Field Installer

Using the Field Installer

This procedure details how to create a bootable USB drive, and use it to restore your Secure Malware Analytics Appliance to its factory condition.


Caution

This process will automatically wipe all data and installed software on the appliance.

Before you begin

The Field Installer image is large, so it is broken into chunks for distribution. Downloading and re-assembling the image requires a specialized tool and an index file.


Note

The Field Installer is a self-contained ISO file that contains the entire Secure Malware Analytics operating system.

Contact Cisco Support to obtain the Field Installer index file (with the .caibx extension) and the specific download instructions. Do not attempt to acquire this tool outside of the formal Cisco Support process.

Support will provide the following version-specific details:

  • The current file name (e.g., field-installer-X.Y.Z.iso) and its corresponding index file (.caibx file).

  • The required SHA256 checksums for verification.

Ensure you have the desync tool installed, which is used to download chunks and re-assemble the final ISO.

  • The tool is available at https://github.com/folbricht/desync.

Procedure

Step 1

Download and Assemble the ISO: Execute the following command, replacing the bracketed placeholders with the current file names provided by Cisco Support:

Example:

$HOME/go/bin/desync extract -k \
  -s s3+https://s3.amazonaws.com/sma-appliance-airgap-update \
  [field-installer-X.Y.Z.iso.caibx] [field-installer-X.Y.Z.iso]

To resume an interrupted download, run the same command again.

Tip

 

Schedule the download during off-peak times (e.g., after office hours) to minimize bandwidth impact.

Step 2

Prepare the Bootable USB Drive: Use a USB device that is at least 46 GB in size, as the resulting ISO file is large (the 2.19.6 version is approximately 46 GB). Once the ISO is constructed, follow the same procedure used for airgap updates to write the image to a bootable USB device.

Step 3

Reimage the Appliance:

Action

Details

Shut Down the Appliance

Properly shut down the Secure Malware Analytics Appliance.

Insert USB Drive

Insert the prepared bootable USB drive into the appliance.

Access the Boot Menu

Power on or reboot the appliance. When the BIOS screen appears, press F6 on the console to open the Boot Menu.

Boot from USB

Select the USB device from the boot menu and hit Enter.

Installation Starts

The system automatically executes the payload, beginning the wiping and reimaging process. The installer runs automatically without a UI.

Remove USB

The process is complete when the system prompts you to remove the USB drive.

Reboot

Confirm the prompt by pressing Y (or 'yes') and then Enter. The appliance will reboot and successfully boot into the newly installed operating system payload.

Once the appliance successfully reboots, it will be in its factory default state with a fresh operating system installation. All previous network settings, cluster configuration, and user data have been permanently erased.

What to do next

You must now proceed with the initial setup and configuration of the Secure Malware Analytics Appliance as outlined in this guide (starting from the network setup section) to return the appliance to a usable state.