*** Legacy Documentation for Statseeker v5.5.5 ***

Index


Overview

This document details the installation process for a Statseeker Version 5 High-Availability (HA) deployment.

Note:

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Important Notes

Note: as of version 5.3, Statseeker requires CPUs which support the SSE4.2 instruction set, see System Requirements for details

Non-Synced Server Settings

Changes (being set or updated) to the following settings are not synced between primary and secondary servers. Any changes to the following must be manually duplicated on the secondary server:

  • SSL certificates
  • SSH keys and certificates
  • NTP configuration
  • Server timezone
  • LDAP configuration
  • Email configuration
  • Web Server configuration
  • User account password changes for the statseeker user

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Unsupported Configurations

Statseeker does NOT support the following configurations for physical (non-VM) installations:

  • Raid 5
  • Raid 6
  • SAN Drives

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Installation Drive
  • All data on the drive will be deleted during a new install
  • See Version 5 System Requirements for more information on installation drive requirements

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User Accounts

The installation process will create the following administrative system accounts:

  • admin – the web user administrator account
  • statseeker – the system user account used by the Statseeker application
  • root – the superuser account in the backend operating system

You will be prompted to provide the root user password during the installation process. This password will become the default password for both the admin and statseeker accounts. This password can be changed after the installation process via:

  • the command line ssadmin tool
  • the web interface in the Administration Tool, see Admin Tool > Statseeker Administration > OS Configuration

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Prerequisites

  • A license key that is compatible with a Statseeker High-Availability installation, contact Customer Service to ensure that you have a suitable key
  • A Statseeker High-Availability installation image/ISO, contact Customer Service for access to the installation image

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System Requirements
Note: as of version 5.3, Statseeker requires CPUs which support the SSE4.2 instruction set.

Ensure that both prospective HA servers meet the Version 5 System Requirements. In addition, an HA installation requires that each server have a least two network interfaces and that are connected via a dedicated high-speed connection for the HA data sync link.


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Installation Media

Contact your Regional Sales Manager for access to the Statseeker installation media (ISO/IMG) image file appropriate for your license. Once this file has been downloaded:

  • CD/DVD: use 3rd party software to burn the ISO/IMG image file to disc
  • USB: use 3rd party software to convert the USB and ISO/IMG to bootable drive
  • VM: request the *.iso file from Statseeker support to ensure compatibility with your destination platform

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Configuration Information

You will also need to provide, or define, the following information during the install process:

  • The root user password for the server
  • A host name for the server
  • A domain name suffix for the server
  • Static IP, Netmask and Default Gateway addresses for the server
  • The IP address of your Domain Name Server
  • The SNMP read access community string to your devices (routers, switches, servers, etc.)

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Install Primary Server

CD/DVD/USB Installation
  • Configure the BIOS time and time zone as desired
  • Set the boot sequence:
    • Installation media as first boot preference
    • Installation destination drive as secondary boot preference
  • Connect the server to your LAN as needed
  • Insert installation media
  • Boot the server
Note: ensure that both the Primary and Secondary are configured with identical timezone settings.
VM Installation
  • Configure the VM
  • Mount the ISO
  • Launch the VM

The FreeBSD welcome screen will be displayed.

  • Press Enter to continue with the installation
Note: The install process will display a number of configuration screens:

  • Use the arrow keys to navigate through these dialogs
  • Use the Tab key to move between the data-entry section and the OK/Cancel confirmation section
  • Use the Enter to confirm the action in the confirmation section

The Statseeker Welcome screen is displayed.

  • Press Enter

The High-Availability Alert screen is displayed

  • Press Enter to continue with the installation

If you have multiple hard disks, the Installation Disk Selection screen is displayed.

  • Select the disk you want to use, select OK and press Enter
Note: This screen will only be presented if you have multiple disks configured or if you have a RAID configuration and a separate disk.

The data wipe alert is displayed; continuing with the installation will delete all data on the hard disk.

  • Press Enter to continue with the installation

The HA Role Selection screen is displayed

  • Ensure that the Primary role is selected and hit Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the primary server data-sync interface is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Select the interface to be used for the data-sync link
  • Press Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the primary server data-sync interface IP is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Specify the IP and subnet mask to be used and press Enter
Note: the data-sync link interfaces should be configured on a different subnet to the rest of your network. See the image below for an example.

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the primary server main interface is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Select the interface to be used for the link to the rest of the network
  • Press Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the primary server main interface IP is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Specify the IP and subnet mask to be used and press Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the virtual host IP is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Specify the IP to be used and press Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the virtual host authentication string is to be configured.

  • Press Enter
  • Specify the authentication string to be used and press Enter

  • Specify the hostname to be used for the primary server Enter

  • Specify the domain and DNS servers to be used for the primary server and press Enter

  • Specify the data-store to be used and press Enter

Installation will continue.

The server time prompt is displayed.

  • If you are certain that the CMOS clock is set to UTC, then select Yes, otherwise select No
  • Select the time zone region

Note: ensure that both the Primary and Secondary are configured to use the same timezone.
  • Select the time zone

  • Select Yes to confirm the time zone configuration

A prompt will be displayed asking you to set the password for the server root account.

Note: This password will become the default password for both the admin and statseeker user accounts.


  • Enter the password and press Enter
  • Repeat to confirm the password

Statseeker will now install all required packages and reboot.

Once the server has started to reboot you may remove the CD/DVD disc from the server drive. A login prompt will be displayed, indicating a successful install.

  • Do not log in, rather move on to the HA Secondary server installation

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Install Secondary Server

Begin the installation of the secondary server in exactly the same manner as the installation of the primary server.

Note: ensure that both the Primary and Secondary are configured to use the same timezone.

The Statseeker Welcome screen is displayed.

  • Press Enter

The High-Availability Alert screen is displayed

  • Press Enter to continue with the installation

If you have multiple hard disks, the Installation Disk Selection screen is displayed.

  • Select the disk you want to use, select OK and press Enter
Note: This screen will only be presented if you have multiple disks configured or if you have a RAID configuration and a separate disk.

The data wipe alert is displayed; continuing with the installation will delete all data on the hard disk.

  • Press Enter to continue with the installation

The HA Role Selection screen is displayed

  • Ensure that the Secondary role is selected and hit Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the secondary server data-sync interface is to be configured.

  • Press Enter

  • Select the interface to be used for the data-sync link
  • Press Enter

The HA Config Summary screen is displayed, indicating that the IP of the primary server data-sync link interface is required.

  • Press Enter

  • Specify the IP address previously assigned to the interface used for the data-sync link on the primary server
  • Press Enter

You will then be prompted for the password assigned during the primary server installation process.

  • Enter the password for the root account on the primary server and press Enter

SSH keys will be exchanged for communication between the primary and secondary servers, then the installation process will test this link and pull configuration data from the primary server to assist with automatically configuring the secondary server. The HA Config Summary screen will be displayed detailing the automatic configuration assigned to the secondary server.

The installation process will proceed as per that used when configuring the primary server:

  • The HA Config Summary screen will be displayed before each step, indicating the next setting to be configured
  • The configuration screen will be displayed and will be pre-populated as per the automated configuration
  • Step through these settings, editing the configurations if required and pressing Enter to confirm

Once the HA specific configuration options are complete the installation process will move on to the remainder of the secondary server configuration.

  • Specify the hostname to be used for the secondary server Enter

  • Specify the domain and DNS servers to be used for the salve server and press Enter

  • Specify the data-store to be used and press Enter

Installation will continue.

The server time prompt is displayed.

  • If you are certain that the CMOS clock is set to UTC, then select Yes, otherwise select No
  • Select the time zone region

  • Select the time zone

Note: ensure that both the Primary and Secondary are configured to use the same timezone.
  • Select Yes to confirm the time zone configuration

A prompt will be displayed asking you to set the password for the server root account.

Note: This password will become the default password for both the admin and statseeker user accounts.


  • Enter the password and press Enter
  • Repeat to confirm the password

Statseeker will now install all required packages and reboot.

Once the server has started to reboot you may remove the CD/DVD disc from the server drive. A login prompt will be displayed, indicating a successful install.

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Web Installation Wizard

Once Statseeker is installed on both servers you can access the web interface, to do this:

  • Enter the IP address previously specified for the virtual host, in your browser address bar

You will then be prompted with a login screen.

  • Select Sign in with username/password
  • User Name - admin
  • Password - the root user account password as specified during installation

Once logged in to the web interface, you will be prompted with the Statseeker License configuration screen.

  • Enter your Server ID and select Download a new Key
Note: to obtain a Server ID, contact your Regional Sales Manager.

It may take a minute or two to obtain your license key.

  • Select the checkbox to accept the Statseeker license
  • Select Save to activate the license key

The screen will update to display the license details.

  • Click Next

You will now be presented with the Server Summary screen, containing a range of details pertinent to your Statseeker installation.

Note: changes (being set or updated) to the following settings are not synced between primary and secondary servers. Any changes to the following must be manually duplicated on the secondary server:

  • SSL certificates
  • SSH keys and certificates
  • NTP configuration
  • Server timezone
  • LDAP configuration
  • Email configuration
  • Web Server configuration
  • User account password changes for the statseeker user

Edit Server Date/Time

To edit the server date/time settings:

  • Click the associated Edit link on the Server Summary page
  • Use the calendar control to edit the date and/or time
  • Use the drop-downs to modify the timezone for the server
  • Click Save when done

Note: adjusting the server date or time will require a server restart to apply the changes. On clicking the Save button you will be prompted to confirm your action. Clicking Yes in the confirmation modal will restart your Statseeker server.

The configuration changes will be saved and the server will be restarted to apply those changes.


Once the changes have been applied you will be returned to the Date/Time/NTP Configuration screen (in Display mode) to confirm that the changes have been applied correctly.


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Edit NTP Configuration
Note: it is REQUIRED that NTP be enabled on all HA installations (and hosts when residing on a VM).

To edit the NTP server settings:

  • Click the associated Edit link on the Server Summary page
  • Enter the address of the NTP server to use
  • Click the associated Delete button to remove unwanted NTP server entries
  • Click Save when done

When you click Save Statseeker will attempt to contact the specified NTP servers and:

  • Inform you if it is unable to receive a response from the NTP server, no changes have been applied at this point
  • If it receives a valid response from the NTP server, apply the changes and return the Date/Time/NTP Configuration screen (in Display mode) and enable a Test button that can be used to confirm the validity of the current configuration.


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Configure an HTTP Proxy Connection

To add or edit the HTTP proxy configuration:

  • Click the Network > Edit link on the Server Summary page
  • Enter the required proxy server details
  • Click Save to apply the configuration


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Edit the Network Configuration

To edit the existing network configuration:

  • Click the Network > Edit link on the Server Summary page
  • Enter the required details
  • Click Save to apply the configuration


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Edit Interface Configuration

To edit the existing network configuration:

  • Click the associated Edit link on the Server Summary page
  • Click Edit to reconfigure the interface, optionally click Clear to remove the current configuration before editing

  • Enter the required details
  • Click Save to apply the configuration
  • Click Close to return to the Server Summary


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Run Network Discovery

Statseeker's automated network discovery process will use the supplied configuration to contact all IP addresses in the defined ranges and retrieve configuration data on the associated devices at those addresses.

Note: for more information on community strings, discovery ranges and the discovery process, see SNMP Discovery
  • Click Network Discovery

  • Click Start Discovery

  • Enter the SNMP Community Strings for the devices that you want Statseeker to discover. Multiple community strings may be specified, one per line.
  • Define the Network Discovery Ranges that you wish Statseeker to query

Once the discovery process is active and running, you will be presented with an in-product video highlighting the discovery process. There is a progress wheel in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen that will indicate when the discovery process is complete.

Note: The Discovery Process can take some time to complete, this being dependent upon factors such as the size, speed and responsiveness of the network and devices.
  • Once the discovery process has completed, click Finish Setup

The Statseeker Dashboard Homepage will be displayed providing access to the default dashboards as well as a news panel detailing recent updates with links to associated documentation and videos. The main Statseeker Console and reporting panels are available from the main navigator.


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