Visual Expert server configuration guide

Step 1 – Prepare a Server machine

Prepare the Server (Virtual or Physical machine) where the Visual Expert components will be installed.

It is essential to allocate enough hardware resources, especially for analyzing large volumes of code.
Please follow the system requirements, and contact us if you have any questions.

Step 2 – Install a new SQL Server instance, or use an existing one

This instance will host the Visual Expert Repository.

Any version of SQL Server could be used, except for Express Edition or Local DB, which do not use all the RAM and CPU available on the machine.

If you don't have a SQL Server instance available, you can install SQL Server Developer Edition. It's free of charge since it will be used for your development activities.

For detailed instructions, refer our SQL Server Developer Edition Installation Guide

Step 3 – Download and install Visual Expert

• Download the SERVER components from the VE Server download page.
  If you haven't received a link to this page yet, please contact us.
• Install Visual Expert, using the Visual Expert Advanced Setup.

Step 4 – Create a Repository and get a License Key

After the Visual Expert installation, a wizard will guide you to:

1. Connect to the SQL Server instance prepared in [Step 2].
2. Create a Visual Expert Repository, following this tutorial.
3. Request a License Key, following this tutorial.
   When your key is available, you will receive an email notification.
   Follow the instructions in this email to install your key.

Step 5 – Create a Visual Expert project

This consists in selecting the code & database(s) you wish to analyze.

Several options are available. You can combine them in a single project:

Once this step is completed, the code analysis will start. A window will show the analysis progress.

Please refer to the dedicated guide:

Step 6 – Install and configure Visual Expert Web

Visual Expert Web allows your team to access code analysis results through a standard web browser, without installing any software on their workstations.

• Install Internet Information Services (IIS) on the server.
• Deploy and configure VE Web.
• Publish your VE Projects to make them accessible via the web interface.

For detailed instructions, refer to the dedicated guide:

• Install and configure Visual Expert Web

Step 7 – Define the user management policy

Each VE user will have a dedicated account. You can choose between several options:

• Using existing Windows accounts or creating new email/password accounts.
• Whether or not to require an administrator's approval when creating new user accounts.
• etc.

For detailed instructions, refer to the dedicated guide:

• User registration for Visual Expert Web

Step 8 – Manage access rights to VE projects

Access to VE projects is restricted by default.

VE Administrators can :

• Grant users access to the relevant VE projects.
• Assign permissions such as viewing analysis results, running code inspections, or exporting data.

For detailed instructions, refer to the dedicated guide:

• Manage VE users permissions

Step 9 – Configure VE Notifications

• Administrators can follow the instructions in this article to configure the SMTP settings for sending email notifications.
• Each VE user will then be able to choose which notifications they wish to receive.

Step 10 – Automate Recurring Tasks

Schedule code analysis

We highly recommend scheduling a periodic code analysis, to ensure it reflects the latest changes to the code.

This will also save you from performing manual operations every time you want to update your code analysis.

• You can use the Visual Expert built-in scheduler to automatically trigger analysis on a regular basis.
• Any other system can call Visual Expert by command lines to trigger analysis, for example when a new build is available.
• If you use Jenkins, you can use the Visual Expert plugin for Jenkins.

Automate tasks before analysis

You can also automate certain preliminary actions, for example to copy your code to a location that is accessible by Visual Expert.

Other tasks

You can also export code inspection results. In particular, this fits well with continuous integration and continuous delivery processes.

Step 11 (optional) – Visual Expert AI services

Configure VE AI

Visual Expert provides AI-powered features that enhance code analysis and documentation.

If you plan to use these features, additional network configuration may be required to allow secure communication between your Visual Expert server and the AI services.

AI Credits & Administrative Controls

• Visual Expert AI features require AI credits.

For detailed instructions, refer to the dedicated guide: Manage and Monitor VE AI Credits