SQL Sentry Portal Configuration

What is SQL Sentry Portal?

SQL Sentry Portal is a browser-based option for accessing your SQL Sentry environment data that uses your existing SQL Sentry database. It replaces the previous mobile applications and Cloud Sync options.

Prerequisites

Before installing SQL Sentry Portal on-premises, ensure your credentials and machine(s) meet the System Requirements as well as the security and additional requirements listed below.

Security

See the SQL Sentry Portal Security article.

Additional Requirements

• Chrome and Microsoft Edge (the Edge version based on Chromium) are the recommended browsers for using SQL Sentry Portal.
  • Only Windows devices are officially supported.
• SQL Sentry  database that's accessible by the web server hosting SQL Sentry Portal.
• The preferred IP address and port that SQL Sentry Portal should use to listen for HTTP traffic.

Installing SQL Sentry Portal

SQL Sentry Portal may be installed via the classic SQL Sentry Setup Wizard, through the EPI commands, or through the SolarWinds Platform Installer for SQL Sentry as long as the method you choose matches your existing SQL Sentry installation.

Where can SQL Sentry Portal be Installed?

SQL Sentry Portal can be installed on-premises with a self-hosted configuration as a service. It can be installed on a machine along with the SQL Sentry monitoring service and SQL Sentry client, or it can be installed on a machine by itself without any other SQL Sentry components. 

If you have more than one SQL Sentry database, you can view them with a single SQL Sentry Portal service. See the distributed databases article for more information.

Installation Example

Example of SQL Sentry (SentryOne) components installed across multiple machines (with EPI components when applicable)

Install SQL Sentry Portal using Setup Wizard

Follow the instructions in the SQL Sentry  Installation article.

Install SQL Sentry Portal using EPI

Follow the Installation, Upgrade, and Uninstall instructions in the SQL Sentry Enhanced Platform Installer article.

Install SQL Sentry Portal Using SolarWinds Platform Installer for SQL Sentry

Follow the installation instructions in the SolarWinds Platform Installer for SQL Sentry article. 

SQL Sentry Portal Configuration Utility

Changes to your SQL Sentry Portal configuration must be made through the Portal Configuration Utility (PCU).

Accessing the PCU

SQL Sentry

Locate the PCU through the file directory or use the Windows Start menu as Portal (Web Client) Configuration. Use the Run as administrator option to open it.

SQL Sentry Portal Web Client Configuration Utility

File path:

1. Navigate to the MonitorPortal directory in your SQL Sentry installation. The default path is C:\Program Files\SolarWinds SQL Sentry\<Version>\MonitorPortal\PCU. In this example, it is C:\Program Files\SentryOne\2020.0\MonitorPortal.

SQL Sentry EPI Version

1. Use the so configmp command to launch the Portal Configuration Utility from Command Prompt.

   Note:  You must run this command on the machine where SQL Sentry Portal is installed.

2. You must use the EPI commands so stopmp and so startmp after making changes to the configuration. The PCU does not restart the portal service in an EPI environment.

Using the PCU

The PCU allows you to change database, network, security, and web server binding-related properties for SQL Sentry Portal. Select the Verify Connection button to verify your connection settings and then select Save to apply any changes.

The PCU also provides an option to stop/start the SQL Sentry Portal service (SentryOneMonitorPortal in Windows Services).

SQL Sentry Portal Configuration Utility Windows Integrated

SQL Sentry Portal Configuration Utility Azure AD

Use TLS

To use TLS for SQL Sentry Portal: 

1. Select the box next to Use HTTPS. Once selected, you'll see the TLS Certificate section.
2. Enter the name of the certificate in Subject.
3. Select Save.
4. The Messages section displays the progress. Note that the SQL Sentry Portal service will be restarted during this process.

Use HTTPS example

Messages example

Adding New SQL Sentry Portal Connections

1. Select New to open the Add New Connection window.
2. Enter a name for the new portal connection, and then select Confirm.
3. Enter the Server and Database Name for your connection.
4. Select your authentication method and enter your connection credentials. Select Verify Connection to test your connection.
5. Configure any applicable Advanced Properties, Bindings, and the User Identity Provider.
6. Select Save to save your Portal Connection.

Deleting SQL Sentry Portal Connections

1. Select the Portal Connection you want to remove from the SQL Sentry Database Connections drop-down list.
2. Select Delete to open the Remove Connection window.
3. Select Yes to remove the connection. 

Using Azure Active Directory as the Identity Provider

--NOTE: A record in [dbo].[Contact] must exist with the supplied email address
DECLARE @ContactID UNIQUEIDENTIFIER;
SELECT @ContactID = [ObjectID] FROM [dbo].[Contact] WHERE [EmailAddress] = '{email address}'
DECLARE @RoleID UNIQUEIDENTIFIER = '7E54B2ED-0BEC-4E83-A279-44E6F9BEF1C1'

INSERT INTO [Security].[FeatureRoleAssignment] (ObjectID, RoleID, PrincipalID)
SELECT s.[ObjectID], @RoleID, @ContactID
FROM [dbo].[Site] as s
WHERE ParentSiteObjectID IS NULL

Create a New or configure an existing SQL Sentry Portal Connection to use your Azure AD IDP credentials:

1. Open the SQL Sentry Portal Configuration Utility.
2. Select New to create a new repository connection or select the desired connection from the drop-down menu. 
3. Select Azure AD from the Provider drop-down menu.
4. Enter the Tenant id, Client id, Redirect URL, and Client Secret associated with you Azure AD application.
5. Select Save to save your credentials.

IIS Reverse Proxy Configuration (Optional)

IIS Reverse Proxy Prerequisites

The following modules must be installed before configuring your reverse proxy:

• Microsoft Advanced Request Routing 3.0
• Microsoft URL Rewrite 2.0

IIS Reverse Proxy Instructions

Configure a reverse proxy in IIS to host SQL Sentry Portal by completing the following steps:

1. Create a website with your desired outward bindings. If you want to use HTTPS, this is where you will register your certificate. Point the site to the default IIS directory.

2. Open the Home window for the new site, and select the URL Rewrite feature.

3. Select the Add Rule action from the right window pane, and then select Reverse Proxy rule from the Inbound and Outbound Rules category.

4. Enter the IP address and port of the service in the Inbound Rules server name input. Ensure that Enable SSL Offloading is selected. Select OK to save the rule. 

DEPRECATED: Installing SQL Sentry Portal On Premises Manually

After you have ensured that your machine meets the prerequisite requirements, you can begin installing SQL Sentry Portal. Install SQL Sentry Portal on your machine manually by completing the following steps:

1. Unzip the SentryOne.Monitor.WebClient.Web artifact at the desired location on the machine hosting SQL Sentry Portal.

Extract Folder

Select Destination and Extract Files

2. Update the appSettings.json file in the root of the project with the correct connection string for the client’s database.

Open appSettings.json

Update the Connection String

3. Run the service install script OnPremServiceInstall.ps1 as administrator. Enter the IP address and port that you want to bind the service to in the appropriate prompt.

Run Powershell as administrator

Execute the PowerShell Command, enter the IP, and enter the Port