How to check and modify the application pool identity

The SquaredUp DS web application runs using an ASP.NET application pool process. This process can be configured to run as a specific user, which is called the application pool identity.

SquaredUp DS uses the end user's identity when showing data from Azure Monitor, but the application pool identity is used for the following important tasks:

• Accessing local files (e.g. log file, configuration files) on the web server
• Connecting to other SQL and Web API data sources
• Running PowerShell scripts (unless configured otherwise)

By default, the application pool is configured to use the NetworkService identity, which appears as the computer account when accessing network resources.

If you have deployed SquaredUp DS within an Active Directory domain, you may want to change the application pool identity to an Active Directory user account created specifically for SquaredUp DS. This is called a domain service account.

If you change the application pool identity after installation, you must follow the instructions below.

You can specify a different application pool identity for a new installation using the modify option on the Ready to Deploy page of a new SquaredUp DS installation. This sets up the correct file permissions automatically.

Viewing the application pool identity

1. Confirm the name of the SquaredUp DS application pool.
   1. In IIS expand Default Web Site and right-click on the SquaredUp DS website.
   2. Go to Manage Application > Advanced Settings.
   3. Check the name of the Application Pool

      The default SquaredUp application pool for v6 and above is SquaredUp. For v5 it is SquaredUpv5, and for v4 SquaredUpv4.

2. View the application pool identity.
   1. In IIS, click on Application Pools.
   2. Right-click on your SquaredUp DS application pool, and select Advanced Settings.
   3. Under Process Model, you will see Identity. By default this is set to NetworkService, but if you wish to change the application pool identity you can change it here.

Modifying the application pool identity

1. Enter the credentials for the new app pool identity.
   How to change the app pool identity

   1. In IIS, click on Application Pools.
   2. Right-click on your SquaredUp DS application pool, and select Advanced Settings.
   3. Under Process Model, you will see Identity. By default this is set to NetworkService, but if you wish to change the application pool identity you can change it here.

2. Configure file permissions on the SquaredUp server.
   The account you are logging into SquaredUp DS with has no effect on disk read/write permissions. What is important is the identity (user account) of the IIS application pool used by SquaredUp DS.

   On SquaredUp DS v5.1 and above it is not necessary to reconfigure the file permissions on the SquaredUp server after changing the application pool identity. Continue to the next section below.

   How to configure file permissions on the SquaredUp server

   1. Open a command prompt as an administrator (from Start > Run type command prompt, right-click on the Command Prompt icon and click Run as administrator).
   2. Navigate to the instance for which you wish to change authentication.
      For example:
      cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SquaredUp
      Where to find the SquaredUp folder

      Name of the SquaredUp folder

      Location of the SquaredUp folder

      If you deployed SquaredUp DS via the Azure Marketplace:

      The default location for the SquaredUp folder is F:\SquaredUpv[Version Number].
      For v5 it is F:\SquaredUpv5 and for v4 F:\SquaredUpv4.

      If you installed SquaredUp DS using the installer:

      A custom location may have been chosen during the installation.

      The default location for the SquaredUp folder is C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SquaredUp

      For v5 it is C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SquaredUpv5 and for v4 C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SquaredUpv4.

   3. Run the SquaredUp command with permissions
squaredup permissions --user="DOMAIN\USER"
      Where DOMAIN is your domain and USER is the SquaredUp DS application pool identity.
      For example, if the application pool identity has been changed to a user called svc-squaredup in the domain sales you would type
      squaredup permissions --user="sales\svc-squaredup"
      If your SquaredUp DS application pool identity is NetworkService and you need to re-apply the correct permissions for NetworkService then type:
      squaredup permissions --user="networkservice"
      What is the SquaredUp command for older versions?

      The SquaredUp command for v6 and above is SquaredUp. This is followed by an operator for the task you are carrying out, for example SquaredUp forms, SquaredUp windows, or SquaredUp ha.

      The SquaredUp command for v5 it is SquaredUp5, and for v4 SquaredUp4.

3. For PowerShell Run As accounts: Add the app pool identity to the necessary policies.

   If you don't use the default NetworkService as your application pool identity, you might see the following error message when using Run As accounts: A required privilege is not held by the client.

   In this case you need to add the application pool identity to the following policies:

   • Adjust memory quotas for a process
   • Replace a process-level token (you need to reboot the server for this policy to take effect)
4. Configure any other Windows authentication data sources.
   If you have tiles that use queries or scripts to access data sources that are using Windows authentication, you need to make sure that the new SquaredUp DS app pool identity has the required permissions to run the queries or scripts. This can apply to SQL, Web API, or PowerShell tiles.
   For SQL tiles:

   To be able to query databases, such as the Operations Manager database, the SquaredUp DS application pool identity needs to be given the db_datareader role in SQL Server Management Studio for the database you wish to query. See How to configure access to a database for use with the SQL tile.

   For Web API tiles:
   If you are querying an API that is using Windows authentication, you have to give the new app pool identity permission to access the API. How this is done depends on how you manage the API.
   For PowerShell tiles:
   This only applies if you are running your scripts as SquaredUp DS app pool, which is not recommended (see How to use the PowerShell tile). If you are using the SquaredUp DS app pool and the service you are accessing with your script uses Windows authentication, you need to give the new app pool identity permissions for the external service. How this is done depends on how you manage the service you are accessing.