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Windows Server installation requirements

This article outlines the technical prerequisites, environment dependencies, and recommended best practices for installing Ninox on Windows Server

ℹ️ Note: First set up a Windows Server environment. You will find a step-by-step guide in Get started with Windows Server. Once all requirements are met, continue with On-Premises Setup Guide for Windows.

1. System requirements

Operating system

  • Windows Server 2008 or newer

Minimum hardware

  • 4 GB RAM
  • 2 vCores
  • 100 Mbit network connection
  • 120 MB free space for installation files
  • 10 GB free space for application data
    • The exact requirement depends on your use case. We recommend a scalable storage solution.

2. Environment dependencies

  • DNS name for the server
  • Open port — default 80 or 443 (other ports can be configured)
  • HTTP(S) connectivity from client to server
  • SSL certificate (.p12/.pfx) — with or without passphrase
    • The passphrase is stored in server-config.json as plain text.
  • SMTP server — optional authentication

3. Recommendations

  1. Use SSD storage for Ninox data.
  2. Implement a two-layer backup strategy:
    • VM snapshots
    • File-system incremental backups of the data directory
  3. Plan a fail-over strategy.

4. Network configuration

Ninox client/server communication uses HTTP(S). The following conditions must be met:

  • Clients must reach the Ninox server via HTTPS over TCP/IP.
  • The server’s DNS name (or the first component that terminates the client connection) must reliably resolve to the server IP.
  • Static IP addresses are strongly recommended; avoid DynDNS.
  • If clients connect from both internet and intranet, they must use the same address/DNS name.

5. Deployment scenarios

Simple setup

Client → HTTPS → Server
The server exposes an HTTPS port on the internet or a private network.

Forward-proxy setup

Client → HTTPS → Forward Proxy → HTTPS → Server

DMZ setup (recommended)

Client → HTTPS → Reverse Proxy → HTTP → Server
In a DMZ, the reverse proxy terminates all client connections.

Benefits of a DMZ configuration

  • Centralized certificate management on the reverse proxy
  • Added security through traffic inspection

Reverse-proxy requirements

  • Allowed HTTP methods: POST, GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, OPTIONS, HEAD
  • TCP timeout > 60 seconds
  • No URL rewriting — Ninox cannot run under a sub-path
  • Supports parallel connections (at least 2 concurrent TCP connections per active client)

6. Configuration file

Edit the server-config.json file in the installation directory. For a sample, see sample configuration file.

ℹ️ Note: Ensure the file is valid UTF-8-encoded JSON without proprietary UTF-8 headers.

✅ Tip: Do not use Windows Notepad. Use Notepad++ or another code editor instead.

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