Need to test workflows or develop custom JavaScript for Adobe Campaign without affecting production? Run it locally.

This guide shows how to install Adobe Campaign v7/v8 on Windows 11 with both the Console and the Server, along with instructions for dependencies: Java JDK & PostgreSQL, for a complete local development environment.

Adobe Campaign Classic v7 running workflows on Windows 11

Preparation

Need a refresher on the Adobe Campaign architecture? Read the 📕 Architecture Reference

Walkthrough

The steps must be ran in order: install the server, run the server, setup an instance, login to the instance.

Install the Server

  • Unzip 7.X.YYYY.zip to 7.X.YYYY, then launch 7.X.YYYY\setup.exe and complete the setup
  • Add the below folder to the user PATH via “Edit environment variables for your account”
    • C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\bin

The server is now installed! Test the installation by running nlserver in a new Terminal:

nlserver

Verify Adobe Campaign dependencies installation

Sample output:

# Usage: nlserver <command> <arguments of command>.
#
#   Available commands are:
#
#     aliasCleansing cleanse enumeration values
#     archiving      [...]

Now that the server is installed, head to the next section to run it.

Run the Server

To run the server, open an Administrator Terminal and follow the 3 commands.

First, initialize the default configuration files serverConf.xml & config-default.xml with:

nlserver web

Then, start the Tomcat server:

nlserver start web

Finally, change the default internal password. Note: when prompted for the current password, hit Enter as it’s empty.

nlserver config -internalpassword

Server started from CLI

Sample output for nlserver web:

# 16:19:10 >   Application server for Adobe Campaign Classic (7.X.X build YYYY@aaa1111 of 01/01/2026)
# 16:19:10 >   Starting Web server module (pid=7636, tid=3156)...
# 16:19:10 >   Creation of the server configuration file 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\serverConf.xml' from 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\eng\serverConf.xml.sample'
# 16:19:10 >   Creation of the server configuration file 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\config-default.xml' from 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\models\config-default.xml'

Sample output for nlserver start web:

# 16:19:50 >   Launching task 'web@default' ('nlserver web -tracefile:web@default -instance:default -detach -tomcat -autorepair') in a new process
# 16:19:50 >   Starting Web server module (pid=9984, tid=3520)...
# 16:19:51 >   Tomcat started
# 16:19:51 >   Server started

Sample output for nlserver config -internalpassword:

# Enter the current password.
# Password: <EMPTY>
# Enter the new password.
# Password: <internal>

The server is now installed and running! Read below to setup your first instance.

Setup an Instance

Instance configuration from the client

PS> nlserver config -verbose -addinstance:instance1/*/eng
16:28:23 >   Generating configuration diff file 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\serverConf.xml.diff' between 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\serverConf.xml' and 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\eng\serverConf.xml.sample'.
16:28:24 >   PInstanceSlot not found for Vault token rotate: overwriting iRc to 0
16:28:24 >   Skiping call to vault for refreshing the token
16:28:24 >   Creation of the server configuration file 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\config-instance1.xml' from 'C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\models\config-multi.xml'

Start the console from C:\Users\fco.PC\Neolane\Adobe Campaign Classic v7 Client\bin\nlclient.exe.

Proceed to the Database creation with:

  • Database Creation
    • Database: PostgreSQL
    • Host: localhost
  • Server access
    • Account: postgres
    • Password
  • Database
    • Database name: neolane
    • Create a new user account for this database
    • Account: neolane
    • Password: neolane
  • Packages to install
    • Delivery
  • Creation steps
    • Adobe Campaign administrator password: Set or change the password
    • Password: admin

Validation & Troubleshooting

Start workflows

PS> nlserver start wfserver@instance1
01:06:04 >   Application server for Adobe Campaign Classic (7.X.X build YYYY@aaa1111 of 01/01/2026)
01:06:05 >   Launching task 'wfserver@instance1' ('nlserver wfserver -tracefile:wfserver@instance1 -instance:instance1 -detach') in a new process
01:06:05 >   Starting workflow server (pid=12628, tid=7700)...
01:06:05 >   Starting 1 connection(s) on pool 'default instance1' (PostgreSQL, server='localhost', login='neolane:neolane')

Connect as admin

PostgreSQL SQL request check Adobe Campaign

Login to the default http://localhost:8080 with admin/admin.

All set!

Create a recipient and check with pgAdmin: public.nmsrecipient/neolane/postgres@PostgreSQL 14

Adobe Campaign Classic v7 SOAP methods called on Windows 11 with Bruno

Note: if getting XSV-350115 The user/password authentication is not authorized for 'admin' login via the '10.x.x.x' address. (iRc=-69), update C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Campaign Classic v7\conf\serverConf.xml from allowUserPassword="false" to allowUserPassword="true"

Going further

Run at startup

Want to start nlserver at startup? Run:

net start nlserver6

Call SOAP methods

You may now call any SOAP methods, such as the read-only xtk:session#GetServerTime that returns the server time in UTC:

POST http://localhost:8080/nl/jsp/soaprouter.jsp

Headers
  Content-Type=application/xml
  SOAPAction=xtk:session#GetServerTime

<soapenv:Envelope xmlns:soapenv="http://schemas.xmlsoap.org/soap/envelope/" xmlns:urn="urn:xtk:queryDef">
    <soapenv:Header/>
    <soapenv:Body>
        <urn:GetServerTime>
            <urn:sessiontoken>admin/admin</urn:sessiontoken>
        </urn:GetServerTime>
    </soapenv:Body>
</soapenv:Envelope>

Run in a Windows VM

This guide is compatible both with a Windows PC and a Windows VM. This article features screenshots from a VMWare Windows 11 Virtual Machine (Windows11_22631.2715_Professional_en-us_arm64.iso) but any Windows version will do.

See also