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Resware Connector Installation Guide

GridBase achieves its rich integration with Resware through its connector. This guide steps you through the process of installing this Resware Connector in your organization's Resware environment.

Recommended Tools

  • A source code / text editor, such as Notepad++, Visual Studio Code, etc...

System Requirements

  • 2 Processor Cores or vCPUs minimum (4 or better recommended)
  • 4GB RAM minimum (8GB or better recommended)
  • Windows Server 2019 or later
    • Internet Information Systems (IIS)
    • Valid TLS/SSL certificates signed by a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) must be present and configured for Resware servers and each Connector server.
    • Resware Web Servers must support TLS 1.2, and configured to allow a cipher-chain supported by the version of Windows Server being used by the connector servers.
    • Connector servers must support TLS 1.2 and optionally higher versions as well. Earlier versions of TLS and SSL handshake protocols must be disabled.
    • HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) headers must be configured on Connector servers.
    • Any public DNS records created for Connector servers should include CAA records to restrict TLS/SSL certificate issuance to approved Certificate Authorities.
  • Microsoft SQL Server (MSSQL) 2019 or later
    • SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
    • On the same MSSQL server and instance where the Resware database resides, a GridBase database must also be created. (Additional configuration steps are below.)

Planning

The infrastructure used to host Resware and this Connector should be designed to leverage layers of segmentation to minimize web-facing attack surface. The required traffic patterns are as follows:

  • The Connector Web Server must be able to receive inbound https requests from Resware's Web Server and GridBase (https://app.gridbase.io); and it must be able to make outbound https requests to Resware's Web Server, GridBase, Grafana, and AWS S3 resources.
  • The Connector App Server must only receive inbound https requests from the Connector Web Server; and it must be able to make outbound requests to Resware's Web Server (https), the Connector's Web Server (https), and to the Resware database server (mssql). The Connector App Server must have access to the SMB/Windows File Share(s) used by Resware.

Simple​

High-Availability Configurations​

The Resware Connector includes support for load balancers / reverse HTTP proxies, with no requirement for session persistence / stickiness. The only recommendation in this setting is to include the original source IP address in the X-Forwarded-For HTTP header in the load balancer's configuration. Additionally, it is strongly advised that this header's value is included in web server (IIS) logs.

Web Server Configuration

NOTE: This configuration applies to both the web connector server and the app connector server.

In Windows Server, open the Server Manager application and click Add roles and features. Click Next until you reach the Server Roles screen, expand the Web Server role, and make sure the following options:

  • Web Server
    • Common Http Features
      • Default Document
      • HTTP Errors
      • Static Content
    • Health and Diagnostics
      • HTTP Logging
    • Performance
      • Static Content Compression
    • Security
      • Request Filtering
    • Application Development
      • .NET Extensibility 4.7
      • Application Initialization
      • ISAPI Extensions
      • ISAPI Filters
  • Management Tools
    • IIS Management Console

When done, click Next to progress to the Features screen, and make sure the following options are selected:

  • .NET Framework 4.7 Features
    • .NET Framework 4.7
    • ASP.NET 4.7
    • WCF Services
      • HTTP Activation
      • TCP Port Sharing

When done updating these selections, finish the wizard steps to apply the changes. Note that this may require Internet connectivity to complete.

Database Setup

The Resware Connector for GridBase requires a database residing adjacent to the Resware database. This minimalist database includes copies of Resware stored procedures it relies upon and some custom stored procedures as well. Your organization's Database Administrators (DBAs) can freely review these stored procedures (and compare many against standard Resware stored procedures) as needed.

Database Login and User​

caution

BACKUP YOUR DATABASES!

Before you begin installing or upgrading Resware or the Resware Connector, always take a full backup of existing Resware and GridBase databases as a precaution before you begin.

The first step is to determine whether your configuration will use a SQL Login or a Windows Login to log in to the database server to perform queries. Once the Login is configured in SQL Server, you will need to create the database and add this login as a database user. This user will need permissions to:

  • Execute stored procedures on the GridBase database and on the Resware database.
  • Configure Resware database permissions as specified below...

Stored Procedure Execute Privilege​

Ths simplest way to grant GridBase the necessary execute priveleges is to create a role as follows:

CREATE ROLE dbGridBaseExec
GRANT EXECUTE ON SCHEMA::dbo to dbGridBaseExec

Once done, you can apply the role to mapped user on each (Resware and GridBase) database.

Resware Database Table Permissions​

Table NameSelectInsertUpdateDelete
All Other Tables (*)✓
BuyerSeller✓✓✓
ClosingDisclosureCommonSettlement✓✓
CommonSettlement✓✓✓
FileActionDocumentRel✓✓
FileActionNoteRel✓✓✓
FileActions✓✓✓
FileMain✓✓
FilePartnerRemoteFile✓✓
FinancialInfo✓✓✓
GeneralUser✓✓
PolicyCurative✓✓
PolicyCurativeDocumentRel✓✓
PolicyCurativeNoteRel✓✓
Signing✓✓✓✓
SigningDocumentRel✓✓
SigningNotaryFeesRel✓✓✓
SigningPartyRel✓✓✓✓
TitleReview✓✓
TitleReviewDocumentRel✓✓
TitleReviewNoteRel✓✓
UserRole✓✓

You can also apply these more strict permissions using the script below as a template (and replace [user] with the actual name of the mapped database user).

USE GridBase
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE ON SCHEMA::dbo TO [user]
GO

USE Resware
GRANT SELECT ON SCHEMA::dbo TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.BuyerSeller TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.ClosingDisclosureCommonSettlement TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.CommonSettlement TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.FileActionDocumentRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.FileActionNoteRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.FileActions TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,UPDATE ON dbo.FileMain TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.FilePartnerRemoteFile TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.FinancialInfo TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,UPDATE ON dbo.GeneralUser TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,UPDATE ON dbo.PolicyCurative TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.PolicyCurativeDocumentRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.PolicyCurativeNoteRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE ON dbo.Signing TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.SigningDocumentRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE ON dbo.SigningNotaryFeesRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT,UPDATE,DELETE ON dbo.SigningPartyRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,UPDATE ON dbo.TitleReview TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.TitleReviewDocumentRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.TitleReviewNoteRel TO [user]
GRANT SELECT,INSERT ON dbo.UserRole TO [user]
GO

Install Stored Procedures​

info

IMPORTANT: Do not apply/execute these scripts in the Resware database!

Before you begin, make sure any desired review of the stored procedures scripts has been completed by a Database Administrator (DBA). If the Resware database is not named Resware, the DBA will need to update the stored procedures to reference YourReswareDatabaseName.dbo instead of the default Resware.dbo resources.

Once review is complete, the DBA will need to apply/execute each of the stored procedure scripts (using a tool like SQL Server Management Studio [SSMS]) included with this package in the GridBase database.

App Server Installation

  • Extract the contents of the gridbase-app-connector.zip file to the desired directory for the web site that will run on the app server.
  • Copy the AppServer_Web.config file to the web site's root directory, rename it to web.config, and update its contents as follows:
    • Update the ConnectorApiLogPath to point to a directory where log files can be created by the IIS_USRS group. Make sure this resides in a drive with plenty of spare disk space, and make sure old logs files are periodically purged to maintain disk usage.
    • Update all instances of [web-sever-fqdn] text with the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) configured for the connector's web server.
    • Update all instances of [resware-fqdn] text with the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) of the Resware web server (where the Resware portal, WCF services, and REST APIs reside).
    • Update the remaining, empty values in the appSettings section with the values provided the GridBase team.
    • Update the connectionStrings section to point at your database server for both Resware and GridBase databases.
  • Open IIS Manager on the app server...
  • Expand the server on the left and click Application Pools.
    • Click Add Application Pool on the right. Enter a name of your choosing, set the .NET CLR Version to .NET CLR Version 4.0... and set the Managed pipeline mode to Integrated.
    • If you are using a Windows Login for the database user:
      • Select the Application Pool you just created, and click Advanced Settings... on the right.
      • Under the Process Model section, set the Load User Profile setting to False. Then click the * *[...]** button, select Custom account, click the Set... button, enter the credentials for the Windows/Active Directory user, click **OK** on all 3 dialogs to apply the changes.
  • Expand the Sites folder on the left in IIS Manager
    • To add a new web site, right-click the Sites folder on the left and click Add Website
      • Set the site name as desired (typically the fully qualified domain name / FQDN).
      • Select the Application Pool created above.
      • Set the Physical path to the directory where you extracted the gridbase-app-connector.zip files.
      • Under binding, set the Type to https, set the IP Address and host name if/as needed (based on whether you wish to use SNI or a dedicated IP address for the SSL certificate).
      • Select the valid SSL certificate, and then click OK to start the site.
    • To configure an existing web site (such as the Default Web Site), select the web site on the left...
      • Click Basic Settings... on the right...
        • Select the Application Pool created above.
        • Set the Physical path to the directory where you extracted the gridbase-app-connector.zip files.
        • Click OK.
      • Click Bindings... on the right. If any bindings exist (other than the http binding for any (*) IP Address for the default web site created when IIS is installed), you may want to consider adding a new web site instead, as updating this configuration would replace any existing web site configured here.
        • Click Add...
        • Under binding, set the Type to https, set the IP Address and host name if/as needed (based on whether you wish to use SNI or a dedicated IP address for the SSL certificate).
        • Select the valid SSL certificate, and then click OK.
        • If any http bindings are configured, select and Remove them.
    • Navigate to the web site you configured in a web browser, and make sure you see the GridBase Resware Connector ( App) page.

Web Server Installation

  • Extract the contents of the gridbase-web-connector.zip file to the desired directory for the web site that will run on the app server.
  • Copy the WebServer_Web.config file to the web site's root directory, rename it to web.config, and update its contents as follows:
    • Update the ConnectorApiLogPath to point to a directory where log files can be created by the IIS_USRS group. Make sure this resides in a drive with plenty of spare disk space, and make sure old logs files are periodically purged to maintain disk usage.
    • Update the remaining, empty values in the appSettings section with the values provided the GridBase team.
    • Update all instances of [app-sever-fqdn] text with the fully-qualified domain name (FQDN) configured for the connector's app server.
  • Open IIS Manager on the app server...
  • Expand the server on the left and click Application Pools.
    • Click Add Application Pool on the right. Enter a name of your choosing, set the .NET CLR Version to .NET CLR Version 4.0... and set the Managed pipeline mode to Integrated.
    • Note that this application should always be configured to use Application Pool Identity (which is the default for IIS), as it should not be able to reach the database server directly.
  • Expand the Sites folder on the left in IIS Manager
    • To add a new web site, right-click the Sites folder on the left and click Add Website
      • Set the site name as desired (typically the fully qualified domain name / FQDN).
      • Select the Application Pool created above.
      • Set the Physical path to the directory where you extracted the gridbase-app-connector.zip files.
      • Under binding, set the Type to https, set the IP Address and host name if/as needed (based on whether you wish to use SNI or a dedicated IP address for the SSL certificate).
      • Select the valid SSL certificate, and then click OK to start the site.
    • To configure an existing web site (such as the Default Web Site), select the web site on the left...
      • Click Basic Settings... on the right...
        • Select the Application Pool created above.
        • Set the Physical path to the directory where you extracted the gridbase-app-connector.zip files.
        • Click OK.
      • Click Bindings... on the right. If any bindings exist (other than the http binding for any (*) IP Address for the default web site created when IIS is installed), you may want to consider adding a new web site instead, as updating this configuration would replace any existing web site configured here.
        • Click Add...
        • Under binding, set the Type to https, set the IP Address and host name if/as needed (based on whether you wish to use SNI or a dedicated IP address for the SSL certificate).
        • Select the valid SSL certificate, and then click OK.
        • If any http bindings are configured, select and Remove them.
    • Navigate to the web site you configured in a web browser, and make sure you see the GridBase Resware Connector ( Web) page. All services listed here should show a status of Up.