DNN Requirements

Requirements

Ideally you would run DotNetNuke from a Windows 2003 platform, including IIS 6 as a webserver (Win 2000 and IIS 5 is possible but less preferable).

Depending on the DNN versions you would like to run (DNN 3.* or DNN 4.* available now) you will have to have the .net Framework version 1.* or 2.* installed on the webserver. DNN 4. will only run on the 2.* framework, dnn 3.* on both.

(Note: most non core freely available and commercial DNN modules aren't there for the 4.* version yet).

Below you'll find some more details on what is needed. Depending on the exact situation and your needs some details might be different of course. A graphic guide of what is needed/ possible for an installation can also be found at:

Help/DotNetnuke setup

- To run the DNN cms v. 3.3.2. the following hardware/software is needed:
* a server running Windows 2000 or 2003 Operating System
* .Net framework v1.1.4322 or v2.0.50727 installed on the (web)server
* IIS 5.0 or 6.0 (webserver)
* Ms Sql server 2000 or 2005 (database)

If using Windows 2000 - IIS5: - the {Server}/ASPNET user account must have Read, Write, and Change Control of the root application directory ( this allows the application to create files/folders )

If using Windows 2003 - IIS6: - the {Server}/NetworkService user account must have Read, Write, and Change Control of the root application directory ( this allows the application to create files/folders )

- For security and performance reasons preferably the database should be running from a different machine than the webserver, although they could run from the same server.

- To install the DNN cms it must be possible to ftp the webfiles to the webserver.

- It must be possible to access the Ms Sql database from the (aspx) webfiles.

- An emtpy database could be created separately by a hostingprovider (in case you don't run your won server), but it must be possible to access the database either through a webenabled client or rather directely from Ms Sqlserver Enterprise manager or Ms Studio Express 2005.

(Note: this is mainly for maintenance reasons; the initial creation of tables etc. will be done automatically from the webpages).

- For a start you would need webspace for a database of about 50 Mb.

- The DNN webfiles take about 15 Mb. of webspace.

[Previous info]

What do you need to do a proper install of a DNN website besides the free open source software?

Although it's probably possible to set up DNN to run on different platforms and in different configurations, here we will focus on the best possible setup to get the maximum benifit and performance from the websitesoftware.

Requirements for a basic/default DotNetNuke installation (v. 3.1.1.)

Hardware

- any modern type pc, laptop or server
- as long as the machine can function as a webserver and/ or dataserver
- of course you probably don't want to use your pc or laptop other than for development purposes
- the latest version of DotNetNuke is suited to work in a webfarm surrounding as well
- ideally & mainly for security reasons, you might want to separate the webserver from the database(server); for this however you need two machines.

Software

Operating System
- XP Pro or Windows Server 2003 (all versions possible)

.Net Framework
- Your computer/ server needs to have the latest version of the .Net Framework installed (v1.1.4322 or 2.*). You can download the .Net Framework software from the Microsoft website for free.

Webserver
- The webserver (www and smtp options) should be installed; it comes with the O.S. software but is not installed by default, just go to: Control Panel/ Add or Remove Programs/ Windows Components/ select IIS; the webserver MS IIS 5.0 or 6.0 is installed

Database
- Dotnetnuke comes with a default dataprovider that connects to a Sqlserver database. To set up the database you need MS Sqlserver 2000 or MSDE 2000.
- MS Sqlserver 2000 is the fullblown software to create and manage databases.

- MSDE 2000 (sql server desktop engine) is freely available, however it's a command-line utility
- To manage and adminster your MSDE database you can freely download SQL Server Web Data Administrator, which will provide a webbased interface (GUI)

- It is possible to run DotNetNuke from different databases (Oracle, Access, MySql etc.), however only the MS Sqlserver dataprovider comes default with the installation. To get the other ones working, you will need to do some programming.

..... and thats it!

Software Update - Nov. 16th 2005

Meanwhile the DotNetNuke Core Team hasn't been sleeping much lately. New versions 3.2 and 4.0 have been released, along with the release of Microsofts new asp.net version 2.0.

Along with the .Net Framework version 2.0 two completely free and new databasetools have become available:

- Sql Server 2005 Express (database) and
- Sql Server Management Studio Express (management tool).

Both perfect tools to setup and maintain the DNN databases.

On top of all this there's the free development tool (programmers IDE):
- Visual Web Developer 2005 Express Edition

A tool perfectly suited to develop and program websites in C# and/ or VB.net, including DotNetNuke.

And now, for real, there's more... The new DNN 4.0 version was released along with a so called Starter Kit.

This Kit perfectly integrates the DNN 4.0 version with the Visual Web Developer tool and comes with some basic templates to start programming your own DotNetNuke Modules.

It couldn't have been made much easier, much cheaper! Except for the hardware and the operating system it's possible to get your webportal up and running for FREE.