Installing Faspex with a Local Node

Faspex is a file exchange application built upon IBM Aspera Enterprise Server and other Aspera transfer products as a centralized transfer solution. In order to make transfers, Faspex communicates with a node through the Node API. The Node API is a daemon on the transfer server that offers REST-inspired file operations and a transfer management API.

When installing Faspex on the same workstation as the transfer server, Faspex automatically configures the local node's aspera.conf configuration file and sets up a Node API user to communicate with the Node API. When installing Faspex on a machine without a transfer server, you must configure a remote transfer node for use with Faspex and connect that node to Faspex during the installation process.

The simplest use case is to install both Faspex and the transfer server on the same workstation. First, configure the transfer server as a local node. Then, install and configure the Faspex application.
Warning: Due to incompatible Aspera Common Components, IBM Aspera Console and IBM Aspera Faspex cannot be installed on the same machine. Aspera does not support this combination. If you are running an older version of Faspex and Console on the same machine, contact Technical Support to move one of the applications to another system.
Note: Before installing Aspera Faspex, make sure you disable SELinux (Security-Enhanced Linux) on your RedHat, CentOS or Fedora machine. SELinux, an access control implementation, causes the Faspex installation to fail with an error. Disable SELinux on your machine by following the instructions inDisabling SELinux.

Install the Transfer Server

To install Enterprise Server, log into your computer with root permissions.

  1. Run the installer
    To run the installer, run the following commands with the proper administrative permissions. Replace the product version accordingly.
    OS Commands
    RedHat, zLinux, CentOS
    $ rpm -Uvh aspera-entsrv-version.rpm 
    Debian
    $ dpkg -i aspera-entsrv-version.deb
  2. Install the license.
    The license can be installed using the GUI or from the command line.
    • GUI: Launch the application by running the following command as root:
      # asperascp

      If this is a fresh install, an Enter License window appears. Either click Import License File and select the license file, or click Paste License Text to copy-and-paste the license file's content. The license information appears in the window. Verify that it is correct and click Close.

    • Terminal: Create the following file:
      /opt/aspera/etc/aspera-license

      Copy and paste your license key string into it, then save and close the file. To verify the license information, run the following command:

      $ ascp -A
  3. Review or update OpenSSH authentication methods.
    Open your SSH Server configuration file from /etc/ssh/sshd_config with a text editor.

    To allow public key authentication, set PubkeyAuthentication to yes. To allow password authentication, set PasswordAuthentication to yes, for example:

    ...
    PubkeyAuthentication yes
    PasswordAuthentication yes
    ... 

    RedHat

    $ sudo service sshd restart

    Debian

    $ sudo /etc/init.d/ssh restart
    To further secure your SSH Server, see the IBM Aspera Enterprise Server Admin Guide: Securing Your SSH Server.
Although Faspex requires that the transfer server is configured to use the Aspera Node API, no further manual configuration of the transfer server is necessary. The Faspex installtion automaticaly configures the transfer server on the workstation to communicate with the Node API.

Install Faspex on the Workstation

  1. Launch the Faspex installer.
    Note: The installer attempts to create a faspex system user and the associated /home/faspex directory. If your organization does not allow you to use the /home directory, first create the faspex user and configure the user directory with the following commands:
    # mkdir -p /home/faspex/faspex_packages
    # chown faspex:faspex /home/faspex/
    # chown faspex:faspex /home/faspex/faspex_packages 
    The installer uses the faspex user that you created and does not need to create the faspex user directory.

    Use the following commands with proper administrative permissions to run the installers (replacing version accordingly). Order is important; Aspera Common Components must be installed first.

    # rpm -Uvh aspera-common-version.rpm
    # rpm -Uvh aspera-faspex-version.rpm
  2. Launch asctl to continue the Faspex setup process. Run the following command:
    # asctl faspex:setup
  3. Choose to perform a streamlined (s) setup or a detailed (d) setup.
    Follow the configuration instructions to complete the setup. The prompts the installer presents depends on whether this is a streamlined or detailed setup. See the table below for more information.
    Prompt Description Streamlined or Detailed Setup?
    What base port should the Mongrel servers start at? The default is 3000 Detailed setup
    Do you want to run the transfer server locally? (y/n) You must choose y. Detailed setup
    Enter the directory to store Faspex packages The directory to store packages uploaded to the Faspex server. If the chosen directory does not exist, Faspex prompts you to create it Detailed setup
    Choose a login name for the new admin user The login name for the new Faspex admin user account. Both
    Enter the email address for admin The email address to associate with the Faspex admin user account. Both
    Enter the password for admin The password for the Faspex admin user account.
    Note: When you log in for the first time, Faspex requires you to change your password.
    Both
    What port would you like MySQL to listen on? The default is 4406 Detailed setup
    Please enter a new MySQL root password The password for the MySQL user account Both
    Mysql will need to start/restart during configuration. Continue (y/n)? You must choose y. Both
    Enter IP address of network interface for apache to listen on The hostname or IP address of the workstation Detailed setup
    What hostname or IP address should Apache use to identify itself ( in the SSL certificate)? The default is 127.0.0.1 Both
    What port would you like to run Apache http on? The default is 80 Both
    What port would you like to run Apache https on? The default is 443 Both
    Would you like to generate a self-signed SSL certificate, or install your own? ([g]enerate, [c]opy) The default is generate (g) Detailed setup
    Aspera Central will need to restart when setup completes. This will stop any active transfers. Is this okay (y/n)? If you choose n, you must restart these services yourself after installation. See Restarting Aspera Services. Both
    Aspera Node Server will need to restart when setup completes. Is this okay (y/n)? If you choose n, you must restart these services yourself after installation. See Restarting Aspera Services. Both
    Aspera HTTPD will need to restart when setup completes. This will stop any HTTP fallback transfers. Is this okay (y/n)? If you choose n, you must restart these services yourself after installation. See Restarting Aspera Services. Both

First Time Log In and Licensing

  1. Open a supported browser and enter the Faspex hostname or IP address followed by /aspera/faspex in the browser URL. For example:

    http://faspex.example.com/aspera/faspex

    or
    http://198.51.100.24/aspera/faspex
    Note: For security reasons, Faspex versions 4.0.3 and later by default only allow login using the hostname that is configured in the faspex.yml configuration file (the hostname you designated during installation). If you try to log in to the application from an unlisted hostname or perform a GET request with an unlisted hostname, Faspex returns the error, "Invalid hostname". To access Faspex from an alternate hostname, follow the instructions in the Configuring Alternate Addresses section of Configuring the Faspex Web Server.
  2. Enter the login credentials you created for the admin user and click Login.
    When logging in for the first time, you are prompted to change your password and then asked to login with the new password.
  3. Configure a valid license.
    Click Browse to upload a license file from your computer or paste the contents of your license into the box. Then click Update and validate license. You cannot interact with Faspex until configuring a valid license.