FMS Service Internal Database

CygNet Measurement > FMS Service > Internal Database

Using the FMS Internal Database

CygNet Measurement supports an internal database that you can use to operate FMS with the same functionality while being completely independent from a Microsoft SQL Server database. Before making a decision, consider the differences between the database implementation options. For most use cases where FMS is running in a production environment, it is still recommended that the service be connected to a Microsoft SQL Server database instead of using the internal database option. When the internal database option is deemed appropriate, set up the internal database via the FMS configuration file.

Using the Internal Database vs. Microsoft SQL Server

The FMS Internal Database is built completely into the FMS service, without external dependencies or drivers.

Some cases where the FMS Internal Database may be useful include the following.

Test environment
Small production environment
Field office environment with a short retention period, that replicates back to the corporate office

One case where the FMS Internal Database is not recommended is in a medium to high-use production environment.

Differences Between the Internal Database and Microsoft SQL Server

The following table describes some of the differences between the two implementation options.

Issue	Internal Database	Microsoft SQL Server
Size limit	50 gigabytes*	524 petabytes
Cost	No additional license expense	Requires purchase of Microsoft SQL Server license
Setup	No setup	Requires installation of Microsoft SQL Server Requires installation of an OLE DB driver on the computer hosting the FMS service
Performance	Runs on the same computer as the FMS service, which may also be shared with other CygNet services Not optimal for performance in high-concurrency environments, where multiple users are making edits at the same time	Is typically installed on a high-end server dedicated to the Microsoft SQL Server Performs well in high-concurrency environments, where multiple users can make edits at the same time
Hard disk drive	Multiple instances of an internal database must each be located on separate hard disk drives	Multiple SQL servers can co-exist on a single hard disk drive
Maximum Nodes	2000	50,000
Maintenance	Simple process to back up the database, since it is a single file	Requires operator(s) with Microsoft SQL Server knowledge to maintain and back up the database

* Note: When using the FMS Internal Database, it is recommended that you set up your system to alarm if the size of the internal database gets too large. To do so, create a Service Monitoring Service (SVCMON) point with the uniform data code (UDC) SVMFMSDBSI - Size of Database (MB) to alarm if the value exceeds 40960 MB (40 GB). See Service Monitoring for more information.

Setting Up the Internal Database

Use the following procedure to set up use of the FMS Internal Database by configuring a few service keyword values in the FMS configuration file.

Note: If setting up replication for your system, each database name must be unique. See FMS Data Synchronization for more information.

To Set Up the FMS Service to Use the Internal Database

On your host server, open the FMS configuration file (CygNet\Services\FMS\fms.cfg). See Service Configuration Files and FMS Configuration File Keywords for more information.
In the Database Info section, make the following modifications.

Set the DB_PROVIDER keyword to INTERNAL.
Set the DB_SERVER keyword to the file name and path of the database created for your FMS Service.
Notes:
If a database directory is specified, it must exist or the service will not start.
If the database doesn’t exist, then it will be created when the FMS service is first started.
If no database directory is specified, then the file will be created/read from the same directory as the FMS service. Do not share the FMS database file across a network.
The DB_CATALOG keyword is optional when using the FMS Internal Database. It can be commented out or deleted. If provided, it will be ignored.
The DB_USERNAME and DB_PASSWORD keywords are not applicable when using the internal database. They can either be commented out or deleted.
Optionally set the DB_QUERYTIMEOUT keyword.
Optionally set the DATA_RETENTION keyword.

Save the settings and close the file.
Start or Restart the FMS service.