rConfig Vector Server Installation: Enterprise Network Management Platform Setup

rConfig Vector Server Installation: Enterprise Network Management Platform Setup

Licensing Requirements

rConfig Vector is a commercial licensed product requiring valid licensing for operation. Organizations without current licensing should contact [email protected] for licensing information. rConfig V8 Professional customers may upgrade existing licenses and installations to rConfig Vector.

Prerequisites

Prior to commencing installation, verify the following requirements:

Server Specifications

Server requirements align closely with rConfig V8 specifications. Consult OS Configuration for detailed requirements. Enhanced resource allocation is recommended for Vector deployments. Minimum server specifications:

• 4 CPU Cores minimum
• 16 GB RAM minimum
• 250 GB storage minimum

Infrastructure and Security Requirements

In most deployment scenarios, the rConfig Vector server requires internet accessibility for agent connectivity. Agents may also connect via private networks where connectivity and routing permit. Verify necessary infrastructure and security controls are implemented to support the chosen connectivity model.

The server must be accessible on port 443 (HTTPS) from authorized sources. Implement appropriate firewall rules and valid SSL/TLS certificates on the server.

Critical Security Requirements

rConfig Vector Server represents a mission-critical infrastructure component. Inadequate security controls may result in severe security breaches, data compromise, and system failure.

Administrators maintain absolute responsibility for implementing necessary security controls preventing unauthorized access. While rConfig provides comprehensive built-in security features, rConfig assumes no liability for breaches resulting from improper configuration or administrative negligence.

By deploying rConfig Vector Server, you acknowledge acceptance of our Terms and Conditions, which explicitly limit rConfig liability for issues arising from misconfiguration, misuse, or failure to implement security best practices.

Inadequate security measures expose infrastructure to significant operational risk. Implement appropriate security controls immediately.

Compliance & Security Commitment: rConfig maintains compliance with industry-standard security practices and applicable regulations, including the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA).

Infrastructure Requirements:

• Public IP address (NAT or direct assignment) with source IP restrictions
• Firewall rules permitting inbound traffic on port 443 exclusively from authorized agent source IP addresses
• Valid SSL/TLS certificate (no self-signed certificates permitted). TLS 1.2 or higher required.
• DNS resolution configured for the server
• Reverse DNS configuration (optional but recommended)
• Outbound internet connectivity for update verification
• Integration with organizational monitoring systems for continuous connectivity verification
• Additional security controls as required by organizational policy (multi-factor authentication, intrusion prevention systems, intrusion detection systems, etc.)

Installation Procedures

Installation procedures closely follow V8 Professional methodology and provide streamlined deployment. After completing the server build, continue with the Vector Agent installation steps to onboard devices.

Complete the rConfig Vector Server installation by executing the following procedures. All commands require root user privileges.

1. Configure database user account (MySQL or MariaDB)
2. Download deployment script
3. Execute initialization deployment script
4. Verify installation completion

Prerequisites

For new installations, execute the existing V8 OS configuration scripts first, per OS Configuration Documentation. These scripts provision the operating system with all required dependencies.

Installation Procedures by Operating System

CentOS, Rocky, Rhel, Alma, / AWS

Database User Configuration

Rocky Linux 9+ deployments require creation of a dedicated database user account. Authenticate to the MariaDB/MySQL database server using the root account. The root password was established during OS configuration.

sudo mariadb -u root -p

Create a database user account with appropriate credentials. The example below demonstrates the procedure; however, implement organizationally-appropriate username and password policies. The grant statement below creates the user and assigns privileges in a single operation.

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'user1'@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'password1';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
quit;

Deployment Script Download

mkdir -p /var/www/html/rconfig8
cd /var/www/html/rconfig8
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh -O rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh
chmod +x rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh

Note: Press the enter key to accept default values when prompted during the download and configuration process.

Deployment Script Initialization

Prepare the following configuration parameters before executing the initialization command:

• Database host - ‘localhost’ for standard single-server deployments
• Database username - Database username created in the previous step
• Database password - Database password established in the previous step
• Hostname - The fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for the server; configure DNS resolution prior to installation
• API Token - Retrieved from the license keys section in the rConfig portal (exclude angle brackets)

API Authentication Token

The API authentication token validates your rConfig installation. Retrieve the token from the rConfig portal. Trial users should utilize the trial token provided via email.

rConfig Portal

With the configuration parameters prepared, execute the following command to initialize the rConfig installation:

./rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh --mode=init --apitoken=yourApiToken --dbuser=user1 --dbpass="password1" --hostname=rconfig8vm.domain.local

Enhanced Deployment System

rConfig Vector implements a Bash-based deployment architecture superseding Laravel Envoy. This system provides enhanced error handling, progress monitoring, and simplified operational procedures. Report issues to [email protected]

Application Deployment and Verification

Following successful initialization, execute deployments (updates) using:

./rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh --mode=deploy --apitoken=<someCode>

Respond to prompts as required. Default values may be accepted by pressing the enter key.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu Installation Procedures

Ubuntu installation procedures follow similar patterns to other distributions with distribution-specific scripts. If not previously completed, install Ubuntu Server and execute the OS configuration script per the instructions in Ubuntu Configuration Script.

Database User Configuration

Ubuntu deployments require creation of a dedicated database user account. Authenticate to the MariaDB/MySQL database server using the root account. The root password was established during OS configuration.

sudo mariadb -u root -p

Create the database user account with appropriate credentials. The example below demonstrates the procedure; implement organizationally-appropriate security policies for production credentials.

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON *.* TO 'user1'@localhost IDENTIFIED BY 'password1';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
quit;

Deployment Script Download

sudo mkdir -p /var/www/html/rconfig8
cd /var/www/html/rconfig8
sudo wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8-vector-deploy-ubuntu.sh -O rconfig8-vector-deploy-ubuntu.sh
sudo chmod +x rconfig8-vector-deploy-ubuntu.sh

Note: Press the enter key to accept default values when prompted during the download and configuration process.

Deployment Script Initialization

Prepare the following configuration parameters before executing the initialization command:

• Database host - ‘localhost’ for standard single-server deployments
• Database username - The username created in the previous step
• Database password - The password created in the previous step
• Hostname - The fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for the server; configure DNS resolution prior to installation
• API Token - Retrieved from the license keys section in the rConfig portal (exclude angle brackets)

API Authentication Token

The API authentication token validates your rConfig installation. Retrieve the token from the rConfig portal. Trial users should utilize the trial token provided via email.

rConfig Portal

With the configuration parameters prepared, execute the following command to initialize the rConfig V8 installation:

sudo ./rconfig8-vector-deploy-ubuntu.sh --mode=init --apitoken=yourApiToken --dbuser=user1 --dbpass="password1" --hostname=rconfig8vm.rconfig.com

Application Deployment and Verification

sudo ./rconfig8-vector-deploy-ubuntu.sh --mode=deploy --apitoken=yourApiToken

Respond to prompts as required. Default values may be accepted by pressing the enter key.

Apache Web Server Configuration

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo service apache2 restart

Advanced Configuration

Command-Line Options

The deployment script supports multiple command-line parameters for flexible configuration:

Required Parameters for Initialization Mode:

• --mode=init - Initialize new installation
• --apitoken - rConfig API authentication token
• --dbuser - Database username
• --dbpass - Database password
• --hostname - Server hostname (FQDN)

Required Parameters for Deployment Mode:

• --mode=deploy - Update existing installation
• --apitoken - rConfig API authentication token

Optional Parameters (Both Modes):

• --dbhost - Database host (default: 127.0.0.1)
• --dbport - Database port (default: 3306)
• --help - Display usage information

Command Examples

Custom database configuration:

./rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh --mode=init --apitoken=abc123 --dbuser=rconfig --dbpass="mypass" --dbhost=192.168.1.100 --hostname=rconfig.company.com

Update existing installation:

./rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh --mode=deploy --apitoken=abc123

HTTP 403 Access Forbidden Error Resolution

If encountering HTTP 403 Access Forbidden errors following Vector Server updates, cached RBAC data may require clearing.

The error may appear as follows when accessing Settings > Agents:

To resolve, execute the following commands:

# This error typically results from cached data from previous rConfig versions

redis-cli
select 1
keys *
del KEYNAME # (any key containing "permissions")

exit
cd /var/www/html/rconfig8/current && php artisan rconfig:clear-all

Video demonstration of the resolution process:

Clear Redis RBAC Cache

Play

Version Rollback

To revert to a previous release version:

./rconfig8-vector-deploy.sh --mode=rollback

Rollback Limitations

Rollback functionality maintains the five most recent releases. Database schema modifications are not automatically reverted during rollback operations and may require manual intervention.

Deployment Architecture Features

Zero-Downtime Deployment Strategy

rConfig V8 implements a symlink-based deployment architecture ensuring continuous availability during updates:

• New releases deploy to timestamped directories
• Atomic symlink updates ensure instantaneous transitions
• Previous releases remain available for immediate rollback

Progress Monitoring

The deployment script provides comprehensive progress visibility:

• Visual progress indicators
• Step-by-step execution status
• Complete operation logging to /var/log/rconfig-deploy.log

Error Handling and Recovery

Enhanced error handling capabilities include:

• Detailed error diagnostics
• Recovery procedure recommendations
• Support contact information
• Comprehensive operational logging

Post-Installation Configuration

Upon successful installation completion, access the web interface using the server IP address or hostname with the following default credentials:

Username: [email protected] Password: admin

Administrative Account Security

Establish a new administrative user account through the settings interface as an initial configuration step. Remove the default administrative account after verifying the new account has appropriate privileges and authentication functions correctly.

Troubleshooting Procedures

Common Installation Issues

1. Permission-Related Errors

   • Verify root user privileges for script execution
   • Validate file ownership: chown -R apache /var/www/html/rconfig8

2. Database Connectivity Issues

   • Verify database credentials accuracy
   • Test connectivity: mariadb -u username -p -h hostname

3. API Token Authentication Problems

   • Verify token accuracy from rConfig portal
   • Confirm network connectivity to dl.rconfig.com

4. Service Availability Issues

   • Verify Apache status: systemctl status httpd
   • Verify Supervisor status: systemctl status supervisord

Log File Locations

• Deployment Log: /var/log/rconfig-deploy.log
• Apache Logs: /var/log/httpd/ (RHEL/CentOS) or /var/log/apache2/ (Ubuntu)
• Application Logs: /var/www/html/rconfig8/persistentData/storage/logs/

Support Resources

For installation assistance:

1. Review the deployment log file for error details
2. Consult this documentation for troubleshooting procedures
3. Contact V8 support: [email protected]
4. Access the support portal: rConfig Portal

SSL/TLS Configuration

SSL/TLS encryption is not configured during default rConfig installation. SSL/TLS implementation is strongly recommended and may utilize organizational PKI infrastructure or certificate authorities such as Let’s Encrypt. SSL/TLS configuration methodology is deferred to organizational security policies and infrastructure requirements. Contact rConfig support for SSL/TLS implementation assistance for your rConfig V8 deployment. Configuration guidance is available in the SSL Configuration Documentation.

Migration from V7

V7 Version Requirement

Prior to upgrading to V8, update your rConfig V7 installation to the latest version (V7.4.0 or later). This ensures compatibility and successful migration of data, configurations, and customizations.

For rConfig V7 upgrades, the V8 deployment script will:

• Automatically detect existing V7 installations
• Preserve existing data and configuration settings
• Remove legacy Envoy deployment components
• Migrate to the enhanced deployment system

V7 to V8 Migration

The deployment script automatically manages migration from V7 installations. Existing data, configurations, and customizations are preserved during the migration process.

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Next Steps

After completing rConfig Vector Server installation:

• Install Vector Agents on target systems to enable distributed network management
• Review Vector Features and Capabilities to understand the full platform potential
• Configure Security Hardening for enterprise deployment requirements
• Explore Upgrade Options if migrating from V8 Professional