NethServer 8 Installation

NethVoice runs on top of NethServer 8 (NS8), an open-source unified Linux infrastructure platform. This page guides you through installing NethServer 8, which is a prerequisite for NethVoice installation.

tip

If you want a ready-to-use NethServer installation, please consider our NethServer 8 SaaS service, which provides a fully managed NethServer instance in the cloud.

System Requirements

Before installing NethServer 8, ensure your system meets the following requirements:

Hardware Requirements

For a single node installation:

• CPU: 2 vCPU/cores, x86-64 architecture (minimum)
• RAM: 2GB minimum
• Storage: 40GB Solid-state drive minimum
• Type: Physical or virtual machine (Proxmox LXC and container-based virtualization not supported)

info

Additional nodes can be added later. When scaling, use similar hardware and the same Linux distribution for consistency. Requirements should be increased based on users, applications, and load.

Supported Linux Distributions

NethServer 8 can be installed on the following distributions:

With Nethesis Subscription Support:

• Rocky Linux 9

With Community Support:

• Rocky Linux 9
• CentOS Stream 9
• AlmaLinux 9
• Debian 12

warning

Install on a clean Linux server only. Do not install on desktop systems or servers running other services.

Network Requirements

Static IP Address

• Mandatory: Assign a static IP address to the node
• Not allowed: DHCP and dynamic IP discovery protocols
• Internet: Working internet connection required for installation, configuration, and updates

Name Resolution

Configure DNS servers for the node:

• DNS servers must be external to the NethServer 8 installation
• Configure one or more nameserver entries in /etc/resolv.conf pointing to external DNS servers
• These servers can be on the same LAN or public Internet

warning

Avoid these configurations:

• Do not use 127.0.0.1 or any IP assigned to the node itself
• Do not use NS8-provided DNS services (Samba AD, DNSMasq) as the node resolver
• Do not mix DNS servers from different scopes (e.g., public Cloudflare + private DNS)

DNS Configuration

The node's Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) must be properly configured:

1. FQDN Format: hostname + domain suffix (e.g., jupiter.example.org)
2. DNS Records: Register the FQDN with:
   • Type A record for IPv4 addresses
   • Type AAAA record for IPv6 addresses
3. Routable IP: The FQDN must resolve to a routable IP address
4. TLS Certificates: Correct FQDN and DNS setup are essential for TLS encryption to work properly

Worker Node Requirements (for clustering)

If adding worker nodes to a cluster:

1. Worker node must resolve the leader's FQDN to the correct routable address
2. HTTPS server (TCP port 443) at that address must handle API requests
3. VPN UDP port (default 55820) must not be blocked by firewalls or network appliances

Web Browser Requirements

To access the NethServer 8 web interface, use an up-to-date version of:

• Firefox
• Chrome
• Chromium

Installation Methods

NethServer 8 can be installed using two methods:

Method 1: Standard Procedure

For most installations, use the standard installation procedure.

Installation Steps

1. Install curl (if not already available):

apt install curl || dnf install curl

2. Run the installation script as root:

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NethServer/ns8-core/ns8-stable/core/install.sh | bash

3. Wait for completion: The script will install all NethServer 8 core components.

Method 2: Pre-built Virtual Machine Image

A pre-built Rocky Linux 9 image is available for quick deployment on virtual platforms.

See the official NethServer documentation for more details: NethServer 8 Pre-built Images.

Post-Installation Steps

After installation completes:

1. Access the Web Interface

   Open your browser and navigate to: https://<server_ip_or_fqdn>/cluster-admin/

2. Initial Login Use the default credentials:

   • Username: admin
   • Password: Nethesis,1234

Follow the wizard to create a cluster and configure the node. More info available in the official NethServerdocumentation.

After cluster setup, you can:

1. Install User Domain: Set up LDAP or Active Directory
2. Install NethVoice: Proceed with NethVoice installation via the Software Center
3. Register NethServer: Activate your Enterprise subscription

User Domains

User domains store users and groups in an LDAP database. NethVoice requires at least one user domain to manage extensions, users, and authentication.

Overview

NethServer 8 supports two types of LDAP account providers:

Provider	Type	Best For	Features
OpenLDAP (RFC2307)	Internal	Unix/Linux clients, simple setup	Lightweight, easy configuration, smaller deployments, multiple instances per node
Active Directory (Samba)	Internal	Windows clients, SMB file sharing	Domain controller, Windows compatibility, higher complexity, one instance per node
External LDAP	External	Existing LDAP infrastructure	Connect to existing servers (Active Directory, OpenLDAP, etc.)

NethVoice Requirement

NethVoice requires at least one configured user domain. Choose OpenLDAP (RFC2307) for simpler deployments or Active Directory if you need Windows client support.

Quick Setup: OpenLDAP (Recommended for NethVoice)

OpenLDAP is the simplest option for NethVoice-only deployments:

1. Access the NethServer 8 web interface after installation completes
2. Navigate to Domains and users section
3. Click "Create domain" and choose "Internal"
4. Select "OpenLDAP" as the provider
5. Enter domain name (e.g., nethvoice.local) - this is a logical name, not DNS-related
6. Set OpenLDAP admin username and password
7. Click "Install provider"

The domain will be ready immediately. You can now:

• Create users and groups for NethVoice extensions
• Manage user authentication
• Configure NethVoice to use this domain

tip

Keep the OpenLDAP admin credentials in a secure location. You'll need them for administrative tasks.

For advanced scenarios (external LDAP, Active Directory, DNS setup, password policies, user management), see the official NethServer 8 User Domains documentation.

Key topics in the official docs:

• Active Directory Setup: Complete domain controller configuration
• External LDAP Connection: Binding to existing LDAP servers
• Password Policies: Age, strength, and expiration settings
• User Management Portal: Self-service password changes
• LDAP Provider Replicas: Fault tolerance and redundancy
• LDAP binding settings: Connect external application to a local-running LDAP server

Register NethServer

NethServer must have an Enterprise subscription to unlock all NethVoice features. See subscription section for more info.

Registration Steps

1. Obtain a subscription token:

   • Log in to my.nethesis.it portal
   • Follow the portal procedures to generate a unique subscription token for your cluster
   Important

   The subscription token is a secret. Never share or communicate it with anyone else.

2. Register the cluster:

   • Access the NethServer 8 web interface
   • Go to Settings → Subscription card
   • Paste the token in the Authentication token field
   • Click the Register button
   • NethVoice will automatically inherit the NethServer subscription and activate its features

3. Verify registration:

   • After successful registration, the Subscription page displays:
     • System ID: Unique identifier for your cluster
     • Plan: Subscription type
     • Expiration date: When your subscription expires

Removing a Subscription

If you need to remove a subscription:

1. Go to Settings → Subscription card
2. Click the Remove subscription button
3. Confirm the action when prompted

Troubleshooting

Node Unreachable

If the node is unreachable after installation:

• Verify static IP configuration
• Check DNS resolution for the FQDN
• Ensure firewall allows HTTPS (port 443)
• Review network interface configuration

Network Configuration Issues

If you need to reconfigure network settings:

• Access the console directly or via IPMI/KVM
• Log in as root
• Update network configuration using:
  • Rocky Linux: Use nmtui or edit NetworkManager files
  • Debian: Use netplan or /etc/network/interfaces
  • CentOS Stream/AlmaLinux: Use nmcli or nmtui