Active Administrator 8.7 - Installation Guide

Setting the Active Administrator database

You can either create a new Active Administrator database or use an existing database; however, you must ensure that an existing database has been upgraded to the latest version before proceeding.

NOTE: If you are upgrading Active Administrator, you have the option to upgrade your existing live database and all archive databases.

NOTE: In a TLS 1.2 only environment, SQL 2012 Native Client must be installed on the Active Administrator server and agent servers, and the database server must be configured to use TLS 1.2.

NOTE: If the Trust Server Certificate check box is not selected, Active Administrator will walk the validation chain until it finds a valid authority.

NOTE: If the Trust Server Certificate check box is not selected, Active Administrator will walk the validation chain until it finds a valid authority.

Setting the Active Administrator archive database

The Active Administrator archive database stores events. By default, events older than 60 days are archived. You can either create a new archive database or use an existing archive database.

NOTE: After you complete the configuration wizard, you can use the Active Administrator Console to manage archive databases by selecting Configuration | Archive Databases.

NOTE: In a TLS 1.2 only environment, SQL 2012 Native Client must be installed on the Active Administrator server and agent servers, and the database server must be configured to use TLS 1.2.

NOTE: If the Trust Server Certificate check box is not selected, Active Administrator will walk the validation chain until it finds a valid authority.

NOTE: If the Trust Server Certificate check box is not selected, Active Administrator will walk the validation chain until it finds a valid authority.

Configuring purge and archive settings

NOTE: You can set more options to purge events, GPO history, and Active Directory® backups, and to archive events in the Active Administrator Console.

Storing Active Administrator data

The Active Administrator Path Selection page displays the default path to the folder where the Active Administrator data is stored.

The install process creates the ActiveAdministrator share, which contains five subfolders in which Active Administrator data is stored: ActiveTemplates, ADBackups, Config, GPOHistory, and GPORepository. You can create your own share as long as it resides on a server that is accessible by all Active Administrator users. Make sure the share has sufficient hard drive capacity. You can estimate that each GPO initially takes 2MB to back up. Each version saved thereafter is significantly smaller, about 10k on average. If you have a large Active Directory database, you should have 10GB available.

IMPORTANT: If you create a share manually, you must use the name ActiveAdministrator for that share. Set authenticated users full control on the share permissions. If you would like to restrict permissions further, you can change the NTFS permissions.

NOTE: You should have at least 2GB of free space available on the drive you select. If you have a large Active Directory database, ideally, you should have 10GB free.