Leapwork Enterprise | Leapwork Docs

The Leapwork Enterprise edition is intended for organizations deploying test automation across multiple teams and the entire enterprise. In this article, you will learn how the Enterprise edition supports large-scale usage and why its database architecture differs from other Leapwork editions.

A key differentiator of the Enterprise edition is its ability to scale in terms of number of users, execution load, and overall system capacity. This enhanced scalability is enabled in part by the use of a more robust database platform.

While the Leapwork Platform edition uses an embedded SQLite database, the Enterprise edition requires Microsoft SQL Server to support higher performance, reliability, and scalability demands. Although the Controller, Studio, and Agent components can technically be installed on the same machine using the same installer, Enterprise deployments typically use separate machines for each component to ensure optimal performance, scalability, and security.

Note:

A Microsoft SQL Server license is not included with a Leapwork license.
Any SQL Server edition beyond SQL Server Express is supported.

This architecture ensures that the Leapwork Enterprise edition can meet the needs of complex, organization-wide automation initiatives.

Installation Prerequisites and Access Requirements

The Leapwork Enterprise installation consists of three main components - Studio, Controller, and Agent deployed on separate machines and connected through defined network ports, as shown in the architecture diagram.

Machine Access and Permissions

Ensure local administrator rights are available on all machines hosting Leapwork components:
Leapwork Controller (Windows Server)
Leapwork Studio (Windows end-user desktop)
Leapwork Agent (Windows VM or remote machine)
Make sure you have the required hostname/IP addresses and credentials to access all on-premises or remote machines involved in the installation.

The application under test (AUT) must be reachable from the Agent machine, as automation execution takes place on the Agent.

Network Ports and Firewall Configuration

To enable communication between Leapwork components and external integrations, the following ports must be opened:

TCP 9000: Used for communication between Leapwork Studio and the Controller.
TCP 9001: Used to access the Controller REST API, including integrations with CI/CD and defect management tools such as Azure DevOps, Jenkins, TeamCity, Bamboo, Jira, and others.
TCP 6777: Used for communication between the Controller and all Agent machines, including both Leapwork Agents and web-only agents (BrowserStack, Sauce Labs, Gridlastic, LambdaTest, Selenium Grid).

Ensure the Controller machine has a static IP address or a unique, resolvable machine name, as all Studios and Agents connect to it.

SQL Server Configuration

The Leapwork Enterprise Controller requires a Microsoft SQL Server database for storing assets, reports, and configuration data.

Install Microsoft SQL Server on a machine accessible from the Controller over the network.
Ensure that TCP port 1433 is open for communication between the Controller and the SQL Server.
Verify that the Controller can connect to SQL Server using the appropriate authentication method:
Windows Authentication (the Windows account must have local administrator rights on the Controller machine)
SQL Authentication
Install SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) on the Controller machine to manage and validate database access.
Ensure the SQL user or account has the DB Owner role, as required for database creation during the Leapwork installation.

System Configuration Recommendations

For the Enterprise Edition, system requirements can vary significantly depending on your infrastructure. Factors such as network latency, virtual server performance, and disk throughput can affect Leapwork performance.

We therefore recommend an agile approach, starting with one or more environments in real-life conditions and scaling or adjusting them as usage grows during the first 90 days of operation.

Additionally, you can find the required permissions and roles for installing Leapwork on a Windows computer here. In general, please keep in mind:

Hardware requirements for Agents depend on the application(s) under test, especially RAM and CPU, which may ultimately drive Agent sizing.
More disk space allows you to store more data; otherwise, strict retention policies are required.
More CPU cores enable faster processing and improved parallelization.
Use high-speed SSDs for intensive read/write patterns and combine them with additional RAM.

The following table shows the suggested operating system and SQL server versions supported for the Enterprise Edition:

Operating System Supported

MS SQL Supported

Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2022

MS SQL (version 13), 2017 (version 14), 2019 (version 15), 2022 (version 16).
Azure SQL is also supported.

MS SQL Edition Supported - SQL Enterprise (Recommended), SQL Standard.

Windows core operating systems are not supported.

The following table outlines the recommended hardware configurations for Leapwork Enterprise Edition servers, agents, and the MS SQL Server database.

Installation scenario	Leapwork Server	Leapwork Agent	MS SQL Server
Multiple teams, medium usage 25 users, 500 flows, 10 agents, 2 runs per day 500 * 10 * 2 = 10,000 flows run per day 500 keyframes per-flow run, 100 bytes per keyframe = 10,000 * 500 * 100 = 500 MB new run data per day	16 GB RAM 64-bit, 4-8 cores 500 GB regular drives Virtual machines are recommended for most scenarios - avoid noisy neighbors	4-16 GB RAM 64-bit, 2-4 cores 100 GB regular drive Virtual machines are recommended for most scenarios - avoid noisy neighbors	16 GB RAM 64-bit, 4-8 cores 1 TB regular drives Shared MS SQL Server instance recommended - avoid noisy neighbors
Multiple teams, high usage 25 users, 500 flows, 25 agents, 10 runs per day 500 * 25 * 10 = 125,000 flows run per day 500 keyframes per-flow run, 100 bytes per keyframe = 125,000 * 500 * 100 = 6.5 GB new run data per day	32 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores 1 TB SSDs Physical machine recommended Consider splitting into multiple servers, depending on the network, disk performance, and spikes in usage	4-16 GB RAM 64-bit, 2-4 cores 100 GB regular drive Virtual machines are recommended for most scenarios - avoid noisy neighbors	32 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores 2 TB SSDs Physical machine recommended A shared instance may be relevant, depending on spikes in usage
Department, high usage 50 users, 5,000 flows, 50 agents, 10 runs per day 5000 * 50 * 10 = 2,500,000 flows run per day 500 keyframes per-flow run, 100 bytes per keyframe = 2,500,000 * 500 * 100 = 125 GB new run data per day	32-64 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores 1 TB SSDs Physical machine recommended High-throughput, low-latency network with Agents and MS SQL Server recommended Consider splitting into multiple servers, depending on the network, disk performance, and spikes in usage	4-16 GB RAM 64-bit, 2-4 cores 100 GB regular drive Virtual machines are recommended for most scenarios - avoid noisy neighbors	64 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores Large disk array Shared instances and virtual machines not recommended Consider splitting into multiple servers, depending on the network, disk performance, and spikes in usage
Company or site-wide, high usage 250 users, 15,000 flows, 250 agents, 10 runs per day 15000 * 250 * 10 = 37,500,000 flows run per day 500 keyframes per-flow run, 100 bytes per keyframe = 37,500,000 * 500 * 100 = 2 TB new run data per day	64 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores 1 TB SSDs Physical machine recommended High-throughput, low-latency network with Agents and MS SQL Server recommended Multiple (departmental or project-related) servers recommended	4-16 GB RAM 64-bit, 2-4 cores 100 GB regular drive Virtual machines recommended for most scenarios - avoid noisy neighbors	64 GB RAM 64-bit, 16 cores Large disk array Shared instances and virtual machines not recommended Consider splitting into multiple servers, depending on the network, disk performance, and spikes in usage

The Studio is typically installed on a desktop operating system, which is also the recommended setup for the Agent. When deploying the Agent in a data center, a Windows desktop version may not be available. In these cases, the Agent can run on Windows Server with Desktop Experience enabled. The Server component is installed on a Windows Server

For any configuration-related challenges, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager (CSM).

Getting Ready for Installation 

Download Leapwork 

Download the latest version of Leapwork from the Customer Portal (CP)  download  page. 
Keep the downloaded copy of the installer file in all on-prem/remote machines where the Leapwork components installation is to be performed.

.NET Framework

Download the latest version of the .NET Framework from the following  link. Install it on the on-prem/remote machines where Leapwork components installation is to be performed.

Note: Versions 2025.2 and 2025.3 have different .NET Framework requirements. Make sure to follow the requirements specified in the installer. For more details, see the CP download section.

Leapwork License Credentials

Make sure you have credentials to log in to the Leapwork license engine. 
To activate your license, you must obtain it from the CP.
Log in to CP to download your license. A CP account is required to access your license.
If you do not have access to the CP, please contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to request access or to receive your license.

Installation Guide

To get an overview of the components of the Leapwork Enterprise Automation Platform, see this article.

Prerequisites

.NET Framework:

Leapwork uses different .NET versions depending on the product version and components being installed.

.NET Framework 4.8 is a prerequisite for Leapwork and comes pre-packaged with Windows. For earlier versions, such as 2025.2, .NET Framework 4.8 may need to be downloaded manually from the Microsoft website if it is not already available on the machine.
Starting with version 2025.2, Leapwork automatically installs .NET 6 as part of the installation process when required (for Fusion components only).
From version 2025.3 onward, Leapwork automatically installs .NET 8 as part of the installation, removing the need for manual installation of newer .NET versions.

Always follow the installer guidance for your specific Leapwork version to ensure the correct .NET components are installed.

You must purchase an MS SQL server and install it on a Machine accessible via your network. 
SQL Server Management Studio must be installed in the Controller machine to perform the database changes.
Please ensure that you have all necessary  Permission & Roles  in the SQL server to configure a database for Leapwork. 
Make sure you have credentials to log in to the Leapwork license engine. 
Download the latest version of Leapwork. MSI file from the CP download  page on all machines where it is going to be installed.

Note: The same MSI installer is used to install the Leapwork Controller, Studio, and Agents.

Double-click the .msi-file to start the installation.

Installing the 3 components:

While the Controller, Studio, and Agent can technically be installed on the same machine using the same installer, we recommend installing them on separate machines in Enterprise deployments for better performance, scalability, and security.

To learn more about the Leapwork architecture and how its components work together, refer to this article.

Controller Installation 

Open the MSI file location and double-click the .msi-file to start the installation. The first screen will display the version number.

Click the Next button to begin the installation.
Read the end user agreement tick “I accept the terms in the license agreement” checkbox.
Click the Next button if you agree.

Choose Automation Controller and deselect another two, you can keep studio if you want to keep in controller machine, but we do not recommend having agent installed on controller machine.

Click the Next button.

Controller Port

The Studio and the Controller always communicate using internal API calls, and this requires the use of a TCP port. The default is port 9000, which you can change to any other port number that is not in use by other software on your computer. 

Controller API Port

For any integration effort, access Leapwork open REST API using the default port number 9001, which you can change to any other port number that is not in use by other software on your computer. 

Note: Unless it is necessary for any reason, we do not recommend changing either the Controller or Controller API port numbers.

Click the Next button.

Click the Finish button to complete the installation process.

Click the Yes button to restart your system.

License Activation

To activate your license, you must obtain it from the CP.

Note: If you do not have access to the CP, please contact your Customer Success Manager (CSM) to request access or to receive your license.

Once you enter your License Key and click the Validate button, your license will be successfully verified, and you can proceed to complete the Enterprise version installation.

Studio Installation 

Open the MSI file location and double-click the .msi-file to start the installation. The first screen will display the version number and ensure that the downloaded version fits your computer.
Click the Next button to begin the installation.

Read the end user agreement by clicking on the EULA tab.
Click the Next button if you agree.

Choose Automation Studio and deselect other two, you can keep Agent if you want to keep in the same machine, but we do not recommend having an agent installed on studio machine.
Click the Next button.

Click the Install button to start the installation process.

Installation has been completed. Click the Finish button.

Configuring Studio 

1. When opening Leapwork studio, Leapwork studio Authentication Window opens:

Choose a Controller to select the one used in your organization.

Note: If you can’t find the name of the controller by default, then you can type it manually on the same dropdown control.

Change the port number of controller if you have changed it during controller installation.

Enable the Web sockets transport protocol checkbox to allow faster communication between Studio, Controller, and Agent.
Once you are done with all the above settings, click the Connect button.

It will take you back to Leapwork Studio Authentication Window. To log into Leapwork for the first time, you need to use your admin credentials in the Leapwork Studio Authentication Window.  

Enter the credentials and press the Login button.

Leapwork Administration 

As an admin, you have access to Leapwork Administration, and you can perform actions shown below:

Controller Settings: Change controller settings
User Management: Add, Remove, Update Leapwork Users
Team Management: Add, Remove, Update Leapwork Teams
Workflow Settings: Edit Workflow settings
API Access Keys: Generate API Keys
E-Mail Settings: Update email settings that use to send email from Leapwork
Proxy Settings: Update Leapwork proxy settings
Default Automation Flow Settings: Update flow settings
Capture Settings: Change the way Leapwork captures an object
Retention Policies: Add, Remove, Update Leapwork retention policies
License Management: License management, Add, Remove, and Update Leapwork licenses
Audit Log: Check Audit logs

We recommend you add a Team and a few users after installation and check that flow creation is working. 

Afterward, use the following  link  to import the flows created during the proof of value phase.

Agent Installation 

Open the MSI file location and double-click the .msi-file to start the installation. The first screen will display the version number and ensure that the downloaded version fits your computer.
Click the Next button to begin the installation.

Read the end user agreement click I accept the terms in the license agreement checkbox.
Click the Next button if you agree.

Choose Automation Agent and deselect another two, we do not recommend having Studio or controller installed on Agent machine.

The configuration screen contains several settings that you can modify before completing the installation.

Port: Automation flows run in the Agent, which communicates with the Studio and Controller over a closed remote-control protocol on a configurable TCP port (default: 6777). You can change it to any unused port on the computer.

Note: We recommend keeping the default Controller, Controller API, and Agent ports unless a change is necessary.

Windows login: Agents includes a strong security feature to automate logging in and out of Windows.

You don’t need to be logged into the machine to run a flow. Leapwork can log in on your behalf.
You can also test single sign-on between Windows and any other application that uses the same credentials.

To use your Windows credentials when configuring the Agent, you need to select Windows login.

Agent password: In case you do not want to use windows login feature, then you should use the Agent password to secure your agents. Because the Agent uses a remote-control protocol, we advise that you set up a password to prevent unauthorized parties from connecting to it.

Add exceptions for the Agent in Windows Firewall: A check in this box will direct the installation process to add a rule to the Windows Firewall to permit all incoming connections to the Agent.

Click the Next button after choosing your desired configuration.

Check Enable Selenium Manager to auto-download browser drivers if you want Leapwork Studio to automatically download the matching browser drivers from the internet during runs. Otherwise, leave it unchecked to use the packaged drivers installed locally.