Hosting Scriptlink
ScriptLink solutions are developed as custom webservices. A webservice is hosted on a web server.
There are two options for hosting your ScriptLink solution, depending on where your myAvatar instance is hosted:
- In the Netsmart Plexus cloud (if your myAvatar instance is Plexus-hosted).
OR - On your own web server, if you are self-hosting myAvatar.
Plexus-hosted ScriptLink webserver
If you have a Plexus-hosted myAvatar instance and your organization has purchased ScriptLink, the Plexus cloud team will provision a ScriptLink web server for you to use.
ScriptLink web servers have some basic configuration to complete. Generally, you will see the following items have been put in place:
Sites in IIS
In addition to the Default Website, you should see two sites named 'PROD' and 'UAT'.
- The 'PROD' site is generally expected to be used to host code for your production or 'live' instance.
- The 'UAT' site is generally expected to be used for any other instance (SBOX, UAT, and so on) for testing new code before deploying it to the PROD site.
At the time of this writing, the sites are generally configured for non-secure HTTP over port 443. It is recommended that you create a self-signed SSL certificate bound to the IP address for each site, change the existing binding to use port 80, and create a new HTTPS binding using the self-signed certificate.
Intersystems Cache ODBC drivers
The Intersystems Cache ODBC drivers are typically preinstalled by the Plexus cloud team to enable you to connect to your Cache databases.
ODBC DSNs
With the Cache drivers installed, a convenient way to set up connections to your Cache database instances is through DSN connections defined using the ODBC administration tool in Windows.
You should see three connections; one for SBOX, one for UAT, and one for LIVE, all of which should have the correct IP address and port; you need to supply a username and password.
ASP.Net
The Microsoft ASP.Net framework version 4.7 should be installed. If you need to install a newer version of the .Net framework on the server to support your code, you may do so.
Other Software
If you need to install any other software on your ScriptLink server to support your development (PHP, Visual Studio, Web Deployment Agent, and others), you may do so. Be aware that Netsmart supports basic functionality of the operating system, but if you have problems with software you have installed, it is generally your responsibility to troubleshoot and address those problems.
Self-hosted ScriptLink server
If you have a self-hosted ScriptLink server, the responsibilities and capabilities available depend on what the administrators of that server provide. Netsmart may be able to provide assistance with configuration or troubleshooting of self-hosted servers if there is an appropriate agreement or project in place to cover any work that needs to be done.
Ports and Connectivity
Whether Plexus-hosted or self-hosted, myAvatar communicates with a ScriptLink web server using HTTP or HTTPS (Secure HTTP).
For ScriptLink, this communication takes place between the middleware server and the ScriptLink server and not between the myAvatar client software and the ScriptLink server.
- HTTP traffic uses TCP port 80 by default.
- HTTPS traffic uses port 443 by default.
- The network connection between the myAvatar middleware server and the ScriptLink web server needs to allow traffic on ports 80 and 443.
- Your ScriptLink web application should be configured to use HTTPS on port 443 unless your myAvatar administrator has configured ScriptLink to use HTTP on port 80.
- You may need to generate a self-signed certificate bound to the IP address for your website.