ClearOS7

Server,Network,&Gateway|QuickStartGuide

(Revised2017/02/14)

Welcome 3

SelectingHardware 5

Workstation 5

Rackmount 5

Mode 5

RequiredNetworkCards 5

SelectingHardware(continued) 6

Network 6

Installer 7

1stStage|Installer 7

2ndStage|Wizard 7

SystemMode 8

PublicServerMode 8

GatewayMode 8

PrivateServerMode 8

ConfiguringTCP/IP 9

Hostname 9

Hostname(continued) 10

SystemPassword 10

SettinguptheNetwork 10

NetworkConnections 11

GatewayMode 11

PublicorPrivateServerMode 11

WebconfigWeb(browser)basedAdministration 12

SystemRegistration 13

AdditionalModules/Apps 13

AdditionalHelp 13

ClearCARETechnicalSupport 14

ClearOSCommunityForums 14

ClearCenterContactInformation 15

(Revised2017/02/14)

Welcome

ClearOSisacomputer(server)OperatingSystem(OS)thatprovidesenterpriselevelnetwork
securityandapplicationservicestotheSmall/MediumsizedBusiness(SMB)market.Itallows
anorganizationtoprotectagainstincomingthreats,enforceongoingpolicy,andbemore
productivethroughtheuseofintegratedservices.

ThequickstartguideoutlinesthestepsrequiredtoinstallandbeginmanagingtheClearOS
server.Itassumestheuserissomewhatfamiliarwithsoftwareinstallationprinciplesandhasa
basicunderstandingofcomputerhardwareandnetworking.

ThankyouforchoosingClearOS!

(Revised2017/02/14)

SelectingHardware
TheClearOSserverisanOperatingSystembasedonLinux.Assuch,thesoftwarerequires
dedicatedhardwaretoinstallandrunonitdoesnotinstallonMicrosoftWindowsasan
application.

Youhavemanyoptionswhenchoosingthehardwareforyourserver.Fortunately,ClearOShas
modestminimumhardwarerequirementscomparedtootherproducts.Thisallowsyoutoeither
recycleadesktopcomputerorpurchasenewhardware,butnotnecessarilyleadingedgein
termsofhardwarespecifications.Thebestconfigurationwilldependonserverlocation,number
ofusers,scalability,intendeduse,andmanyotherfactors.Youfirstneedtoconsiderwhethera
workstationorarackmountedserverisbestsuitedtomeetyourneeds.Thefollowingtablewill
giveyousomepointstoconsiderwhenmakingyourdetermination:

Workstation Rackmount
Takeslessspace,butrequiresarack
Lessexpensive
Increasednoiselevels
Canbeplacedanywhere
Minimalsupportforperipherals
Easiertomove/relocate
Bestsuitedforadedicatedserverroom
Bettersuitedforexpansion
Canbereconfiguredforotheruses

Dependingonyourrequirements,youwillalsoneedtoconsiderthenumberofnetworkcards
requiredforyoursystem.

Mode RequiredNetworkCards
1
Standalone
2
Gateway
3ormore
MultiWAN/DMZ

(Revised2017/02/14)

SelectingHardware(continued)

Thehardwarerequireddependsonwhatresourcedemandsnormalusewillplaceonyour
server.Forexample,providingproxyandwebsitecontentfilteringto50usersrequireshigher
processorandmemoryrequirementsthanasystemrunningasimplefirewall.Thefollowing
generalguidelinescanbeusedforestimatingyoursystemrequirements:

CPUandMemory Lessthan5users 510users 1050users 50250users

Processor/CPU 1GHz 2GHz QuadCore DualQuad

3GHz Core+

Memory/RAM 1GB 4GB 816GB 32GB+

PhysicalStorage:

HardDrive Installationandlogsrequire6GBoptionalstorageisuptouser

RAID Recommendedformissioncriticalsystemsseeuserguidefordetails

OpticalDrive ACD/DVDorUSBdriveisrequiredforinstallationandformajorupgrades

Network

Ingatewaymode,ClearOSrequiresahighspeed(broadband)networkconnectiontothe
Internet.WithaClearOSserveractingasthegatewaytoyourInternetServiceProvider(ISP),
youwillbeabletoshareinternetaccesstocomputersontheLANwhileprotectingyournetwork
againstattacksfromexternalthreats.Inmanycases,anorganizationwillalsowanttoenforce
accessanduserpolicyfromwithintheLAN.

Today,itisnotuncommonfororganizationstohavebothawiredandwirelessnetwork.Wireless
accesscanbeachievedbyaddinganinexpensivewirelessroutertothenetwork(innonrouter
mode)orbyselectingasupportedwirelesscardandinstallingitintotheClearOSserver.

(Revised2017/02/14)

InstallingtheSoftware

Onceyouhaveselectedandassembledyourhardware,itistimetoinstallthesoftware.Keepin
mind,youcanalwaysaddnonessentialhardwarelater(forexample,anadditionalnetwork
card,aUSBmassstoragedeviceetc.)withouthavingtoreinstalltheClearOSsoftware.

Aninstallationwizardwillguideyouthroughtheinstallprocess.Bypromptingyoutoanswer
specificquestionsrelatedtoyoursetup,thewizardwillhelpcustomizeyourinstalltoyour
particularrequirements.

ThestepbystepsoftwareinstallationGuideisavailableat:

https://www.clearos.com/resources/documentation/clearos/index:userguide7

ForastepbystepScreenIllustrationforwhattoexpectduringsetup,viewthislink:

https://www.clearos.com/resources/documentation/whattoexpect

Installer
TherearetwostagestocompletewheninstallingClearOS:

1stStage|Installer
Thefirststageinstallerallowstheusertoselecttheirconfigurationparameterssuchas
language,location,systemmode,connectiontype,andnetworksettings.Theinstallerwillstep
theuserthrougheachconfigurationwithsimpletofollowprompts.Thisstepstakesonaverage
10minutestocomplete.

2ndStage|Wizard
Thesecondstageinstallerusesagraphicalwizardtowalkyouthroughsimplestepstosetting
upClearOS.Thesestepsincludeselectinganetworkmode,configuringnetworkinterfaces,
configuringDNS,selectingyourClearOSedition,registeringtheserver,performingupdates,
settingupaninternetdomain,assigningahostname,settingthedateandtimeontheserver,
navigatingtheMarketplacewizard,andselectingtheMarketplaceAppsbestsuitedforyour
environment.Thisstepstakesonaverage15minutestocomplete.

(Revised2017/02/14)

SystemMode
Duringinstallwizard,thesystemwillasktheusertoselecttheirpreferredsystemmode.The
usermayselecteitherPublicServer,Gateway,orPrivateServermode.

PublicServerMode
Thismodeisappropriatefor
standaloneserversinstalledina
hostileenvironment.Forexample,a
datacenterorpublichotspot.

GatewayMode
Gatewaymodeisusedtoconnecta
networkofsystemstotheInternet
orinternalnetwork.Youneedat
leasttwonetworkcardsforthis
mode.

PrivateServerMode
Thismodeisappropriatefor
standaloneserversinstalledona
protectednetwork,forexample,an
officenetwork.Thefirewallis
disabledinthismode.

(Revised2017/02/14)

ConfiguringTCP/IP

ConfiguringyourInternetSettingscorrectlyiscrucialtotheconnectivityandperformanceofyour
network.UnlessyourInternetServiceProvider(ISP)providesastaticIPaddress,itis
recommendedthatyouuseDynamicIPConfiguration.

IfyourISPassignsastaticIP,youwillneedtoentertheindividualTCP/IPsettingsasprovided
byyourISP.

Makesureyouhavethesesettingsavailableduringtheinstallationprocess:

WhenconfiguringyourLocalAreaNetwork(LAN)settings,unlessyouareexperiencedin
networktopology,itisrecommendedthatyouusethetypicalvaluesprovided.

ForyourreferenceatypicalLANsettingsarelistedbelow:

Hostname

ThehostnameisauniquenamebywhichtheinternalnetworkcanidentifytheClearOSserver.

Ifyouareunsurewhattheserverhostnameshouldbe,usetheentriesinthefollowingtableasa
guideline.

(Revised2017/02/14)

Hostname(continued)

Mode/Use Hostname Domain

Gateway

Iown(orwillbuy)adomainforthisserver gateway mydomain.com

IwanttouseafreedomainfromClearCenter mylastname poweredbyclear.com

PrivateServerMode

Anyscenario mylastname server.lan

SystemPassword
Thesystempasswordistherootaccountpasswordandthehighestlevelof
permission/accesstotheserver.ItishighlyrecommendedthatyouuseaSTRONG
password.A strongpasswordwouldbearandomlygeneratedseriesofcharactersthat:

isatleast8characterslong(longerisbetter)
containsamixofupperandlowercaseletters
includesnumerals,specialcharacters,and/orpunctuation

Anexampleofagoodpasswordis:s
3f1$8Ba

YoucanalwayschangeyourpasswordusedforrootbyloggingintoWebconfigasrootand
clicking[userprofile]underthenamerootintheupperrighthandcornerofWebconfig.

SettinguptheNetwork
TheClearOSserverisrobustenoughtohandlemultiplenetworktopologiesandcanbe
configuredtohandlemanyroles,suchas:

gateway/firewall storageserver
proxy/contentfilter authenticationserver
applicationserver allinoneserver

(Revised2017/02/14)

NetworkConnections

GatewayM
ode
InGatewayMode,youwillneed2(ormore)
networkcardsandyouwillneedtodetermine
themappingbetweeneachphysicalnetwork
cardasrepresentedinthesoftwareinterface
asshowninWebconfig.

Thesimplestwaytoapproachthistaskisto
physicallyconnectonlyonecabletoan
interfaceandlookforwhichonesaysyesin
thelinkfield.

UsingClearOSsgraphicalconsole(Webconfig),
gototheInterfacesScreen.Youwillneedto
loginasrootandsupplythepasswordyouusedduringtheinstallation.IfClearOScame
preinstalled,usethepasswordpasswordfortherootuser.

UsethelinkstatusfieldtohelpyoudeterminethataphysicalconnectionbetweenyourClearOS
serverandtherestofyournetworkhasbeenestablished.Oncedone,youcannowconnectto
theserverusingClearOSsWebconfigfromadesktoporlaptopontheLAN,effectivelyrunning
theClearOSserverheadless(i.e.nomonitororkeyboardrequired).

BeawarethatinClearOSterms,externalmeansinternetfacing.Youwillneedatleastone
externalinterfacetoregisterClearOS.

Onceitisdeterminedwhichnetworkcardhasbeenassignedaninterfacebytheoperating
system,youcanproceedtoconfiguretherole(i.e.externalorLAN)ofeachcardbyhighlighting
aninterfaceandexecutingtheconfigurationwizard(presstheEnterorSpacekey).

Publico
rP
rivateS erverM
ode
IfyouselectedPublicorPrivateServerMode
duringthesoftwareinstallation,physically
connectingtheClearOSservertoyourexisting
networkisstraightforward.

UsingstandardEthernetcable,runacable
betweenthesingleNetworkInterfaceCard
(NIC)(sometimescallednetworkadapter)on
theClearOSservertoafreeportonyour
networksegment(usuallyamultiporthubor
switch).

(Revised2017/02/14)

UsingClearOSsgraphicalconsole(Webconfig),gototheInterfaceScreen.Youwillneedto
loginasrootandsupplythepasswordyouusedduringtheinstallation.IfClearOScame
preinstalled,usethepasswordpasswordfortherootuser.

UsethelinkstatusfieldtohelpyoudeterminethataphysicalconnectionbetweenyourClearOS
serverandtherestofyournetworkhasbeenestablished.Oncedone,youcannowconnectto
theserverusingClearOSsWebconfigfromadesktoporlaptopontheLAN,effectivelyrunning
theClearOSserverheadless(i.e.nomonitororkeyboardrequired).

BeawarethatinClearOSterms,externalmeansinternetfacing.Youwillneedatleastone
externalinterfacetoregisterClearOS.

WebconfigWeb(browser)basedAdministration

Webconfigisaneasytouse,browserbasedadministrativetoolthatallowsanadministratorto
useanyPC(runninganoperatingsystemandthroughabrowser)toconfigureandmanageall
aspectsofyourserver.TheadministratorcouldbeconnectingfromwithintheLANorfromaPC
locatedontheothersideoftheworld.

WebconfigusesHTTPSprotocol,whichallowsforsecure,remotemanagementoftheserver
fromanaccessdeviceoutsidetheLAN.Thisisthesameprotocolusedbybankstoencrypt
financialtransactions,soanyremoteaccesscanbeconsideredextremelysecure.

Webconfiglistensforincomingclientrequestsonanonstandardport(port81).Thisisdonein
caseyouwanttorunawebserverwiththesameencryption/securitypolicies.Asaresult,there
isonesmall(butimportant)additiontotheURLthatyouwillenterinyourbrowserwhen
connectingtoClearOSsWebconfiguserinterface.

https://192.168.1.1:81

Notetheinsertionoftheportnumberbyplacingthecharacters:81betweentheIPaddress
(192.168.1.1).Ofequalimportance,theexamplegivenaboveassumesyouareconnectingfrom
withinyourLAN(oroveraVPNtunnel)andthatyouselectedthedefaultIPsettingsforyour
LAN.ModifytheIPtosuityourconfigurationorsubstitutetheIPwithadomainnamethathas
beenmappedcorrectly.Forexample,theservershostnameasdescribedearlierinthisguideif
thishasbeenpreviouslyconfigured.

(Revised2017/02/14)

SystemRegistration

Onceyoursystemisonline,oneofthemost
importantactionstotakeistoregisteryourserver.
Registrationensuresyoursoftwarewillbekept
uptodatewiththelatestsoftwareerrataandnew
features,whichensuresasecure,reliable,and
productivenetwork.Registrationalsoenables
Marketplace,theonboardappinstallationengine
forClearOS.

AdditionalModules/Apps

ClearOSisuniqueinitsdesign.Itallowsanadministratorfullcontroloverhowmany
services/applicationsrunonanyparticularinstallation.Forexample,wheresecurityofthe
networkisparamount,onlyedgedeviceserviceslikethefirewall,intrusiondetection/prevention,
andvirusscanningwouldbeselected.Inapplicationswherethebudgetislimitedandan
allinoneserver/appliancesuitstheenvironment,additionalservicescanbeaddedthrough
Marketplacebyselectingneededapps.Itshouldbenotedthatnotallappsareavailable
togetherincombination.

AdditionalHelp

AvailableResourcesInclude:

OnlineUserGuides CommunitySites
OnlineHowToDocuments CommunityForums
TechSupport SearchEngine

https://www.clearos.com/resources/documentation/documentationoverview

(Revised2017/02/14)

AdditionalHelp(continued)

ClearCARETechnicalSupport
Inaddition,severallevelsofprofessionaltechsupportareavailabletolicensedusers.Fora
completelistormoreinfoonClearCAREsupport,visit:

https://www.clearos.com/products/support/clearcareoverview

ClearOSCommunityForums
ClearOSisdrivenbyaveryengagedandrapidlygrowingcommunity.Communitymembers
enjoyhelpingeachotherwithsettingup,developing,troubleshooting,andpushingthe
boundariesofClearOS.Getstartedparticipatinginthecommunitybelow:

https://www.clearos.com/clearfoundation/social/community

(Revised2017/02/14)

ClearCenterContactInformation

NorthAmerica International

Phone:+ 1.800.977.0574 Phone:+ 1.801.851.5555

Email:sales@clearcenter.com Email:sales@clearcenter.com

(Revised2017/02/14)