shopfloor-dashboard/DEPLOYMENT_WINDOWS.md

Shopfloor Dashboard - Windows Production Deployment Guide

This guide covers deploying the Shopfloor Dashboard Node.js application to a Windows production server.

Prerequisites

• Windows Server 2016 or later (or Windows 10/11)
• Administrative access to the server
• MySQL database access
• Internet connection for downloading Node.js

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1. Install Node.js on Windows

Option A: Using the Official Installer (Recommended)

1. Download Node.js:

   • Go to https://nodejs.org/
   • Download the LTS (Long Term Support) version for Windows
   • Choose the Windows Installer (.msi) - 64-bit

2. Run the Installer:

   • Double-click the downloaded .msi file
   • Click "Next" through the setup wizard
   • Accept the license agreement
   • Important: Make sure "Add to PATH" is checked
   • Install with default options
   • Click "Finish" when complete

3. Verify Installation:

   • Open Command Prompt or PowerShell
   • Run these commands:

   node --version
   npm --version
   

   • You should see version numbers (e.g., v20.x.x and 10.x.x)

Option B: Using Chocolatey (Package Manager)

If you have Chocolatey installed:

# Run PowerShell as Administrator
choco install nodejs-lts -y

# Verify
node --version
npm --version

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2. Deploy the Application Files

Option A: Using Git (Recommended)

1. Install Git for Windows:

   • Download from https://git-scm.com/download/win
   • Run installer with default options

2. Clone the Repository:

   cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot
   git clone http://localhost:3000/cproudlock/shopfloor-dashboard.git
   cd shopfloor-dashboard
   

Option B: Manual File Copy

1. Create Application Directory:

   mkdir C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
   

2. Copy these files from development:

   • server.js
   • package.json
   • package-lock.json
   • public\ directory (entire folder)
   • .gitignore (optional)

3. Do NOT copy:

   • node_modules\ (will be regenerated)
   • .git\ directory
   • Any .env files with passwords

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3. Install Dependencies

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
npm install --production

This will install:

• express
• mysql2

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4. Configure Environment Variables

Option A: Using Windows Environment Variables

1. Open System Properties:

   • Right-click "This PC" → Properties
   • Click "Advanced system settings"
   • Click "Environment Variables"

2. Add System Variables:

   • Click "New" under System Variables
   • Add each variable:

   Variable Name: PORT
   Variable Value: 3001
   
   Variable Name: DB_HOST
   Variable Value: localhost (or your database server IP)
   
   Variable Name: DB_PORT
   Variable Value: 3306
   
   Variable Name: DB_USER
   Variable Value: 570005354 (or your production user)
   
   Variable Name: DB_PASS
   Variable Value: your-secure-password
   
   Variable Name: DB_NAME
   Variable Value: shopdb
   
   Variable Name: NODE_ENV
   Variable Value: production
   

3. Apply and restart Command Prompt

Option B: Using a .env File (Less Secure)

Create config.js in the project root:

module.exports = {
    port: process.env.PORT || 3001,
    db: {
        host: process.env.DB_HOST || 'localhost',
        port: process.env.DB_PORT || 3306,
        user: process.env.DB_USER || '570005354',
        password: process.env.DB_PASS || 'your-password',
        database: process.env.DB_NAME || 'shopdb'
    }
};

Security Warning: Never commit passwords to Git!

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5. Test the Application

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
node server.js

You should see:

Shopfloor Dashboard running on port 3001
Access at: http://localhost:3001

Open a browser and test:

• http://localhost:3001 (main dashboard)
• http://localhost:3001/api/notifications (API endpoint)
• http://localhost:3001/health (health check)

Press Ctrl+C to stop the test.

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6. Set Up as a Windows Service

To run the dashboard automatically and keep it running, you need to set it up as a Windows service.

Option A: Using PM2 (Recommended)

Install PM2:

npm install -g pm2
npm install -g pm2-windows-startup

Configure PM2 Windows Service:

# Set up PM2 to run at startup
pm2-startup install

# Start the application
cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
pm2 start server.js --name shopfloor-dashboard

# Save the PM2 configuration
pm2 save

Useful PM2 Commands:

pm2 status                       # Check status
pm2 logs shopfloor-dashboard     # View logs
pm2 restart shopfloor-dashboard  # Restart app
pm2 stop shopfloor-dashboard     # Stop app
pm2 delete shopfloor-dashboard   # Remove from PM2
pm2 monit                        # Real-time monitoring

PM2 Log Locations:

C:\Users\<username>\.pm2\logs\

Option B: Using NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager)

Download and Install NSSM:

1. Download from https://nssm.cc/download
2. Extract to C:\nssm\
3. Add to PATH or use full path

Create the Service:

# Navigate to NSSM directory
cd C:\nssm\win64

# Install service
nssm install ShopfloorDashboard "C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe" "C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard\server.js"

# Set working directory
nssm set ShopfloorDashboard AppDirectory C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard

# Set environment variables
nssm set ShopfloorDashboard AppEnvironmentExtra PORT=3001 DB_HOST=localhost DB_USER=570005354 DB_PASS=your-password DB_NAME=shopdb

# Set startup type to automatic
nssm set ShopfloorDashboard Start SERVICE_AUTO_START

# Start the service
nssm start ShopfloorDashboard

Manage the Service:

# Using NSSM
nssm stop ShopfloorDashboard
nssm start ShopfloorDashboard
nssm restart ShopfloorDashboard
nssm status ShopfloorDashboard
nssm remove ShopfloorDashboard

# Or using Windows Services
services.msc  # Opens Services window

Option C: Using Windows Task Scheduler

1. Open Task Scheduler
2. Create Basic Task:
   • Name: Shopfloor Dashboard
   • Trigger: At system startup
   • Action: Start a program
   • Program: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.exe
   • Arguments: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard\server.js
   • Start in: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
3. Properties:
   • Run whether user is logged on or not
   • Run with highest privileges
   • Configure for: Windows Server 2016 or later

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7. Configure Windows Firewall

# Run PowerShell as Administrator

# Allow port 3001
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "Shopfloor Dashboard" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 3001 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow

# Or if using IIS reverse proxy, allow port 80/443
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "HTTP" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 80 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "HTTPS" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 443 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow

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8. Set Up IIS Reverse Proxy (Optional)

If you want to use IIS as a reverse proxy to add SSL or run on port 80:

Install Required IIS Components:

# Run PowerShell as Administrator
Install-WindowsFeature -name Web-Server -IncludeManagementTools

Install URL Rewrite and ARR:

1. Download and install:

   • URL Rewrite Module: https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite
   • Application Request Routing (ARR): https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/application-request-routing

2. Enable ARR Proxy:

   • Open IIS Manager
   • Click server name in left panel
   • Double-click "Application Request Routing Cache"
   • Click "Server Proxy Settings" in right panel
   • Check "Enable proxy"
   • Click Apply

3. Configure URL Rewrite:

   • In IIS Manager, select Default Web Site (or create new site)
   • Double-click "URL Rewrite"
   • Click "Add Rule(s)" → "Reverse Proxy"
   • Enter: localhost:3001
   • Click OK

Now access the dashboard at:

• http://your-server-name or http://server-ip

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9. Database Configuration

Ensure MySQL is accessible:

If MySQL is on the same server:

-- Connect to MySQL
mysql -u root -p

-- Grant permissions
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON shopdb.* TO '570005354'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-secure-password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

If MySQL is on a remote server:

-- On the database server
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON shopdb.* TO '570005354'@'windows-server-ip' IDENTIFIED BY 'your-secure-password';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

Test Database Connection:

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
node -e "const mysql = require('mysql2'); const conn = mysql.createConnection({host:'localhost',user:'570005354',password:'your-password',database:'shopdb'}); conn.connect((err) => {if(err) console.error('Error:',err); else console.log('Connected!'); conn.end();});"

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10. Monitoring and Logs

Using Event Viewer (Windows):

1. Open Event Viewer (eventvwr.msc)
2. Navigate to: Windows Logs → Application
3. Look for Node.js or your service name

Using PM2:

# View real-time logs
pm2 logs shopfloor-dashboard

# View specific log files
pm2 logs shopfloor-dashboard --lines 100

# Clear logs
pm2 flush

Custom Logging:

Add to server.js for file logging:

const fs = require('fs');
const path = require('path');

// Create logs directory if it doesn't exist
const logDir = path.join(__dirname, 'logs');
if (!fs.existsSync(logDir)) {
    fs.mkdirSync(logDir);
}

// Log to file
const logFile = path.join(logDir, `app-${new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0]}.log`);
const logStream = fs.createWriteStream(logFile, { flags: 'a' });

// Override console.log
const originalLog = console.log;
console.log = function(...args) {
    const timestamp = new Date().toISOString();
    const message = `[${timestamp}] ${args.join(' ')}\n`;
    logStream.write(message);
    originalLog.apply(console, args);
};

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11. Security Checklist

• Change default database passwords
• Use Windows environment variables (not hardcoded passwords)
• Enable Windows Firewall with only necessary ports
• Set up SSL certificate if exposing to internet
• Run Node.js service under limited user account (not Administrator)
• Keep Node.js updated regularly
• Set up automated database backups
• Restrict database access to application server only
• Review Windows Event Logs regularly
• Enable Windows Defender or antivirus

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12. Updating the Application

Using Git:

cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
git pull origin main
npm install --production

# If using PM2:
pm2 restart shopfloor-dashboard

# If using NSSM:
nssm restart ShopfloorDashboard

Manual Update:

1. Stop the service
2. Replace changed files
3. Run npm install --production if dependencies changed
4. Start the service

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13. Troubleshooting

Application won't start:

# Check Node.js version
node --version

# Check for errors
cd C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
node server.js

Can't connect to database:

# Test MySQL connection
mysql -h localhost -u 570005354 -p shopdb

# Check Windows Firewall
# Check MySQL is running: services.msc

Port already in use:

# Find what's using port 3001
netstat -ano | findstr :3001

# Kill the process (replace PID with actual number)
taskkill /PID <pid> /F

Service won't start automatically:

• Check Windows Event Viewer for errors
• Verify service is set to "Automatic" startup
• Check environment variables are set correctly
• Verify file paths are correct

Can't access from other computers:

• Check Windows Firewall rules
• Verify application is listening on 0.0.0.0 (not just 127.0.0.1)
• Test with: netstat -an | findstr :3001

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14. Performance Optimization

For Production:

1. Set NODE_ENV:

   setx NODE_ENV production /M
   

2. Increase Process Priority (if using NSSM):

   nssm set ShopfloorDashboard AppPriority ABOVE_NORMAL_PRIORITY_CLASS
   

3. Configure PM2 Cluster Mode (multiple instances):

   pm2 start server.js -i max --name shopfloor-dashboard
   

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Quick Reference

Application Paths:

Application: C:\inetpub\wwwroot\shopfloor-dashboard
Node.js: C:\Program Files\nodejs
PM2 Logs: C:\Users\<username>\.pm2\logs

URLs:

Dashboard: http://localhost:3001
API: http://localhost:3001/api/notifications
Health: http://localhost:3001/health

Common Commands:

# Start manually
node server.js

# PM2
pm2 start server.js --name shopfloor-dashboard
pm2 status
pm2 logs shopfloor-dashboard
pm2 restart shopfloor-dashboard

# NSSM
nssm start ShopfloorDashboard
nssm stop ShopfloorDashboard
nssm restart ShopfloorDashboard
nssm status ShopfloorDashboard

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Support

For issues or questions:

• Check Windows Event Viewer: eventvwr.msc
• Check application logs: PM2 or custom logs
• Review README.md for application details
• Contact: IT Support - West Jefferson

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Last Updated: October 2025 Version: 1.0.0