Performing the App Visibility server installation

To install the App Visibility server components, you can use the installation wizard, as described in this topic. Alternatively, you can perform a silent installation (also called an unattended installation), which requires no user interaction during installation and can be deployed over several computers at once.

Optionally, you can install with high-availability (HA) redundancy; see App-Visibility-Manager-high-availability-deployment. In an HA environment, you install a component on one computer, and its alternate component on an identical computer.

The App Visibility server includes the following components:

  • One App Visibility portal, or in an HA environment, one pair of App Visibility portal nodes
  • One or more App Visibility collectors, or in an HA environment, one or more pairs of App Visibility collector nodes
  • One or more App Visibility proxies

For a description about the function of each component, see Installing-the-App-Visibility-server-components.

Perform the procedures in this topic to install the App Visibility server components. For a very small environment or a test environment, you can install the portal, one collector, and one proxy on the same computer. When the App Visibility portal and collector components are installed on the same computer, they share the same database.

For most production environments, you install one App Visibility portal on one computer, several App Visibility collectors (each on a separate computer), and App Visibility proxies on separate computers that are in the network's demilitarized zone (DMZ). In a high-availability deployment, the portal and collector components are installed in pairs: one active node and standby node for the portal (each on a separate computer); one or more pairs of active and standby nodes for the collectors (each on a separate computer).

Related topics

App-Visibility-installation-process-overview

App-Visibility-Manager-high-availability-deployment

TrueSight-Operations-Management-architecture

This topic presents the following sections:

Before you begin

Note

If you have one or more App Visibility server components from an earlier version, upgrade the earlier components before you install new components.

  • Complete all preinstallation tasks .
  • (For proxy installation) The App Visibility proxy requires a Certificate Authority (CA)-signed certificate.
    The proxy uses SSL-encrypted beacons and injection requests and therefore you must have a keystore with a certificate that is trusted by end-users’ browsers. You can import the keystore during proxy installation or after installation.
    If your application web pages are only HTTP, then after installation, you can change the protocol of the JavaScript fetch API to work with HTTP, instead of the default HTTPS. With HTTP, you do not need to import a keystore file.
  • (For collector and proxy installation) You must have the host name or IP address, and the port number, of the portal.
  • (For portal and collector installation) Determine how much database space you need. For guidelines, see Sizing-App-Visibility-Manager-and-Synthetic-TEA-Agent-components.

For a high-availability environment

Before you install high-availability components for the App Visibility portal, collector, or both, set up the required third-party load balancing server or servers. When you install the App Visibility components, you must have the following information:

  • For portal installation
    • Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and port number of the computer that has the alternate portal node
    • Database port that is used by the alternate portal node's App Visibility database
  • For collector installation
    • App Visibility portal load balancer host name or IP address, and port number
    • Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) and port number of the computer that has the alternate collector node
    • Database port that is used by the alternate collector node's App Visibility database
    • Host name or IP address, and the port number, of the HA load balancer that manages access to the collector pair
  • For proxy installation
    • App Visibility portal load balancer host name or IP address, and port number

To install the App Visibility portal

Click here to expand steps.
  1. Copy and extract the downloaded files to a temporary directory on the target computer.
  2. Launch the installation wizard:
    • (Windows) 
      Double-click setup.exe.
      In Windows 2008, you might need to right-click the setup.exe icon and select Run as administrator.
    • (Linux)
      Ensure that you have set the DISPLAY environment variable.
      Run setup.bin.
  3. On the App Visibility Server Installer Welcome page, click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, read the agreement and select the I agree to the terms of the license agreement option, and then click Next. 
    If you do not agree to the terms of the license agreement, the installation process ends.
  5. On the feature selection page, select Install BMC App Visibility Portal and then click Next.

  6. On the Directory Selection page, enter the path for the installation directory or click Browse and then click Next.

    Ensure that the specified directory has no files or folders in it and that the directory path uses only ASCII characters.

    • (Windows) Default directory: C:\Program Files\BMC Software\App Visibility

    • (Linux) Default directory: /opt/bmc/App_Visibility

      Best practice

      On Linux computers, use the default installation directory or you might experience issues related to permissions and access.

  7. On the Portal Configuration page, define the following options and then click Next.

    Ensure that the App Visibility portal ports are available and can receive communication from the App Visibility agents. Specifically, ensure that your firewall enables this communication.

  8. Enter the following values on the Database Configuration page and then click Next.

    Ensure that the port number is available.

  9. To set up a high-availability environment, select Enable High Availability and enter the following values.

    Ensure that all port numbers are available.

  10. Verify that the information on the Installation Preview page reflects your installation correctly and click Previous to make changes, or click Install.
  11. After the installation is complete, click View Log to view the installation log files and confirm that the installation process was successful.
  12. Click Done to exit the installation wizard.
  13. Repeat steps 1 to 12 to install an App Visibility Portal secondary server.
  14. After you install the Primary and Secondary App Visibility Portal servers, you must configure the Load Balancer.
    For the steps to configure a Load Balancer, you must contact your local Load Balancer administrator and provide the active and standby node details of the App Visibility Portal HA.

  15. If the operating system's host name is incorrect or you want to change the host name of the App Visibility portal to that of the load balancing server or reverse proxy server, change the host name for communication with the portal.

To install an App Visibility collector

Click here to expand steps.
  1. Copy and extract the downloaded files to a temporary directory on the target computer.
  2. Launch the installation wizard:
    • (Windows) 
      Double-click setup.exe.
      In Windows 2008, you might need to right-click the setup.exe icon and select Run as administrator.
    • (Linux)
      Ensure that you have set the DISPLAY environment variable.
      Run setup.bin.
  3. On the BMC TrueSight App Visibility Manager Server Installer Welcome page, click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, read the agreement and select the I agree to the terms of the license agreement option, and then click Next. 
    If you do not agree to the terms of the license agreement, the installation process ends.
  5. On the feature selection page, select Install BMC App Visibility Collector and then click Next.

  6. On the Directory Selection page, enter the path for the installation directory or click Browse and then click Next.

    Ensure that the specified directory has no files or folders in it and that the directory path uses only ASCII characters.

    • (Windows) Default directory: C:\Program Files\BMC Software\App Visibility

    • (Linux) Default directory: /opt/bmc/App_Visibility

      Best practice

      On Linux computers, use the default installation directory or you might experience issues related to permissions and access.

  7. On the Collector Configuration page, provide the following system connection information and then click Next.

    Ensure that the App Visibility collector ports are available and can receive communication from the App Visibility agents. Specifically, ensure that your firewall enables this communication.

  8. If you install the App Visibility collector on a computer that does not have an App Visibility portal installation, enter the App Visibility portal connection information, click Test Connection to check communication with the portal, and then click Next.

  9. On the Listening Address Configuration page, confirm the address of the computer on which you are installing the App Visibility collector, and then click Next.

    Accept the default address that is received from the operating system, or change the default address to the host name or IP address of the computer on which you are installing. App Visibility Manager components use this address to communicate with the component you are installing. Other services that need to access this component, such as a load balancing server, must also use this address.

    Note

    Ensure that the address is accessible from other components. If you need to change the address after installation, see Changing App Visibility collector settings to change the callback.address property.

  10. Enter the following values on the Database Configuration page.

    Ensure that the port number is available.

  11. To set up a high-availability environment, select Enable High Availability and and enter the following values.

    Ensure that all port numbers are available.

    The [liveData] macro is a standalone macro and it cannot be used inline. Click on this message for details.

     

    On the next page of the HA configuration, enter details for the alternate node:

    The [liveData] macro is a standalone macro and it cannot be used inline. Click on this message for details.

  12. Verify that the information on the Installation Preview page reflects your installation correctly and click Previous to make changes, or click Install.
  13. After the installation is complete, click View Log to view the installation log files and confirm that the installation process was successful.
  14. Click Done to exit the installation wizard.
  15. Repeat steps 1 to 14 to install an App Visibility collector secondary server.

  16. If the operating system's host name is incorrect or you want the App Visibility collector to use an IP address to connect to other components, see Changing App Visibility collector settings.

To install an App Visibility proxy

Click here to expand steps.
  1. Copy and extract the downloaded files to a temporary directory on the target computer.
  2. Launch the installation wizard:
    • (Windows) 
      Double-click setup.exe.
      In Windows 2008, you might need to right-click the setup.exe icon and select Run as administrator.
    • (Linux)
      Ensure that you have set the DISPLAY environment variable.
      Run setup.bin.
  3. On the BMC TrueSight App Visibility Manager Server Installer Welcome page, click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, read the agreement and select the I agree to the terms of the license agreement option, and then click Next. 
    If you do not agree to the terms of the license agreement, the installation process ends.
  5. On the feature selection page, select Install BMC App Visibility Proxy and then click Next.

  6. On the Directory Selection page, enter the path for the installation directory or click Browse and then click Next.

    Ensure that the specified directory has no files or folders in it and that the directory path uses only ASCII characters.

    • (Windows) Default directory: C:\Program Files\BMC Software\App Visibility

    • (Linux) Default directory: /opt/bmc/App_Visibility

      Best practice

      On Linux computers, use the default installation directory or you might experience issues related to permissions and access.

  7. On the Proxy Configuration page, provide the following port numbers and then click Next.

    Ensure that the port numbers are available.

  8. On the Proxy KeyStore Configuration page, choose an import option, and then click Next:
    • Import the keystore file now:
      1. Ensure that Import KeyStore file now is selected.
      2. Select the keystore type: JKS or PKCS12.
      3. Enter the keystore alias.

      4. Enter the keystore password, if one exists.

        The keystore password cannot contain the following characters: | ^ ; " < > ,

      5. Enter the full path or browse to the location of the keystore file.

    • Import the KeyStore after installation.

      JavaScript fetch is used to collect end-user metrics. If your application web pages are only HTTP, you can change the protocol of the JavaScript fetch API to work with HTTP, instead of the default HTTPS. With HTTP, you do not need to import a keystore file.

  9. If you are installing the App Visibility proxy on a computer that does not have an App Visibility portal installation, enter the App Visibility portal connection information, and then click Next.

  10. On the Listening Address Configuration page, confirm the address of the computer on which you are installing the App Visibility proxy, and then click Next.

    Accept the default address that is received from the operating system, or change the default address to the host name or IP address of the computer on which you are installing. The App Visibility Manager components use this address to contact the computer on which you are installing.

    Note

    Ensure that the address is accessible from other components. If you need to change the address after installation, see Changing App Visibility proxy settings to change the callback.address property.

  11. Verify that the information on the Installation Preview page reflects your installation correctly and click Previous to make changes, or click Install.
  12. After the installation is complete, click View Log to view the installation log files and confirm that the installation process was successful.
  13. Click Done to exit the installation wizard.

  14. If the operating system's host name is incorrect or you want the App Visibility proxy to use an IP address to connect to other components, see Changing App Visibility proxy settings.

To install one or more App Visibility server components

Click here to expand steps.
  1. Copy and extract the downloaded files to a temporary directory on the target computer.
  2. Launch the installation wizard:
    • (Windows) 
      Double-click setup.exe.
      In Windows 2008, you might need to right-click the setup.exe icon and select Run as administrator.
    • (Linux)
      Ensure that you have set the DISPLAY environment variable.
      Run setup.bin.
  3. On the BMC TrueSight App Visibility Manager Server Installer Welcome page, click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, read the agreement and select the I agree to the terms of the license agreement option, and then click Next. 
    If you do not agree to the terms of the license agreement, the installation process ends.

  5. On the feature selection page, select the App Visibility server component or components that you want to install, and then click Next:

    • Install BMC App Visibility Portal
    • Install BMC App Visibility Collector 
    • Install BMC App Visibility Proxy

    Note

    Installation configuration pages are displayed only for the selected component or components.

  6. On the Directory Selection page, enter the path for the installation directory or click Browse and then click Next.

    Ensure that the specified directory has no files or folders in it and that the directory path uses only ASCII characters.

    • (Windows) Default directory: C:\Program Files\BMC Software\App Visibility

    • (Linux) Default directory: /opt/bmc/App_Visibility

      Best practice

      On Linux computers, use the default installation directory or you might experience issues related to permissions and access.

  7. (For portal installation) On the Portal Configuration page, define the following options, and then click Next. 

    Ensure that the App Visibility portal ports are available and can receive communication from the App Visibility agents. Specifically, ensure that your firewall enables this communication.

  8. (For collector installation) On the Collector Configuration page, provide the following system connection information and then click Next. 

    Ensure that the App Visibility collector ports are available and can receive communication from the App Visibility agents. Specifically, ensure that your firewall enables this communication.

  9. (For App Visibility proxy installation) On the Proxy Configuration page, provide the following port numbers and then click Next.

    Ensure that the port numbers are available.

  10. (For App Visibility proxy installation) On the Proxy KeyStore Configuration page, choose an import option, and then click Next:
    • Import the keystore file now:
      1. Ensure that Import KeyStore file now is selected.
      2. Select the keystore type: JKS or PKCS12.
      3. Enter the keystore alias.

      4. Enter the keystore password, if one exists.

        The keystore password cannot contain the following characters: | ^ ; " < > ,

      5. Enter the full path or browse to the location of the keystore file.

    • Import the KeyStore post-installation.

      JavaScript fetch is used to collect end-user metrics. If your application web pages are only HTTP, you can change the protocol of the JavaScript fetch API to work with HTTP, instead of the default HTTPS. With HTTP, you do not need to import a keystore file.

  11. (For App Visibility collector or proxy installation) If you are installing the App Visibility collector, the proxy, or both on a computer that does not have the App Visibility portal installation, enter the App Visibility portal connection information, click Test Connection to check communication with the portal, and then click Next.

  12. (For collector or proxy installation) On the Listening Address Configuration page, confirm the address of the computer on which you are installing the App Visibility Manager components, and then click Next.

    Accept the default address that is received from the operating system, or change the default address to the host name or IP address of the computer on which you are installing.

    The App Visibility Manager components use this address to contact the computer on which you are installing.

    Note

    Ensure that the address is accessible from other components. If you need to change the address after installation, see Changing App Visibility collector settings

     or Changing App Visibility proxy settings

     to change the callback.address property.

  13. (For portal or collector installation) Enter the following values in the Database Configuration page and then click Next.

    Ensure that the port number is available.

  14. Verify that the information on the Installation Preview page reflects your installation correctly and click Previous to make changes, or click Install.
  15. After the installation is complete, click View Log to view the installation log files and confirm that the installation process was successful.
  16. Click Done to exit the installation wizard.
  17. (Optional) If the operating system's host name is incorrect or you want the App Visibility Manager components to use an IP address to communicate with other components, override the default host name configuration. The following links provide instructions:

To determine the active and standby modes for collector and portal

You can determine if the App Visibility collector or App Visibility portal is in active or standby mode from the logs. On the server with the App Visibility Portal or App Visibility Collector, go to the log files  and open the portal.log (App Visibility Portal) or collector.log (App Visibility Collector) file. Look for the latest date and time stamp, and for the modes [HA_ACTIVE] or [HA_STANDBY] at the end of the line. For example

Example of active mode:

<date> <time> [PGSQL_HA] [Thread-0] [INFO] - Configured databaseserver as [HA_ACTIVE]
<date> <time>[HA] [Thread-0] [INFO] - Setting high-availability mode to [HA_ACTIVE]

Example of standby mode:

<date> <time> [PGSQL_HA] [Thread-0] [INFO] - Configured database server as [HA_STANDBY]
<date> <time> [HA] [Thread-0] [INFO] - Setting high-availability mode to [HA_STANDBY]

Troubleshooting installation issues

  • If the installation fails, you must run the uninstallation process before re-running the installation. For more information about the uninstall process, see Uninstalling-the-App-Visibility-server.


Where to go from here

Verify that the App Visibility server installation is successful.

(For high availability) Follow the installation instructions again to install the alternate node for HA components. After both nodes are installed, configure the components in the load balancer.

(For App Visibility proxy) Import the KeyStore for after installation for the App Visibility proxy. If your application web pages are only HTTP, you can change the protocol to work with HTTP, instead of the default HTTPS. With HTTP, you do not need to import a keystore file.

Install agents:

Add the App Visibility portal to the TrueSight Console.