Cisco Finesse Server Installation

Installation Task Flow

The following table provides an overview of the tasks you perform to install Cisco Finesse. Tasks must be performed in the order they are listed.

1

Install Finesse on the primary node.

2

Configure the database settings.

3

Configure the CTI server settings.

4

Configure the cluster settings for the secondary node.

5

Restart Cisco Finesse Tomcat on the primary node.

6

Install Finesse on the secondary node.

7

Ensure replication is functioning between the two nodes.

8

Install language packs (optional).

Install Finesse on Primary Node

Procedure

Step 1

Follow the instructions in the OVA README.txt file to import and deploy the OVA, to edit VM settings, and to power on the VM and edit the BIOS settings in the console. For more information, see the section on Installation Files.

Note

 

Do not use Thin Provisioning or a VM snapshot when creating a VM to host Cisco Finesse. The use of Thin Provisioning or snapshots can negatively impact the performance of Cisco Finesse operation.

Messages appear while the preinstallation script runs. When the preinstallation script ends, the DVD Found screen opens.

Step 2

Select OK on the Disk Found screen to begin the verification of the media integrity and a brief hardware check.

If the media check passes, select OK to open the Product Deployment Selection screen. Continue to Step 3.

If the media check fails, the installation terminates.

Step 3

The Product Deployment Selection screen states that the Cisco Finesse product suite will be installed. This screen has only one choice: OK.

Select OK to open the Proceed with Install screen.

Step 4

The Proceed with Install screen shows the version of the product that is currently installed (if any) and the version of the product for this ISO. For the initial installation, the version currently installed shows NONE.

Select Yes on the Proceed with Install screen to open the Platform Installation Wizard screen.

Step 5

On the Platform Installation Wizard screen, select Proceed to open the Basic Install screen.

Step 6

Select Continue on the Basic Install screen to open the Basic Install wizard.

The Basic Install wizard presents a series of screens that present questions and options pertinent to the platform and the setup configuration. Help is available for each wizard screen.

The first Basic Install wizard screen is Timezone Configuration.

Step 7

On the Timezone Configuration screen:

  1. Use the up and down arrows to locate the local time zone that most closely matches your server location. You can also type the initial character of the time zone to move to that item in the list. The Timezone field is based on country and city and is mandatory. Setting it incorrectly can affect system operation.

  2. Select OK to open the Auto Negotiation Configuration screen.

Step 8

On the Auto Negotiation Configuration screen, select Continue to use automatic negotiation for the settings of the Ethernet network interface card (NIC).

The MTU Configuration screen appears.

Step 9

In the MTU Configuration screen, select No to keep the default setting for Maximum Transmission Units (1500).

Note

 

Finesse supports the default setting of 1500 for MTU only. No other value is supported.

Your selection of No opens the Static Network Configuration screen.

Step 10

On the Static Network Configuration screen, enter static network configuration values as follows, referring to the Configuration Worksheet if necessary:

  1. Enter the Host Name.

  2. Enter the IP Address.

  3. Enter the IP Mask.

  4. Enter the GW Address.

  5. Select OK to open the Domain Name System (DNS) Client Configuration screen.

Step 11

On the DNS Client Configuration screen, select Yes to specify the DNS client information.

Important

 

DNS client configuration is mandatory for Cisco Finesse. Select Yes on this screen. If you select No, after the installation is complete, agents cannot sign in to the desktop and you have to reinstall Finesse.

Step 12

Specify your DNS client information as follows, referring to the Configuration Worksheet if necessary:

  1. Enter the Primary DNS (mandatory).

  2. Enter the Secondary DNS (optional).

  3. Enter the Domain (mandatory).

  4. Select OK to open the Administrator Login Configuration screen.

Step 13

On the Administrator Login Configuration screen:

  1. Enter the credentials for the administrator.

  2. Select OK to open the Certificate Information screen.

Step 14

On the Certificate Information screen:

  1. Enter the following data to create your Certificate Signing Request: Organization, Unit, Location, State, and Country.

  2. Select OK to open the First Node Configuration screen.

Step 15

On the First Node Configuration screen, select Yes to indicate that you are configuring the first node.

Your selection of Yes opens the Network Time Protocol Client Configuration screen.

Step 16

On the Network Time Protocol Client Configuration screen, enter the IP address, NTP server name, or NTP Server Pool name for at least one external NTP server.

Step 17

After you complete the NTP configuration, select OK. This action opens the Security Configuration screen.

Step 18

On the Security Configuration screen, enter the Database Access Security password, and then select OK.

Step 19

On the Application User Configuration screen, enter the credentials for the application user.

Select OK to open the Platform Configuration Confirmation screen. This screen states that the platform configuration is complete.

Step 20

On the Platform Configuration Confirmation screen, select OK.

The installation begins.

The installation can take up to an hour to complete and can run unattended for most of that time.

During the installation, the monitor shows a series of processes, as follows:

  • Formatting progress bars

  • Copying File progress bar

  • Package Installation progress bars

  • Post Install progress bar

  • Populate RPM Archive progress bar

  • Application Installation progress bars (multiple Component Install screens, security checks)

  • An informational screen saying the system will reboot momentarily to continue the installation

    If you see the following virtual machine question, select Yes, and then click OK:
    Figure 1. Virtual Machine Message


  • A system reboot

    Messages stream down your monitor during the reboot. Some of them prompt you to press a key. Do not respond to these prompts to press a key.

  • Application Pre Install progress bars

  • Configure and Setup Network progress bars

    Note

     

    If a Network Connectivity Failure screen appears during the Configure and Setup Network process, click Review, and then click OK at the Errors screen. Follow the prompts to reenter the information that caused the failure. The installation continues when the connection information is complete.

  • Security configuration

A message appears that states the installation of Cisco Finesse has completed successfully. 

The installation of Cisco Finesse has completed successfully.

Cisco Finesse <version number>
<hostname> login: _

What to do next

Sign in to the Finesse administration console on the primary Finesse server (https://FQDN of Finesse server:8445/cfadmin) to configure CTI server, Administration & Database server, and cluster settings.

After you configure these settings, install Finesse on the secondary node.

Install Finesse on Secondary Node

Install the same version of Finesse on both the primary and secondary Finesse nodes.


Note

Configure a Datastore ISO file on the virtual CD/DVD drive of the target VM to install Finesse.


Note

Finesse administration tasks can only be performed on the primary Finesse server. After you install the secondary server, sign in to the administration console on the primary server to perform administration tasks (such as configuring reason codes or call variable layout).

Before you begin

  • Install Finesse on the primary server. See Install Finesse on Primary Node.

  • Use the Finesse administration console on the primary Finesse server to configure CTI server, Administration & Database server, and cluster settings.

  • Ensure that the DNS server has forward and reverse DNS set up for both the primary and secondary node.

Procedure

Step 1

Follow the instructions in the OVA README.txt file to import and deploy the OVA, to edit VM settings, and to power on the VM and edit the BIOS settings in the Console.

Messages appear while the preinstallation script runs. When the preinstallation script ends, the DVD Found screen opens.

Step 2

Select Yes on the DVD Found screen to begin the verification of the media integrity and a brief hardware check.

If the media check passes, select OK to open the Product Deployment Selection screen. Continue to Step 3.

If the media check fails, the installation terminates.

Step 3

The Product Deployment Selection screen states that the Cisco Finesse product suite will be installed. This screen has only one option: OK.

Select OK to open the Proceed with Install screen.

Step 4

The Proceed with Install screen shows the version of the product that is currently installed (if any) and the version of the product for this ISO. For the initial installation, the version currently installed shows NONE.

Select Yes on the Proceed with Install screen to open the Platform Installation Wizard screen.

Step 5

On the Platform Installation Wizard screen, select Proceed to open the Basic Install screen.

Step 6

Select Continue on the Basic Install screen to open the Basic Install wizard.

The Basic Install wizard presents a series of screens that present questions and options pertinent to the platform and the setup configuration. Help is available for each wizard screen.

The first Basic Install wizard screen is Timezone Configuration.

Step 7

In the Timezone Configuration screen:

  1. Use the up and down arrows to locate the local time zone that most closely matches your server location. You can also type the initial character of the time zone to move to that item in the list. The Timezone field is based on country and city and is mandatory. Setting it incorrectly can affect system operation.

  2. Select OK to open the Auto Negotiation Configuration screen.

Step 8

On the Auto Negotiation Configuration screen, select Continue to use automatic negotiation for the settings of the Ethernet network interface card (NIC).

The MTU Configuration screen appears.

Step 9

On the MTU Configuration screen, select No to keep the default setting for Maximum Transmission Units (1500).

Note

 

Finesse supports the default setting of 1500 for MTU only. No other value is supported.

Your selection of No opens the Static Network Configuration screen.

Step 10

On the Static Network Configuration screen, enter the static network configuration values as follows, referring to the Configuration Worksheet if necessary:

  1. Enter the Host Name.

  2. Enter the IP Address.

  3. Enter the IP Mask.

  4. Enter the GW Address.

  5. Select OK to open the Domain Name System (DNS) Client Configuration screen.

Step 11

On the DNS Client Configuration screen, select Yes to specify the DNS client information.

IMPORTANT: DNS client configuration is mandatory for Cisco Finesse. Select Yes on this screen. If you select No, after the installation is complete, agents can't sign in to the desktop and you have to reinstall Finesse.

Step 12

Specify your DNS client information as follows, referring to the Configuration Worksheet if necessary:

  1. Enter the Primary DNS (mandatory).

  2. Enter the Secondary DNS (optional).

  3. Enter the Domain (mandatory).

  4. Select OK to open the Administrator Login Configuration screen.

Step 13

On the Administrator Login Configuration screen:

  1. Enter the credentials for the administrator.

  2. Select OK to open the Certificate Information screen.

Step 14

On the Certificate Information screen:

  1. Enter the following data to create your Certificate Signing Request: Organization, Unit, Location, State, and Country.

  2. Select OK to open the First Node Configuration screen.

Step 15

On the First Node Configuration screen, select No to indicate that you’re configuring the second node.

A warning message appears that indicates you must first configure the server on the first node before you can proceed. If you already configured the first node, select OK.

Step 16

On the Network Connectivity Test Configuration screen, select No to proceed with the installation after connectivity is verified.

Step 17

On the First Node Configuration screen, specify the information about the first node as follows:

  1. Enter the Host Name of the primary Finesse server.

  2. Enter the IP Address of the primary Finesse server.

  3. Enter the Security Password of the primary Finesse server.

  4. Confirm the Security Password.

Step 18

Select OK to open the Platform Configuration Confirmation screen.

Step 19

On the Platform Configuration Confirmation screen, select OK.

The installation begins.

The installation can take up to an hour to complete and can run unattended for most of that time.

A message appears that states the installation of Cisco Finesse has completed successfully. 

The installation of Cisco Finesse has completed successfully.

Cisco Finesse <version number>
<hostname> login: _

What to do next

Check the replication status. If all nodes in the cluster show a replication status of 2, replication is functioning correctly.

After installation, by default the configuration that controls the reverse-proxy authentication is enabled. When the reverse-proxy authentication is enabled and multiple client-side certificates are configured on the system, it impacts the certificate acceptance pop-ups from clients that are connected directly to the Finesse server without using a reverse-proxy. To prevent these pop-ups from appearing, use the utils systems reverse-proxy client-auth command on both the Finesse nodes to disable the reverse-proxy authentication that don’t need VPN-less access to Finesse.


Note

It can take 10–20 minutes to establish replication fully between the two nodes.

To access platform-specific applications like Disaster Recovery System, Cisco Unified Serviceability, and Cisco Unified Operating System Administration, use the following URL, https://FQDN of Finesse server:8443.

Installation Troubleshooting

If

Then

The installation fails.

If the installation fails, a screen appears that asks if you want to copy diagnostic information to a device.

In this situation, you must reinstall from the beginning, but first you must attach a serial port to the VM. Then, you dump the install logs into the serial port of the VM.