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Agent-Based Management

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Tutorials

How to Install the Corner Bowl Server Manager Agent on Windows

Background

Server Manager includes an agent-based solution to remotely manage both Windows and Linux hosts. Our agent-based solution solves several potential problems with existing built-in technologies and security implementations. To understand the benefits, we must first understand the technologies used to remotely manage Windows and Linux hosts without an agent.

Agentless Management

Windows

Windows Event Logs are downloaded using remote WMI while Text Logs use either Windows Shares, SFTP/SSH or FTP/S to download logs. Most monitors, such as CPU, Memory and Disk Space use remote WMI to query information. Other monitors, such as Windows Certificates and Performance Counters, rely on other seemingly undocumented Microsoft APIs.

Security and Performance Concerns
  • Attack Surface Reduction Rules do not permit remote WMI event subscriptions.
  • In most hardened environments, monitoring and compliance services are not permitted to run as domain or local administrators.
  • In most hardened environments, remote WMI and other Microsoft APIs are not permitted.
  • Cloud-based servers cannot typically be managed by remote WMI.
  • Windows blocks discovery and remote management of remote Windows Certificate Stores.
  • WMI is needlessly slow when transmitting Event Log entries and often throws what seems are random errors on a random basis.
  • WMI requires multiple ports, one of which is randomly assigned. The randomly assigned port can be configured to use a fixed port, however, the fixed port must be configured on each client host.
  • In rare cases, WMI corrupts itself requiring the WMI service to be restarted or repaired.
  • Hosts that periodically connect to the local network (e.g. Law Enforcement laptops), can be difficult to manage on a polling schedule. The polling schedule must be fast enough to catch each managed laptop when they just so happen to be logged into the local network often generating unnecessary traffic as well as a high number of errors in the meantime.

Linux (RedHat (RHEL) and Ubuntu)

Linux audit logs are downloaded using a two step process. First, audit logs must be copied to a temporary directory using Superuser permissions over an SSH connection so yet another SFTP can download the file.

Security and Performance Concerns
  • SSH commands often require elevated Superuser permissions.
  • SFTP has limited access to operating system files.
  • Audit Log consolidation is highly inefficient requiring entire log files to be continually re-downloaded prior to extracting the latest entries.

Agent-Based Management Benefits

  • Both the Windows Management Service and the Windows Agent Service can be run using the built-in SYSTEM Account eliminating the requirement to run as a Domain Administrator.
  • All data is transmitted over a single TLS 1.2 capable TCP/IP port using a highly efficient binary protocol stack that downloads Windows Event Logs 12 times faster than remote WMI.
  • Linux Audit Logs are efficiently accessed, parsed, and filtered directly on Linux hosts prior to transmitting the latest filtered entries to the Management Server.

The Corner Bowl Server Manager Agent

Many of the Windows Templates include an Agent-Based Template flag. Once an Agent-Based Template is assigned to a remote host, Server Manager uses Windows Shares to upload the Agent installation file to the host then uses WMI to remote install onto the host. If Server Manager is unable to penetrate the firewall to upload and remote install, you have the option to manually install the Agent to the remote host. Once installed, by default, the Agent connects once a minute to get list of templates to execute. The connection frequency can be overridden. Once Templates and Filters are received, the Agent executes the Templates and applies the Filters. Finally, data is transmitted to the management server.

Important
The Agent requires the .Net 7 Runtime. Our installers automatically install the runtime when not already installed, however the installer needs Internet access. If Internet access is not available, please download and install the runtime from Microsoft.

Supported Templates

The following templates are currently supported:

How to configure the Agent Server

  • From the Explorer View, navigate to then select Agent Server. The Agent Server Properties View displays.
  • The Agent Server Properties View contains 2 tabs.

The Options Tab

  • From the Agent Server Properties View use the Enabled check box to enable or disable the Agent Server.
Important
Once enabled, the server attempts to install the Agent to all configured hosts that have Agent-Based Templates assigned to them. If you do not want to automatically install the Agent to each host that has an Agent-Based Template assigned, you can either globally disable the Agent installer (below) or disable specific hosts via the Host Properties View. For more information see: Host Properties
  • Use the Add all new hosts check box to automatically add any agent host to the software when initially connecting.
  • Use the Host identification method drop-down to select how you would like new hosts to be identified.
OptionDescription
DNS LookupThe server uses DNS to resolve the hostname.
DNS and FQDN LookupThe server uses DNS and Active Directory to resolve the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN).
Remote IP AddressThe server uses the IP address.
Local HostnameThe agent sends its local hostname to server for identification.
Local FQDNThe agent sends its locally resolved FQDN to server for identification.
Local IP AddressThe agent sends its local IP address to server for identification.
  • Use the Auto-alias checkbox to automatically set the host's alias using the value derived from the identification method when the device is connecting for the first time and the device's IP address has already been added to Server Manager.
Note
This option has been made available so cloud-based Windows and Linux servers can be accessed using their public IP address while at the same time automatically displaying in the Management Console using the preferred identification method.
  • Use the Agent installer enabled check box to use WMI and Windows Shares to automatically install the Agent Service to each host that has an Agent-Based Template assigned.
Note
Once installed, Server Manager automatically updates out-of-date agents. When an agent connects, if the agent is a lower version than the server, the agent automatically downloads the latest installer directly on the connected TCP/IP socket. Internet access is not required. Once downloaded, the agent automatically updates itself.
Important
The Agent Server automatically downloads the .Net 4.7.2 compiled build of the Agent from the Corner Bowl Software website when Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8 or Windows 7 are detected then uploads that specific installer to the managed host.
  • Use the Agent connect schedule drop-down to select the schedule or frequency you want all of your Agents to connect. By default, the agent connects once a minute.
Note
  • When a real-time schedule is assigned, agents re-connect every minute.
  • When a range schedule is assigned, agents re-connect at a random interval within the specified time range.
Note
To override this value for a host group or specific Windows Host, from the Explorer View, select the target host group or Windows Host, right click, then select Host Properties. The Host Properties View displays. From the General Tab, use the Agent connect schedule drop-down to override this value.
Note
To enable Real-Time Event Log Monitoring, from the Explorer View, select the target host group or Windows Host, right click, then select Host Properties. The Host Properties Viewdisplays. From the General Tab, set the Keep agent connectedoption, then use the Assignments View to assign a Real-Time Agent-Based Event Log Monitor Template.
  • Use the Maximum number of connections to limit the maximum number of client connections including, Management Consoles, Tray Icons, and Agent Devices.
  • Use the Maximum Keep-Alive connections to limit the maximum number of Agent-Devices allowed to remain connected to the Agent Server.
  • Use the Maximum installations per minute to limit the number of Agent-Devices that can be updated per minute.
  • Use the Command and control checkbox to initiate the execution of Templates on targeted Keep-Alive Agent Devices from the Agent Server on schedule, otherwise, Templates are executed when each Agent-Device requests the next batch of Templates to execute.
  • When using Command and control, use the Execution timeout controls to set the maximum time to wait for each Template to complete before triggering a timeout error.
Agent Server Properties View
Agent Server Properties View
  • Selecting the Assignments Tab reveals a blacklist as well as various lists of objects to automatically assign to the newly added devices. By default, all new hosts are added to a node called Agent Devices, however, if you assign another group or set of groups to the Hosts Groups List, new hosts are only added to those groups.
Note
By default, the following sample templates are assigned to each host: Event Log Consolidation (Application, System) (Agent) and Event Log Consolidation (Security) (Agent) and Event Log File Backup (Agent) templates are assigned enabling Windows Application, Security and System Event Logs entries to be automatically saved to the centralized log database, and, for the defense industry, the raw EVTX files centrally saved to the management server.

How to automatically install the Agent on managed hosts

  • From the Explorer View, navigate to Agent Server then right click and select Properties. The Agent Server Properties View displays.
  • Check Enabled.
  • Click Save.
  • Manually add the Windows and Linux hosts to Server Manager. For more information see: Adding Hosts.
  • Assign any agent-based Template to the host or the host's group.
  • Once assigned, Server Manager will attempt to remote install the Agent onto each assigned host.
    • Windows installations use remote WMI and Windows shares to install the Agent Service.
Important
Firewalled and Air Gapped Installations: The Agent requires .Net 7 Runtime. The installer's bootstrapper checks, then automatically downloads the required framework from Microsoft. If remote managed hosts are firewalled or air gapped, you can instead download a version of the installer that includes .Net 7 within the installation's bootstrapper from Corner Bowl Software's' website. Once downloaded, place the file into the installation directory (e.g. c:\Program Files\Corner Bowl\Server Manager). Do not change the filename, it must be ServerManagerAgentDotNetInstaller.exe. When Server Manager detects the current major version of the agent has not yet been installed, this file is uploaded instead of the default lightweight Agent only installer. There is no need to continually update this file because, once installed, the Agent is automatically updated to the version running on the Management Server.
    • Linux installations use SSH and SFTP to install the Agent Daemon.
Important
To automatically install the agent on a Linux host, you must first configure the SSH/SFTP connection via the SSH/SFTP Properties View. At this time, the .Net 7 Runtime must be pre-installed.

How to manually install the Agent on Windows

  • From each target host, install the .Net Runtime 7.0.x.
  • From the host you have installed Server Manager, copy the following file to each target host:
    C:\Program Files\Corner Bowl\Server Manager\ServerManagerAgentInstaller.exe
  • From each target host, open a command prompt as Administrator then run the executable with the following command line options:
    ParameterDescription
    HOSTThe fully qualified hostname of the host Server Manager is installed.
    PORTThe port to connect with. The default value is 21843
    TLSENABLEDtrue to enable TLS 1.2. Please note the server must be configured to use TLS. For more information see: Server Configuration
    TLSCERTIFICATEThe optional TLS client certificate to use for TLS 1.2.
    -qSilently run the installation.
    -norestartSuppress reboot.
    For Example:
    ServerManagerAgentInstaller.exe -q HOST=1.2.3.4 PORT=21843
Note
Firewalled and Air Gapped Installations: The Agent requires .Net 7 Runtime. The installer's bootstrapper checks, then automatically downloads the required framework from Microsoft. If remote managed hosts are firewalled or air gapped, you can instead download a version of the installer that includes .Net 7 within the installation's bootstrapper from Corner Bowl Software's' website. Once downloaded, use this version of the installer.

How to Install the Server Manager Agent on Linux

For detailed instructions on both automatically and manually installing the agent on Linux, see Linux Agent Installation.

How to update the Agent configuration

The Agent uses a JSON configuration file to load the parameters to connect to the Management Server. Configuration is implemented through the tcpserver.json file located in the program data directory.

On Windows, the default location is:

C:\ProgramData\Corner Bowl\Server Manager Agent\tcpserver.json

On Linux, the default location is:

/usr/share/corner-bowl/server-manager-agent/tcpserver.json

Configuration File Reference

{
  "Host": "SERVERNAME", 
  "Port": 21843, 
  "IdleTimeout": 300, 
  "ReceiveTimeout": 120, 
  "SendTimeout": 120, 
  "TlsConfiguration": {
    "Enabled": false, 
    "Certificate": null, 
    "RequireRemoteCertificate": false, 
    "AllowSelfSignedCertificate": true, 
    "CheckCertificateRevocation": false, 
    "AllowCertificateChainErrors": true 
  }
}				

For more information see: Server Configuration

How to configure Agent-Based templates

  • Select File | New Template. The Select Template Type view displays.
  • Click the Template type to create. The Template Properties view displays.
  • Select the Agent Template Tab
  • Use the Enabled Check Box to flag the template as an Agent-Based Template.
  • Use the Trigger Check Box to trigger actions when assigned hosts do not connect within the configured time span.
  • Use the On Host Not Connecting Drop-Down to assign the actions to fire when assigned hosts do not connect within the configured time span.

Troubleshooting

If the Agent does not appear to be connecting or processing templates, you can view the Agent's verbose output log for detailed information. The log file is located in the following directory on each remotely managed host:

On Windows the location is:

C:\ProgramData\Corner Bowl\Server Manager Agent\agent.log

On Linux the location is:

/var/log/corner-bowl/agent.log

Related Topics

Adding Hosts

Assignments

Server Configuration