rConfig Vector – Agent Installation

8 mins Vector

Introduction

The rConfig Vector Agent is a critical component of the Vector product suite. It is responsible for executing commands, gathering configurations, and relaying data back to Vector Servers. This guide provides a step-by-step overview of the installation process, prerequisites, and post-installation tasks to ensure a smooth deployment.

Unlike a remote proxy, which passively connects and gathers data through intermediary channels, our rConfig Vector is an active agent, meaning it is deployed directly on devices to continuously monitor, collect, and push real-time data securely, ensuring more accurate, reliable, and comprehensive insights.

Agent Features / Limitations

Features

• Real-Time Data Collection: The Vector Agent continuously collects data at scheduled intervals, ensuring you always have the most up-to-date network insights.

• Secure Communication: Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest, safeguarding sensitive information from prying eyes.

• Comprehensive Monitoring: Monitor a wide range of devices—including switches, routers, firewalls, and servers. (Note: Version 1.0.0 only supports SSH connections.)

• Scalable Architecture: Easily deploy the Vector Agent across multiple devices, servers, or datacenters to grow with your network. Load balancing and redundancy features are on the horizon for late 2025.

• Effortless Deployment: Deploy quickly using simple scripts or configuration management tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef. Containerized deployments via Docker or Kubernetes are also supported.

• Ephemeral by Design: The Vector Agent isn’t tied down—it can be removed or reinstalled anytime, whether during scheduled maintenance, server migrations, or after unexpected disruptions.

• Multi-System Support: Compatible with Linux and Windows, the Vector Agent can run on physical servers, VMs, cloud instances, and containers.

• Built-In Security: The Vector Agent connects exclusively to the Vector Server, eliminating risks of unauthorized access. Secure communication protocols like SSH and layered security restrictions ensure full data encryption.

• Unidirectional Communication: The Vector Agent only sends data to the Vector Server, with no incoming connections required. This minimizes firewall configuration and significantly reduces the attack surface.

Limitations

Lets talk about Telnet

Telnet: the network equivalent of sending postcards—everyone can read it. We don’t support it, and frankly, neither should you. In 2025, relying on Telnet is like securing your online banking with “password123”—a bad idea. While our mission is to liberate you from rigid, opinionated systems, we draw a hard line here. Telnet is an outdated, insecure relic, much like using HTTP-only in today’s encrypted web world. Please keep this in mind when deploying the Vector Agent. Let’s move forward—securely.

• SSH Only: The Vector Agent only supports SSH as of version 1.0.0. Support for other protocols will be added in future releases, including SNMP, and REST APIs.
• No Telnet Support: The Vector Agent does not support Telnet. Telnet is an outdated, insecure protocol that should not be used in modern networks. Please ensure that your devices are configured to use SSH for secure communication.
• Linux and Windows Only: The Vector Agent is currently available for Linux and Windows operating systems.
• Automated deployment updates: The Vector Servers do not automatically update the Vector Agent. You will need to manually update the Vector Agent on your devices when new versions are released. We will bring this feature in 2025.

Prerequisites

Before starting the installation, ensure the following requirements are met:

• Supported Operating Systems:

  • Linux: Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat (Recommended LTS versions)
  • Windows Server (Recommended: 2019 or later)

• System Requirements:

  • Minimum 2 GB RAM (on top of the OS requirements)
  • 10 GB available disk space for installation and logs
  • Network connectivity to Vector Server (outbound only on HTTPS/443 or other port as specified at the Vector Server)

• Administrative Access: Ensure you have root or admin privileges for installation.

• License Key: A valid license key is required for the installation and activation of the Vector Agent.

• Dependencies:

  • There are no additional dependencies required for the Vector Agent installation.

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Installation Steps

Download the Vector Agent Installer

The latest Vector Agent binary for both Linux and Windows can be downloaded from the rConfig portal. Log in to your account and navigate to the Downloads section to access the latest version of the Vector Agent.

Access the rConfig Portal

1. Navigate to the rConfig Vector Agent download page:
   • https://portal.rconfig.com/vector-agent-download
2. Log in using your authorized credentials. You must have a valid license to access the download page.
3. Once logged in, locate the latest Linux binary version of the agent (e.g., vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0).
4. Download the binary to your local system. Then upload it to the target server.

Install the Vector Agent by OS Type

CentOS, Rocky, Rhel, Alma

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Move the Binary to a Directory

After the binary is downloaded:

1. Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where the binary was downloaded. For example, to move it to /usr/local/bin/, but you can choose any directory.

   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/logs
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/db
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/files
   cd /usr/local/bin/vectoragent

2. Move the binary to /usr/local/bin/vectoragent for system-wide access, and run verification checks:

   sudo mv vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0 /usr/local/bin/vectoragent
   # check the file size
   ls -lh /usr/local/bin/vectoragent
   # check the dm5, sha1, or sha256 hash.
   # Verify the hash with the one provided on the download page.
   sha256sum /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0
   sha1sum /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0
   md5sum /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0

3. copy the downloaded binary to the /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent directory, and rename It

   sudo cp /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0 /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

4. Make sure the binary is executable:

   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

** Verify the Installation**

To ensure the binary works, run:

cd /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent
./vectoragent --version
Vector Agent Version: v1.0.0

You should see the version number printed if it’s installed correctly.

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Create a Systemd Service

1. Create a new systemd service file:

   sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/vectoragent.service

2. Add the following service configuration:

   [Unit]
   Description=Vector Agent Service
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent
   Restart=always
   User=root
   Group=root
   EnvironmentFile=/usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/.env
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

3. Save the file and exit

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Create an Environment File

If the binary requires environment variables, you can define them in:

  sudo vim /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/.env

Add your required environment variables:

AGENT_DEBUG=false
API_URL=https://server.yourdomain.com
API_KEY=1234-1234-1234-1234

Note: You can generate a .env file from your Vector server, after the agent is created on the Vector Server. You may then use the values in the generated .env file to create the .env file on the agent. The file downloads as a .txt file, so you will need to rename it to .env.

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Reload and Start the Service

1. Reload systemd to recognize the new service:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload

2. Enable the service to start at boot:

   sudo systemctl enable vectoragent

3. Start the service:

   sudo systemctl start vectoragent

4. Check the status:

   sudo systemctl status vectoragent

If the service is running, you should see a status like active (running).

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Verify the Agent

To confirm the agent is running correctly, you can check logs:

journalctl -u vectoragent.service -f

Look for any errors or confirmation messages that indicate a successful connection or operation.

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Troubleshooting Tips

• Check Logs: If the agent fails to start, check the logs for any error messages. The logs can be found in /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/logs.
• Firewall Rules: Ensure the server has outbound access to the Vector Server on the specified port.
• Environment Variables: Verify the environment variables are correctly set in the .env file.
• Permissions: Ensure the binary has the correct permissions to execute. You can use chmod +x to make it executable.
• Systemd Service: Check the service file for any typos or incorrect paths. You can use systemctl status vectoragent to check the service status.
• ** System and Service Logs**: Check the system logs and service logs for any additional information. You can use journalctl -u vectoragent.service to view the service logs.
• Network Connectivity: Ensure the server has network connectivity to the Vector Server.

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That’s it! 🎉 You’ve successfully installed and set up the Vector Agent on Rocky Linux.

Ubuntu

Move the Binary to a Directory

1. Open a terminal and navigate to where the binary was downloaded. Create the necessary directories:

   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/logs
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/db
   mkdir -p /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/data/files
   cd /usr/local/bin/vectoragent

2. Move the binary to the directory:

   sudo mv ~/Downloads/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0 /usr/local/bin/vectoragent

3. Copy the binary to the activeagent directory and rename it:

   sudo cp /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/vectoragent-linux-v1.0.0 /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

4. Make the binary executable:

   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

5. Verify the installation:

   cd /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent
   ./vectoragent --version

You should see the version number if the installation is correct.

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Create a Systemd Service

1. Create a new systemd service file:

   sudo vim /etc/systemd/system/vectoragent.service

2. Add the following configuration:

   [Unit]
   Description=Vector Agent Service
   After=network.target
   
   [Service]
   ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent
   Restart=always
   User=root
   Group=root
   EnvironmentFile=/usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/.env
   
   [Install]
   WantedBy=multi-user.target

3. Save the file and exit.

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Create an Environment File

1. Create the environment file if required:

   sudo vim /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/.env

2. Add necessary environment variables:

   AGENT_DEBUG=false
   API_URL=https://server.yourdomain.com
   API_KEY=1234-1234-1234-1234

   Note: You can generate a .env file from your Vector server, after the agent is created on the Vector Server. You may then use the values in the generated .env file to create the .env file on the agent. The file downloads as a .txt file, so you will need to rename it to .env.

   

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Reload and Start the Service

1. Reload systemd to recognize the new service:

   sudo systemctl daemon-reload

2. Enable the service to start at boot:

   sudo systemctl enable vectoragent

3. Start the service:

   sudo systemctl start vectoragent

4. Check the status:

   sudo systemctl status vectoragent

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Verify the Agent

Check the logs to confirm successful startup:

journalctl -u vectoragent.service -f

Windows

This guide walks you through running the Go binary as a Windows service using NSSM. To make updates easier, the binary will be renamed to vectoragent.exe for deployment, while keeping the original version (vectoragent-windows-v1.0.0.exe) as a backup for rollback.

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Prerequisites

• Go Binary: Ensure you have the vectoragent-windows-v1.0.0.exe in C:\rconfigvector.
• NSSM Installed: Download and extract NSSM from https://nssm.cc/download.

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Prepare the Binary

1. Navigate to C:\rconfigvector.

2. Make the data directories:

   mkdir data
   mkdir data\logs
   mkdir data\db
   mkdir data\files

3. Create a backup of the original binary:

   copy vectoragent-windows-v1.0.0.exe vectoragent-backup-v1.0.0.exe

4. Rename the binary for easy updates:

   rename vectoragent-windows-v1.0.0.exe vectoragent.exe

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Set Up the Service

1. Open Command Prompt as an Administrator.

2. Navigate to the directory containing nssm.exe.

3. Run the following command to create the service:

   nssm install vectoragent

4. In the popup window:

   • Path: Select the binary file, e.g., C:\rconfigvector\vectoragent.exe.
   • Startup Directory: Set it to C:\rconfigvector.
   • Options:
     • Set stdout and stderr log file paths if needed.

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Create and edit the .env file

1. Create a new file in C:\rconfigvector named .env.

2. Add the required environment variables:

     AGENT_DEBUG=false
     API_URL=https://server.yourdomain.com
     API_KEY=1234-1234-1234-1234

   Note: You can generate a .env file from your Vector server, after the agent is created on the Vector Server. You may then use the values in the generated .env file to create the .env file on the agent. The file downloads as a .txt file, so you will need to rename it to .env.

   

3. Save the file.

Start the Service

• Run the service using:

  nssm start vectoragent

• Verify the service status:

  nssm status vectoragent

**Configure Restart Policies **

If you want the service to automatically restart on failure:

1. Run:

   nssm edit vectoragent

2. Go to the Exit Actions tab and configure:
   • Set Restart delay if needed.

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Verify the Agent & Check logs

• To verify the agent is running, check the logs:

  nssm log vectoragent

• Look for any errors or confirmation messages that indicate a successful connection or operation.

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Upgrade the Vector Agent

CentOS, Rocky, Rhel, Alma

1. Download the Latest Version Visit the rConfig Vector Agent download page and download the latest version of the agent.

2. Stop the running service:

   sudo systemctl stop vectoragent

3. Replace the Old Binary

   sudo cp vectoragent-linux-vX.X.X /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

4. Restart the Service

   sudo systemctl start vectoragent

5. Verify the Update

   /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent --version

You should see the updated version number.

Ubuntu

1. Download the Latest Version Visit the rConfig Vector Agent download page and download the latest version of the agent.

2. Stop the running service:

   sudo systemctl stop vectoragent

3. Replace the Old Binary

   sudo cp ~/Downloads/vectoragent-linux-vX.X.X /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent

4. Restart the service:

   sudo systemctl start vectoragent

5. Verify the update:

   /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/vectoragent --version

Ensure the correct version number is displayed.

Windows

When updating to a new version:

1. Stop the service:

   nssm stop vectoragent

2. Backup the current binary:

   copy vectoragent.exe vectoragent-backup-previous.exe

3. Copy the new version to C:\rconfigvector and rename it:

   copy vectoragent-windows-v1.1.0.exe vectoragent.exe

4. Start the service:

   nssm start vectoragent

Rollback (if necessary)

1. Stop the service:

   nssm stop vectoragent

2. Replace vectoragent.exe with the previous version:

   copy vectoragent-backup-v1.0.0.exe vectoragent.exe

3. Start the service:

   nssm start vectoragent

Updating the .env File and Restarting the Service

Edit the .env File

sudo vim /usr/local/bin/vectoragent/activeagent/.env

Make any required changes, such as updating API keys, URLs, or other configuration variables.

Save and Exit

Save the file and exit the editor.

Restart the Vector Agent Service

sudo systemctl restart vectoragent

** Verify the Service**

Ensure that the service is running correctly after applying the updates.

sudo systemctl status vectoragent

You should see active (running). If there are issues, check the logs using:

journalctl -u vectoragent.service -f