ADRMS SDK 2.1 development

 

1. Intro

 

For the exercise I am describing here, I am using Windows Server 2012, Visual Studio 2013,  ADRMS SDK 2.1 and the ADRMS Interop library sample from https://code.msdn.microsoft.com/AD-RMS-SDK-20-Interop-eb3fbce7

 

You will need to be certain your versions match up. IF you are using the downloadable VHD sample that’s out there, be very careful on the versions of the SDK. Most I have downloaded are running 1.0 and they cannot be updated. This matters as the interfaces between 1.0 and 2.1 are different in many key functions which will create a lot of pain for developers.

 

Either way, if you have not done ADRMS coding this can be a steep learning curve. Good Luck, and I hope some of this information helps.

 

1. Environment prep

   Go here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn715744(v=vs.85).aspx

   Follow the steps IN ORDER. If you do these out of order you will have issues. I traced a bug for 2 days which was a result of a RMS server registry edit being done in the wrong order to an install. If you get them out of order, it is very likely you will not have sufficient permissions to execute any of your code.

2. Prepare your server

   Go here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj590900(v=vs.85).aspx

   Again, do these steps in order. Do not deviate from that order. Also, plan your URLs and other names. The SSL certs (assuming you use SSL) will require the URLS to match. Read the popups and warnings.

   If you get this out of order you will need to remove the role altogether, unregister the SPC and start again.

3. Prepare your Client

   Go here https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj665790(v=vs.85).aspx

   In order perform the proper steps as outlined in the article above

4. Prepare your app

   Go here: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh971319(v=vs.85).aspx

   Read the instructions carefully and follow them in order.

 

• Do not forget to rebuild your manifest. It is best to do this after each build and ADRMS SDK will kick back an error if you do not.

• The sample interop code will have you leave the “ConnectionInfo” object null. If you do this, the application may use the “https://<machinename>/_wcms/licensing/” URL and you will get a SSL cert error IF you are all on one box, or you may just get a connection error, or cant find server error. Either way, it is really best if you specify the URL to your ADRMS Licensing folder with a FQDN that matches the one set on your SSL cert.

 

1. Troubleshooting

   These are the obscure errors I could not easily find a fix for. There are plenty others you can run into.

   1. Cannot reinstall ADRMS

 

• While running the ADRMS configuration and trying to recreate the root cluster, you get a message re the SPC still being registered but not available. You will see may blogs and messages guiding you to manually remove the SPC do NOT manually do this. Download the Rights Management toolkit and run ADScpRegister.exe unregisterscp https://rms.domain.com to unregister your SCP. Once you do this, your config should run fine.

 

1. ADRMS Interop library gives “computer does not have the rights required to perform the specified operation. Update the rights on this computer or contact your administrator” error message when making a ADRMS call.

 

• You likely skipped a step or did one out of order when configuring the server. I fought this for 2 days. There was little help out there or references for it. Very little useful from the Fiddler logs or event viewer. In the end, I removed ADRMS from the ADRMS box, removed the SPC, then walked all the mods for configuring the server again and reinstalled the ADRMS role and it worked.

 

A Farewell to GDN

      So MS has announced that the GotDotNet site will be phased out of existence. I had to say I was sad to see it go. Since it’s inception, I have directed more clients there than I remember. I have posted tons of technical questions, and some not so technical (OTD) and found the user base, in its heyday, to be considerably better than any others out there. I will miss it, it’s simplicity and the lack of annoying monitors spending more time badgering me on whether an items fits into a specific thread or not, than on helping me find the answers to the questions.

     That being said, I can understand where MS comes from in this action. They already have MSDN boards, they have invested in refining them and to be honest I think they have made some excellent progress on those boards. IMO they still have a long way to go, but the fact that they are really trying to improve them, is a good sign and although I am reluctant to attempt to traverse them right now, that may change in then next couple years.

    I will miss some of the GDN users as well, especially those at OTD. They ran the spectrum. from extreme ultra conservatives to "nazi-liberals" and while I found time to disagree with most of them, I enjoyed (most times) the debates and even some of the arguments. But alas, the nature of this business is change. Every site, every piece of software, everything changes. As much as I once loved the old BBS I used to post to with my first 386 (a fact I try not to admit too often), they gave way to something better, and I am sure 10 years down the road I will laugh at posting on a site like GDN, provided that the high levels of caffeine I invibe every morning, my driving ability, meteors, or underpants gnomes do not take me out before then.

   

    R.I.P. GDN