This community thread discusses Do you provide installation / upgrade service? — a topic related to setting up and configuring APG vNext on your server.
Overview
Getting APG vNext running correctly requires proper IIS configuration, a SQL Server database, and correct settings in your web.config file. Common setup issues are typically related to one of these areas.
Common Configuration Checklist
- IIS Application Pool: Set to .NET 4.0 Integrated Pipeline. APG vNext is not compatible with Classic mode.
- Database Connection String: Verify the server name, database name, username, and password in
web.config. - File Permissions: The IIS app pool identity must have read/write access to the
upfilesfolder. - URL Rewriting: Install the IIS URL Rewrite module for SEO-friendly URLs.
- Full-Text Search: Enable Full-Text Indexing in SQL Server for the search feature to work.
Get Help
If you are experiencing an issue not covered here, post in the support forum with your error message and server configuration details. See also: Installation Guide | FAQ
APG vNext Installation and Upgrade Services
Yes - APG vNext provides a professional installation and upgrade service for customers who prefer not to handle the technical setup themselves. The service covers everything from IIS and SQL Server configuration to deploying the application files and running the database setup scripts.
What the Installation Service Covers
- IIS site and application pool creation with correct settings (.NET framework, pipeline mode, identity)
- SQL Server database creation with correct collation and full-text search enabled
- Running APG vNext database setup scripts
- Deploying and configuring the application files
- Configuring web.config (connection string, licence key, SMTP, site URL)
- Smoke-testing the installation: registration, posting, email delivery
What the Upgrade Service Covers
- Backup of current database and application files before upgrading
- Running SQL migration scripts for the target version
- Deploying updated application DLLs and static assets
- Testing all critical paths after upgrade (login, post, search, email)
- Rolling back if critical issues are detected
How to Book
Contact support with your server details (OS version, IIS version, SQL Server version, current APG vNext version if upgrading) and preferred scheduling window. Most installations are completed within 2 hours of scheduling.
Server Requirements for the Installation Service
To use the APG vNext installation service, your server must meet these prerequisites before the installation session begins:
- Windows Server 2016 or later (2019 or 2022 recommended)
- IIS 10 installed with the following features enabled: ASP.NET 4.8, URL Rewrite module, Static Content, Default Document, HTTP Errors, Dynamic Content Compression
- SQL Server 2016 or later (Express edition is supported for smaller forums; Standard or Enterprise recommended for production)
- .NET Framework 4.8 installed on the server
- RDP access for the installation team (or SSH tunnelling arrangements)
- An existing database created with an appropriate name and the correct SQL Server collation (Latin1_General_CI_AS recommended)
If your server doesn't yet have these prerequisites, the APG vNext installation team can install them as part of the service at no additional charge for the prerequisite installation time — the flat service fee covers the full setup regardless of starting state.
Post-Installation Handover
After completing the installation, the APG vNext team provides a written handover document covering: the IIS site and application pool names and settings, the database name and SQL Server login used, the locations of all key configuration files, the admin panel URL and initial admin credentials, and a summary of any deviations from the standard installation that were made for your specific environment. This document is your operational runbook for maintaining the installation going forward and is particularly valuable when onboarding a new system administrator who didn't observe the original installation.
Upgrade Service: Zero-Downtime Approach
For production forums with active members, APG vNext's upgrade service uses a staged approach to minimise downtime. The process: clone the current application to a staging site, run the upgrade on the staging site, verify the upgrade is complete and all features work, then apply the same upgrade to the production site with a 5–10 minute maintenance mode window. This approach catches upgrade-specific issues in staging before they affect production members, and reduces production maintenance time to the minimum required for database migration.
Self-Service vs Managed Installation: Which to Choose
The decision between self-service and managed installation depends on the administrator's familiarity with Windows Server/IIS/SQL Server and the criticality of a successful first installation. For experienced system administrators who have previously installed ASP.NET web applications on IIS, the self-service guide is comprehensive and most installations complete without issues. For administrators new to IIS or SQL Server, the managed installation service eliminates the learning curve and associated trial-and-error time, getting the forum running correctly from day one. The cost of the managed service is typically recovered in saved administrator time within the first day of attempted self-installation for less experienced administrators.
Related Resources
Looking for more help? Browse the support forum or check the Knowledge Base.