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Managing Linux Computers

What are all the supported operating systems for Linux?

For detailed information regarding the Linux versions supported by Endpoint Central, click here.

1. Patch management and software deployment are supported for select Linux flavors. Visit our complete Linux flavor comparison matrix for better visibility on the features supported by different versions of the Linux OS.
2. We also manage Linux endpoints with ARM processors from the build 2335. The supported features include Configurations, Inventory management, Agent SoM policy, and Tools for Linux arm agents.
3. Kernel versions above 2.6.33 are also supported
4. We also support the server and workstation model for all the above-listed operating systems.

How to configure Linux Agent Settings?

Linux agents will not be created by default. You can create Linux agents by configuring the settings in the scope of management. This will help you automatically create Linux agents for the local office and remote offices. To configure the Linux agent settings, follow the steps mentioned below:

    1. Click the Admin tab to invoke the Admin page.
    2. Click the Agent Settings link available under SoM Settings.
    3. Select Linux Agent Settings tab
    4. Select the domain or the workgroup to group Linux computers (this is virtual grouping and will not impact on its functions). Agents that are pushed remotely from SoM --> Add Computers will be shown under the respective Domain/Workgroup from which they are added.

      The credentials added will be used for the automatic installation of agents across local office computers irrespective of their domain. While adding credentials, it is recommended that the user account falls under active directory else the credentials can be added under the workgroup type.

    5. Click Save Changes to create Linux agents.


      Linux agents can be downloaded from the SoM page, by choosing the appropriate agent, such as LAN agent or WAN agent for specific Remote offices.

How to install UEMS Linux agents?

Pre-requisites

  1. Ensure to configure the Linux agent settings.
  2. Ensure that the following packages are available in the computer:
    • "tar" package version 1.29 or above.
    • "xz" or "xz-utils" based on the type of Linux OS.
Manual Linux Agent Installation

Linux agents can be installed manually on the computers that need to be managed. Agents should be downloaded on the Linux computer manually before initiating the installation process. For invoking the installation on client computers, the SSH port (default port 22) should be open on the computers where the agent needs to be installed. The SSH port is used only for agent installation purposes and not for agent-server communication. Follow the steps mentioned below:

  1. Go to the terminal as a root user. If you do not log in as a root user, open the terminal and use the sudo command to perform each operation mentioned below and enter the password whenever prompted. This provides you the root privilege.
  2. Navigate to the location where the agent is downloaded and unzip the UEMSLinuxAgent.zip by using the command "unzip -e UEMSLinuxAgent.zip".
  3. Verify if ""UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin" & "serverinfo.json" are located in the same path
  4. Execute the Command, "chmod +x UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin" as a root user. This prepares the executable for installation.
  5. Run the Installer using "./UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin". The agent will be installed by default in "/usr/local/manageengine/uems_agent/" directory.
  6. The installation process starts by collecting information about the computer, such as the operating system, computer name, domain, and other details. You will be prompted to provide this information during the installation process.
Remote Linux agent installation

Installing Linux Agents Remotely from web console

If you wanted to install agents for computers within the LAN, then you can choose the computers and invoke agent installation from the web console  Admin tab --> SoM -->Select computers and invoke agent installation. If you wanted to install agents to computers which belongs to a different remote office, then you will have to use SSH port (default port 22)

To install Agents remotely using SSH, follow the steps mentioned below:

    1. Login to a Linux computer
    2. Download the appropriate agent, based on the remote office
    3. Copy the downloaded agent to the remote computer on which the agent needs to be installed
      1. Go to terminal as root user
      2. Navigate to the location where the agent is being copied/downloaded
      3. Type "scp UEMSLinuxAgent.zip username@hostname:<Path_To_Storage_Directory_If_Needed>" to copy the agent to the target computer, enter password if prompted
        where username refers to the root user name of the target computer
        hostname refers to the local host name of the target computer
        If no path is specified, then the agent will be copied to "/home/username" in the target computer
    4. Install the agent by following the steps mentioned below:
      1. Go to the terminal and Type "ssh rootusername@hostname" to login to the target computer
      2. Login as a root user. If you do not login as rootuser, open the terminal and use sudo command to perform each operation mentioned below and enter password whenever prompted. This provides you the root privilege.
      3. Navigate to the location, where the agent is downloaded/copied, if the downloaded agent is a remote office agent, then extract <Remote_Office_Name>.zip and navigate to Unzip the UEMSLinuxAgent.zip by using the command "unzip -e UEMSLinuxAgent.zip".
      4. Verify if, "UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin" & "serverinfo.json" are located in the same path
      5. Execute the Command, "chmod +x UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin" as a root user. This prepares the executable for installation.
      6. Run the Installer using "./UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin". Ensure that the Property File "severinfo.json" exists in the Same Directory as "UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin". Agent will be installed by default in "/usr/local/manageengine/uems_agent/" directory. You also have an option to force Linux agent installation even if an agent is already installed on a machine by using the command "./UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin -f"
      7. If you wanted to change the installation location of the agent, use this command "./UEMS_LinuxAgent.bin -d <new_location>" .

You have successfully installed the agent on a remote computer using SSH.

Installing Linux Agents using Distribution Server or AWS

To install linux agents using distribution server or AWS, follow the steps mentioned in this page

How to uninstall Linux Agents?

To uninstall agents from Linux computers, follow the steps mentioned below:

      1. Click the Admin tab to invoke the Admin page.
      2. Click the Agent Settings link available under SoM Settings.
      3. Select Linux Agent Settings tab
      4. Choose the Linux Agent tab.
      5. Select the Check Linux Agent Settings option.
      6. Specify the SSH Port.
      7. Specify the SSH User Name and SSH Password.
      8. Click Save Changes.
      9. Select the desired Linux computers from the Scope of Management page.
      10. Click Uninstall Agent.
      11. Choose Uninstall Agent Using SSH and click OK.
      12. The agent will be uninstalled from the selected Linux computers using SSH.

What are all the supported features?

We provide a range of features for managing Linux computers. Some of the supported features include:

      • Software Deployment
      • Configuration Management
      • Patch Management
      • Inventory Management
      • Remote Control
      • IT Automation
      • Power Management

For detailed information on each feature and how to use them, refer to this page