Using an Existing IIS Webserver (Windows Platforms)

By default, Urchin 5 administration and reporting are done using a standalone Apache server that is bundled with the Urchin product. In the vast majority of Urchin installations, this is the preferred method for delivering Urchin admin and reporting interfaces. However, in rare instances it may be necessary to utilize an existing IIS webserver. This may be due to site requirements that disallow the use of a third party webserver product on the server, or the need to set up Urchin reporting as a virtual host on an existing IIS server.

DISCLAIMER: These modifications to the Urchin installation are unsupported and fall outside the scope of the standard Urchin free and paid support plans. Any assistance rendered to set up or debug these configurations will be done at Urchin Software Corporation's standard Hourly Support rate.

Procedure

Note: this procedure assumes that Urchin has been installed in the default location of C:\Program Files\Urchin. If you have installed Urchin elsewhere, please be sure to substitute the proper location in the example below.

Step 1: Create a new user for the Urchin web interface

1. Go to "Administrative Tools -> Computer Management
2. On the left hand side of the Computer Management screen, click "Local Users and Groups"
3. Right-click on the Users folder and select "New User..."
4. Enter "IUSR_URCHIN" in the "User name:" field
5. Uncheck the "User must change password at next logon" box
6. Check the "User cannot change password" box
7. Click "Create" and then "Close"
8. Double click on the"Users" folder on the left
9. Right-click on the IUSR_URCHIN on the right and select "Properties..."
10. Under the "Member of" tab, remove all existing entries, and then click the "Add.." button and choose "Guests" in the popup window, and click "Add" again, then click "OK"
11. Click "Apply" and "Close" to save your changes

Step 2: Install Urchin (if not already done)

Step 3: Disable the Urchin Apache web server

1. Go to Administrative Tools -> Services
2. Under Services find Urchin Webserver
3. Right click on Urchin Webserver and select Stop
4. Right click on Urchin Webserver and select Properties, then change the Startup type to Disabled
5. Click OK

Step 4: Added a new web site to IIS

1. Go to Administrative Tools -> Internet Services Manager
2. Right-click on your server's name and select New and then Web Site
3. In the Description: field type Urchin and click Next
4. Select the IP address and port number (typically 9999) and click Next
5. In the Path: field browse to the location where Urchin is installed (typically C:\Program Files\Urchin\htdocs) and click Next
6. Add a check mark in Execute: and click Next and then Finish
7. Right-click on the new Urchin web site and go to Properties
   1. Under the Web Site tab, un-check Enable Logging
   2. Click on the Home Directory tab and check Script source access
   3. Click on the Documents tab and Remove both Default entries, then click Add and enter "session.cgi" in the popup window, then click OK.
   4. Click on the "Directory Security" tab, and then click Edit in the "Anonymous access and authentication control" area. Ensure that the "Anonymous access" box is checked, then click Edit... to change the "Account used for anonymous access". In the pop-up window, select "IUSR_URCHIN" for the Username. Click OK and then OK again to get back to the Properties window.
   5. Click OK to save your changes and exit the Properties window

Step 5: Set up directory permissions

1. Right click on Start and select Explore
2. Navigate to the location where Urchin is installed (typically C:\Program Files\Urchin)
3. Right click on the Urchin folder and select Properties
4. Click on the Security tab
5. Un-check "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object" and then click Remove in the pop-up window.
6. Click Add and select the Administrator user and then click Add
7. Click Add and select IUSR_URCHIN and then click Add
8. In the Name: field ensure that only the Administrator and IUSR_URCHIN entries are there
9. Ensure that only the following permissions are allowed for both the Administrator and IUSR_URCHIN users:
   • Read & Execute
   • List Folder Contents
   • Read
10. Click OK to save the permissions.
11. Click into the Urchin folder in the Windows Explorer window.
12. Right click on the data folder and select Properties
13. Click on the Security tab.
14. Un-check "Allow inheritable permissions from parent to propagate to this object" and then click Remove in the pop-up window.
15. Click Add and select the Administrator user and then click Add
16. Click Add and select IUSR_URCHIN and then click Add
17. In the Name: field ensure that only the Administrator and IUSR_URCHIN entries are there
18. Ensure that the following permissions are allowed for both the Administrator and IUSR_URCHIN users:
    • Full Control
    • Modify
    • Read & Execute
    • List Folder Contents
    • Read
    • Write
19. Click OK

Your IIS webserver should now be set up to call the Urchin web interface if you connect to it using the URL of http://my.server.com:port, where port is what you set Urchin to use when you installed it (default is 9999).