Specifying the Instance Version and History

When you configure an instance of Notification Services, you can provide an instance version number and document the instance history.

Instance Version

When configuring an instance of Notification Services, specify an instance version number if you want to track instance versions. You can choose your own numbering system. For example, you can make the version number match the Notification Services number, or you can track instance versions using your own version numbers.

When you create and update the instance, Notification Services adds the version number to the NSVersionInfo table in the instance database. When you update the instance, the instance version number must be the same as or greater than the last version number.

If you do not provide a version number, Notification Services uses the last version number from the NSVersionInfo table. If no version is available in the database, Notification Services enters 0.0.0.0.

Version Recommendations

Whenever you update the instance definition, increment the version number. Because Notification Services does not allow an update if the version number is older than the number in the database, this can help prevent you from updating an instance with an old instance definition.

Defining the Instance Version Number

If you are configuring an instance of Notification Services through XML, specify the version number in the instance configuration file (ICF). If you are configuring an instance of Notification Services programmatically, use Notification Services Management Objects (NMO) to specify the version number.

To define the instance version

Instance History

You may also want to track when the instance definition was created and last updated. This information is for your own use. Notification Services does not use the instance history and does not store this information in the instance database.

If you are configuring an instance of Notification Services in an ICF, the ICF schema provides elements to track the creation date and time and the last modified date and time.

If you are configuring an instance of Notification Services programmatically, you can track the instance history in comments. There are no instance history objects or properties.

To define instance history

See Also

Concepts

Specifying the Instance Name
Specifying the Database System Name
Defining the Instance Database
Associating Applications with an Instance
Defining Custom Delivery Protocols
Defining Delivery Channels
Configuring Argument Encryption
Using Parameters in an Instance Configuration File

Other Resources

Configuring Instances of Notification Services
Version Element (ICF)
Major Element (ICF)
Minor Element (ICF)
Revision Element (ICF)
Build Element (ICF)
Instance Configuration File Templates

Help and Information

Getting SQL Server 2005 Assistance