# Installing the PPT Software

This chapter provides information and procedures to install and configure Policy Provisioning Tool (PPT) a component of Cisco Policy Charging and Control (PCC) solution.

PPT provides a GUI based as well as console based installer that can be used for installing, configuring and upgrading the PPT application. It installs all the components of client-server application.

The installer also creates users with appropriate access privileges that are required to administer the PPT deployment.
PPT provides necessary scripts for post installation configuration and administration tasks such as:

- Viewing status of processes related to PPT components.
- Starting or stopping the processes related to PPT components.
- Generating backup of PPT database as well as configuration files.
- Vacuuming the database.
- Cleaning the database.
- Generating support detail information such as different categories of logs and output of system commands.

IMPORTANT:

Most of these scripts except the PPT Component Control (pptctl) script, are located in<ppt-install-dir>/scripts directory along with their read me files, where as the pptctl script is located in <ppt-install-dir>directory.
This chapter includes the following sections:

- Before You Begin
- PPT Installation Methods

Before You Begin

This section includes the information required to initiate the installation process.
This section includes following sub-sections:

- Unpacking the PPT Application Archive
- Choosing a Method for Installing PPT Application
- Configuring Environment Variables for PostgreSQL
- PPT Network and Protocol Considerations
- Default TCP Port Utilization

Unpacking the PPT Application Archive

This section lists the contents of PPT installation archive.
PPT installation package is distributed as a zip archive. Copy this archive in a temporary directory on the PPT server. This archive contains following files:

- inst
- Readme
- setup.bin

IMPORTANT:

Installer installs PPT application along with all its components in <ppt-install-dir> directory.
Root access privileges are required for executing ./inst.

IMPORTANT:

The `./inst` script installs PPT application components using console or GUI method. You can view help by using the command `./inst - help`.

Choosing a Method for Installing PPT Application

This section lists the PPT components to be installed and available installation methods.

IMPORTANT:

Installation procedure can be performed only by users with root administrative privileges.

PPT client and server application along with its components can be installed using either GUI or console based installation method.
Requirements for GUI based method are:

- Root access privilege to the PPT server with a display terminal and an active X-Windows application such as Xming or eXceed.
- Network connectivity to PPT server via Telnet or SSH using X-windows client from remote work station.

A user with root access privilege for PPT server, but without access to remote network connectivity or X-windows application can use the console based installation method to install PPT application.

Configuring Environment Variables for PostgreSQL

This section lists environment variables required for PostgreSQL database component of PPT application.

PostgresSQL RDBMS is installed by the PPT installer. Following environment variables determine the interaction of PostgreSQL database with underlying file system to process, store and retrieve the information contained within the database tables. Ensure that these variables are set accordingly.
For Solaris: Update the values of the following variables in /etc/system file and reboot the server:

- shmsys:shminfo_shmmax=0x20000000
- shmsys:shminfo_shmmin=1
- shmsys:shminfo_shmmni=256
- shmsys:shminfo_shmseg=256
- semsys:seminfo_semmap=256
- semsys:seminfo_semmni=512
- semsys:seminfo_semmns=512
- semsys:seminfo_semmsl=32

For Linux: Update the values of the following variables in /etc/sysctl.conf file and reboot the server:

- kernel.shmmax=536870912
- kernel.shmall=2097152

PPT Network and Protocol Considerations

This section lists the network and protocol requirements for PPT application.
For proper installation and operation of PPT application, following network and protocol considerations must be implemented:

- The Network Address Translation (NAT) or Port Address Translation (PAT) protocol should not be enabled between IPCF and PPT servers.
- If a firewall is installed between PPT server and the IPCF, then a port must be opened in this firewall that can be used by PPT server to access IPCF platform. Refer Default TCP Port Utilization section for more information.
- If a firewall is installed between PPT server and PPT clients, then a port must be opened in this firewall that can be used by PPT clients to access PPT server. Refer Default TCP Port Utilization section for more information.

Default TCP Port Utilization

This section briefly describes TCP port utilization and lists ports available for communication.
PPT application uses TCP ports to communicate with other components of PCC solution such as IPCF and SSC as well as for communication between PPT server and clients. If a firewall is configured in the deployment, and any PPT client or some other components of PCC solution with which PPT needs to communicate are beyond this firewall, then TCP ports need to be opened in the firewall to ensure communication. Following table lists required TCP ports and their usage.
Table 1. Default TCP Port Utilization Table

Port Number | Communication Type | Usage
--- | --- | ---
TCP Port:
443 | PPT Client to PPT Server (Secured) | Used for XML-HTTPS client-server communication. This port is configurable.
14131 | PPT Server to IPCF | Used for CORBA communication. This port is configurable.
9292 | PPT Server to SSC | Used for XML-RPC communication. This port is configurable.

PPT Installation Methods

There are two modes in which PPT can be operated.

- Stand-alone Mode: This is normal operation mode.
- Standby/Cluster Mode: If this mode is used then user should provide the IP address which will be used by PPT client to communicate with PPT server. This mode is to be used for enabling High Availability feature in PPT.

  IMPORTANT:

  Since configuration file is on the nodes and not on the shared disk, so changes done on one node need to be synchronized on other node. The onus of synchronization is on the user. While adding PPT administrator, user has to make sure that the same user is being added on both the nodes. The password and UID of the user on both nodes should be same. The system time and timezone on both the cluster nodes must be same or NTP synchronized. Else session related issues will take place after switchover. PostgreSQL username and password should be same on both the nodes.

This section list various PPT installation methods that can be used.

- GUI Based Installation Mode
- Console Based PPT Installation

### GUI Based Installation Mode

Following task describes how to install PPT using the GUI based installation wizard.

1. Log-in as a user with root administrative privileges to the server where you want to install PPT application.
2. Access the directory that contains files extracted from PPT installation archive.
3. Execute the installation script by issuing following command:

       ./inst

   The PPT Installer displays introduction screen:
4. Click Next to proceed.
5. Proceed with the installation process by following on-screen prompts to configure required installation parameters. Refer following table for description of such parameters.
   Table 2. GUI Based Installation Parameters

   Parameter | Description | Default Value
   --- | --- | ---
   Install Mode Configuration
   Mode Selection | On this screen, the Stand-alone installation or Cluster mode installation can be selected. IMPORTANT: For Cluster mode installation, Veritas Cluster Server needs to be installed and configured. For more information, refer to Veritas Cluster Installation and Management chapter. | For Stand-alone: N/AFor Cluster: Host IP Address and Shared Disk Path
   Postgres System Setting
   N/A | This section is informational and contains no configurable parameters.Information pertaining to these variables is located in the Configuring PostgreSQL Database System Environment step of the Before You Beginsection in this chapter. | N/A
   Choose Install Folder
   Directory Path | The directory path on the server where the PPT is to be installed.This directory path can be manually entered in the field provided or selected using the Browser. | /<ppt-install-dir>/ which is /users/ppt by default for Linux.
   PPT Administrator Account Configuration
   PPT Administrator Account | This is an account with administrative privileges that owns and manages the PPT application. | N/A
   Admin Login | Enter the administrator login name. IMPORTANT: This is the OS level administrator user of PPT application. The admin login can be an existing user, or it can be a new user that is created during installation. | pptadmin
   Admin Password | Enter the administrator password. If the administrator user already exists, then password is not required. The password is case sensitive. IMPORTANT: If a new user is created, password is mandatory. | N/A
   UID | The user ID which should be used to create PPT administrator. IMPORTANT: During installation care has to be taken that UID for PPT administrator should be same on both the cluster nodes. For this reason the UID will be accepted from user during installation. This UID will be used to create PPT administrator user. If the UID is already assigned to some other user a dialog will pop-up and user will be asked to enter a different UID. If PPT administrator already exists on the node then the UID will be displayed automatically on the screen. While doing installation on second node the user is supposed to enter the same UID during installation. If PPT administrator already exists then, PPT administrator will have to be deleted and again created using the new UID provided during installation. | N/A
   Apache Server Configuration
   Apache Port (HTTPS) | This is a TCP port that will be used by the Apache server for secure communication with PPT client. Specify an integer value, default value is 443. IMPORTANT: All connections between PPT server and client must be of SSL type such as HTPPS. Non-secure connections are not allowed. | 443
   PostgreSQL Configuration
   User Name | Enter a username for the Postgres database administrator. IMPORTANT: User name of PostgreSQL administrative account must be different from all other Postgers related roles or account names. | pptadmin
   Password | Enter a password for the Postgres database administrator. The password is case sensitive. | N/A
   Port | Enter the port number on which the Postgres server should listen to connections from client applications. Default port number is 5432. IMPORTANT: If you specify a port number other than the default port then all client applications, including PSQL must specify the same port for communication. CAUTION: If PPT and ASR5k Web Element Manager (WEM) are co-located on single hardware platform, then ensure that ASR5k WEM is installed before PPT and PostgreSQL component of PPT is not listening on port 5432. As this port is reserved for ASR5k WEM. | 5432
   Backup Location
   Backup directory location | The backup will be taken at this location. IMPORTANT: This path must be on the local disk where PPT is being installed or on shared disk. | For Stand-alone mode, the default path is <ppt-install-dir>/backup_dir . For Cluster mode, the default path is <shared-directory-path>/backup_dir .
   Pre-Installation Summary
   . | This section is informational and contains information of configurable parameters. Verify all the installation configurations and, click Install to proceed with installation. | N/A
   Installing Policy Provisioning Tool Panel
   . | This panel displays the PPT application installation progress bar and contains no configurable parameters. | N/A
   Component Start Panel
   Select the components to be started | Select the PPT software component that needs to be started as part of the installation.The option to start all PPT components after installation is available. IMPORTANT: Successful installation of the PPT application requires the Apache Server to be started. Default setting is to enable or start Apache server. Though prompts are provided to disable the server, it is highly recommended not to modify the default values. | Enabled
   Start components after system reboot | Select this option so that PPT components will start automatically, each time the server on which it is installed, is rebooted. | Enabled
   Install Complete Panel
   . | This panel displays information regarding successful completion of installation, along with the commands to start PPT application via command line interface. You can also find the PPT installation log file at the mentioned path on this panel.The installation log is stored in a file Policy_Provisioning_Tool_InstallLog.log file, located in <ppt-install-dir> directory. | N/A

6. This step is specific to Cluster mode. Please read the note below to perform the operation.

   IMPORTANT:

   If the installation is done on node 1 then /var/.com.registry.xml file is created on node1. When PPT is installed on node 2, it is important to install same version of PPT on node 2. During PPT upgrade, installer will refer to the registry file located at /var/.com.registry.xml on the individual node. This is required since the upgrade is always done on standby node which does not have access to the shared disk.
7. Click Done to exit the GUI based installation wizard.

After the installation is complete, you can access PPT application GUI by entering following URL in the address bar of the browser in client machine:

    https://<ip_address>:<port_number>/

    https://<host_name>:<port_number>/

where ip_address and host_name is the IP address of the machine where PPT server component is installed and port_number is the port number to which apache server is listening for the client requests. In case of the default port, URL should be limited to the ip_address or host_name only.

IMPORTANT:

Contact Cisco support for default Username and Password in order to login to the PPT application after installation.

### Console Based PPT Installation

Following task describes how to install the PPT application using console:

1. Log-in with administrative access privilege to the server where you want to install PPT application.
2. Access the directory that contains files extracted from PPT installation archive.
3. Execute the installation script by issuing following command:

       ./inst -i
       console

   Installer displays a series of messages as listed below:

       Extracting the JRE from
       the installer archive...

       Unpacking the JRE...

       Extracting the installation
       resources from the installer archive...

       Configuring the installer
       for this system's environment...

       Launching installer...

       Preparing CONSOLE Mode Installation...

4. Enter N (Next Step) to proceed.
5. Proceed with installation by following on-screen prompts to configure required installation parameters. Refer table GUI based Installation Parameters for detailed description of these parameters. After successfully installing the PPT application, installer displays following messages:

       Install Complete

       ----------------

       Policy Provisioning
       has been successfully installed to:

       <ppt-install-dir>

       Installation logfile
       located at:

       <ppt-install-dir>/PolicyProvisioning_InstallLog.log

       Start Policy Provisioning
       component as:

       cd <ppt-install-dir>

       ./pptctl start

       ./pptctl stop

After the installation is complete, you can access PPT application GUI by entering following URL in address bar of the browser from client machine:

    https://<ip_address>:<port_number>/

    https://<host_name>:<port_number>/

where ip_address and host_name is the IP address of the machine where PPT server is installed and port_number is the port number to which apache is listening for the client requests. In case of default port number, the URL should be limited to the ip_address or host_name only.

IMPORTANT:

Contact Cisco support for default Username and Password in order to login to the PPT application after installation.