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anyone know "database alias" function and merit?

17 replies [Last post]
Tue, 2007-11-13 03:09
Jaegon Jang
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hi, everybody
this morning, i have one question. i’m new user from p3
that is database alias.
i had knew that primavera allow one database per one license. is it right?
anyway Today i tested "database alias" and i added another database alias. but There was no difference between pmdb(default database alias) and new database alias (i named it "test") . to detailed speaking, i added new database alias and then created new project. and then i closed all project and exit project management. after i selected first database "pmdb". surprisingly, "test" project there was. in that case, as you create as many database alias( it limited 10 database ) all database have same project and data, is there any reason add additional database?
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Sun, 2010-02-14 00:55
#1
Tomas Rivera
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Ronald:

Thanks for the clarification.
I must admit I have not read the license agreement and I feel embarrassed. I will need to go and read it.

I thought I was doing the right thing because in order to come up with the arrangement of databases I described, I got help for several days from Primavera until I got everything up and running. They never mentioned anything about the implications with my license.

I understand I still have the obligation to comply with the license agreement.

Also currently, I am only using one production database and will have to make sure it stays that way.

Tomas Rivera
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Thu, 2010-02-11 10:23
#2
Ronald Winter
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Thomas,

I do not mean to ‘rain on your parade,’ but I could not let your statement about the right to have as many P6 databases as desired go unchallenged. If you check your software license, you will find that you are allowed only one “production” database and one “testing” database. I quote from the old Primavera Knowledgebase as follows,

---------------

Solution ID: prim58972

Can a license be applied to multiple production databases?

Status: Reviewed

Version(s): 4.1, 5.0, 6.0

Problem: Can a license be applied to multiple production databases?

Fix: No. License files are to be applied to only one production database. Consult the license agreement for more information.

The only exception to this is for users who travel and have obtained expressed written consent from Primavera Systems, Inc.

NOTE: When absolutely necessary, licenses can be merged or split by Primavera.

Contact Primavera Sales for more information (info@primavera.com).

Fix: SEE ALSO: prim30557 - "Does Primavera allow a testing and production database using the same license file?"

----------------

Solution ID: prim30557

Does Primavera allow a testing and production database using the same license file?

Status: Reviewed

Version(s): 4.0, 4.1, 5.0

Problem: Does Primavera allow a testing and production database using the same license file?

Fix: Yes, having the same license file on both a testing and production database is allowed under the license agreement. A unique serial number license must be used for each production database.

------------

Seeing as the SQL Express license from Microsoft actually allows you to have up to 5 databases per license, this limit of only one production database seems overly restrictive to me but that is what Primavera is demanding.
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Wed, 2010-02-10 18:37
#3
John Hartman
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Has this changed for P6 v7?


"If you are using a Stand-Alone installation (which means your database is on your local machine) Primavera creates a default system admin password:
Login: sa
Password: prima (P5) or Prima123Vera (P6)"
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Fri, 2009-02-13 10:45
#4
Ed Arnold
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Thanks Thomas much appreciated seems to have done the trick.
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Tue, 2009-02-10 20:43
#5
Tomas Rivera
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Ed:

Ali and David gave an explanation about a database and its alias.
Now, about your question about licenses. You can create any number of databases but you can open just one at a time with one license. Therefore, you can have one database for each client or project, or one database for all of them (provided you do not exceed the limit of 4G for each database if using Microsoft SQL Server Express, installed on a standalone setup), and work with all of them with just one license.
I have one named license and have 4 databases. One for old projects, two databases for one big project each, and another for small projects. I just created two more databases for two projects I am bidding on. One database for each project, one of them is a big project and the other a medium size project. I just work with one database at a time.
I hope this helps.

Tomas Rivera
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Tue, 2009-02-10 18:23
#6
David Smith
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An "Alias" is simply a link to a database and can be named whatever you choose.

You might have a situation where your production database is sitting on a server somewhere but you have a stand-alone database running on your local machine that you use as a "sandbox" to test things out before you try them on the production database.

You can create new databases using a tool on CD1.

Browse the CD and go to:
Install\Database\

On P5 - P6.1 run the program called "ConfigAsst.exe"
On P6.2 run the program called "dbsetup.bat"

This utility allows you to create new databases or upgrade existing databases to a new version.

If you are using a Stand-Alone installation (which means your database is on your local machine) Primavera creates a default system admin password:
Login: sa
Password: prima (P5) or Prima123Vera (P6)

The server name defaults to yourcomputername\PRIMAVERA or alternately you can use localhost\primavera

NOTE: You will need your license.txt file to create a new database.

Once you create the new database, you will have to go and create a new Alias to point to it.


David T Smith
TEPCO
www.tepco.us



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Tue, 2009-02-10 13:11
#7
Ali Farhat
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Guys, to make it easier for myself to understand this, i consider the alias as the connection name between the database and primavera.
What Jaegon did is created two different connections to the SAME database...so it obvious that your test project will appear with the two alias.
I am not aware if having multiple databases is allowed...but it can be done in primavera.
all you have to do is to backup your database and restore it in another name using SQL manager. in order to access the new database you have to create another alias that connects to you second database.
Now every change you make to the new database will not appear in the first one.
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Mon, 2009-02-09 04:58
#8
Ed Arnold
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Tomas,

Does one license cover as many database alias as possible? I am trying to set up a shared database for circa 10 users and want to have two databases or databases alias (not sure I understand the terminology) one for all live projects across the group & one for transfering migrated programmes for checking before importing in live database.

Does each user only require the one license & what sort of license would it be

Thanks Ed
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Thu, 2007-11-15 09:38
#9
Mark Chapman
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Jaegon,

I don’y quite follow you nor have I used alias but what is useful to you is that I backup my database daily and sometimes transfer this to my laptop. In my case the database name never changes (pmdb) but potentially I could install anyone one of the 30 backups I have. This proves you can have multiple databases!

There is plenty of documentation on backing up the database and restoring either via PP or Point.

Mark
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Thu, 2007-11-15 04:23
#10
Jaegon Jang
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thanks, Tomas
but i don’t still fully understand.
first. you said that you have as many database as you want with one license. please tell me how to do that
my email is "jang300@hanmail.net"
Actually i had tried add additional database,but i had failed. i have inserted cd1, and click "install another application" but finally program asked my license. when i selected my license which i had used already during install primavera 5.0 . and then program pop up error message. and i heard that primavera allowed one database per one license. ok anyway if you know how to do it.
please let me know that.
second, under one database like "pmdb" . ok i know under one database status can have many database alias. primavera manual says can have 10 database alias. right?
but what i really want to know is, one database can have many database alias, but if every database alias have same project , what’s merit that circumstance?
i think every database have their own project.
ok if you know how make every database alias have their own project.
best regard.
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Tue, 2007-11-13 16:04
#11
Tomas Rivera
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Jaegon:

One more thing.
You can have as many databases as you want with one license.
I currently use 3 databases.

Tomas Rivera
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Tue, 2007-11-13 15:58
#12
Tomas Rivera
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Jaegon:

I think there is a confusion between "database" and "database alias".
"Database" is the name of your database file that resides in your hard disk. If you are using a standalone configuration, then this database is located in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL$PRIMAVERA\Data.
The alias is a name you can use for your database to have more meaning for you. For example, your database can be PMDB and your alias could be "ABC company" or "Current projects" (I do not remember if you can use 2 words). You can even create another database diferent than the deafult PMDB with its respective alias and store or manage diferent projects. The alias can even be the same as the database, for example PMDB. So, it does not make any sense to me to define or configure more than one alias for the same database.
I hope this helps.

Tomas Rivera
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Tue, 2007-11-13 04:47
#13
Karim Mounir
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Well Jaegon, each database is showing its projects only.
There is no way of showing the exact same project onto 2 database unless u made an import/export.
Maybe the Alias "test" that u created is hosted on the same location as of "PMDB" and that’s why u’r seeing the same projects ?

Karim.
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Tue, 2007-11-13 04:17
#14
Jaegon Jang
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Thanks Karim.
As you know, first begin primavera, "login to primavera" windows pop up, and there, you can see three boxes, login name, password, database. and third box "database" and besides ellipse button, when you click that button , you can see database list. and there add or delete database alias.
thanks
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Tue, 2007-11-13 03:48
#15
Jaegon Jang
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thanks,Karim.
"test" is database alias and project name.
but if i will change another name, result is same.
if i add "pmdb1" database alias, and created new project ,it’s name "test", under that database. and then exit project management. after select "pmdb" <-- it is first database alias. but "test" prject was there.
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Tue, 2007-11-13 03:29
#16
Karim Mounir
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Hi Jaegon, ’test’ is a new project or database?, because u stated that ’test’ project there was. Each database will show its own projects, u can only show the same project in other database only if u imported/exported the project into it. Karim
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Tue, 2007-11-13 04:05
#17
Karim Mounir
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Jaegon, may I ask how do u switch this database?
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