NextGen® (formerly Mirth) Connect 3.7.0 HL7 Integration Engine new installation on Server 2016 with Microsoft SQL Express 2017
First off long time no post here on my blog, but thought this one might help other people out having difficulty in installing the latest version of Mirth (NextGen) Connect into a Microsoft SQL or SQL Express environment.
In this quick rundown I will explain how I created a new Mirth Connect installation using Microsoft SQL Express 2017 and OpenJDK.
Mirth Connect, now called NextGen Connect is a powerful open source HL7 integration engine with many features and a huge online community of resources and help.
A big piece of the puzzle is Java. Oracle will no longer support Java 8 and free updates at the end of 2020. Basically starting in 2019 companies will have to license Java 11 (what happened to 9 & 10?) and the runtime be embedded or included as part of the fees. Consumers will no longer have access to free Java runtime environment. (link:https://www.java.com/en/download/release_notice.jsp)
Mirth Connect has relied heavily on Java for running. The good part is they do support not only Java 11, but the open source project OpenJDK.
In this install I will be using the OpenJDK 11 compressed file as there is not an MSI or installer available for download.
Our company currently has a Mirth connect 3.0 server running on the embedded (Derby) database on MS Windows Server 2008. Version 3.0 is long past due and MS Windows Server 2008 support expires January 14, 2020 making it no longer HIPAA compliant.
Used in this install are:
Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard (Windows 10 would work as well) - 64-bit operating system.
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Express - link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55994
NextGen Connect Integration Engine 3.7.0 - link: https://www.nextgen.com/products-and-services/NextGen-Connect-Integration-Engine-Downloads
OpenJDK 11 (Java) - link: https://jdk.java.net/11/
Optional but to me important, SQL Server Management Studio - link: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-2017
Load the bare minimum Server 2016 / Windows 10, mine are joined to a domain.
I use the Add Roles and Features (Turn Windows features on or off) to enable Simple TCP/IP services (echo) and Telnet Client, both good tools in troubleshooting HL7 port connections.
Extract the OpenJDK file into C:\Program Files\Java\
We need to allow the system to know where Java is by setting the Environment Variables.
Go to Control Panel and System, under the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.
In here click on Path, Edit, and New to put a path variable to our Java bin folder (C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.2\bin).
In System variables we want to click New and add "JAVA_HOME" with our Java jdk path (C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.2\).
SQL Server 2017 Express does not have an offline installer at this time unless you use the download media option.
The online installer will download 700-800MB of files to start installation.
Install SQL Server 2017 Express using Custom with minimal components.
Use the default Named instance, if you change it keep track of the instance name.
I recommend installing in Mixed Mode and create a hard password for the sa account. Don't forget to give an Administrator account to it as well in case of forgotten sa password.
Once SQL install completes, install the Management Studio. Current version is 17.9.1 at the time of this writing.
Mirth will need to use a TCP connection (default port 1433) to the SQL Express. By default this is disabled.
Launch SQL Server 2017 Configuration Manager that was installed with SQL Express.
Go down to SQL Server Network Configuration. Under Protocols double click TCP/IP.
In the Protocol tab set Enabled to Yes. In the IP Addresses tab, under the 127.0.0.1 add 1433 to the TCP Port.
Make sure to restart the SQL services or reboot.
Lets create the Mirth Database.
You can do this using the command line SQLCMD or through the Management Studio.
Command line: sqlcmd -U sa -P "Your SA Password"
CREATE DATABASE "mirthdb"
GO
quit
I prefer the management studio as you can see the changes.
Under the mirth database, you will find the standard settings.
Now install Mirth Connect with the default component options.
The new Mirth Connect Administrator Launcher will install next.
Run the Launcher after it completes.
Save the default connection for the localhost and launch it.
The first time login Username and Password are "admin".
Uncheck the Register user with Mirth. Change the default password and hit Finish.
Close the Mirth Connect application.
Launch Mirth Connect Server Manager if it is not running in the taskbar by the clock.
Right click on the Mirth icon and Show Manager.
Stop the Mirth Connect Service.
Go to the Database tab.
Change Type from derby to sqlserver.
Edit the URL to be:
jdbc:jtds:sqlserver://localhost:1433;instance=SQLEXPRESS;DatabaseName=mirthdb;ssl=require
Username = sa
Password = "Your sa password"
If the server is on a different host, change localhost to the IP Address of the SQL server. If you changed the default instance name, make sure the instance= matches. Same with DatabaseName if you did not label it mirthdb as above.
Click Apply and go to the Service tab.
If the server name or IP, the instance name, the database name, the username and password are correct, the Mirth Service should start.
Launch the Mirth Administrator Launcher and Connect to the localhost again.
Since the database was changed, you will have to change the default password again.
Once you have changed the default admin password, or even changed the username, you should get access to the Mirth Connect Dashboard.
To verify Mirth is connected to the SQL Express database, launch the SQL Management Studio.
Log in to the studio and look under the mirthdb tables and you should now see additional tables that were not there before.
Now that Mirth Connect is all setup and connected to the Microsoft SQL Express 2017 database, now it is time to go create channels or you could import them from an old Mirth configuration.
In this quick rundown I will explain how I created a new Mirth Connect installation using Microsoft SQL Express 2017 and OpenJDK.
Mirth Connect, now called NextGen Connect is a powerful open source HL7 integration engine with many features and a huge online community of resources and help.
A big piece of the puzzle is Java. Oracle will no longer support Java 8 and free updates at the end of 2020. Basically starting in 2019 companies will have to license Java 11 (what happened to 9 & 10?) and the runtime be embedded or included as part of the fees. Consumers will no longer have access to free Java runtime environment. (link:https://www.java.com/en/download/release_notice.jsp)
Mirth Connect has relied heavily on Java for running. The good part is they do support not only Java 11, but the open source project OpenJDK.
In this install I will be using the OpenJDK 11 compressed file as there is not an MSI or installer available for download.
Our company currently has a Mirth connect 3.0 server running on the embedded (Derby) database on MS Windows Server 2008. Version 3.0 is long past due and MS Windows Server 2008 support expires January 14, 2020 making it no longer HIPAA compliant.
Used in this install are:
Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard (Windows 10 would work as well) - 64-bit operating system.
Microsoft SQL Server 2017 Express - link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55994
NextGen Connect Integration Engine 3.7.0 - link: https://www.nextgen.com/products-and-services/NextGen-Connect-Integration-Engine-Downloads
OpenJDK 11 (Java) - link: https://jdk.java.net/11/
Optional but to me important, SQL Server Management Studio - link: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/ssms/download-sql-server-management-studio-ssms?view=sql-server-2017
Load the bare minimum Server 2016 / Windows 10, mine are joined to a domain.
I use the Add Roles and Features (Turn Windows features on or off) to enable Simple TCP/IP services (echo) and Telnet Client, both good tools in troubleshooting HL7 port connections.
Extract the OpenJDK file into C:\Program Files\Java\
We need to allow the system to know where Java is by setting the Environment Variables.
Go to Control Panel and System, under the Advanced tab, click Environment Variables.
In here click on Path, Edit, and New to put a path variable to our Java bin folder (C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.2\bin).
In System variables we want to click New and add "JAVA_HOME" with our Java jdk path (C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-11.0.2\).
SQL Server 2017 Express does not have an offline installer at this time unless you use the download media option.
The online installer will download 700-800MB of files to start installation.
Install SQL Server 2017 Express using Custom with minimal components.
Use the default Named instance, if you change it keep track of the instance name.
I recommend installing in Mixed Mode and create a hard password for the sa account. Don't forget to give an Administrator account to it as well in case of forgotten sa password.
Once SQL install completes, install the Management Studio. Current version is 17.9.1 at the time of this writing.
Mirth will need to use a TCP connection (default port 1433) to the SQL Express. By default this is disabled.
Launch SQL Server 2017 Configuration Manager that was installed with SQL Express.
Go down to SQL Server Network Configuration. Under Protocols double click TCP/IP.
In the Protocol tab set Enabled to Yes. In the IP Addresses tab, under the 127.0.0.1 add 1433 to the TCP Port.
Make sure to restart the SQL services or reboot.
Lets create the Mirth Database.
You can do this using the command line SQLCMD or through the Management Studio.
Command line: sqlcmd -U sa -P "Your SA Password"
CREATE DATABASE "mirthdb"
GO
quit
I prefer the management studio as you can see the changes.
Under the mirth database, you will find the standard settings.
Now install Mirth Connect with the default component options.
The new Mirth Connect Administrator Launcher will install next.
Run the Launcher after it completes.
Save the default connection for the localhost and launch it.
The first time login Username and Password are "admin".
Uncheck the Register user with Mirth. Change the default password and hit Finish.
Close the Mirth Connect application.
Launch Mirth Connect Server Manager if it is not running in the taskbar by the clock.
Right click on the Mirth icon and Show Manager.
Stop the Mirth Connect Service.
Go to the Database tab.
Change Type from derby to sqlserver.
Edit the URL to be:
jdbc:jtds:sqlserver://localhost:1433;instance=SQLEXPRESS;DatabaseName=mirthdb;ssl=require
Username = sa
Password = "Your sa password"
If the server is on a different host, change localhost to the IP Address of the SQL server. If you changed the default instance name, make sure the instance= matches. Same with DatabaseName if you did not label it mirthdb as above.
Click Apply and go to the Service tab.
If the server name or IP, the instance name, the database name, the username and password are correct, the Mirth Service should start.
Launch the Mirth Administrator Launcher and Connect to the localhost again.
Since the database was changed, you will have to change the default password again.
Once you have changed the default admin password, or even changed the username, you should get access to the Mirth Connect Dashboard.
To verify Mirth is connected to the SQL Express database, launch the SQL Management Studio.
Log in to the studio and look under the mirthdb tables and you should now see additional tables that were not there before.
Now that Mirth Connect is all setup and connected to the Microsoft SQL Express 2017 database, now it is time to go create channels or you could import them from an old Mirth configuration.
Comments
Post a Comment