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Version: 3.2

Getting your Web Help Desk data

Cortex connects directly to your Web Help Desk (WHD) SQL Server database. This page covers what you need to know to make that database available and connect it to Cortex.

Prerequisites​

  • Web Help Desk installed and running
  • SQL Server database (the database Web Help Desk stores its data in)
  • A SQL login with read-only access to the Web Help Desk database

Database Location​

Cortex connects to the Web Help Desk database directly. If the database is on a remote server, ensure the SQL Server port (default 1433) is accessible from the Cortex server.

Connection String​

When configuring a Web Help Desk data source in Cortex, use the following connection string format:

server=server-hostname,1433;uid=username;password=the-password;database=WebHelpDesk;MultipleActiveResultSets=true

The key fields are:

  • server — the hostname or IP address and port of your SQL Server instance
  • uid — the SQL Server username
  • password — the password for that user
  • database — the name of the Web Help Desk database
  • MultipleActiveResultSets — must be set to true

What Cortex Can Do With Web Help Desk Data​

Once connected, Cortex provides:

  • Browse — navigate records by canonical table mappings
  • Search — full-text and filtered search with structured filtering
  • Paging — stable record paging through large result sets
  • Schema validation — automatic validation of the Web Help Desk schema on connection

Troubleshooting​

If you encounter connection errors:

  • Verify the SQL Server is running and accessible from the Cortex server
  • Confirm the login credentials are correct
  • Check that the database user has db_datareader permissions on the Web Help Desk database
  • See Troubleshooting for more help