On-Premise Deployment Guide
A
Written by Arick Disilva
Updated over a week ago

Note: The following deployment instructions are for a single-node setup (deployment without any App Server). For a multi-node deployment, follow the additional instructions on this article: How to setup an on-premise multi-node deployment.

You can download a PDF version of the deployment guide by clicking the button below:

Quick Links

There are 4 key steps to deploying Teramind On-Premise. Step 2-4 are identical no matter which virtualization platform you choose. Click a link to jump to its instructions section:

Step 1: Setting Up a Virtual Machine
This is done on your VMware / Hyper-V / Nutanix environment - either through their client or web interface. Separate instructions are provided for each platform.

Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s)
The instructions are similar for all environments. This is done on a Console interface on the VM.

Step 3: Setting Up the Account and Finishing Deployment
This is done from the Teramind Dashboard.

Step 4: Installing the Teramind Agent
The Agent can be downloaded from the Teramind Dashboard.

Teramind On-Premise Overview

Teramind is the world’s leading platform for employee monitoring, insider threat detection, data loss prevention and workforce productivity optimization solutions. All Teramind solutions can be deployed On-Premise. This deployment guide will help you discover what you can expect from your Teramind On-Premise deployment and provide you with installation prerequisites, step-by-step instructions, technical, and support information.

Architecture

Self-contained, Linux-based VM

Data Center

Deploy in your own data center

License

Endpoint based. More information on licensing can be found here.

Server

Managed by you, VHD provided by Teramind

Updates

Periodic, single file, uploaded to the dashboard

Backups

Managed by you

Scalability

Horizontally scalable, from 1 to 50,000+ concurrent sessions.

Support

Installation assistance, 24/7 follow-the-sun, enterprise SLA

Additional Options

  • Manual/remote/silent agent install options

  • Active Directory/Group Policy support

  • SIEM & Project Management software integrations

After you have finished the deployment, you should update your server and apply any latest patch. Check out this article to learn how: How to update the Teramind Server and BI Classification (On-Premise / Private Cloud deployment).

Deployment Videos

VMware ESXi 6.7 Deployment

Hyper-V Deployment

Nutanix AHV Deployment

Benefits of Deploying Teramind On-Premise

Here are some benefits you can expect if you choose to deploy Teramind On-Premise:

Full Control of Your Environment

Use your own infrastructure and only pay for resources you consume (i.e. CPU, storage, memory). Full control of your environment means you can achieve the SLA you need.

Flexible Storage

Choose how much storage you want allocated for OCR, user data, and application metadata. The nodes will communicate with the master nodes and each other automatically making storage management easier.

Flexible Deployment Options

Deploy the entire Teramind server with a single OVA/VHD. Support for VMware ESXi, Hyper-V, and Nutanix gives you freedom to deploy Teramind on many environments.

Control Your Own Backup

Control how often and when backups are taken. Teramind On-Premise supports both on-demand and scheduled backups.

Easy Updates

Single file model for security, patch management, and feature deployment. One-click deployment from the dashboard makes it easy to keep your server running smoothly.

Integration

Export data to SIEM, IDS/IPS, and other threat analytics systems via syslog. Active Directory integration and REST-based API open up possibility for coordinated security orchestration.

Security and Compliance

You control all aspects of security and compliance including firewall, SSL, VLAN, SSH tunnels, 2FA, IP whitelisting on your firewall, etc. Your security measures, combined with Teramind’s built-in support for HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and other compliance-specific policy and rules, makes Teramind On-Premise ideal for customers in government, healthcare, finance, and other regulated industries.

Primary Server Requirements

Deployments for under 1,000 concurrent users can be hosted on one all-inclusive server, in most cases. CPU and system memory should be provisioned based on the expected number of concurrent monitored sessions, according to the following table:

Concurrent Users*

Server Requirements

Up to 100

1 Teramind Master Server (VM):

  • CPU: 4 cores

  • RAM: 8 GB

Up to 500

1 Teramind Master Server (VM):

  • CPU: 8 cores

  • RAM: 16 GB

Up to 1, 000

1 Teramind Master Server (VM):

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 24 GB

Larger deployments
1,000 or more concurrent users

1 Teramind Master Server (VM):

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 32 GB

1 Teramind App Server (VM) per 1,000 concurrent users:

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 24 GB

1 Teramind BI Server (VM):

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 32 GB

*The requirements are applicable for a typical user who works on a single computer with Full HD (1920x1080) screen resolution, doing regular office work. If the users have multiple screens, higher-resolution screens, or have an unusual work pattern (e.g., watching many videos) then the requirements will be higher.

OCR Server Requirements

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) allows you to detect text inside images or videos. You will need to set up OCR nodes for OCR features such as OCR Search and OCR Rules to work.

You need to set up at least one OCR Database Node and one Mining Node for the OCR features to work.

No of Users*

Server Requirements

Less than 200 users

1 OCR Database Node:

  • CPU: 4 cores

  • RAM: 8 GB

  • Disk: 100 GB

1 OCR Mining Node:

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 16 GB

  • Disk: 50 GB or more

Larger deployments

200 or more users

1 OCR Database Node:

  • CPU: 4 cores

  • RAM: 8 GB

  • Disk: 100 GB

1 OCR Mining Node per 200 users:

  • CPU: 16 cores

  • RAM: 16 GB

  • Disk: 50 GB or more

*The requirements are applicable for a typical user who works on a single computer with Full HD (1920x1080) screen resolution, doing regular office work. If the users have multiple screens, higher-resolution screens, or have an unusual work pattern (e.g., watching many videos) then the requirements will be higher.

You will need to adjust the disk size as you add or remove video recordings over time. See the Storage Requirements section below for more information.

Storage Requirements

Primary Storage

The Teramind virtual appliance comes with a primary volume of 100 GB. This volume contains the Teramind server application and database. The size of this volume can be increased at a later point in time.

Teramind requires the primary volume to be on SSD or equivalently fast storage for deployments above 500 users.

BI Classifications server needs about 5GB of disk space plus additional disk space equivalent to about 20% of your current DB size. So for example, if you have a database of 100GB the BI deployment will need 20GB+5GB = 25GB space. Check out this article to learn how to update your BI classifications.

Storage for Screen Recordings

The simplest way to add storage is from your hypervisor, by simply adding a second volume. If you use Hyper-V, this volume should be a VHDX file (not VHD).

Once adding a second volume, additional steps outlined in this article can be followed to finish provisioning a recording volume.

You can also use a NAS or any filesystem over NFS. You can check this article for help.

A NAS over NFS is mandatory if you have a multi-server deployment (a deployment that has more than one Teramind App Server). For help with setting up a NAS check out this article.

The size of this second volume can be estimated based on the number of sessions that will be recorded. Teramind uses approximately 1.5 GB per 160 hours of screen recording. This can vary due to multiple factors such as the number of screens, resolution, framerate, color mode, whether audio recording is enabled or not, user's activity level, etc.

You can adjust retention policies and recording preferences in the monitoring settings to reduce the storage requirement.

This storage is low-access and can be on magnetic / non-SSD media.

To learn how to attach, mount and expand recording volumes please check out this article.

Agent Requirements

Detailed agent specifications can be found here.

Installation Prerequisites

1. Teramind Server Image

(OVA/VHD)

2. Teramind License Key

All of these are available on the Self-Hosted Portal at: www.teramind.co/portal.

3. Teramind Agent Installer

EXE / MSI / DMG file (Mac)

The Agent installer can be downloaded from the Teramind Dashboard or from the Self-Hosted Portal and deployed remotely.

4. Available IP Address

Supplied by you.

5. Virtualization Environment

Supplied by you. Teramind supports the following virtualization platforms in production:

  • VMware ESXi 6 and later

  • Hyper-V

  • Nutanix AHV.

Step 1 (Option 1): Setting Up a VM with VMware ESXi 6.7 Web Interface

1.1 Downloading the VM Image

Go to the Download section of the Teramind Self-Hosted Portal.

Scroll down to the Step 2: Download Packages section.

Select VMWare, Nutanix AHV (OVA) from the Teramind On-Premise Server Image drop-down list and click the download button to download the OVA file. You will need this file in Step 1.4 Deploying the OVF/OVA File.

1.2 Creating the VM

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From the VMware main interface, under the Navigation tab on the left, select Virtual Machines.

From the right side of the screen, click the Create / Register VM button.

1.3 Selecting the VM Type

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A window will pop up where you can specify settings for the new virtual machine you are about to create.

For the first screen, Select creation type, select Deploy a virtual machine from an OVF or OVA file option.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.4 Deploying the OVF/OVA File

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Here, enter a name for your virtual machine. For example, ‘Teramind’.

Then click the area that says, Click to select files or drag/drop to upload the Teramind Server OVA file you downloaded in Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.5 Selecting the Storage

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For now, you can keep the default settings as-is for the Select storage screen.

We will add a second hard disk later for the screen recordings (Step 1.13 Adding a New Hard Disk).

Click the Next button to continue.

1.6 Specifying the Deployment Options

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Select Thick for the Disk provisioning option.

You can keep the default settings as-is for the rest of the options.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.7 Completing the VM Creation

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On the Ready to complete screen, you can see a summary of your VM’s settings. Click the Finish button to start the VM deployment process.

Do not refresh your browser while the VM is being deployed.

1.8 Accessing the VM’s Settings

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Once the deployment is finished, you can see your newly created VM ‘Teramind’ on the main ESXi interface under the Virtual Machines tab.

We will now add a second volume to hold the screen recordings.

Click the VM Teramind to access its settings.

1.9 Shutting Down the VM

If the VM is already shut down, you can skip this step.

If the VM is running, click the Shut down button to shut it down first.

Wait until the VM is shut down.

1.10 Powering Off the VM

If the VM is already powered down, you can skip this step.

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Click the Power off button to power off the VM.

1.11 Confirming the VM Power Off

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You might see a warning message saying powering off the VM may cause data loss. Since our VM is brand new, we don’t have to worry about that.

Click Yes to continue.

Wait until the VM is powered off.

1.12 Adding New Hardware

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Click the Actions button on the top-right corner. Select Edit settings from the pop-up menu.

A new window will pop up where you can configure and add/remove hardware for your VM.

1.13 Adding a New Hard Disk

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Under the Virtual Hardware tab, click the Add hard disk button then select New standard hard disk.

1.14 Changing the Size of the Hard Disk

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You will see the new hard disk appear on the list of hardware on the left side of the window.

Click the New Hard disk. You can adjust its size on the right. You can start with a small size (i.e. 16 GB) and then increase as needed.

Click the Save button.

Please check out Storage for Screen Recordings under the Storage Requirements section for more information on storage requirements.

1.15 Preparing for Step 2

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Back on the main interface, click the Console button on top and select Open browser console.

Once the console window opens, you will be able to set up the IP, network and assign machine role(s).

Step 1 (Option 1) Complete

Proceed to Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s) to continue with the deployment process.

Step 1 (Option 2): Setting Up a VM with VMware vSphere Client

1.1 Downloading the VM Image

Go to the Download section of the Teramind Self-Hosted Portal.

Scroll down to the Step 2: Download Packages section.

Select VMWare, Nutanix AHV (OVA) from the Teramind On-Premise Server Image drop-down list and click the download button to download the OVA file. You will need this file in Step 1.2 Deploying the OVF/OVA Template.

1.2 Deploying the OVF/OVA Template

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From the vSphere client interface, click the File menu and select Deploy OVF Template

When prompted, select the Teramind Server OVA file you downloaded in Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image.

The Deploy OVF Template window will pop up.

1.3 Selecting the OVF/OVA Template Source

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The first screen on the Deploy OVF Template window is called Source. On this screen, the Deploy from a file or URL box should already be populated by the OVA file path you selected in Step 1.2 Deploying the OVF/OVA Template. If not, you can click the Browse… button to load the file again.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.4 Viewing the OVF/OVA Template Details

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The OVF Template Details screen will show the details for the OVA file.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.5 Setting the Template Name and Location

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On the Name and Location screen, enter a name for the deployed template. For example, Teramind.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.6 Changing the Disk Format

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We can keep the default settings as-is for the Disk Format screen.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.7 Changing the Network Mapping

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We can keep the default settings as-is for the Network Mapping screen.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.8 Completing the VM Creation

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On the Ready to Complete screen, you can see a summary of your VM’s settings.

Click the Finish button to start the VM deployment process.

1.9 Accessing the VM’s Settings

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Once the deployment is finished, you can see your newly created VM, Teramind on the main vSphere interface, on the list of servers.

We will now add a second volume to hold the screen recordings.

Right-click the Teramind server and select Edit Settings… from the pop-up menu.

The Virtual Machine Properties window will open.

1.10 Adding New Hardware

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On the Virtual Machine Properties window, click under the Hardware tab and you will see a list of existing hardware.

Select Hard disk 1, then click the Add… button on top.

The Add Hardware window will open.

1.11 Selecting the Device Type

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On the first screen, Device Type of the Add Hardware window, select Hard Disk.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.12 Creating a New Virtual Disk

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On the Select a Disk screen, make sure the Create a new virtual disk option is selected.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.13 Configuring the Hard Disk

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On the Create a Disk screen, you can adjust the disk parameters or keep them as-is.

For the Disk Size parameter, you can start with a small allocation (for example 16 GB) and then increase as needed.

Click the Next button to continue.

Please check out Storage for Screen Recordings under the Storage Requirements section for more information on storage requirements.

1.14 Changing the Advanced Options of the Hard Disk

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You can keep the default settings as-is for the Advanced Options screen.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.15 Finishing the Add Hardware Step

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The Ready to Complete screen will show a summary of your disk.

Click the Finish button to finish setting up the disk.

Close the Virtual Machine Properties window to go back to the main vSphere interface.

Next, we will power up the virtual machine.

1.16 Powering Up the VM

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You can see the status of the machine under the Recent Tasks list.

Make sure the Status of the Power On virtual machine task shows ‘Completed‘ before moving on to the next step.

1.17 Preparing for Step 2

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Once the VM is powered up, right-click the VM Teramind and select Open Console from the pop-up menu.

Once the console window opens, you will be able to setup the IP, network and assign machine role(s).

Step 1 (Option 2) Complete

Proceed to Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s) to continue with the deployment process.

Step 1 (Option 3): Setting Up a Virtual Server with Hyper-V

1.1 Downloading the VM Image

Go to the Download section of the Teramind Self-Hosted Portal.

Scroll down to the Step 2: Download Packages section.

Select Hyper-V, Nutanix AHV (VHD) from the Teramind On-Premise Server Image drop-down list and click the download button to download the VHD file. You will need this file in Step 1.8 Connecting a Virtual Hard Disk.

1.2 Creating the VM

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From the main interface, on the left pane, under the Hyper-V Manager, right-click on the Hyper-V host that you wish to host the new virtual machine.

From the pop-up menu, select New then Virtual Machine…

A New Virtual Machine Wizard window will appear.

1.3 Getting Started with the VM Wizard

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You can skip the first screen Before You Begin on the New Virtual Machine Wizard window.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.4 Specifying the VM Name and Location

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On the Specify Name and Location screen, enter a name for your virtual machine. For example, Teramind.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.5 Specifying the VM Generation

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On the Specify Generation screen, select Generation 1.

Click the Next button to continue.

You have to use the Generation 1 VM type, otherwise you won't be able to attach a VHD disk to it.

1.6 Assigning the VM Memory

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On the Assign Memory screen, you can enter the Startup memory. Use the Primary Server Requirements table to get an idea of how much memory you might need. For this tutorial, we will use 4500 MB or about 4 GB.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.7 Configuring the Network

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On the Configure Networking screen, you can choose your network connection. Select External Switch from the Connection list.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.8 Connecting a Virtual Hard Disk

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On the Connect Virtual Hard Disk screen, select the Use an existing virtual hard disk option and then click the Browse… button.

When prompted, select the Teramind Server VHD file you downloaded in Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image. Once the file is loaded, click the Next button to continue.

1.9 Finishing the VM Deployment

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On the Summary screen, you can see a summary of your VM’s settings.

Click the Finish button to start the VM deployment process.

1.10 Accessing the VM’s Settings

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Once the deployment is finished, you can see your newly created VM, Teramind on the main Hyper-V Manager interface, under the Virtual Machines panel.

We will now add a second volume to hold the screen recordings.

Right-click the Teramind VM and select Settings… from the pop-up menu.

The VM Settings for Teramind on [your VM host name] window will open.

1.11 Adding an IDE Controller

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Select the IDE Controller 0 from the list of hardware on the left panel.

Then, on the right, select Hard Drive and click the Add button. A new virtual drive will be added under your primary drive on the left panel.

1.12 Adding a New Hard Drive

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Click the New button on the new Hard Drive screen.

The New Virtual Hard Disk Wizard window will open.

1.13 Getting Started with the HD Wizard

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You can skip the first screen, Before You Begin on the New Virtual Hard Disk Wizard screen by clicking the Next button.

1.14 Choosing the Disk Format

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On the Choose Disk Format screen, make sure VHDX is selected.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.15 Choosing the Disk Type

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You can keep the default settings as-is on the Choose Disk Type screen.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.16 Specifying the Hard Disk Name and Location

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On the Specify Name and Location screen, give your virtual hard disk a name. For example, SecondDisk.vhdx. For location, you can keep the default path or change it wherever you want to store the virtual hard disk.

Click the Next button to continue.

1.17 Configuring the Hard Disk

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On the Configure Disk screen, select the Create a new blank virtual hard disk option. For the Size parameter, you can start with a small allocation (i.e. 16 GB) and then increase as needed.

Click the Next button to continue.

Please check out Storage for Screen Recordings under the Storage Requirements section for more information on storage requirements.

1.18 Finishing the Hard Disk Setup

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The Summary screen will show a summary of your disk.

Click the Finish button to finish setting up the disk.

The wizard window will close automatically and return you to the VM settings window.

1.19 Viewing the Virtual Hard Disk on the Hardware List

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You can see the newly created virtual hard disk SecondDisk.vhdx under the IDE Controller 0. The path to the hard disk will also be shown on the right panel on the Virtual hard disk field.

Click the OK button to save the changes and close the Settings window.

We are now ready to start the server.

1.20 Starting the VM

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On the main Hyper-V Manager interface, under the Virtual Machines panel locate the VM Teramind.

Right-click on it, and select Start from the pop-up menu to start the server.

When the VM is ready, the State of the server will change from Off to Running.

1.21 Preparing for Step 2

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When the VM is ready, right-click the Teramind VM again and select Connect… from the pop-up menu to open the Console window.

Once the console window opens, you will be able to set up the IP, network and assign machine role(s).

Step 1 (Option 3) Complete

Proceed to Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s) to continue with the deployment process.

Step 1 (Option 4): Setting Up a VM with Nutanix AHV (OVA Method)

1.1 Downloading the VM Image

Go to the Download section of the Teramind Self-Hosted Portal.

Scroll down to the Step 2: Download Packages section.

Select VMWare, Nutanix AHV (OVA) from the Teramind On-Premise Server Image drop-down list and click the download button to download the OVA file.

1.2 Accessing the OVAs Screen on the Prism Central Dashboard

Open your Prism Central dashboard, and click the Main Menu icon from the top-left corner.

Select OVAs.

1.3 Uploading the OVA

Click the Upload OVA button located near the top-left corner.

1.4 Choosing the OVA File

On the Upload OVA screen, select a cluster from the Select AHV Cluster drop-down list.

You can optionally enter a Name for the OVA.

You can optionally enter a Checksum for the OVA.

Note: you can find the checksum for the OVA on the Self-Hosted Portal under the download button, see Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image).

Click the Select File link. A file Open dialogue box will pop up.

Select the .ova file that you downloaded in Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image.

Click the Open button on the Open dialogue box.

The file will start to upload.

1.5 Completing the Upload

Once the upload is completed, you will see a message that says, "Upload of file is successfully completed…".

Click the Close button. It will take you back to the OVAs screen.

1.6 Validating the OVA

When you upload an OVA, the system will perform three tasks: OVA create, OVA upload and finally, OVA validate.

It might take a while to complete all three tasks.

You will be able to see the status of these tasks by clicking the Recent Tasks icon (the icon is located near the top-right corner, showing a number inside a blue circle)

When the OVA tasks are finished, you will be able to use the OVA to deploy your VM.

1.7 Accessing the OVAs Screen

If you aren't there already, go to the OVAs screen by selecting OVAs from the Main Menu.

1.8 Deploying the OVA as a VM

Locate the OVA you created (you can use the filter to narrow down the list).

Right-click on the OVA and select Deploy as VM from the pop-up menu. You will be taken to the Deploy as VM wizard screen.

1.9 Configuring the VM

On the first step, Configuration, enter a Name for your VM.

Adjust the CPU, Cores Per CPU, and Memory under the VM Properties section according to your needs. You can use the Primary Server Requirements section to get an idea of how much CPU/memory you might need.

Click the Next button to continue to the next step.

1.10 Allocating Resources - Disks & Networks

On the second step, Resources, you will notice that the OVA already comes with a disk, so you don't have to add one.

Under the Networks section, click the Pencil icon next to the empty subnet (if you don't see any subnet, click the Attach to Subnet button). The Update NIC window will pop up.

1.11 Updating the NIC / Subnet

On the Update NIC pop-up window, select an appropriate network from the Subnet drop-down list.

Click the Save button.

1.12 Changing the Boot Configuration / BIOS Mode

Back on the Resources step, select the Legacy BIOS Mode option under the Boot Configuration section.

Select DISK (SCSI) from the Set Boot Priority drop-down list.

Click the Next button to go to the next step.

Note: you might see a warning when you change the BIOS mode:

If you see such a warning, press the Confirm button on the warning dialogue box to confirm the change.

1.13 Configuring the Management Options

On the Management step, you can optionally configure the Categories, Timezone, and Guest Customization. However, in this tutorial, we will keep their default values.

Click the Next button to go to the next step.

1.14 Reviewing and Finalizing the VM Creation

On the Review step, verify all the settings are correct.

If needed, you can press the Back button to go back and make any adjustments.

Otherwise, click the Create VM button. You will be taken back to the Upload OVA screen.

Your VM will be ready within a few seconds.

1.15 Accessing the VMs Screen

Click the Main Menu icon from the top-left corner.

Select VMs.

1.16 Launching the VM

On the VMs screen, locate the VM you just created. You can use the filter on top of the screen to quickly locate the VM.

Click the name of the VM. It will take you to the VM's screen.

1.17 Powering Up the VM

On the VM's screen, select the Summary tab.

Click the More button and then select the Power On option from the drop-down menu.

The VM will be powered on and become ready for use in a moment.

1.18 Preparing for Step 2

On the VM's configuration screen, select the Console tab.

The VM will boot up in a few seconds and you will be shown the login prompt.

Note: you can click the Pop-Up Window icon to open the Console in a separate window to make it easier to work with.

Step 1 (Option 4) Complete

Proceed to Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s) to continue with the deployment process.

Step 1 (Option 5): Setting Up a VM with Nutanix AHV (Unpacked OVA Method)

1.1 Downloading the VM Image

Go to the Download section of the Teramind Self-Hosted Portal.

Scroll down to the Step 2: Download Packages section.

Select VMWare, Nutanix AHV (OVA) from the Teramind On-Premise Server Image drop-down list and click the download button to download the OVA file.

1.2 Extracting the OVA File

The OVA file is a compressed archive. You will need to extract the file using a utility such as 7-Zip.

The extracted OVA file should contain several files. You will need to use the file with a .vmdk extension in Step 1.5 Adding the VMDK Image File.

1.3 Accessing the Images Screen on the Prism Central Dashboard

Open your Prism dashboard, and click the Main Menu icon from the top-left corner.

Select Images.

1.4 Adding a New Image

Click the Add Image button located near the top-left corner.

1.5 Adding the VMDK Image File

Click the Add File button. A file Open dialogue box will pop up.

Select the .vmdk file that you extracted from the OVA image in Step 1.2 Extracting the OVA File.

1.6 Adding the Image Description and Checksum (optional)

You can optionally add a Description and Checksum. However, in this tutorial, we do not need to use them.

Note: you can find the checksum for the OVA on the Self-Hosted Portal under the download button, see Step 1.1 Downloading the VM Image).

Click the Next button to continue to the next step.

1.7 Selecting the Placement Method and Clusters

Select the Place image directly on clusters option under the Placement Method section.

If you have multiple clusters, you can select them under the Select Clusters section. In this tutorial, we have only one cluster, BizDev12 and it's selected by default.

Click the Save button. The image will be saved and you will be taken back to the Images screen.

1.8 Verifying the Image Creation & Transfer

When you create the image, the system will perform three tasks: Create image, Image upload and finally, Transfer Image to Cluster.

Depending on your network speed, it might take a while to complete all three tasks.

You will be able to see the status of these tasks by clicking the Recent Tasks icon (the icon is located near the top-right corner, showing a number inside a blue circle)

When the image tasks are finished, you will be able to use the image with your VM.

1.9 Accessing the VMs Screen

Click the Main Menu icon from the top-left corner.

Select VMs.

1.10 Adding a New VM

Click the Create VM button located near the top-left corner.

1.11 Configuring the VM

On the first step, Configuration, enter a Name for your VM.

Adjust the CPU, Cores Per CPU, and Memory under the VM Properties section according to your needs. You can use the Primary Server Requirements section to get an idea of how much CPU/memory you might need.

Click the Next button to continue to the next step.

1.12 Allocating Resources - Disks

On the second step, Resources, click the Attach Disk button. A pop-up window will open.

1.13 Attaching a Disk Image

Select Disk from the Type drop-down list.

Select Clone from Image from the Operation drop-down list.

Select the .vmdk image you previously created from the Image drop-down list.

Make sure SCSI is selected from the Bus Type drop-down list.

Click the Save button.

1.14 Allocating Resources - Networks

Back on the Resources step, click the Attach to Subnet button. A pop-up window will open.

1.15 Attaching to a Subnet

Select an appropriate network from the Subnet drop-down list.

Click the Save button.

1.16 Changing the Boot Configuration / BIOS Mode

Back on the Resources step, select the Legacy BIOS Mode option under the Boot Configuration section.

Select DISK (SCSI) from the Set Boot Priority drop-down list.

Click the Next button to go to the next step.

Note: you might see a warning when you change the BIOS mode:

If you see such a warning, press the Confirm button on the warning dialogue box to confirm the change.

1.17 Configuring the Management Options

On the Management step, you can optionally configure the Categories, Timezone, and Guest Customization. However, in this tutorial, we will keep their default values.

Click the Next button to go to the next step.

1.18 Reviewing and Finalizing the VM Creation

On the Review step, verify all the settings are correct.

If needed, you can press the Back button to go back and make any adjustments.

Otherwise, click the Create VM button. Your VM will be ready within a few seconds and you will be taken back to the VMs screen.

1.19 Launching the VM

On the VMs screen, locate the VM you just created. You can use the filter on top of the screen to quickly locate the VM.

Click the name of the VM. It will take you to the VM's screen.

1.20 Powering Up the VM

On the VM's screen, select the Summary tab.

Click the More button and then select the Power On option from the drop-down menu. The VM will be powered on and become ready for use within a few seconds.

1.21 Preparing for Step 2

On the VM's configuration screen, select the Console tab.

The VM will boot up in a few seconds and you will be shown the login prompt.

Note: you can click the Pop-Up Window icon to open the Console in a separate window to make it easier to work with.

Step 1 (Option 5) Complete

Proceed to Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s) to continue with the deployment process.

Step 2: Setting Up the IP, Network and Machine Role(s)

If you have followed all the instructions on Step 1 correctly, you should now have a console window open for your VM. We will use this console window to configure IP and other network settings and the machine role.

Notes About the Console Window

The Console window on each VM environment may come with a different interface and features. However, the basic functionality is the same. The following commands to set up the Teramind server are the same, no matter which Console/VM environment you are using.

2.1 Logging into the VM

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Log in using the following credentials:

  • Username: setup

  • Password: setup

Press Enter to continue.

2.2 Entering the Connection Details

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When prompted, fill out the following information:

  • IP address

  • Netmask

  • Default gateway (optional)

  • Domain name server (DNS)

2.3 Setting the VM Role

Since this is a single-server deployment*, we will leave the default role to master when asked by the New role [master]: prompt.

At this stage, we are done with the console commands.

*Check out this article for instructions on multi-node deployments: How to setup an on-premise multi-node deployment.

Step 2 Complete

Proceed to Step 3: Setting Up the Account and Finishing Deployment to continue with the deployment process.

2.4 Securing Your Deployment

In some cases, you might be prompt to change the root and prod passwords and to lock the setup user account. If you want to keep the default, press n to the prompt(s). If you do change them, please keep them in a secure place. You will need them for any future changes to your servers.

Step 3: Setting Up the Account and Finishing Deployment

3.1 Accessing the Teramind Dashboard

Open your browser and type in the IP address you used for the Teramind server setup in the previous step (Step 2.2 Entering the Connection Details).

You might see a warning message on your browser saying the connection is not private or secure. This is normal. The warning is shown because you haven’t assigned any SSL certificate to your server. You can upload your own certificate later from the Teramind Dashboard (for more information, check out the Settings > Security > SSL section of the User Guide).

If you are using Google Chrome, you can click the Advanced button on the warning page and then click the Proceed to… link to continue. Other browsers have similar options to bypass the warning.

3.2 Accepting the EULA

When you enter the Teramind Dashboard for the first time, you will see the End-User License Agreement screen.

Scroll down and click the Accept & Continue button.

3.3 Updating the Hostname

In some cases, you might be prompted to update your hostname.

Clicking YES will let you change your hostname. You can press NO to skip this step; you will be able to change it later from the Settings > Security > Host screen. Click the NEVER ASK ME button to stop this pop up from appearing in the future.

3.4 Setting the Language and Timezone

On the Welcome to Teramind screen, select your language and timezone.

Click CONTINUE.

3.5 Setting Up Your Admin Account

On the Lets secure your Teramind installation screen, enter an Email address, specify a Password and enter the same password in the Confirm password field.

This credential will be used for your admin account.

Click CONTINUE.

3.6 Getting Your License Key

Open a separate browser tab and log into the Self-Hosted Portal at: https://www.teramind.co/portal. Login with the admin email and password.

Click the Licenses tab.

From the list of licenses, click the Key link under the Actions column. A pop-up will display the license key.

Copy the license key or write it down.

3.7 Entering the License Key

Go back to your Teramind Dashboard. Enter/paste the license key you copied in the previous step.

Click the CONTINUE button.

Note: if you do not want to set up a license at this stage, you can click the SKIP (YOU CAN DO THIS LATER) button. You can add a license later from the Dashboard. To learn how to do that, please check out this article.

3.8 Deciding the Next Step

At this stage, you can either Install agents or SKIP TO THE DASHBOARD. If you skip to the dashboard, you won't see any data but you will be able to navigate the interface.

If you have added a recording disk to your Teramind VM then there are some additional steps needed to finish provisioning the recording disk. Please refer to this link for the remaining steps to provision the recording disk.

If you instead are using NFS storage, then please refer to this link for the steps to mount an NFS share

Note:

The commands in the above two links will require logging into the Teramind server VM as either the ‘prod’ or ‘root’ user accounts. If you do not already have these credentials, please reach out to Teramind’s Support team to obtain the on-premise credentials.

Step 3 Complete

Proceed to Step 4: Installing the Teramind Agent to continue with the deployment process.

Step 4: Installing the Teramind Agent

Teramind Agent can be installed both locally and remotely. Check out this article to learn how to download and install the agent: How to download and install the Teramind Agent.

Firewall & Proxy Considerations

In most cases, you should not have to change any settings to get Teramind to work. By default, the Teramind Agents communicate with the Teramind server on two ports: 443, and 10000.

The Teramind management interface is entirely web driven and runs over HTTPS (port 443). This means that most proxies will allow the traffic through, provided you properly installed your SSL certificates.

For live and recorded screen playback, as well as live sessions listing, Teramind uses WebSocket. Although the WebSocket operates as HTTPS over port 443, some older proxies may not recognize this protocol. In either case, if you are experiencing trouble accessing your Teramind dashboard, try to disable your proxy temporarily to isolate the cause.

Also note that, if audio recording is enabled, Teramind Agent will connect to the server on a random UDP ports in the range 1000-65535 to send the audio recordings. Make sure UDP ports in that range are enabled and open from the endpoint to the server.

If you encounter any issues with your firewall or proxy, check out this troubleshooting article for help: Firewall and proxy issues.

You can also check the On-Premise Data Sheet for more information about required ports.

Antivirus Considerations

Teramind Agent and its drivers come digitally signed with an extended-validation certificate. We’ve made every effort to coordinate our signature with the major antivirus vendors, and as a result, Teramind should work normally with the vast majority of antivirus software.

If you encounter any issues, check out the Antivirus Configuration Guide for help.

Deployment Complete

The main deployment of Teramind On-Premise is now completed. If you can now set up additional configurations as needed by following the instructions below.

On-Premise Additional Configurations

Once you have installed Teramind successfully, you can configure other aspects of the server, agent and other settings entirely from the web-based dashboard.

Changing the License Key

If for any reason, you want to change the license key (for example, when upgrading from a trial to a paid account), you can do that from the Settings > About tab.

Updating the Server

Teramind regularly releases server updates for the On-Premise deployment on our Self-Hosted Portal and the virtual machine images may not always contain the latest server updates. These updates may contain bug fixes, security patches and new features. To keep your deployment up-to-date, we recommend that you update your server regularly. To update your server, download the latest server image from the Self-Hosted Portal at www.teramind.co/portal. Under the Download > Teramind Update section. Download the platform update file (with a TMU extension) by clicking the download icon.

Once you have downloaded the file, you can upload it to the dashboard under Settings > About tab.

Setting Up the Active Directory / LDAP Integration

Though not mandatory, Teramind can be integrated with Active Directory to import your users, computers, groups, attributes and other important meta-data. The LDAP attributes can then be used to create user/computer accounts and filter BI Reports.

You can configure Active Directory from the Settings > Active Directory tab.

Check out the Settings > Active Directory section on the Teramind User Guide to learn how to setup an Active Directory / LDAP integration.

SMTP Email

Configuring the SMTP settings is necessary for the Teramind server to be able to send outbound emails such as the daily digest emails sent to administrators, scheduled reports, low storage notifications, license alerts, and password recovery emails.

You can configure the SMTP from the Settings > SMTP tab.

Check out this article for help: SMTP Configurations (On-Premise).

SSL Certificate

Teramind strongly recommends proper configuration of SSL in order to avoid browser warnings and restrictions. Some browsers will not allow WebSocket communications if the certificates are invalid. This may prevent you from watching live screens or screen recordings.

Configuring the SMTP settings is also necessary for the Teramind server to be able to send outbound emails such as the daily digest emails sent to administrators, scheduled reports, low storage notifications, license alerts, and password recovery emails.

You can upload your SSL certificate from the Settings > SSL tab.

Check out the Settings > SSL section on the Teramind User Guide for more information. You can also create your own SSL certificates for use with your on-premise deployments.

To learn how to generate such self-signed certificates, check out this article.

To learn how to use a third-party certificate, check out this article.

OCR Deployment

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) allows you to detect text inside images or videos. You will need to set up OCR nodes for OCR features such as OCR Search and OCR Rules to work.

To set up OCR you will need one Session Mining node and at least one Session Mining Database node (for every 200 users). These nodes will communicate with the master node and with each other.

Please make sure the following ports are enabled and open among all nodes (Master, Session Mining and Session Mining Database):443, 5432, 9200, 42001 and 50051.

You can change the machine's role in Step 2.3 Setting the VM Role. Instead of entering master, enter teracv for creating a Session Mining node and elastic for creating a Session Mining Database node.

After setting the machine role and specifying the master node’s IP address you will see the OCR node approval requests on the dashboard. For more information, check out the Settings > Server Management section on the Teramind User Guide.

Multi-Node Deployment

Check out this article for instructions on multi-node deployments: How to setup an on-premise multi-node deployment.

What's Next?

Here are some resources to help you get started with post-deployment activities:

  • User Guide - to learn how to use the Dashboard. Especially the Settings section for additional settings and configurations you can make.

  • Rules Guide - to learn how to use the Behavior Policies & Rules features.

  • This article - to learn how to configure Teramind for privacy.

On-Premise Architecture

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1. Teramind Agent asks Management Server (Master Node) for an Application Server IP and port

2. Management Server (Master Node) responds

3. Teramind Agent connects to the assigned Application Server

A. OCR Miner talks to the Management Server (Master Node) and asks for a record to process

B. Management Server (Master Node) fetches a screen file from the Screen & Audio Storage and sends it to the OCR Miner Node

C. Once OCR is done, the OCR Miner sends results as text to the Management Server (Master Node)

D. Management Server (Master Node) writes the OCR result text to Elasticsearch

The Management Server (Master Node) serves the admin dashboard, load balances agents, and provides data to the OCR Miner Nodes. Teramind Agent connects to an Application Server via an always-on, TLS-encrypted connection, using our own protocol based on Google Protocol Buffers. OCR Miners are stateless and work with spot instances,

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