Installation

Step 1: Prepare the File Storage

CentreStack is a middleware built on top of your file storage. So, first question is where you will have the file storage for the solution?

Your file storage can be a Windows File Server network share; it can also be a container inside a private instance of OpenStack Swift, Amazon S3 compatible storage, Windows Azure blob storage, or EMC Atmos storage service. You will need the basic access information ready. For example, if it is a Windows File Server, you will need the UNC path to the network share and the user credentials for accessing the folder. If it is OpenStack Swift, you will need the authentication URL and credentials.

Step 2: Prepare Active Directory (Optional)

If you need Active Directory integration, you will need Active Directory information such as the Active Directory location (DNS name), a service account that can access the Active Directory and the Active Directory’s friendly Domain Name. If you don’t need Active Directory integration, you can skip this step. In the diagram below, the tsys.gladinet.com is the Active Directory’s friendly domain name.

Step 3: Prepare the Database Server

Note

If you are installing the all-in-one instance, you can skip this step because the all-in-one installer will install a SQL Server Express and configure the SQL Server Express accordingly.

This step is only for installation that has a separate database node which is not installed by default with any worker node.

There are two places that store persistent information. The first place is the File Storage mentioned in Step 1. The second place is the SQL Server database. There is configuration information such as username, team folder, shared folder, login token in the database. There is also runtime information such as audit trace and file change log in the database.

You can use any SQL Server Editions, such as SQL Express, SQL Server Web Edition, SQL Server Standard Edition or SQL Server Enterprise Edition.

The primary decision factor is whether you want to setup High Availability for SQL Server, such as database mirroring, database replication, Always-On Cluster or Always-On Fail Over Group. Different SQL Server editions offer different high availability features. In the case of SQL Express, it does not have any built-in high-availability features; while SQL Server Enterprise Edition offers many high-availability features.

The second decision factor is how much logging information you would like to keep in the database. SQL Server Express 2008 has 4GB size limit and SQL Server Express 2012 has 10GB size limit.

When preparing the SQL Server, ensure the SQL Server Authentication (Mixed Mode) is enabled. During the setup of the first worker node, the installer will need to create a database, create tables inside the database and create stored procedures in the database. Therefore, it requires a SQL security account that has enough privileges for the installation.

Also, make sure TCP protocol is enabled and firewall is opened to accept SQL connections. Default TCP port is 1433 and that port needs to be opened on firewall. If you have SQL Server listening on a different port, that port will need to be opened as well.

Step 4: Prepare the Worker Nodes

The easiest way to prepare the worker node is to install CentreStack server on a clean Windows Server 2012 R2 OS with English locale and make sure the worker nodes are all in the same time zone.

We recommend Windows server 2012 R2 running on a virtual machine.

Supported Operating Systems

• Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1, Standard or Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2012 R2

Supported CPU (64-bit recommended)

• 32 or 64-bit architecture with Intel Pentium (x86/x64)
• AMD Opteron family
• AMD Athlon 64 family

Recommended Memory

8GB RAM (16 GB is preferred)

Recommended Disk space

100 GB (SSD if available)

Step 5: Start Installation

Login to the first worker node console (RDP or physical console are fine) with administrator rights. Start the installer by double clicking on it.

You will see the welcome screen.

Click Next>

And accept the EULA

If you are installing for a single Enterprise, select the “Enterprise” option, otherwise, select the “Service Provider Edition – Multi-tenants” option.

For the next screen, if you have an existing database select the second option otherwise choose the first option which will also install the SQL Express.

For the Database Server, if it is the default MSSQLSERVER instance, you can just type in the IP Address or the DNS name. You can verify this by going to the database server and look under the Services.

For example, the following Services screenshot was taken from the database server and the database instance is indeed called MSSQLSERVER.

The Database Server entry can also take on other forms. For example, if you have SQLEXPRESS on server dbserver the entry could look like dbserver\SQLEXPRESS.

If your SQLSERVER is on another port, the Database Server entry can also be db.mydomain.com, 2048 (if the port is on 2048)

Click ‘Next>’

And Click Install.

Once installation is complete, a reboot is required. Click ‘Yes’ on the reboot window.