Who is this article for?IT Personnel looking to understand the technical footprint of the Q-Pulse system.
No specific access is required.
Q-Pulse is a Windows-based N-tier application that has been built on the Microsoft .NET Framework. This utilises Microsoft SQL Server database technology and integrates with Microsoft Active Directory (AD).
This article outlines details on key parts of the system architecture, including:
1. Architecture
Q-Pulse has been developed using an N-tier approach that allows for easier maintenance and support. This is due to the fact it is easier to change and upgrade a single specific component than to make changes in a traditional client / server application. Therefore, the impact of application change on the Q-Pulse development cycle is minimised and upgrades are brought to market in a shorter period of time.
More importantly, however, the N-tier approach offers the greatest flexibility in distribution. This is because the tiers can reside anywhere from a single desktop to servers and clients around the world. This enables Q-Pulse to flex easily from the desktop or local area network to the enterprise or web application level.
Looking to secure Q-Pulse for external traffic? Visit How to Configure Q-Pulse for External Access (via a DMZ) for details.
2. Internet Information Services (IIS)
Internet Information Services (IIS) is a web server application created by Microsoft that integrates ASP.net, Windows Communication Foundation and Windows Sharepoint Services.
When IIS is installed a default web site is created. A Q-Pulse data portal is installed to the default website and an application pool is created within IIS. Application pools allow you to separate applications hosted on the server by breaking them up into their own processes, independently held in memory. As each application pool has its own worker process, meaning that errors in one application pool will not affect other application pools.
By default, the default website runs on port 80. It is possible to change what port Q-Pulse communicates with IIS by changing the http port that the default website runs on within the bindings settings in IIS.
3. .NET Framework
The .NET Framework is the Microsoft development environment that allows different programming languages & libraries to work together seamlessly. This creates Windows based applications that are easier to build, manage, deploy, and integrate with other networked systems.
4. SQL Server database
Q-Pulse is based on the Microsoft SQL Server database. SQL Server is a robust, scalable, relational database management system that offers a variety of administrative tools to ease the burdens of database development, maintenance and administration. Q-Pulse is available in various database options from SQL Server Express Edition to a full enterprise solution on Microsoft SQL Server.
Looking for information on SQL licencing or editions? Please visit Hardware & Software Requirements for further information.
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