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Version: 6.0

Networking Overview

Case Manager Networking Diagram

In the local client-server environment, you need to enable communication between the workstation and the server by opening ports in your firewall settings, and sharing files on the server with the workstations.

Firewall​

The following port should be opened in the firewall for inbound communication:

  • TCP Ports
    • 3050 - The Firebird Database Engine uses this port by default to allow database queries to be executed.
    • 3737 - The instance directory uses port 3737 to handle connection details requests from the workstations. By default, the Time- and Queue Servers also make use of port 3737 for requests from the workstations .Even though this is configurable in the Time Server Settings and Queue Server Settings, we suggest using the default port.
  • UDP Ports
    • 3702 - The standard port for WS-Discovery technology that the Instance Directory service uses to be detectable on the network.

Using WS-Discovery allows a workstation to discover the Instance Directory on a local network, wherever it is installed. For this reason it is very important that only one Instance Directory service runs on the entire local network. Furthermore, it is worth noting that this technology will not work on all local networks:

  • Certain antivirus applications do not allow WS-Discovery even when their firewalls are disabled. In many of these cases, we moved to Microsoft’s Windows Defender with which we’ve never had a problem.
  • Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) often do not work well with discoverable services. For these sites, we’ve implemented a direct connection to the Instance Directory (without discovery) either by
    • Setting the network name of the server to casemanager
    • Run the DirectInstanceDirectoryUri.reg (CaseManagerTools) with the server address set, on all workstations. This will bypass the discovery process and always connect to the Instance Directory at the server as set up. With this approach, however, a (very rare) change in the Instance Directory location will not be automatically detected.

File Sharing​

Case Manager requires access to files on the server from the workstation. For security purposes it may be best not to share the entire CaseManager folder but only the necessary files.

CaseManagerApps​

The workstations do not run applications directly from the server location, instead install the applications locally using Microsoft’s ClickOnce technology. During installation the network path used to access the installation is recorded and used, in subsequent times the application is opened locally, to check whether an update is available on the server. The CaseManagerApps folder contains the applications that may be installed on workstations, and can be shared on the network as read only. From a workstation, you will access this network location and browse to the relevant application’s setup.exe file to install. When in the future a new version is copied into the CaseManagerApps folder, the workstations will automatically be updated.

CaseManagerAttachments​

When using the Attachments File Share extension, you can set up the attachment location to the CaseManagerAttachments folder (in the Extension Settings). Since users will add attachments, full access (read and write) is required when sharing this folder on the network. An alternative extension that makes file attachments available via FTP is also available, should you not wish to share the attachment file location on the network directly.

CaseManagerExtensions​

Even though extension files are usually copied to the CaseManagerExtensions folder, the actual extension DLL is stored within the database and does not require sharing on the network. Certain extensions, however, include extension-specific tools and applications to be accessible to the workstations. In these cases, you may share the CaseManagerExtensions folder as read only on the network. Workstations will then be able to install the required extension application using a similar process as with the standard applications in CaseManagerApps.

CaseManagerReports​

When printing reports or documents in Case Manager, access to the Crystal Reports template is required. Case Manager introduced a mechanism where the template files are stored within the database and not accessed anymore via the file share to CaseManagerReports (report location specified in the Case Manager Settings) . This however requires the legacy file-based templates be migrated into the database (which can be done from the Document Templates or Report Templates in the Configuration Tools). The CaseManagerReports folder at this stage is only used to migrate into the database the templates used. If the migration process is done on the server and not the workstations, and all printing thereafter is done on migrated templates, file access to this folder is not required.