G2C (an abbreviation for Ground2Cloud) is an SDK connector that helps users connect to an API provider application that runs in a private cloud that is not publicly available. A great example of this type of application is QuickBooks Enterprise. Cloud Elements Ground2Cloud manages a reverse SSH (sometimes called a “forward in”) tunnel from the application to the Cloud Elements Ground2Cloud Server and enables requests from the Cloud Elements Production Cloud to transparently pass through that tunnel to reach the application running in the private cloud.

Although the Ground2Cloud Client installation program is a self-unpacking executable, from time to time, you will run into unique cases that demand a different approach. In this article, we will cover how to create a proper connection between a Ground2Cloud GUI and a QBD connector when the Quickbooks application is installed on a different server than your local machine. 

Before we move on, let's look into the Design Overview of the G2C GUI and how it operates with the QBD connector:

While the tunnel created by Ground2Cloud exists, TCP (including HTTP) messages can be forwarded from an authenticated element instance to the tightrope server process named “petit-served”, which is listening on port 80 and messages are forwarded back up again to the reverse-tunnel port, in this example, "11081". These messages will continue from the tunnel to the client process named “petit-client”, and finally to the API provider application. Routing a client request in this way allows an authenticated element instance to communicate with an application, even when the machine is generally not reachable.

Now, let's look into our case scenario. Because our application will not be installed on the same machine (at least not directly) that our connector and GUI would be living in, we need to approach this installation process slightly different. Here are the steps:

1. Download the G2C QB installer package provided by your Customer Service Representative or Account Manager.

2. Install the package on your local machine as per the usual process (it allows the local machine to have all the needed dependencies installed).

3. After you have finished the installation process mentioned in the previous step, you can proceed to uninstall the QB connector. Now two important remarks here:

   a. Only uninstall the QB connector as shown here:

   b. Configure your G2C GUI to point to the "qbserver" instead of the localhost.

4. Install the entire G2C QB package on the "qbserver". No shortcuts here, we need to install the entire package to make sure that all the needed dependencies are properly setup and installed.

5. After you have finished the installation process mentioned in the previous step, you can proceed to uninstall the G2C GUI. Now two important remarks here:

   a. Uninstall the G2C GUI as shown here:   

   b. After the previous step is completed, you should still have the QB connector installed on the "qbserver" box along with the SDK. Here is how to make sure the QB connector is still         properly installed:

6. After you have finished all the steps provided above, you should be properly setup and ready to create a new instance of QB Desktop.