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Configuring NP-View Server

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Getting Started

Once NP-View Server is installed, the application will start automatically. Note that NP-Live has been Rebranded to NP-View Server.  Several of the instructions still correctly refer to NP-Live as we migrate the installation services to the new product names.

If the Linux Administrator wishes to start and stop the application, two helper scripts have been included to aid in these tasks:

  • Stop : /opt/np-live/stop_NP-Live.sh
  • Start : /opt/np-live/start_NP-Live.sh

If NP-View Docker is using IP addresses that conflict with addresses used on the local area network, the IP addresses used by Docker can be changed as follows:

  • Create a new network that will place hosts on an appropriate subnet
  • Configure NP-View Server to use the new network

To create the network, log into the Docker host and run the following command (the example subnet can be replaced by any suitable value):

docker network create --driver overlay --subnet 10.10.10.0/24
NP-Live_external

To configure NP-View Server, navigate to the directory where NP-View Server is installed and create a file named “local-settings.yml” with the following contents:
'#' Local settings for NP-Live
version: '3.1'
networks:
external:
name: NP-Live_external

Next, modify the file start_NP-Live.sh by changing the last line to read:
     docker stack deploy -c docker-compose.yml -c local-settings.yml
     NP-Live
After the two files have been updated, re-start NP-Live and verify that the monitor container is using an IP address from the correct subnet.

When starting NP-View Server, if this error is received, the version number in /opt/np-live/local-settings.yml needs to be at "version: '3.4'". If not at version 3.4, please replace the contents of the local-settings.yml file with the code listed in the Setting the NP-Live Virtual Appliance Time Zone section and set your application time zone accordingly. This file is sticky and will remain after future upgrades. After the update, start the server using the above command.

 

Upon initial start, the Welcome screen shows the configuration wizard to guide the Administrator through the remaining configuration steps which include:

  1. Authentication
  2. Licensing
  3. Users

 

Configure Authentication

The following authentication options are available to configure in NP-View Server.

  • Active Directory / LDAP
  • Radius
  • Local

Active Directory or LDAP

For Active Directory or LDAP authentication we use LDAPv3 TLS over port 389.  If the communication returns an exception, we attempt unencrypted communication. We do not support LDAPS.  Before starting, note that setup requires a dedicated Credential Binding Account. The Credentials Binding Account must be included in at least one of the system groups for NP-View Server to query and link the users.

 

Welcome: How would you like to authenticate users

 

The setup page will allow for the definition of three system groups using a Distinguished Name.  A Distinguished Name (often referred to as a DN or FDN) is a string that uniquely identifies an entry in the Directory Information Tree. The format of a DN is: CN=groupname,OU=grouptype,DC=subdomain,DC=example,DC=com.  Your domain needs to match the DC specified in your DN. For an example DN like above, the domain would be: ‘subdomain.example.com’.

For example:

ldap_group_admin = 'CN=NP-Live Admin, OU=Permissions, DC=ad, DC=np, DC=test'
ldap_group_write = 'CN=NP-Live WorkspaceAdmin, OU=Permissions, DC=ad, DC=np, DC=test'
ldap_group_read = 'CN=NP-Live Viewer, OU=Permissions, DC=ad, DC=np, DC=test'
group_translation = {'Administrator' : ldap_group_admin,
'WorkspaceAdmin' : ldap_group_write,
'Viewer' : ldap_group_read}

To find the DN on Windows, open a Windows command prompt and type the command: dsquery group -name {known group name}.  Industry best practice suggests using different names for each of the user groups.  If the same user group is used for one or more of the entries, the high level of permissions will be assigned to each user.

If an error is returned when configuring Active Directory, the steps to troubleshoot are:

Step 1: From your Active Directory server, type the command below in a terminal after replacing the "CN=..." portion with the Distinguished Name of the group you'd like to check:

dsget group "CN=groupname,OU=grouptype,DC=subdomain,DC=example,DC=com" -members

Verify that the output shows the expected list of user(s) in that group. If it doesn't, check your Active Directory group and user configuration.

Step 2: From your Active Directory server, type the command below in a terminal after replacing the "CN=..." portion with the Distinguished Name of the group you'd like to check, and also replacing USERNAME with your actual username:

dsquery * -Filter "(&(objectClass=user)(memberOf:1.2.840.113556.1.4.1941:=CN=groupname,OU=grouptype,DC=subdomain,DC=example,DC=com)(sAMAccountName=USERNAME))"

If the output is empty, verify that your user in Active Directory has the attribute sAMAccountName set. If not, set it and try the command again. Verify also that the sAMAccountName value matches your AD username value. You can also try to enter the username in the NP-View Active Directory configuration form with the format USERNAME@DOMAIN.

If the output shows the expected list of groups for that user, but NP-View still generates an error, then contact the NP support team.

 

Radius

Radius authentication requires your server address and secret. Once input, the user can test their connection using their personal login credentials for verification.  Note that for Radius authentication, all users are assigned to the Administrator group.

 

Welcome: How would you like to authenticate users

 

Local Authentication

NP-View Server provides an internal mechanism for the administration of users.  During setup, the screen will require the user to setup the Administration account by inputting a user ID and password.  This account will be assigned to the Administrator role and will have access to all system features.

Welcome: How would you like to authenticate users

User Management

NP-View Server provides a User Management function. It can be accessed in the user menu at the top right of the screen either on the workspace page or from within a workspace.

Clicking User Management will open a window that shows the users associated with this account, their account details, and their account permissions. From this window administrators can edit, add, and delete user accounts.

A user’s ID should be the user’s email address (this will be used for notifications) and an administrator-defined password.  Each user will need to be assigned to a group which will provide the user with system wide access.

  1. Administrator – Has access to all users, workspace and system administration functions including managing users and license functions.
  2. WorkspaceAdmin – Has access to all user and workspace administration functions
  3. Viewer – Has access to all user functions

 

 

 

Reset Authentication

The Administrator can also reset the authentication method entirely by selecting the “Reset authentication system” link. “Reset authentication” only resets the authentication and does not remove any workspaces or data.  Note that workspaces are assigned to user id’s.  If the authentication method (or user id format) is changed, the workspaces will no longer be available to users.  The administrator or workspace admin must utilize the transfer workspace function to assign the legacy workspace to the new user id’s.

Password Reset
  • Workspace Admin or Viewer user groups:  Contact your Administrator who can manually reset your password through the User Management function on the system menu (upper right corner).
  • Admins: connect through SSH to the NP-View server and remove the file db/auth_provider.cfg inside the NP-View application folder (by default: /opt/np-live).
  • Refresh the NP-View web page to show the Welcome screen and reconfigure the authentication.

License and Terms

The Administrator can Show, Upgrade or Renew their license. Licensing terms and legal disclosures are available from the system menu where user management is found.

 

Configure License Key

After the authentication, the Welcome screen will guide the Administrator through reviewing the EULA and adding the license key. The license key should have been sent to you by email and also posted on the Network Perception portal.

If you haven’t received a key, please send a request to support@network-perception.com.

Renewed or upgraded license keys can only be installed from the home screen (not from within a workspace) by members of the Administrator group.

 

Additional Configuration Features

Configure Automatic Updates

NP-View Server can automatically download new releases and update itself if you select “Automatically check for updates”.  Alternatively, you can select “Update NP-View” from the upper right menu or update offline using the following steps:

  1. Download the latest release from the Network Perception portal.
  2. Copy the release file to the NP-View Server using SCP or WinSCP
  3. Connect to the NP-View Server shell using SSH and execute the release file with the command sh NP-View_server_installer.sh

Configure Shutdown and Startup Options

To speed performance on startup, NP-View terminates background processes that are running when the system is gracefully shutdown and clears out all tasks and jobs.  If any processes remain upon startup, they are also terminated.

To change the configuration,

  • stop the NP-View Server application.
  • in the docker-compose.yml file for the manager change cancelTasksStartup=True to cancelTasksStartup=False
  • in the docker-compose.yml file for the manager change clearRqStartup=True to clearRqStartup=False Note that the previous setting must also be set to True for this operation to work.
  • start the NP-View Server application.

Configure User Timeout

The system can be configured automatically time out a user after a period of idle days.  The default is set to 30 days.

To change the configuration,

  • stop the NP-View Server application.
  • in the docker-compose.yml file for the webserver\environment service, change sessionLengthDays=30to any positive floating point number representing elapsed days. For Example:
    • 0.5 = 12 hrs
    • 1.5 = 36 hours
    • 30 = 720 hrs.
    • If set to 0, user timeout will default to 30 minutes.
  • start the NP-View Server application.

Timeout for connectors is 1 day and cannot be changed.

Also, the timeout value is not static and will be overwritten by the next software update. Prior to restarting after an update, the timeout needs to be reset to the value of choice.

Configure Devices within a Custom View

The system can be configured to allow for more devices within a custom view.  The default is set to 25 devices.

To change the configuration:

  • stop the NP-View Server application.
  • in the docker-compose.yml file for the
    • services : manager : environment, change devCountLimit=25 to a positive integer.
    • services : bgmanager : environment, change devCountLimit=25 to a positive integer.
    • services : webserver : environment, change devCountLimit=25 to a positive integer.
  • start the NP-View Server application.

Note: The limit is not static and will be overwritten by the next software update. Prior to restarting after an update, the limit needs to be reset to the value of choice.

Note: NP has only tested the system to the default limit. Raising the limit is at the user’s risk as unintended consequences including data loss and the system exhausting system resources may occur.

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