1. General information and requirements
2. Installing BMD NTCS
2.1. Licence key and licence activation
2.2. Installing the server with an existing installation of an MS SQL Server
2.3. Windows Firewall
2.4. Installing the client
3. BMD NTCS update
4. Database backup
5. Security recommendations
 

1. General information and requirements

The current system requirements and a list of supported combinations of database and operating system versions are available on the BMD website under: https://www.bmd.com/en/service-support/system-requirements.html

Only operating systems, for which Microsoft still provides support, can be supported. We recommend having an active internet connection during the installation process.

It is not possible to run BMD software using a WAN or VPN connection. You will need a remote desktop connection or a terminal server instead. Furthermore, it is not recommended to operate BMD software via WLAN, since in case of network interruptions the software cannot reconnect.

2. Installing BMD NTCS

In order to install BMD NTCS, you need a user with administrator permissions. When you connect the installation medium to the computer, the installation window opens automatically. If this is not the case, start the installation by running Start.exe in the root directory of the DVD or in the BMD NTCS directory on your USB flash drive.

Note:

• To ensure smooth installation, we recommend you temporarily disable your anti-malware software until the setup is completed.
• As for running BMD NTCS on an MS SQL Server, please note that when a respective server has already been installed, the steps in section 2.2. Installing the server when there is already an MS SQL Server are necessary.

Next, click on "Installation/Update BMDNTCS" and follow the instructions.

2.1. Licence key and licence activation

Enter your BMD customer number and your BMD licence key.
If the BMD licence key is available as a file, you can use the button "Import key" to import it. If you have copied it to the clipboard, you can paste it by clicking the icon next to "Import key". After entering the licence key, you can immediately activate your licence. Alternatively, you have the option to activate it later.

Enter the data for licence activation here.

Then, click "Download" to start licence activation.

Select the installation mode "Server installation" and then click on "Next".

Note: 

The following steps are the same for a stand-alone installation.

Specify the name of the start menu folder and the program folder.

Do not change the necessary default components.

The checkbox "Database" needs to be enabled to create the database.

The checkbox "DB manager" needs to be enabled to install the SQL Server.

The checkbox "Program files" needs to be enabled to install the program files.

Choose the drives for data files, log files and index files of the database (DB). It is recommended to distribute the components of the database across multiple physical drives, if these are separate physical storage media with a controller each. Doing this increases data security and access speed to data.

Please enter the database installation directory that is to be used without the drive letter. The database installation directory is automatically created on every previously specified DB drive.

In the example above, the database directory for data files, the directory for logfiles and the directory for index files are all created in C:\BMDDataBase.

In the field DB character set you can select a different database character set for the language of your country. Selecting the database character set is only possible when installing or reinstalling the database manager. In the case of an installation for an international company with different languages, it is advisable to select the character set (the language) of the main location or the parent group. If the database is not created in Unicode and you need to use for example Eastern European character sets, please select the respective Eastern European character set to allow for storing the characters in the database. Changing the character set at a later point in time leads to deinstallation and subsequent reinstallation of the database manager!

The field Unicode database defines whether the database will be configured for UTF-8. This option should be set to "Yes".

Please specify the password for the BMD user in the field Password for BMD user. You will need it when you first start the program. (Please note: Please make a note of this password!)

The field Country for standard data defines the standards that are to be imported, such as postcodes and bank numbers, municipalities, tax offices, judicial authorities, etc. Please select the country carefully, for changing it at a later point in time involves considerable effort.

The NTCS directory is where BMD NTCS copies the necessary program files to. This directory is automatically released for all users under the name BMDNTCS_PGM.

MS SQL requires the DB manager directory for the program files. This directory is automatically released for all users under the name BMDNTCS_DBMGR. The security level for this directory share is generally set to read permission.

Before the start of the installation, you are provided with an overview of your installation settings. 

In this overview, you can check which SQL Server will be installed.

Please note the information below.

In the overview of your installation settings, you can review the most important settings, such as for instance which SQL version will be installed (in this case: SQL Server 2019).

By clicking on "Next", you start the installation.

The setup now begins copying the required files.

After installation of the program, the setup will start installing the SQL Server.

Next, the database is created and populated.

If a new version is found during the version search, you should download it.

The process of downloading and installing the database might take some time.

After successful installation you will get a notification of success.
 

2.2. Installing the server with an existing installation of an MS SQL Server

Note: 

The current system requirements and a list of the supported combinations of database and operating system versions can be found here: 

https://www.bmd.com/en/service-support/system-requirements.html

To check and/or configure the necessary security settings, go to SQL Server Management Studio, right-click on the database server and select "Properties".

Under "Security", you have to set "Server authentication" to "SQL Server and Windows Authentication mode". Moreover, the server installation must be "case insensitive". You can check this using an SQL query > SELECT SERVERPROPERTY ('Collation') – the check must return a value with "…_CI_.." as the result.

Start the installation by running Start.exe in the root directory of the DVD or in the BMD NTCS directory on your USB flash drive. Select "Server installation" and then click on "Next".

Enable the checkboxes "Database" and "Program files".

Since there is already an existing SQL Server, the "DB manager" is no longer needed.

Please make sure to enter the correct instance in the field "DB instance" → the same instance that you have specified when installing the SQL Server.

Note: 

If the user running the setup does not have the appropriate permissions on the SQL Server, you have to specify an SQL login with a "sysadmin" role on the SQL Server in the field "DB admin user", in order to be able to create the database. Enter the respective password of the SQL login in "DB admin password".

If the SQL Server is a stand-alone database server and is therefore not installed during the program’s installation, it might be necessary to create the specified path for the database installation directory BMDDataBase manually, since the SQL Server does not create directories!

Click on the button "Next". Please note the information below.

Before the start of the installation, you are provided with an overview of your installation settings.

By clicking on the button "Next", you start the installation.

The setup now begins copying the required files.

Next, the database is created and populated.

If a new version is found during version search, you should download it.

The process of downloading and installing the database might take some time.

After successful installation you will get a notification of success.

2.3. Windows Firewall

The necessary exceptions to the Windows Firewall are added automatically.

Should this not be the case or when using a separate database server, the following applications have to be added manually:           

• sqlserver.exe + sqlbrowser.exe
• BMDNtcsSvc.exe + BMDNTCSSOAPService.exe + BMDSyncService.exe + BMDPPSSvc.exe

To do this, follow the steps below:

System control → System und Security → Windows Firewall → Advanced setting

Inbound Rules:

Create new rule:

Type of rule "Program":

Now you have to open the path to the .exe file in the Windows services properties of both the SQL and BMD services involved.

To do this, follow the steps below:

System control → Administrative tools → Services → right-click on the service → Properties

Copy this path, paste it in the firewall under "This program path" and click on "Next":

Then select "Allow the connection":

In the next window select all profiles, or at least the active one, and confirm by clicking "Next".

To finish, you have to specify the name for the created rule, for example "SQL Server".

Repeat this process for the "SQL Server browser" and the BMD NTCS services.

2.4. Installing the client

After successfully installing the server, you can continue with the installation of the client.

Default client installation

In order to install a client, start the program BMDNetClient.exe on every computer by right-clicking and selecting Run as administrator from the server share \\<SERVERNAME>\BMDNTCS_PGM. The installation is run fully automatically based on the information available through the program directory share and the database server that is used.

Note: This is the only way to install the client!

Enable the checkbox "Local BMD Office add-ins" if you want to activate electronic archiving of MS Office documents (licence required).

The button  appears in your MS Office applications (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Word). The admin add-ons are automatically installed on a terminal server. Please consider that during the installation no Office programs should be running.

Enable the checkbox "Local BMD NTCS installation" if you want to install the client locally on your computer. This type of installation is recommended, since it has a positive effect on the performance when starting the program.

Select the option "Use progress window during start" if you want to be shown a progress bar indicating the loading progress at the start of BMD NTCS. However, this can have a negative effect on performance during the start of the program.

Select the checkbox "PDF printer" if you want to install a PDF printer in order to archive PDF files from any application (licence required).

Only select the options "Install debit card services", "Offline recording" and "Call centre" if you need them (licence required).

Note: In case you have not purchased individual packages like electronic archiving (BMD Archive) or the PDF printer, the respective checkboxes are inactive.

Running BMDNetClient.exe in silent mode

You can also run BMDNetClient.exe in silent mode. By using the following parameters, you can instruct BMDNetClient to install a BMD NTCS client on a computer without user interaction.

BMDNetClient.exe /SILENT [/LOCALNTCS={Y,N}][/LOCALNTCSX64={Y,N}]  [/LOCALMACROS={Y,N}] [/LOCALNTCSUPDATE={Y,N}] [/PDFDRIVER={Y,N}] [/SPLASHSCREEN={Y,N}] [/CASHCLIENT={Y,N}] [/OFFERF={Y,N}] [/CALLCENTER={Y,N}]

3. BMD NTCS update

If the BMD NTCS version on your server is not up to date, the programs and the database are updated when you execute the BMD NTCS Setup. As a rule, all data is preserved. The update has to be started locally on the server and as an administrator.

Please note:

Please ensure that you have started the database before updating. Furthermore, make sure that no user is connected to the database (Tools → Database → Database info → Current database users).

To increase security during the update, the database content should be saved in a directory before updating the database. You will automatically get a save prompt before the database is updated. For this type of backup, it is also necessary to start the database beforehand.

Click on "OK" to make a backup of the database.

Enter the directory where the database backup is to be stored. Then click on "OK" to start the database backup and continue the update.

PLEASE NOTE: You can only specify a local directory, not a network drive.

Hint – Automatic web updates

A prerequisite for automatic web updates is that the parameter BMD NTCS update - automatic updates activated is set to Yes (which is the default setting when installing an up-to-date version of BMD NTCS). You can find the parameter under Tools → Overview of all Tools parameters → Overall system → General settings → BMD NTCS update. You can manage the update function separately for each user under Tools → Administration → Authorisation → "Assign update subscriber".

(The respective Windows user must have NTFS modify permission for the BMD software directory!) In a default installation of BMD NTCS (BMD software directory located in C:\Program Files (x86)\), the BMD software directory is created with NTFS read permission for users.

When opening BMD NTCS, you will be informed if a new patch for your BMD NTCS version is available. If so, you can download and install it immediately.

You can activate this parameter for multiple users. If the current version has already been downloaded but not yet been installed, every authorised user will get a notification.

If no newer patch is available, you will not be notified.

Further information:

For instructions on automatic web updates via batches visit: https://www.bmd.com/en/technical-documentation/batches-for-automatic-web-updates.html

Please note:

As previously mentioned, these are patches for the current version. In order to update minor or major versions, you need an update medium (DVD, USB flash drive) or alternatively an ISO file.

4. Database backup

For instructions on how to back up the database according to the respective SQL Server system, please refer to: https://www.bmd.com/en/service-support/technical-documentation.html

Please note that the corresponding document directories have to be included in the backup!

The documents are not directly stored in the database but in separate directories. The database only manages references to these documents and the related master data.

You can find the paths that were used in BMD NTCS under Tools → Administration → Paths.

You need to consider all paths listed here and integrate them in your daily data backup and/or your backup concept.

5. Security recommendations

You should install the latest Windows updates and the appropriate patches by the manufacturer on all servers in order to close various security gaps.

In general, it is advised to follow instructions and recommendations by Microsoft to run the operating system and its components as securely as possible.

For further information see:

social.technet.microsoft.com/wiki/contents/articles/18931.security-hardening-tips-and-recommendations.aspx