Getting Ready

Creating, configuring and managing SwiftStack nodes and clusters can be a fast and easy process if all the prerequisites are met.

Create SwiftStack Controller Account

First-time users may generate an invite code to SwiftStack Controller As-a-Service by registering an account on the SwiftStack Customer Portal.

Once an account has been made on the SwiftStack Customer Portal, an invite code can be generating by clicking on Invite Controller As-a-Service Admin for an invite code and the link needed to create an admin account.

../_images/customer-portal-invite-admin.png

For SwiftStack Controller On-Premises users, an initial account is created during the install process.

For more information on adminstrator account management see: SwiftStack Controller Users and Access Control

Server Hardware Requirements

SwiftStack is designed to run on standard server hardware. Further information can be found on our FAQ. SwiftStack Cluster Hardware Requirements

Server OS Requirements

SwiftStack Nodes support the following Linux operating systems:

  • Ubuntu 16.04 (Xenial) LTS Server or 18.04 (Bionic) LTS Server 64-bit
  • Red Hat 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, or 7.9 Server 64-bit
  • CentOS 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, or 7.9 Server 64-bit

Note

RHEL/CentOS 7.1 is no longer fully supported; existing 7.1 nodes should be upgraded to a later point release of RHEL/CentOS 7.x.

Note

RHEL/CentOS 6.x is no longer supported; existing 6.x nodes must be upgraded to RHEL/CentOS 7.x.

Note

Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty) or older are no longer supported.

Warning

You cannot run SwiftStack on a desktop or 32-bit versions of any of the above supported operating systems.

  • Root privilege
    • All commands on the server need to be performed with root privileges.

Networking Configuration

  • Your sever will need to be set up with basic network configuration including static IP and correct hostname.
  • Firewall Exceptions
    • Both port 443/TCP and 1194/UDP will need to allow outgoing traffic on your firewall. Some firewall policies prevent this, so it may be necessary to consult with your network administrator.
  • Internet Access
    • Your SwiftStack nodes will need a route to a SwiftStack Controller.
    • You will go to the SwiftStack Controller to configure, manage and monitor your cluster network firewall settings.
    • The connection can't go through a HTTP proxy as the SwiftStack node requires a persistent connection with the SwiftStack Controller.

Software Requirements

  • If this is a brand new installation of CentOS/Redhat or Ubuntu then some packages may need to be installed (e.g. sudo on CentOS).

Next Step

Proceed to Creating Your SwiftStack Node.