Configuration - The Comprehensive Guide to the NS Agent for Unix

Configuration is required to direct the agent on the client to the correct Notification Server, among other things. Depending on the installation method chosen, the installation directories, run-levels and logging details can also be configured.

Automatic Method

A normal push installation will use default settings for the installation of the agent on a client computer. The agent will be configured to communicate with the NS server doing the push installation. In this case, only the Connection and Authentication information need be specified. No Agent settings need be modified.

Agent Settings Method

The Agent Settings screen can be accessed from the 'Install Altiris UNIX Agent' screen by entering adding a computer, highlighting it and selecting 'Install Settings…. A new window will open. Click on the 'Agent Settings' tab. Any of the settings on this screen can be modified and will affect the 'push' installation of the agent to the selected client computer.

Any changes made here will also be used when saving the .aex-agent-install-config.xml file from the 'Install XML' tab in this window.

Click to view.

Click to view.

.aex-agent-install-config.xml Method

The 'Install Settings' window can be used to create a .aex-agent-install-config.xml (config.xml) file. This is most helpful during a manual installation process.

An installation using aex-bootstrap or aex-nsclt will search for a .aex-agent-install-config.xml file in the following locations in this order. The search ends when the first occurrence is located:

1. If the current directory is not root, check the current directory
2. If the current directory is not root, check the parent directory
3. Check in the folder specified by the AGENT_INSTALL_DIR environmental variable.
4. Check in the folder specified by the AEXCLIENT_CONFIG_XML_DIR environmental variable.
5. Check in folders: /tmp, /var, and /opt/altiris

It has to be noted that the native package manager may change the current working folder when installing the Altiris UNIX Agent package (aex-nsclt). For this reason, aex-configure (Altiris UNIX Agent configuration tool) may be executed from a different place and thus may not be able to find the configuration XML file. This behavior is typical, for example, in case of the GNU/Linux platform and the RPM package manager. Therefore, we recommend the /tmp or /var directories when using aex-nsclt.

Sample .aex-agent-install-config.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-16"?>
<NSAgentConfiguration>
<NSName>djvds</NSName>
<NSProtocol>http</NSProtocol>
<Settings UseNSIPAddress="no" NSIPAddress="192.168.58.101" UseDomain="no" EnableNICError="no" Upgrade="yes" Start="yes" AllowNonRoot="yes" RunLevel="rc2;rc3;rc5">
<CurlSSL SSLVerifyPeer="no" SSLVerifyHost="no" CAInfo="" CAPath="" />
<EventLog LogDir="%INSTDIR%/var" LogFile="aex-client.log" LogSize="256" LogLevel="Error" SysLogLevel="None" />
<ComputerInformation Name="hostname" Domain="empty" />
<InstallDir>/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent</InstallDir>
<BinDir>/usr/local/bin</BinDir>
<TempDir>/tmp</TempDir>
<GuidDir>%INSTDIR%/etc</GuidDir>
<GuidFile>host.GUID</GuidFile>
<EventQueueDir>%INSTDIR%/var/queue</EventQueueDir>
<TasksDir>%INSTDIR%/var/tasks</TasksDir>
<PackagesDir>%INSTDIR%/var/packages</PackagesDir>
<SWDDir>%INSTDIR%/var/swd</SWDDir>
</Settings>
<ClientDetails>
<SerialNumber>null</SerialNumber>
<AssetTag>null</AssetTag>
<EmployeeID>null</EmployeeID>
<ContactName>none</ContactName>
<ContactPhone>none</ContactPhone>
<ContactEmail>none</ContactEmail>
<Location>none</Location>
<Department>none</Department>
<Description>none</Description>
</ClientDetails>
</NSAgentConfiguration>

aex-configure Method

This utility can be run after a manual installation of the agent. By default, it is found in:

/opt/altiris /notification/nsagent/bin/aex-configure

It can be run with default settings without prompts or it can be run in interactive mode. aex-configure has the following command-line options:

-configure

This option automatically configures or upgrades an installation using an XML config file. This option has the following sub-options:

Running 'aex-configure --configure' on an existing installation without an update .aex-agent-install-config.xml file or without update environment variables will cause the program to set all configurable items to their current state. Essentially, it makes no changes.

-iconfigure

Interactively configure/reconfigure an installation ignoring any XML file. The options are:

The following is a capture of the output of running 'aex-configure --iconfigure':

*********************************************************************************
./rcscript stop
Stopping Altiris Agent for UNIX and Linux: [ OK ]

# ./aex-configure -iconfigure

Altiris Agent for UNIX and Linux Configuration utility.
Using interactive configuration, cancel with Ctrl-C.
Please answer the following questions.
Defaults are in brackets. To accept a default just press enter.

Name or IP of Notification Server? If your server uses HTTPS or a non-default port, it is necessary to specify the full URL.
Example: https://www.altiris.com:8083 (mynshostname):
The directory the Agent package has been installed to? (/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent):
Do you want to keep old settings? (yes):
Allow program execution by unprivileged users? (yes):
Which Run levels should the agent be installed in? (rc2;rc3;rc5;):
In which directory should the Agent's log file be stored? (/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/var):
What should the name of the Agent's log file be? (aex-client.log):
What should be the maximum size, in kilobytes, of the Agent's log file? (256):
What level of logging should be used for the Agent's log file (error,warning,info,debug,dbgverbose,devnote)? (error):
What level of logging should be used for the system log file (none,error,warning,info)? (None):
Directory to use, which should be in the PATH, to create links to the Agent's binaries? (/usr/bin):
Temporary directory for the Agent's use? (/tmp):
Agent's event queue directory (default recommended)? (/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/var/queue):
Agent's tasks directory (default recommended)? (/opt/altiris/notification/nsagent/var/tasks):
Do you want the Agent started after configuration? (yes):
Removing aex-* links in /usr/bin
Removing RC init links and scripts

Migrating Agent 6.2.1378 settings...

Creating customized RC and environment scripts.
Setting up RC scripts to start Agent at system start.

Starting Altiris Agent for UNIX and Linux.
Altiris Agent for UNIX and Linux is running
Configuration complete.

*********************************************************************************

Environment variables Method

The following environment variables can be set on a unix or linux client prior to running aex-bootstrap, aex-configure or the aex-nsclt package. These settings will be used to perform basic configuration of the agent.

Aex-nsclt Package installation:

• AGENT_INSTALL_DIR -- default directory is /opt/Altiris/notification/nsagent

Aex-configure:

• AEXCLIENT_CONFIG_FILE -- location of .aex-agent-install-config.xml file. Use this one.
• AEX_INSTALL_NSNAME -- Hostname of NS Server to communicate with
• AEX_INSTALL_AUTOSTART -- Setup rcscripts to start agent process for specified run levels
• AEX_INSTALL_RUNLEVELS -- Run levels on which the agent process should start