Chris Reich

Using the database settings in MPNews, you can store all the messages in your newsgroups in an Microsoft SQL Server database. This can help improve performance, simplify backing up your server and allows you to integrate your newsgroups with other systems and reporting tools

Setting up the database
You must first create and configure the database to use in SQL Server. You can either use an existing database or create a new one; you will normally use a new database for MPNews.

Create a new database in Enterprise Manager by right clicking on "Databases" and selecting "New Database...". Enter the name of the database as "MPNews" and click on "OK" to create it.

Securing the database
Normally, the only thing that needs direct access to the database is MPNews itself. You can create a new user account for MPNews to use by right clicking on "Logins" and selecting "New login...". Enter the name "MPNews", select the "SQL Server authentication" option and enter a password of your choice.

On the "Database Access" tab, grant the user access to the "MPNews" database and select the "db_owner" role. Click "OK" to create the login.

Configuring MPNews
Log in to the main MPNews administration site, select the "Storage" option and select the "Database" option.

Ensure the "Supported database types" option is selected, and select the "Microsoft SQL Server" option from the drop down list.

Enter the connection string Server=localhost;Database=MPNews;User ID=username;Password=password, replacing the values as appropriate to match the server, database, login and password you are using in SQL Server.

Set the "Named parameter prefix" option to @ and click on "Save"

Back on the main Storage screen, change the "Currently selected storage engine" to "Database".

Finished
MPNews is now set up to use a Microsoft SQL Server database. It will have created the tables it requires in the database automatically, and you can use standard SQL Server tools to read the data it creates for your own purposes. For example, you can use some simple queries to produce reports of how many messages are posted by each user, over a certain size, at what time of day and much more.