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Setting up the Dynamics SL Data Gateway for Popdock

Published: Sep 01, 2023

Setting up the Dynamics SL Data Gateway for Popdock

Published: Sep 01, 2023

Pre-requisites:

– Internet Information Services (IIS) installed on the server that hosts the gateway (How to install IIS)

– Install the .NET Core Hosting Bundle (Note: As of 06/06/2023 the latest version is v6.0.16)

– Have an SSL/TLS certificate (Wildcard is recommended)

– Have an externally facing URL that will be bound to the gateway for the web service (i.e., www.example.com, localhost will NOT work for this)

– Whitelist the Popdock IP addresses listed on our website here

Hardware Requirements:

– Microsoft Windows Server 2012 or higher

– 8GB of RAM

IIS needs to be installed BEFORE the .NET Core Hosting Bundle. You may need to restart IIS after installing the bundle. To do so, open the command prompt as Administrator and run the command iisreset.

 

Installation and Setup Steps

1. Download the Dynamics SL Gateway.

2. Install the Gateway following the steps below:

a) Select Next in the installer to begin.

Dynamics SL Gateway Setup

b) Select the desired folder where the files will be installed. By default, the Program Files (x86) directory will be chosen.

Dynamics SL Select Installation Folder

c) Provide the credentials to connect to the SQL Server that hosts the Dynamics SL data.

· Server: The local address and the instance to the SQL Server, and the port as necessary (ex. Demo1SQL,49721).

· System Database: The name of the Dynamics SL System database (i.e. SL System).

· Username: The desired SQL Server user. This user does not need to be “sa” but they must have access to be able to read the SYS tables in order to access the metadata.

· Password: The password for the SQL Server user listed above.

Dynamics SL Connection Settings

d) Choose the Authentication type that Popdock will use to connect with the Gateway. We highly recommend using Token as it is easier and more secure, but we will cover Basic authentication as well.

Token Selection in Dynamics SL gateway setup

· Token

Create a Token that will be used by Popdock to connect. The Token can be created however you like whether through a random generator or a custom one. Store this value somewhere safe for later use.

· Basic Authentication

Create a Username and Password that will be used by Popdock to connect to the gateway.

Basic Authentication Setting in Dynamics SL Gateway Setup

e) Select Install to finish the process.

Install step for Dynamics SL Data Gateway Setup

If Using Token, continue with the following steps:

Once you have finished up with the installer, go to the Dynamics SL data Gateway folder in your file browser and open the appsettings.json file.

(C:\Program Files (x86)\Popdock\Dynamics SL data Gateway\appsettings.json)

File Explorer showing the appsettings.json file.

Inside the appsettings.json file, delete everything within the password line from the authentication section of the file EXCEPT the double quotes (The Gateway installer will automatically encrypt the blank field of the password section for basic authentication, and this will error out during the validation of the connector).

After this is deleted, save the file, and continue onto the IIS section of the Gateway setup process.




If using Basic Authentication, continue with the following steps:


Once you have finished up with the installer, go to the Dynamics SL data Gateway folder in your file browser and open the appsettings.json file.

(C:\Program Files (x86)\Popdock\Dynamics SL data Gateway\appsettings.json)

File Explorer showing the appsettings.json file.

Inside the appsettings.json file, delete everything within the token line from the authentication section of the file EXCEPT the double quotes (The Gateway installer will automatically encrypt the blank token section for token authentication, and this will error out during the validation of the connector).

After this is deleted, save the file, and continue onto the IIS section of the Gateway setup process.

 

3. Add the Gateway to an existing website within the IIS Manager.

a) In IIS Manager, right-click Application Pools and then select Add Application Pool.

Application Pool in IIS

b) Name the Application Pool something related to the SL Gateway, for example DynamicsSLGateway.

Add Application Pool window in IIS.  The Name field has been populated with DynamicsGPGateway.

c) Expand the Sites node in IIS Manager and then select the site in which you want to add the Dynamics SL Gateway. For example, you could add it to the Default Website). Right-click and then select Add Application.

IIS window showing the right-click menu of the Default Web Site.  Add Application is selected.

d) In the Alias field, name the application something simple, for example DynamicsSLGateway. You could use something simpler like SL Gateway, as well. Choose the Application Pool from the previous step and then select the path used to install the Gateway in Step 2b. Then select OK.

Add Application window.  The Alias field has been filled in with DynamicsGPGateway.

4. Ensure the Gateway is properly bound with SSL security and is externally facing.

a) In IIS Manager, go to the site that you installed the Gateway on. In the upper right-hand corner, select Bindings.

IIS window with Binding highlighted.

b) In the bindings menu, select Add and within the Edit Site Binding window, change the Type to https, leave the IP address as All Unassigned and the Port will be set to 443 (if you are using a nonstandard port use that instead). From there, add in the Host name as mentioned in the pre-requisites. Then select the SSL certificate that will be used for this binding. Finally, select OK.

Edit Site Bindings window.

‍5. Once the SSL security is setup, return to the site in IIS and select the new web service URL on the right-side. Browse to the site to make sure the Gateway is working.

IIS window with the new web service URL highlighted.

If everything is correct and setup properly, you will get this screen when you browse to the Gateway site.

Results of browsing to the new gateway.  It shows the message "Your Dynamics GP gateway is up and running."

6. Return to your Popdock web application and add your new SL Connector.

a) In Popdock, select Connectors from the left navigation to open the Connectors page.

Main menu in Popdock with Connectors highlighted.

b) Select Add Connector from the Settings Menu on the left side of the page and select Dynamics SL from the list of connectors.

The Dynamics SL connector.

c) From the Connection type dropdown list, select the connection type you choose during the setup (Token or Basic Authentication).

 

· Gateway with Token Authentication: In the Gateway URL field, choose the URL that you used in IIS, then use the Token you created previously.

Add connector page with the Connector type set to Gateway with token authentication.

· Gateway with Basic Authentication: In the Gateway URL field, choose the URL you used in IIS, then use the Username and Password that you created previously.

Add connector page with the Connector type set to Gateway with basic authentication.

d) Select Validate from the Action menu to ensure that Popdock can connect to the SL Gateway.

e) Select Connect from the Action menu to start the process of creating the Dynamics SL lists in Popdock.

Have questions about your Dynamics SL Gateway? Contact support@eonesolutions.com.

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