(Optional) Connecting to multiple MSSQL database instances

It is possible to connect to multiple MSSQL databases by using alternate dbconnections.config files.  An example of how this could be useful is in a situation where the live AGRIS datasets reside on 1 MSSQL server, but larger, historical may exist on a separate MSSQL server to minimize impact to the live environment.  

Install the AGRIS 10.3.0 with software update 54584 or higher to use this feature.  

Make as many copies of dbconnections.config as needed, you can name them whatever you like, but they must all be in the bin folder
There still needs to be a “dbconnections.config” file in the bin folder
In each AGRIS ini file, add a line for the particular dbconnections file name you want to use, such as DBConnections File=dbconnections_ts.config
If you do not specify a file in the ini, it will use “dbconnections.config”

Here is an example of an AGRIS.ini file configured to use alternate MSSQL database instances:

Also be sure to modify the new dbconnections.config file(s) to reflect the correct MSSQL server and database names.  

NOTE:  An AGRIS Component Server can only serve as a component server for 1 specific database and that will be the database identified in the 'default' BIN\DBConnections.config file (the contents of the file can be modified, but anything called 'DBConnections.config' explicitly will be the one used by Component Services).  If multiple databases will require COM+ functionality (Web Service extracts/posts, AgroGuide, the version check when AGRIS launches, etc.), then multiple component servers will need to be configured with each pointing to a unique database instance.