Difference between revisions of "Simplified installation of vSCOUT on Windows"

Latest revision as of 07:31, 21 July 2020

Introduction

vSCOUT verion 6.1.1 build 336 is the final version of product that supports "lite" mode. In lite mode, the agent is not analyzing traffic; it can only be used to forward packets - encapsulated in GRE or UDP - to a InfiniStreamNG. vSCOUT uses signifiantly less CPU time in lite mode than in standard mode.

The procedure below requires the use of a MSI installer transformed by COMCERT and is only available to COMCERT customers with an active support contract. This installer overcomes a few installation limitations and problems with the NETSCOUT provided installer.

Please read the article on vSCOUT resource usage before you start.

This article assumes familiarity with Windows Server OS.

Solution

Supported Operating Systems

Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
Windows Server 2012 R2 (minimum of R2 required regardless of SP level)
Windows Server 2016
Windows Server 2019^# (not officially supported by NETSCOUT)

(^#) officially not supported by NETSCOUT but successfully tested by COMCERT.

Supported Hardware

vSCOUT is supported on virtual and physical hosts based on 64-bit x86 processors.

Before you begin

Serial number

The installer will automatically use the machine's hostname (%COMPUTERNAME%) to identify itself in Device Configuration.

Installation parameters

Before you start, obtain and make a list of these parameters:

Table 1
Parameter	Description	Initial Value
INSTALLDIR*	Specifies the path for vSCOUT installation	E:\Programs\NETSCOUT\VSCOUT
NSCONFIG_SERVER_IP	nGeniusONE Server Address	A.B.C.D
NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP	Specifies the network interfaces to be monitored by vSCOUT by IP address or subnet	E.F.G.H
NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP	Specifies the network interface to be used for communications with the managing nGeniusONE server either by IP address or subnet	I.J.K.L
FWD_SRC_IP	Specifies the IP address of the interface from which vSCOUT forwards traffic (tunnel)	M.N.O.P

(*) If the path includes spaces, be sure to enclose it in quotation marks. You also must respect Microsoft's path naming conventions.

Installing vSCOUT using the MSI file

Download, save and checksum the MSI installation file to a directory on the host (suggested C:\Temp).

Before you can install vSCOUT using the MSI installer, you must download and install the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015 (64-bit).

Open a command prompt (CMD) as Administrator or with elevated priviledges. This is very important!

Run the folllowing command while substituting the correct values from Table 1:

msiexec /i COMCERT-is-6110-336-vSCOUT-x64.msi /qn INSTALLDIR=E:\Programs\NETSCOUT\vSCOUT NSHTTP_PORT=7080 NSHTTPS_PORT=7443 NSCONFIG_SERVER_IP=A.B.C.D NSCOMM_PORT=395 NSCONSOLE_PORT=7501 NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP=E.F.G.H NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP=I.J.K.L NUM_CPUS=2 MEM_SIZE=2048 FWD_SRC_IP=M.N.O.P VSCOUT_MODE=lite

After installation, the parameters listed in Table 1 are stored in the <INSTALLDIR>\rtm\config\nsagent_config.cfg file. You can edit this file and restart vSCOUT services to apply changes. The MON_INF and MGMT_INF options in the nsagent_config.cfg file will be set automatically with the correct interface number and the NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP and NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP options may no longer be present in the configuration file.

The install log is located in %TEMP%\MSI???.log.

Removing vSCOUT from Windows

vSCOUT, vSTREAM Embedded and vSTREAM Agent are completely different products with different capabilities and different license requirements. Before moving to vSTREAM Embedded or vSTREAM Agent, vSCOUT must be removed entirely.

To remove vSCOUT from Windows, please read the article.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-&nbsp;
+== Introduction ==
-[[File:WIP.jpg|center|150px|WIP.jpg]]
+vSCOUT verion&nbsp;6.1.1 build 336 is the final version of product&nbsp;that supports "lite" mode.&nbsp; In lite mode, the agent is not analyzing traffic; it can only be used to forward packets - encapsulated in GRE or UDP - to&nbsp;a InfiniStreamNG.&nbsp; vSCOUT uses signifiantly less CPU time in lite mode than&nbsp;in standard mode.
-&nbsp;
+The procedure below requires the use of a MSI installer transformed by COMCERT and is only available to COMCERT customers with an active support contract.&nbsp; This&nbsp;installer overcomes a few installation limitations and problems with the NETSCOUT provided installer.
-== Introduction ==
+Please read the article on [[vSCOUT_vSTREAM_Embedded_and_vSTREAM_Agent_resource_usage|vSCOUT resource usage]] before you start.
-vSCOUT verion&nbsp;6.1.1 build 336 is the final version of product&nbsp;that supports "lite" mode.&nbsp; In lite mode the agent is not analyzing traffic.&nbsp; It can only be used as packet forwarder to any InfiniStream NG.
+This article assumes familiarity with Windows Server OS.
-The procedure below is a siplified installation procedures tested by our engineers and in accordance with our best practises.&nbsp;&nbsp;
 &nbsp;
@@ Line 18: / Line 16: @@
 === Supported Operating Systems ===
-*
+*Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1
-=== Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 ===
+*Windows Server 2012 R2 (minimum of R2 required regardless of SP level)
+*Windows Server 2016
-*
+*Windows Server 2019<sup>#</sup> (not officially supported by NETSCOUT)
-=== Windows Server 2012 R2 (minimum of R2 required regardless of SP level) ===
-*
-=== Windows Server 2016 ===
+(<sup>#</sup>) officially not supported by NETSCOUT but successfully tested by COMCERT.
 &nbsp;
-Supported Hardware
+=== Supported Hardware ===
-*vSCOUT is only supported on target hosts based on 64-bit Intel x86 processors
+*vSCOUT is supported on virtual and physical hosts based on 64-bit x86 processors.
-=== &nbsp; ===
+&nbsp;
-=== Prepare ===
+=== Before you begin ===
-> Create a first file <code>/tmp/nsprobeid</code>&nbsp;containing the hostname of the target host.&nbsp; This name will eventually be used by NGS to identify the&nbsp;vSCOUT:
+==== Serial number ====
-<pre># vi /tmp/nsprobeid</pre>
-Content of the file:
+The installer will automatically use the machine's hostname (%COMPUTERNAME%) to identify itself in&nbsp;Device Configuration.
-<pre>HOSTNAME</pre>
-Save and exit (wq).
+==== Installation parameters ====
-> Create a second file named <code>/tmp/nsagent_config.cfg</code>.&nbsp; Replace <A.B.C.D>&nbsp;with the IP address of the nGenius Server.&nbsp; Replace <MON> and <MAN> with the device name of the network interface on&nbsp;the target host.&nbsp; In most&nbsp;cases the interface to monitor will be the same&nbsp;interface used to communicate&nbsp;with nGenius (<MON>=<MAN>):
+Before you&nbsp;start, obtain and make a list of these parameters:
-<pre># vi /tmp/nsagent_config.cfg</pre>
-Content of the file:
+{| border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="1" style="width: 800px;"
-<pre>export NSCONFIG_SERVER=<A.B.C.D>
+|+ Table 1
-export NSCOMM_PORT=395
+|-
-export NSCONSOLE_PORT=7501
+! scope="col" | Parameter
-export HTTP_PORT=7080
+! scope="col" | Description
-export HTTPS_PORT=7443
+! scope="col" | Initial Value
-export NUM_CPUS=2
+|-
-export MEM_SIZE=2048
+| INSTALLDIR*
-export MON_INF=<MON>
+| Specifies the path for vSCOUT installation
-export MGMT_INF=<MAN>
+| E:\Programs\NETSCOUT\VSCOUT
-export VSCOUT_MODE=lite
+|-
-</pre>
+| NSCONFIG_SERVER_IP
+| nGeniusONE Server Address
+| A.B.C.D
+|-
+| NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP
+| Specifies the network interfaces to be monitored by vSCOUT by IP address or subnet
+| E.F.G.H
+|-
+| NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP
+| Specifies the network interface to be used for<br/> communications with the managing nGeniusONE server&nbsp;either by IP address or subnet
+| I.J.K.L
+|-
+| FWD_SRC_IP
+| Specifies the IP address of the interface from which vSCOUT&nbsp;forwards traffic (tunnel)
+| M.N.O.P
+|}
-Save and exit (wq).
+(*) If the path includes spaces, be sure to enclose it in quotation marks.&nbsp; You also must respect Microsoft's path naming conventions.
-Note: these files will be copied by the installer to their final destination in the installation folder.&nbsp; The file nsagent_config.cfg&nbsp;can be modified after installation to change vSCOUT settings as many times as you want.&nbsp; You must restart vSCOUT for the changes to take effect.
 &nbsp;
-=== Download ===
+=== Installing vSCOUT using the MSI&nbsp;file&nbsp; ===
-Use wget or curl to download the required installation file to the /tmp directory on the host.&nbsp; There are two versions of this file: RPM&nbsp;to be used with&nbsp;Redhat, CentOS and Amazon Linux and BIN to be used with Ubuntu, Fedore and SUSE&nbsp;Linux.&nbsp; Keep in mind that only x86_64 architecture is supported.
+Download, save and checksum the MSI&nbsp;installation file to a directory on the host (suggested <code>C:\Temp</code>).&nbsp;
-&nbsp;
+Before you can install vSCOUT using the MSI installer, you must download and install the [https://aka.ms/vs/16/release/vc_redist.x64.exe Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015 (64-bit)].&nbsp;
-=== Installing vSCOUT using the RPM file ===
+Open a command prompt (CMD) as <u>Administrator</u> or with <u>elevated priviledges</u>.&nbsp; <u>This is very important!</u>
-<pre># md5sum is-6xxx-xxx-vSCOUT.x86_64.rpm
-# yum -y is-6xxx-xxx-vSCOUT.x86_64.rpm --prefix=<target directory></pre>
-The --prefix argument is optional and allows you to specify a location for the vSCOUT installation.&nbsp; The default location is /opt/NetScout/.&nbsp; If you want for example install vSCOUT in /usr/lib/NetScout/, you must specify&nbsp;/usr/lib/ as target directory.
+Run the folllowing command while substituting the correct values from Table 1:&nbsp;
+<pre>msiexec /i COMCERT-is-6110-336-vSCOUT-x64.msi /qn INSTALLDIR=E:\Programs\NETSCOUT\vSCOUT NSHTTP_PORT=7080 NSHTTPS_PORT=7443 NSCONFIG_SERVER_IP=A.B.C.D NSCOMM_PORT=395 NSCONSOLE_PORT=7501 NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP=E.F.G.H NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP=I.J.K.L NUM_CPUS=2 MEM_SIZE=2048 FWD_SRC_IP=M.N.O.P VSCOUT_MODE=lite</pre>
-&nbsp;
+After installation, the parameters listed in Table 1 are stored in the <code><INSTALLDIR>\rtm\config\nsagent_config.cfg</code> file.&nbsp; You can edit this file and restart vSCOUT services to apply changes. The MON_INF and MGMT_INF options in the nsagent_config.cfg file will be set automatically with the correct interface&nbsp;number and the NSCONFIG_MONITOR_IP and NSCONFIG_MGMT_IP options may&nbsp;no&nbsp;longer be present in the configuration file.&nbsp;&nbsp;
-=== Installing vSCOUT using the BIN&nbsp;file ===
+The install log is located in&nbsp;%<code>TEMP%\MSI???.log</code>.&nbsp;&nbsp;
-<pre># md5sum is-6xxx-xxx-vSCOUT.bin
-# chmod +x is-6xxx-xxx-vSCOUT.bin
-# ./is-6xxx-xxx-vSCOUT.bin --prefix=<target directory>
-</pre>
 &nbsp;
-=== Removing vSCOUT from Linux ===
+=== Removing vSCOUT from Windows ===
-vSCOUT, vSTREAM Embedded and vSTREAM Agent are completely different products with different capabilities and different licenses.&nbsp; Before moving to vSTREAM Embedded or vSTREAM Agent, vSCOUT must be removed entirely.
-[[Removing_vSCOUT_vSTREAM_Embedded_and_vSTREAM_Agent_on_Linux|To remove vSCOUT, please read the article.]]
-&nbsp;
-&nbsp;
+vSCOUT, vSTREAM Embedded and vSTREAM Agent are completely different products with different capabilities and different license requirements.&nbsp; Before moving to vSTREAM Embedded or vSTREAM Agent, vSCOUT must be removed entirely.
-&nbsp;
+To [[Removing_vSCOUT_vSTREAM_Embedded_and_vSTREAM_Agent|remove vSCOUT from Windows]], please read the article.