2.6

Manual Server Installation

The easiest way is to install the server manually using the MSI. The server supports silent installation if needed, but typically you only need to run the installation on a single occasion so automation is not usually required.

Pre-Requisites

    • Requires .Net 4.7.2 to be installed on the server.

    • If you want to use the same server to host the dashboards - install IIS as well.

    • If you wish to use a Custom App Pool in IIS – create that beforehand

    • Installation account must have Administrator rights (or run the MSI Installer elevated)

    • Ensure you have the License.cab available for the installer to access.

    • Firewall – open ports 1414 (Client comms) and 9000 (Dashboard comms) Inbound for TCP

      traffic

Configure the StifleR Rules XML

The StifleR client will check through its queue of active downloads (both BITS and DO) and will prioritize them according to a locally held XML configuration file containing a set of rules that are configured centrally by the administrator and automatically distributed to clients.

This file contains a simple rule set that defines the content download jobs and the priority that the administrator has assigned to each job type. See the StifleR Rules XML Guide for more details on how to create and configure the rules file. The latest version of the StifleRulez.xml file can always be found through the default client download link:

http://2pintsoftware.com/download/stiflerrulez/

The clients will download the rules definition XML at a configurable interval from the configured URL. In order to use a custom file this URL must be created, and for the purposes of testing we will assume that it is on the same server as StifleR itself.

File location

Place the stiflerulez.xml in the following folder on the StifleR server:

C:\ProgramData\2Pint Software\StifleR\Rules

Create a Virtual folder in IIS

From an elevated PowerShell prompt, execute the following command:

New-WebVirtualDirectory -Site "Default Web Site" -Name StiflerRules -PhysicalPath "C:\ProgramData\2Pint Software\StifleR\Rules"

This command will create a virtual folder which you will then use during the StifleR client install to configure the clients to automatically update their rules definition. The URL will be:

​http://yourserverfqdn/StiflerRules/stiflerulez.xml​

Note: If you do not configure your own internal rules definition URL, the clients will use the default client download link (above) and use the one located on the 2Pint website.

We are now ready to install the StifleR server component.

Installation

From an Elevated Command prompt launch StifleR.Installer64.msi

Start the installation by executing the correct installer (x64 for x64 systems). The Welcome dialog will appear

Click the Next button and the End User License Agreement page appears. After you have read through the EULA check the box to indicate that you agree to the terms and conditions.

Next is the Licensing dialogue. Enter the Path or click on the “…” button to browse to the location of the License.cab file. Browse and select a valid License.cab file and click ‘Open’ The path to the license file will now be updated.

NOTE: If you select an old expired license file the installer will continue but the StifleR service may stop soon after starting

WARNING At the present time do not install any Feature as stand alone. At the time of writing there is no automatic method that allows a clean uninstall of these features when installed without the StifleR Server Service.

Next, configure the account under which you would like the StifleR service to run, either LocalSystem, or using a specific domain account. Note that, if use a domain (or local user) account it must have the ‘Logon as a Service’ right.

Next, you can choose a port for the StifleR service. The default is 1414 but you can change that here. Click the ‘Test Port’ button to test that the port is available and working.

This page allows you to configure the installation of the Dashboards onto the IIS Site. You can leave the defaults or configure a Custom App Pool if required.

Server Installation - Post Installation Checks

Next is the Installation Folder location where you want to install the StifleR service files.

Next is an option to allow the installer to configure the Microsoft Firewall to create the required exceptions for SignalR, Web Service and Beacon Server communication

Next you need to enter the Name of the StifleR Administrative Groups You will need to create these groups in AD and add your Global Administrator, Dashboard Access and Global Read Operator accounts accordingly.

We’re now ready to unleash the StifleR magic, so go ahead and click on Install, sit back and enjoy a nice cup of tea, you’ve earned it.

All going well you will see the Finish dialogue and StifleR will be ready to

Post StifleR Dashboards Installation - IIS Configuration

As access to the StifleR dashboards is limited by Windows Group membership there is a requirement to make some security configuration changes on the StifleR Dashboards website within IIS. Specifically, we need to remove Anonymous access, and configure Windows Authentication. Then within Windows Authentication, ensure that the only provider that is enabled is NTLM. You can do this manually within IIS Manager, but the easiest way is to run the following PowerShell snippet:

#--------------------------------
#Configure IIS for Authentication
#--------------------------------
$siteName = "Default Web Site/StifleRDashboard"
Write-Host "Configuring IIS for Windows Authentication"

Set-WebConfigurationProperty -filter /system.webServer/security/authentication/AnonymousAuthentication -name enabled -value false -PSPath IIS:\ -location $siteName

Set-WebConfigurationProperty -filter /system.webServer/security/authentication/WindowsAuthentication -name enabled -value True -PSPath IIS:\ -location $siteName

Write-Host "Configuring Windows Auth Providers"

#First we remove all providers - then re-add NTLM Provider only.

Get-WebConfigurationProperty -Filter system.webServer/security/authentication/WindowsAuthentication `
 -Location $siteName -Name providers.Collection | Select-Object -ExpandProperty Value | ForEach-Object {Remove-WebConfigurationProperty -Filter system.webServer/security/authentication/WindowsAuthentication -Location $SiteName -Name providers.Collection -AtElement @{value=$_}}

Add-WebConfigurationProperty -Filter system.webServer/security/authentication/WindowsAuthentication `
 -Location $siteName -Name providers.Collection -AtIndex 0 -Value "NTLM" 
 

  • Check that the service is running - not stopped or in any other state.

  • Navigate to the StifleR installation directory.

  • Check for the License.nfo files. If this is missing the service may not be licensed properly.

  • Open up the configuration file (StifleR.Service.exe.config ) and check that the expected values

    are present. For a detailed description of each value see the StifleR Planning and Deployment Guide.

  • Open up the Windows Event Viewer MMC and check that StifleR Server events are being

    logged:

Ensuring WMI is operational

  • Open up wbemtest.exe and connect to the Root\StifleR namespace.

  • Open up the StifleREngine class:

Note: If you are new to the world of WMI then you may find a third party tool such as WMIExplorer a little more user friendly.

  • Ensure you can see the WMI methods:

  • Hit the Instances button:

  • You should see the default Instance of the StifleREngine with the ID of 1:

  • Select this Instance. Scroll down in the properties window. Ensure that LicensedVersion is

    not null and that the other values are similar to those below

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