Remote Access service , which are, by default installation, disabled (for
darn good reasons).

I started the services and *bingo*, everybody could log in without problems,
open, save, publish... the works!

Now, I'd like to "find" that suggestion again. ;^)