InsNo Comparison Service

Overview

The InsNo Comparison Service checks that the installations on two SBN systems match. "InsNo" is short for installation number — the unique number that identifies each monitored installation (account) in SBN. The service is used where installations are kept in step between a primary system and a secondary system, and it watches for any installation that exists on one but is missing from the other.

On a fixed timer the service reads the list of installation numbers from the primary system and from the secondary system and compares them. If every installation on the secondary is also present on the primary, nothing happens. If the primary has installations the secondary does not, the service emails a list of the missing installation numbers so the discrepancy can be investigated.

The service can optionally do more than report. When the reinsert option is turned on, each missing installation is queued back into CopyTask so that it is copied across and the two systems are brought back into agreement on the next pass.

The service requires a working connection to both the primary and the secondary SBN data servers; if either connection cannot be established at start-up, the service logs the reason and stops.

Service Manager

Instructions for installing and interacting with this service is found here.

Service Properties

Only properties specific to this service are listed here. Common service properties (SBN Server connection, Logging, SMTP) are found here.

Secondary Server

The connection to the second SBN data server. The SBN Server connection on the common properties is the primary system; this is the secondary system it is compared against. The two installation lists are read one from each, and any installation found on the primary but not on the secondary is reported.

Timer (In Minutes)

How often the service runs a comparison. The service waits this many minutes between cycles, then re-reads both installation lists and compares them again.

Reinsert Missing Installations Into Copytask

When enabled, any installation found on the primary but missing from the secondary is queued back into CopyTask, so it is copied across and the two systems are brought back into agreement. When left off, the service only reports the discrepancies by email and makes no changes.

Verbose Logging

When enabled, the service writes extra detail to its log, including a note on each pass when no discrepancies are found. Normally left off to keep the log concise.