Would you prefer to host RuleLab.Net on your web server? With the client hosted version of our BRMS you can setup the rule designing environment on your corporate network. The client hosted solution - RuleLab.Net Server - offers the same functionality as the ASP solution, the one hosted on this web site. Fixes and improvements made to RuleLab.Net on our web site are available for download to registered clients. By hosting RuleLab.Net on your server you are getting complete independence from the www.rulelab.net online environment. Your rule designing process will be hosted on your web server where you have full control. Your rules will be stored on your database server.

You have the choice of installing RuleLab.Net Server on your internet or intranet site. The Rules Designer will run off your web server and your database server. Business rules built by your company users can be downloaded as XML files in the same manner as with the ASP version. The BRE itself will be available to developers for download off your RuleLab.Net web site. To your company business users and developers, the entire process looks the same as to the users of the www.rulelab.net site. 

RuleLab.Net Server performs the following functions:

• running the interactive Rules Designer
• maintaining rules persistency via the database
• providing XML, component, samples and other downloads off your RuleLab.Net web site

Software Requirements

Production Server

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003 or better.
• Microsoft Internet Information Services.
• Microsoft.NET Framework 3.5.
• Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 or better.

Rules and other XML documents are stored in a database. You can choose between:

• Embedded Database Engine (SQLite)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or 2005 (if you already own a license) or

SQL Server 2005 Express Edition or SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine (free versions of SQL Server)

Developer Workstation

For testing and evaluation, RuleLab.Net Server can be installed on a Windows XP workstation running the developer editions of IIS 6.0/5.*.

For a complete set of installation instructions please see the Administrator Guide.

Differences between a client-hosted server and the ASP solution

• RuleLab.Net Server is controlled by the Administrator Console that you can launch at http://myserver/admin.aspx upon installing software. The Console lets you configure the database connection, manage user logins, download updates, open help guides, and licensing agreements.
• There is no signup process and no subscription screen. The RuleLab.Net system admin creates user logins and sends the login info to the authorized users.
• Web Service Proxy must be generated off your RuleLab.Net Server asmx page. For more information see the “BRE Integration” section in the online documentation.

Product Support

Technical support is available through email and by phone. We request that each team delegate a Point of Contact who will handle communication with VDE Technologies. The support email address is shown on the main screen of the Administrator Console. The support phone number can be obtained by emailing us. Phone support is limited to critical issues that may disrupt your RuleLab.Net business process.

Product updates can be downloaded from our web site via the Administrator Console. You have to register in order to access the updates.

The support plans include Basic Support and Annual Support Contract. For details please see the RuleLab.Net Server Technical Support document.

Licensing Agreements

RuleLab.Net Server is governed by the Licensing Agreement. Please read it carefully before installing the software.

RuleLab.Net BRE is governed by a separate Licensing Agreement that gives you the right to distribute the developed software.

The Administrator Console main screen displays the exact license type of the Software that you installed which includes both the Server License and the BRE License. You must use the software according to the license type and the actual agreements.

You may only allow access to your RuleLab.Net interactive site to employees and contractors of your organization. This means that only internal users are authorized to use the Rules Designer and to build rules. The developed BRE-driven software, however, can be made available to the outside world. Once the rules and the corresponding BRE software have been developed, they can be distributed per BRE EULA.

With every BRE licenses type, you can use BRE software to develop and host a web service. It can be hosted on the same internet server as the RuleLab.Net Server or on a different internet server. You are allowed to sell such web services to a third party, but you are not allowed to let that third party modify the rules through the Rules Designer. If your business process requires that your client updates the rules via your RuleLab.Net web site then said client has to purchase a RuleLab.Net Server license.

Free trial version

The free trial version is available for evaluating RuleLab.Net server environment. This version has many limitations such as the number of allowed projects/files, maximum number of rules, maximum size of individual rules etc. If you wish to evaluate the rule editing please signup for the online 30-day free trial.

The RuleLab.Net Server free trial version must be uninstalled before installing any other version of RuleLab.Net Server, including a newer free trial. You can uninstall it via Add/Remove programs. This will not affect your RuleLab.Net database and configuration settings but you may have to run an SQL Update script to upgrade your database schema to the newer version.

Related topics

Introduction to RuleLab.Net

RuleLab.Net System architecture