rConfig V8 Core Operating System Setup Guide

After reading this page, you can prepare a clean Linux server with every operating system dependency rConfig V8 Core needs, then run the matching automated setup script for your distribution so the host is ready for installation.

When to use this

Use this page as the first hands-on step of a fresh rConfig V8 Core deployment, before you install rConfig itself. The same OS preparation also applies to V8 Pro and Vector Server hosts, so it is a useful reference when standing up any rConfig edition on a dedicated server.

If you are experienced with LAMP stack deployments or need a custom OS build, work from the system requirements directly. Otherwise, use the automated setup scripts for a streamlined deployment.

Prerequisites

• A dedicated, minimal Linux server running a supported distribution
• Root (or sudo) access to that server over SSH
• The server hostname registered in DNS for future reference
• Database credentials (username and password) prepared for the configuration steps
• Internet connectivity for installation and updates (optionally restricted to rConfig’s public IP addresses)

No download key required

A download KEY is not required for rConfig V8 Core installations. Keys apply only to paid editions.

Video tutorial

Administrative responsibility

The automated setup scripts help with installation, but you remain responsible for managing and maintaining your server. This includes security updates, regular maintenance, and following your company’s security policies. Make sure all systems meet your organisation’s standards and any legal or regulatory requirements. For more detail, see the rConfig Terms of Service.

System requirements

The following components are required for rConfig V8 Core to operate correctly.

Component	Specification
CPU / Memory	64-bit x86 or ARM architecture, minimum 2 cores, 4GB RAM minimum
Storage	100GB minimum
Operating System	Rocky Linux 9 (recommended), CentOS 9, RHEL 9, Ubuntu 22.04+, Alma Linux 9+, AWS Linux 2023 (RHEL, CentOS, Rocky 10 not yet supported)
Web Server	Apache 2.4 or later
Database Server	MySQL 5.6.47+, MariaDB 11.0+, PostgreSQL 13+ (Enterprise edition only)
PHP Version	8.4 or later (mandatory)
Redis	Version 6 or later
Additional Requirements	Supervisord, Cron, NTP, Zip, Development Tools. SELinux must be disabled.
Network Ports	Inbound: 80 (HTTP), 443 (HTTPS). Outbound: SSH, Telnet (as required by your environment).

Additional prerequisites

1. Configure and register the server hostname in DNS for future reference.
2. Document database credentials (username and password) for the configuration steps.
3. Ensure internet connectivity for installation and updates (optionally restricted to rConfig’s public IP addresses).
4. Docker is optional on the base OS but required for specific Pro features, including XFTP Services. XFTP services cannot operate within containerised rConfig deployments, as these services are themselves containerised.

Network security requirements

Direct internet exposure of rConfig instances is not supported. While rConfig maintains a secure and stable codebase, network configuration management platforms should never be directly accessible from public networks. Protect all on-premise rConfig deployments with appropriate firewall configurations and make them accessible only via VPN or an equivalent secure access method. rConfig is not currently offered as a cloud-hosted or SaaS solution.

Deployment overview

The operating system deployment process has three primary phases:

1. Base OS installation
2. Dependency installation
3. rConfig installation (covered in the next section)

Deployment environment requirements

Deploy rConfig on a dedicated operating system installation. Do not deploy on a system that already hosts other applications, web servers, or services. rConfig is designed as an appliance-style deployment. Endpoint management agents (for example Azure Agents or monitoring tools) are supported, but they may consume resources required for optimal rConfig performance, so account for them during capacity planning.

Base OS installation

Detailed operating system installation procedures are beyond the scope of this documentation, and the process is consistent across physical and virtual environments. For comprehensive guidance, use the CrownCloud Rocky Linux 9 installation guide, which also applies to CentOS and RHEL distributions.

During OS installation, do the following:

1. Open the Software Selection screen in the installer.
2. Choose the Minimal installation profile when it is available.
3. Continue with the rest of the installer to complete the base OS build.

Run the automated setup script

Prepare your database credentials (username and password) before you begin. These scripts install all required dependencies for rConfig Core and Pro editions.

1. Select and copy the setup script for your operating system distribution from the sections below.
2. Establish an SSH session to the target server and authenticate as the root user.
3. Run the selected script in the terminal.
4. Re-authenticate as root and re-run the script if the system reboots during execution. This behaviour is expected.
5. Monitor the installation to completion. Duration varies based on network connectivity.
6. Review the output for error messages. Document and report any issues you encounter.

Distribution-specific setup scripts

A system reboot during script execution is expected on every distribution. Re-authenticate as root and re-run the script following any reboot.

CentOS / Rocky

CentOS / Rocky Linux 9

This script is compatible with both CentOS and Rocky Linux distributions.

cd /home
yum -y install wget
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8_centos9.sh -O /home/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

RHEL

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9

cd /home
yum -y install wget
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8_rhel9.sh -O /home/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

Alma

AlmaLinux 9

cd /home
yum -y install wget
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8_alma.sh -O /home/install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
./install.sh

Ubuntu

Ubuntu 22.04 and Later

cd ~/
sudo apt -y install wget
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8_ubuntu.sh -O install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh

AWS

Amazon Linux 2023

cd ~/
sudo apt -y install wget
wget https://dl.rconfig.com/downloads/rconfig8_aws.sh -O install.sh
chmod +x install.sh
sudo ./install.sh

After the script completes, securely document your database credentials for future reference, then reboot the system before you continue to the rConfig installation phase.

Common gotchas

Common gotchas

• rConfig does not ship SELinux policies. Running with SELinux enforcing causes Apache and PHP permission failures that are hard to diagnose. Disabling SELinux is not recommended on a security basis, so either author and apply your own SELinux policy for rConfig, or disable SELinux completely if your security posture allows it.
• Expect a reboot mid-script. If the server restarts, the script has not failed. Re-authenticate as root and run it again to continue.
• PHP 8.4 or later is mandatory. Older PHP versions will not run rConfig V8 Core, so do not pin an earlier release.
• Run the script on a dedicated host only. Existing web servers or applications on the same OS clash with the Apache, Redis, and Supervisord configuration the script applies.

What’s next

• Begin the rConfig V8 Core installation once the OS is prepared and rebooted.
• Review the security hardening guidelines to lock the server down before going live.
• Explore rConfig V8 Core features and the roadmap to see what the platform covers.