Services

iCore runtime relies on a number of applications and services, as shown in the image below.

Windows services

iCore runs the following services in the operating system:

Display name	Service name	Comment
iCore Server - [System name]	iCoreProcessServer_SystemID	System service, required for running processings on the machine.
iCore Management Service	iCoreMgmtSvc	Responsible for running various administrative tasks, for example starting an iCore system. See Management service.
iCore System Access Service	iCoreSASvc	Provides services that allow access to the iCore systems attached to the computer, for example via the Web Administrator.

iCore Service

The iCore service is responsible for running the iCore system. The service manages the worker hosts of the system. In a clustered iCore system, the service uses UDP to communicate with other services. It also communicates with the management service on the local computer.

• The user account under which the service (and also its worker hosts) are running is configured when the service is installed.
• The iCore service uses named pipes and MSMQ to communicate with worker hosts on the local computer, and MSMQ to communicate with iCore Services on other servers.
• The iCore service must run with credentials required to access the iCore database (if Windows Authentication is configured for any attached iCore system).
• The name of the iCore Service process is EServer3.exe.

iCore Management Service

For more information, see Management service.

System Access Service (SAS)

SAS is a Windows service which is installed along with the Web Administrator feature. The purpose of the service is to provide services that allow access to the iCore system(s) attached to the computer. SAS communicates with the Web Administrator client via named pipes or TCP, note however that named pipes will only work if both applications are installed on the same computer. It is also responsible for managing the SAS WorkerHosts (see below), used for executing  Component definitions on the iCore system, for example when viewing the custom tracking page in the Web Administrator.

• SAS is initially configured to run as "Local System", but this can be changed to another account if desired (done under Windows services on the local machine). The account must have the privileges required to start executables on the machine.
• SAS must run with credentials required to access the iCore database (if Windows Authentication is configured for any attached iCore system).  
• The name of the SAS process is iCoreSASvc.exe.

IIS services

Web Administrator client

The Web Administrator is a web application running in IIS. It communicates with the System Access Service (SAS) to provide access to the iCore system. It does not need to be set up to run on the same computer as SAS, even though this is the most common scenario. The communication with SAS uses Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), and can be customized in the web.config file of the web application if desired.

SAS Proxy

The SAS Proxy is an optional service (running in IIS) which is used to relay traffic to the System Access Service from an external network or DMZ. For example, if you want users to be able to access the Web Administrator via the Internet – but do not want to allow incoming connections directly to your network – we recommend installing the SAS Proxy service on a server in your DMZ.  

Processes

SAS WorkerHost

SAS WorkerHost is an executable that is launched by SAS. Several instances of the executable can be running on the computer at any one time, depending on how SAS is configured. Each SAS WorkerHost can run one or more Component definitions at any one time (again, depending on how they are configured). The WorkerHosts communicate with SAS over named pipes, and cannot be accessed outside of the computer on which they are running.

• The SAS WorkerHosts run under the same credentials as SAS, which may require that you take into consideration what credentials the components they will run require. The WorkerHosts also communicate back to the requestor of any service.
• The name of the SAS WorkerHost process is iCore.SAS.WorkerHost.exe.

Since the Web Administrator currently offers limited functionality, the only Component definitions run by SAS Workerhosts are custom tracking pages.

iCore WorkerHost

The iCore WorkerHost processes are responsible for running Components in the system. They are managed and started by the iCore Service when the iCore system is started. The number of WorkerHosts and simultaneously running Components is configured in the iCore system.

• The WorkerHost processes use named pipes for communication with the iCore service on the local computer, as well as MSMQ for communication with iCore services on any computer. They run under the same credentials as the iCore service.
• The name of the iCore WorkerHost process is EWorkerHost.exe.