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Installing NFO on Linux

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for installing NetFlow Optimizer (NFO) on Linux systems using either the RPM package manager (recommended for RHEL-based systems) or a TAR archive. You can choose to run the installation as a root user or configure the system to run as a non-root user for enhanced security.

Prerequisites​

  • Administrative Access: You must have root or sudo privileges to perform the installation.
  • System Requirements: Ensure your host meets the memory and CPU requirements outlined in the NFO Installation Guide: System Requirements & Sizing.
  • Java Dependencies: NFO requires a 64-bit Java Runtime Environment (JRE).

The RPM method is the standard approach for distributions such as RHEL, CentOS, and Rocky Linux.

  1. Download the Package: Obtain the nfo-<version>.x86_64.rpm file from the NetFlow Logic Downloads page.
  2. Install the Software: Execute the following command:
rpm -ivh nfo-<version>.x86_64.rpm

  1. Verify Service Status: Once installed, ensure the NFO service is running:
systemctl status tomcat_nfo

Option 2: TAR Archive Installation​

Use this method if you are installing on a distribution that does not support RPM or if you prefer manual placement of files.

  1. Download the Archive: Obtain the nfo-<version>.x86_64.tar.gz file.
  2. Extract Files: Create a directory (typically /opt/flowintegrator) and extract the archive:
mkdir -p /opt/flowintegrator
tar -xzvf nfo-<version>.x86_64.tar.gz -C /opt/

  1. Run Install Script: Navigate to the extracted directory and run the setup script:
cd /opt/flowintegrator
./setup.sh -i

Security Hardening: Running as Non-Root​

By default, NFO runs as the root user. Follow this procedure to change the "Run As" user to a non-root account (e.g., user nfo and group nfo-group).

Repeater Function Requirement

The NFO Repeater function and NFO Central require root privileges.

1. Stop Services and Prepare Permissions​

Switch to a root shell and stop the NFO and EDFN services:

sudo -i
systemctl stop nfi_updd.service
systemctl stop tomcat_nfo.service

Change ownership of the installation directories:

chown --recursive nfo:nfo-group /opt/flowintegrator
chown --recursive nfo:nfo-group /opt/nfi-updater

2. Modify Systemd Service Files​

Update the User and Group lines in the following two files from root to nfo and nfo-group:

  • /etc/systemd/system/tomcat_nfo.service
  • /etc/systemd/system/nfi_updd.service
[Service]
User=nfo
Group=nfo-group

3. Update Daemon Scripts​

You must update the execution scripts to specify the new tomcat/nfiu user:

  • In /opt/flowintegrator/nfi.sh: Change --tomcat-user root to --tomcat-user nfo.
  • In /opt/nfi-updater/bin/nfiu_daemon: Change -nfiu-user=root to -nfiu-user=nfo.

4. Start Services​

systemctl start nfi_updd.service
systemctl start tomcat_nfo.service

Next Steps​

Once the services are started, complete your setup in the Web Interface:

  • Access the UI: Navigate to https://<nfo-host>:8443 in a supported browser.
  • Apply License: Log in and go to Licensing to upload your license file.
  • Configure: Ingestion, Outputs, and Modules.
  • Verify Health: Use the NFO Status page to confirm the engine is ready to process data.

For details, visit NFO Administration Guide.