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This document is a base reference for installing POSM GIS. If at any time you have a question or need help, please contact POSM Technical Support at 859-274-0041 or use our mobile support app at https://posmsoftware.com/support
POSM GIS can be run one of two ways, installed locally on each client as a POSM folder with connections to a mapped drive, or installed on a mapped drive and run from that folder. The POSM GIS download is set up ready to share the POSM folder and data. While not required, it’s easiest to have the same drive letter mapped on the workstations that will be using the POSM client on them (for example P:\ )
We recommend you use a Windows-based server to host and store POSM data. POSM is typically tested on many versions of Windows Server and will run on all Windows server versions. Internet Information Server (IIS) is used to host the HTML reports generated by POSM and must be enabled to the POSM GIS Storage folder. The Storage folder should also be set as a virtual directory on the IIS server or the default folder path. To set up security for POSM, use Windows New Technology File System (NTFS) sharing on the network to assign who has
read-only access and read / write access to the POSM Folder. We recommend you create two security groups, a read-only group and a read/write group. This way, you can add users to the group as needed. IIS will need to have the IUSR and IIS_IURS users added to the POSM server folder as read-only users.
POSM databases are hosted and stored on a Microsoft SQL server. Users may set up more than one POSM database if required. A POSM SQL database will run on an existing SQL server with other databases. POSM’s SQL database has been designed and tested to run on SQL 2005 though the most current Microsoft SQL version. POSM Software technicians make every attempt to test POSM on each version of SQL to assure compatibility.
The software may also run on SQL Express and full versions of SQL server. For installations with under 25,000 inspections stored, Microsoft SQL Server Express should be sufficient.
we recommend using the full version of SQL server if any of the following apply:
● Your database is +25,000 stored inspections
● Many users access POSM data simultaneously
● The connection is a direct GIS SQL connection
POSM’s database is initially around 2MB and only stores data. A database with approximately
15,000 inspections will still be under 100MB. The largest portion of the system is in the media storage space. We suggest starting with at least 5TB, with a plan in place for future growth of the array. Many of our customers set up POSM to run on existing SAN arrays to accommodate for storage space and growth potential. POSM allows for control of many variables associated with managing immense amounts of data. Your organization’s long-term plans should factor in the amount of future storage space needed.
For example, the amount of space needed weighs heavily on video size used (320x240 half-size resolution, or 704x480 full-size resolution), video compression bitrate settings, the number of observations taken, type of media files captured during observations, time spent inspecting, and long-term plans for maintaining video storage. Typically, each terabyte of space will hold approximately 5,000 inspections.
The POSM GIS Download is pre-set ready to share the POSM folder and data. While not required, it’s easiest to have a drive letter mapped on the workstations to be used on the POSM client (for example P:\ )
● POSM can also be set up to run from a UNC path. Users importing data into POSM will need read/write/create access to the folder.
● If users are planning to burn DVDs or export PDF reports from POSM, they must map the POSM folder to a drive letter and ensure their connection to POSM uses that mapped drive letter. Since Windows 10, burning DVDs and exporting PDFs are no longer supported with UNC paths on the client.
POSM may work with MS Windows Authentication or MS SQL Authentication to the SQL Server. MS Windows Authentication is recommended by POSM, as it allows the Domain Controller to control access to the POSM GIS folder and SQL Database.
● Alternatively, if user authentication will be used, the user account has privileges to create, update, and modify a database on the server.
● It’s also possible to use SQL usernames and passwords if you are not using integrated security from the domain controller. In these cases, set up a read/write user in SQL.
● If a copy of SQL Server is unavailable, POSM will run on the free SQL Express without a problem for most users. http://www.microsoft.com/express/database/
Since all of our data is stored in the directory structure, the database size itself is not limited.
● Most end users view HTML reports through the web server, which will not affect the database. Starting with ESRI 10, POSM data is synchronized to the GIS Server by means of a SQL view joined to the layer required in GIS. Separate views are normally created for Manhole, Sewer Pipe, and Storm layers. XY observation plot views are also created and linked to the map.
● Download the package with the management studio.
● POSM creates its database and installs the views for later use in ArcMap.
● If you do not have backup software to support the SQL databases, there are a few options.
Create a SQL backup script or use a SQL Express backup product.
● POSM Technical Support can also help you set up a daily SQL backup from within the SQL database to the POSM folder. You can find tech support contact info at the top and bottom of this document.
IIS Server must be installed and enabled to share the POSM folder.
● Index.html must be added a default document.
● Always check that MP4 is setup as a video / MP4 mime type
● For users hosting their POSM folder on a Linux NAS drive, a user will need to be created on both the Windows IIS server and the Linux server with the same username and password. This allows IIS to host a shared Linux NAS folder.
ArcMap access is needed for the workstation(s) responsible for working with POSM Data.
● The workstation(s) will need to create a MXD map with the POSM views joined to the layers required
● If using ArcServer to host maps with POSM data, the POSM data will need to be linked and registered with the SDE SQL server. Registering POSM with the SDE server also creates ObjectID indexes in POSM’s database to speed query joins from POSM to SDE.
If at any time you have a question regarding this document or need any other help, please contact POSM Technical Support at 859-274-0041 or use our mobile support app at