Install Collector - Linux

1. Get the Bootstrap Command

Sign in to your ConfigSentry account and go to Appliances → Collectors. Open your collector and click Download - Linux. Copy the bootstrap command shown. It includes your unique collector token and points to the correct Linux bootstrap script.

2. Create the Installation Directory

Choose a directory to hold the collector. A dedicated directory is recommended:

mkdir -p ~/configsentry-collector
cd ~/configsentry-collector

3. Run the Bootstrap Command

Paste and run the bootstrap command from the dashboard. It will:

• Download the latest collector runtime package.
• Extract it to the current directory.
• Prompt you for any Enter Locally values, such as SSH credentials not stored in the dashboard.
• Install a cron entry to keep the collector watchdog running.

4. Manage the Collector After Install

After the bootstrap finishes, run ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh any time you want to reopen the collector management menu.

Common first tasks are:

• Use Show collector status to confirm the config file was imported.
• Use Edit locally configured settings if the collector still needs hostnames, usernames, passwords, syslog values, or other Enter Locally fields.
• Use Enable collector service if the cron watchdog was not created or needs repair.

For the full management reference, including all menu options, update actions, schedule commands, and command-line flags, see Collector Management.

5. Verify the Installation

After the bootstrap completes, check the cron entry was added:

crontab -l

Then open the collector again and run:

./configsentry-collector-linux.sh

Use Show collector status to confirm the config file is found, local settings are complete, and the collector service is healthy. Wait for the first scheduled run - the audit should appear in the ConfigSentry dashboard under Audits.

6. Firewall (Syslog)

If you have enabled syslog-triggered collection, ensure the host firewall, such as iptables or ufw, allows inbound UDP traffic on the configured listener port. By default this is UDP port 2216.

7. Updating the Collector

The collector watchdog checks for updates automatically according to its configured schedule.

For a manual check, reopen the collector with ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh and use the menu options for Install collector updates or Install config updates. You can also run the bootstrap again in the same folder if you are repairing the install, but the normal update workflow is documented in Collector Management.

8. Useful Commands

• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh - open the interactive menu.
• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --status - print collector status.
• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --install-config - install config updates from the website.
• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --install-updates - install runtime updates.
• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --schedule-enable - enable or repair the cron watchdog and background service.
• ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --schedule-disable - disable the cron watchdog and background service.

9. Uninstalling

Before deleting the collector folder, reopen the collector and choose Disable collector service, or run ./configsentry-collector-linux.sh --schedule-disable.

After that, remove the cron entry if it still exists and delete the collector directory. No system-wide packages are installed by the collector itself.