Continua Database Options

Before installing Continua CI Server, you will need to decide which database engine should be used for the Continua CI environment.

PostgreSQL (Default)

The default database option for Continua is PostgreSQL 9.6.15. PostgreSQL is an open source fully functional client server database engine. If you choose PostgreSQL, a full copy of it will be installed under the Continua application folder. The installer will automatically install the database engine and create the database. Note that PostgreSQL will be installed on a non standard port, and it will be configured to only accept connections from localhost.

SQL Server

If Continua should be configured to use SQL Server then you will need to create the database first, and then select the database server and name during the install. We recommend that the Continua database should be named something recognisable, such as 'Continua'.

Database Migration between PostgreSQL and SQLServer

Continua does not provide any data migration facilities between PostgreSQL and SQL Server. If you decided to change from one to the other at a later date you will need to use a third party tool to migrate data.

Continua Authentication Modes

Continua supports three authentication modes which dictate how users can login to Continua:

  • Forms Authentication: Users can only access Continua once a Continua user has been created for them. This is your standard web login model where every user must login to Continua before they are able to use the application.
  • LDAP Authentication: Users access Continua using their Windows account and Active Directory.
  • Mixed Authentication: This mode is a mix of both Forms and LDAP authentication where users can login to Continua with either their Windows account or a standard web login account.

LDAP and Mixed Authentication Considerations

If you wish to use either LDAP or Mixed authentication mode, ensure that you have details of the Fully Qualified Domain Name and have set up a Continua Administrators group in Active Directory. This group is just a standard Active Directory group however every user that is a part of this group will automatically be granted Administrator access to Continua. This group can have any name but make sure that it contains at least one user who should be given administrative access to Continua.

ASP.NET and Static Content

Continua requires ASP.NET to be installed on your Continua Server before the installer is run. If running on IIS7 and IIS7.5 (Windows 2008 and Windows 2012), this feature is located in the Windows Features dialog under Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Application Development Services → ASP.NET. In IIS6 (Windows Server 2003), this can be installed by selecting Enable ASP.NET on the Application Server Options dialog accessed by choosing Application Server (IIS, ASP.NET) from the Configure You Server Wizard.

Continua requires Static Content to be enabled on your Continua Server before the installer is run. If running on IIS7 and IIS7.5 (Windows 2008 and Windows 2012), this feature is located in the Windows Features dialog under Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services→ Common HTTP Features → Static Content. There is no need to do anything if running IIS6 (Windows Server 2003).

Continua CI Server Installation Complete

Once the server installer has finished, it will give you an option to install an Agent on the same machine. Keep in mind that you can easily disable the agent at a later date if you no longer wish to have it running on the machine.

Step by Step Install Instructions

  1. Download the Continua CI installer from the VSoft Technologies web site. You do not need to download the Agent installer as it is included in the main installer.
  2. While being logged in as a user with Administrative rights, start the installer.
  3. The installer will check that the prerequisites are installed.
  4. If an earlier version of Continua is already installed, you will be provided with the options to keep or update your existing settings.
  5. If you have not elected to keep your existing settings, the next page will allow you to configure which Windows user account that the Continua service will run under. It is important to select a user that has full permission on the Continua share folder (which is configured on the following screen).
  6. Specify the existing Continua share folder, or the new Continua share folder's name and path. This Continua share folder will be used to host the server's workspace and repository caches, it will also be accessed by the agents when syncing source files.
  7. Select which database engine should be used in the Continua environment. It is recommended to use the default (PostgreSQL) option as it requires no additional configuration to get started. If you choose to use any other option, make sure the user specified in the previous screen has access to the database (if using integrated security).
  8. If this is a new installation you can now configure the web site and application pool details, or leave these as recommended default values.
  9. Follow the rest of the instructions to complete the installation of the Continua server, once installation has completed, you will be prompted whether to start the Continua Application service, Continua SSH service, and whether to begin the Continua Agent installation.