Preparing Your Environment for SOTI MobiControl

About this task

Learn how to prepare your servers and database prior to installing SOTI MobiControl to avoid common configuration errors and reduce future structural modifications.

Procedure

  1. Review Planning Your SOTI MobiControl Installation and decide if you should install all SOTI MobiControl components on one server, or across several. Servers should host only SOTI MobiControl components.
    Important: Confirm that your SOTI MobiControl license supports multiple servers. Contact your SOTI sales account representative if you're unsure. Secondly, the SOTI MobiControl console is not kept in global cache, therefore it's important to use sticky sessions when using load-balancing on the deployment server and management service.
  2. Review System Requirements to ensure that each server meets the minimum requirements.
  3. Get access to a local administrator account for each server. If you cannot access a local administrator account, you may also use a Microsoft Service Account with specific permissions to run the installer..
  4. Check if other applications are using the same ports used by SOTI MobiControl. On the server, go to Start > Windows Administrative Tools > Resource Monitor. On the Network tab, expand Listening Ports to view a list of applications and the ports they're using. Compare to SOTI MobiControl Network Ports.
    Important: Although not recommended, you can customize SOTI MobiControl to use HTTPS on a port other than 443. You can customize the port either during installation or at any time using the SOTI MobiControl Administration Utility. This may be necessary with more complex networking structures (for example, firewalls).
  5. Record the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) or IP address of each server. If possible, use the FQDN rather than IP address as it's less likely to change.
  6. Ensure your database meets SOTI MobiControl Database Requirements.
    Note: The SOTI MobiControl installer comes with a free download of Microsoft SQL Server 2014 Express. However, it requires internet connectivity to download and install. If your server is offline, download the Express version of SQL Server from Microsoft separately and install it on the server before beginning your SOTI MobiControl installation.
  7. Clear Microsoft SQL Server of any existing databases. If you want to install a fresh version of Microsoft SQL Server on a server that previously had another instance installed, uninstall the old version of Microsoft SQL Server and delete the configuration files in C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL to avoid a configuration conflict.
  8. Get access to a user account with the necessary permissions. You can use either Microsoft SQL Server or Windows credentials; however, Microsoft SQL Server credentials are preferred to avoid experiencing issues with services such as reporting.
  9. Enable the TCP/IP network protocol in your Microsoft SQL Server network configuration.
  10. Confirm that port 1433 is free. SOTI MobiControl uses it for communication between the database and the deployment server.
  11. Optional: Install Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio to manage Microsoft SQL Server or Windows users.
    Warning: Making changes directly to the database voids the SOTI MobiControl end-user license agreement.

Results

That's it! You're now ready to begin installing SOTI MobiControl. Keep the user account credentials (local administrator and SA) and FQDN of each server handy.

Note: SOTI MobiControl generates a certificate and binds it to port 443 during installation. You can replace it to a third-party certificate following installation with the SOTI MobiControl Administration Utility.

What to do next

Go to Installing SOTI MobiControl.