Installing a Verba Media Repository

Owned by Kiss, Mate
Sept 21, 2017
8 min read

The Verba Media Repository is the central controlling component of the Recording System. It contains the management web application and various other services necessary for the system to function. This component should always be installed first when deploying a new system. If you don't have a separate SQL server to install the database on, this server will run the Verba database services as well.

Please follow the steps below to install a Verba Media Repository:

Step 1 - The install kit starts installing Verba components. Simply press the Next button to start the installation.

Step 2 - Read the Verba license agreement carefully before you check the "I accept the terms in the License Agreement" checkbox, then click Next button.

Step 3 - Select the Media Repository role from the list. Click Next.

Step 4 - Select the destination folder for Verba system and the desired location of the media files. You can change the default setting by clicking on the Change button and selecting another folder. Network share also can be provided for the media folder. If you have finished the destination folder configuration, press the Next button.

Step 5a - If the server is going to be the first Media Repository server in the deployment, and pre-generated certificates won't be used, then select the "Generate Certificate Signed by Verba Media Repository CA" option, and check the "First Media Repository in the deployment" checkbox. Click on the Generate button, and in the Generate the Verba Server Certificate window click Generate. Finally, click on the Next button. (If this option is being used, then Step 5b and Step 5c can be skipped.)

Step 5b - If the server won't be the first Media Repository server in the deployment, and pre-generated certificates won't be used, then select the "Generate Certificate Signed by Verba Media Repository CA" option, then click on the Generate button. In the Generate the Verba Server Certificate window provide the address of the first Media Repository server, the administrator username and password, then click Generate. Finally, click on the Next button. (If this option is being used, Step 5c can be skipped.)

Step 5c - If there is an existing certificate from a previous Verba installation (in case of reinstall or upgrade), or a pre-generated certificate for the server exists (requested from a local or a 3rd party CA), then select the "Select Certificate" option, then click on the Browse button. If the server was a CA previously, then select the CA certificate also by clicking on the Browse button under the CA Certificate Thumbrint.

 

Certificates generated by Verba CA vs pre-generated certificates

In case of using the Verba-generated certificates, the first Media Repository server becomes a CA also. During the installation of the other Verba components, the server certificates will be requested from this CA. This is done through the TCP port 443 with SSL. The server certificates and the CA certificate will be placed in the certificate stores of the servers automatically, to the Personal folder. The certificates generated by the Verba CA uses SHA512 for the signature algorithm, and RSA2048 for the public key.

 

If certificates are generated for the Verba servers in advance using an other CA, then make sure that the certificates are placed into the certificate stores of the servers under the Personal folder, and the CA certificates are placed into the Personal or into the Trusted Root Certification Authorities folder. The only requirement for the server certificates is making the private key exportable.

Certificates generated by the Verba CA

Based on the Friendly Name of the certificates the server and the CA certificate can be identified easily. On the screenshot, the first one is the server certificate and the second one is the CA certificate.

Step 6 - Select the service account type. If the Domain Account is selected then please note the followings:

      • The account name has to be entered with the domain
      • The Domain Account have to be part of the Local Administrators group and requires the Log on as a service right


When do I need domain account?

  • If the media files will be stored on a network location. In this case, make sure that the service account has rights to the folder.
  • If windows authentication will be used for the SQL connection (Step 7). In this case, the same account has to be used for the services.
  • If CDR Reconciliation feature will be used.



Step 7 - The Verba installer is asking for the MS SQL Server credentials. The server name can be entered either as an IP address or an FQDN. Both SQL server based and windows authentication is supported. Please provide a DB Creator role user account for the connection. These settings will be used for all Verba components. If Verba install kit has installed MS SQL Server 2012 Express Edition as a prerequisite, the password for the sa user is: Verba456+. If SQL Mirroring is being used or AlwaysOn with Multi-Subnet failover, then a different SQL Driver has to be selected. In this case, the driver has to be installed on the server. Click 'Test Connection' to verify your input. If the tests were successful, click Next.

 

Database creation and update

In case of initial installation, the Verba database doesn't have to be created in advance. The installer will create a database with the name given in the "Database Name" setting, and build the schema.

If it's not possible to give DB Creator role to the database login used by Verba, then the installer has to be started from the command line with the -SKIPSQLSEQUENCE switch. After the installation finished, the database can be created manually using the SQL scripts found in the APPLICATION_FOLDER\resources\db folder. In this case, only the db_owner right is required. If it's possible to create the database in advance using the SQL scripts, then the installer can be started in the normal way.

In case of upgrade, the installer will upgrade the database schema automatically to the new version. If required, this can be done also manually with the SQL scripts.

Database connection troubleshooting tips

  • Try to ping the database server. Try to connect to the 1433 port on the database server. (telnet or Test-NetConnection)
  • Check if the user has the DB Creator role.
  • If Windows Authentication used then check if the user has the Local Administrator group membership and the 'Logon as a service right'.
  • Check if the correct instance name is provided at the SQL Server name. If there are multiple instances, then the SQL Server Browser service must run on the SQL server side.
  • If you installed SQL Server Express Edition, then check if the TCP/IP protocol is enabled under the SQL Server Network Configuration in the SQL Server Configuration Manager.

 

 

Step 8 - Please specify the ports for running the Verba web server. Click the Test Connection button to check if they are free. If one of them is taken you will be asked for another port number (you are not allowed to run more than one HTTP server on the same port). It is recommended to use the default 80 and 443 port numbers. If successful, click Next.

 

Step 9a - If this is a new Verba installation, and there is no pre-created SSL certificate for the HTTPS connection, then select the "Generate Self-signed Certificate" option, then click on the Generate button. In the "Generate the Verba Web server SSL Certificate" window, enter a password for the certificate, provide the Subject Alternative names, then click Generate. In this case a verba-tomcat.crt and a verba-tomcat.key file will be generated in the C:\ root. Click on the Next button. (If this option is being used, then Step 9b can be skipped)

Step 9b - If this is not a new Verba installation (in case of reinstall or upgrade), or there is a pre-created SSL certificate for the HTTPS connection, then select the "Select Certificate" option. Under the Certificate Path, click on the Browse button, and provide the .crt file. Under the Certificate Key Path click on the Browse button, and provide the .key file. Provide the password of the SSL certificate. Click on the Next button.

 

Subject Alternatives Names for the SSL Certificate

To make sure that the browser always going to trust the certificate, provide every possible address at the Subject Alternative Names. The recommended addresses are:

  • The hostname of the server.
  • The FQDN of the server.
  • The IP address of the server.
  • "localhost"
  • Aliases
  • If load-balancer is being used, then it's hostname, FQDN and IP address.

Certificates in .pfx or .p12 format

If the SSL certificate is in .pfx or .p12 format, then it has to be converted to a pair of .crt and .key files. For the conversion process, please refer to the "Creating .key and .crt files from .p12 or .pfx file" section in the Installing an SSL certificate for HTTPS access article.

 

 

Step 10 - Please specify a free port for the Verba storage server. Use the Test Connection button to check the port's availability. If successful, click Next.

 

Step 10 - Select the primary IP address of the server from the list, then click Next.

 

Step 11 - Select the desired time zone from the list, then click Next.

 

Step 12 - Please provide a target email address, a source email address and an SMTP server address for system alerts. If authentication required then please enter the credentials. The target email address will receive alerts concerning the various services of the recording system. This step can be skipped and the details can be provided or modified after the installation. When you are done, click Next.


Step 13 - Enter a password for the Administrator login then click Next.


Step 14 - Enter a password for the Verba API user then click Next. Note that this user going to be required at the installation of the other Verba components.


Step 15 - Click Next again to start installing the services. When it's done, click Finish to exit the installer.