How to Step by Step install a distributed MOBOTIX HUB System within an Active Directory

1.Prepare your servers and network

Operating system

Make sure that all servers have a clean installation of a Microsoft Windows operating system, and that it is updated with all the latest Windows updates.

For information about the system requirements for the various components of your system, go to the Mobotix website (https://www.mobotix.com/sites/default/files/2021-05/Mx_SR_HUB%202020%20R3_1-02_EN_20210527.pdf).

Microsoft® .NET Framework

Check that all servers have Microsoft .NET Framework 4.7 or higher installed.

Network

Assign static IP addresses or make DHCP reservations to all system components and cameras. To make sure that sufficient bandwidth is available on your network, you must understand how and when the system consumes bandwidth. The main load on your network consists of three elements:

Camera video streams
Clients displaying video
Archiving of recorded video

The recording server retrieves video streams from the cameras, which results in a constant load on the network. Clients that display video consume network bandwidth. If there are no changes in the content of the client views, the load is constant. Changes in view content, video search, or playback, make the load dynamic.

Archiving of recorded video is an optional feature that lets the system move recordings to a network storage if there is not enough space in the internal storage system of the computer. This is a scheduled job that you have to define. Typically, you archive to a network drive which makes it a scheduled dynamic load on the network.

Your network must have bandwidth headroom to cope with these peaks in the traffic. This enhances the system responsiveness and general user experience.


2.Prepare Active Directory

If you want to add users to your system through the Active Directory service, you must have a server with Active Directory installed and acting as domain controller available on your network.

For easy user and group management, Mobotix recommends that you have Microsoft Active Directory® installed and configured before you install your MOBOTIX HUB system. If you add the management server to the Active Directory after installing your system, you must reinstall the management server, and replace users with new Windows users defined in the Active Directory.

Basic users are not supported in MOBOTIX Federated Architecture systems, so if you plan to use MOBOTIX Federated Architecture, you must add users as Windows users through the Active Directory service.


System Overview

1. Active Directory
2. Server with SQL Server
3. ManagementServer
4. Event Server
5. Log Server
6. Recording Server
7. Devices
8. Mobile Server
9. Mobile Devices
10. Mobotix Hub DeskClient
11. Management Client

3.Decide on a SQL Server edition

Microsoft® SQL Server® Express is a free edition of SQL Server and is easy to install and prepare for use compared to the other SQL Server editions. During a Single computer installation, Microsoft SQL Server Express is installed unless a SQL Server is already installed on the computer.

The MOBOTIX HUBt VMS installation includes Microsoft SQL Server Express version 2019. Not all Windows operating systems support this edition of SQL Server. Before you install MOBOTIX HUB VMS, verify that your operating system supports SQL Server 2019. If your operating system does not support this edition of SQL Server, install a supported edition of SQL Server before you start the MOBOTIX HUB VMS installation. For information about supported SQL Server editions, see https://www.mobotix.com/sites/default/files/2021-05/Mx_SR_HUB%202020%20R3_1-02_EN_20210527.pdf

For very large systems or systems with many transactions to and from the SQL databases, Mobotix recommends that you use a Microsoft® SQL Server® Standard or Microsoft® SQL Server® Enterprise edition of the SQL Server on a dedicated computer on the network and on a dedicated hard disk drive that is not used for other purposes. Installing the SQL Server on its own drive improves the entire system performance.


Select service account

As part of the installation, you are asked to specify an account to run the MOBOTIX services on this computer. The services always run on this account no matter which user is logged in. Make sure that the account has all necessary user rights, for example, the proper rights to perform tasks, proper network and file access, and access to network shared folders.

You can select either a predefined account, or a user account. Base your decision on the environment that you want to install your system in:

In a domain environment:

Mobotix recommends that you use the built-in Network Service account

It is easier to use even if you need to expand the system to multiple computers.
You can also use domain user accounts, but they are potentially more difficult to configure


4.Virus scanning exclusions (explained)

As is the case with any other database software, if an antivirus program is installed on a computer running MOBOTIX HUB software, it is important that you exclude specific file types and folders, as well as certain network traffic. Without implementing these exceptions, virus scanning uses a considerable amount of system resources. On top of that, the scanning process can temporarily lock files, which could result in a disruption in the recording process or even corruption of databases.

When you need to perform virus scanning, do not scan Recording Server folders that contain recording databases (by default C:\mediadatabase, as well as all subfolders). Also, avoid performing virus scanning on archive storage directories.

Create the following additional exclusions:
File types: .blk, .idx, .pic
Folders and subfolders:
C:\Program Files\MOBOTIX or C:\Program Files (x86)\MOBOTIX
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\MIPSDK
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Mobile Server\Logs
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Data Collector Server\Logs
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Event Server\Logs
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Log Server
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Management Server\Logs
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Recording Server\Logs
C:\ProgramData\MOBOTIX\HUB Report Web Server\Logs

Exclude network scanning on the following TCP ports:
MOBOTIX HUB VMS: 80, 8080, 7563, 25, 21, 9993
MOBOTIX HUB Mobile: 8081, 8082

or

Exclude network scanning of the following processes:

MOBOTIX HUB VMS: VideoOS.Recorder.Service.exe, VideoOS.Server.Service.exe, VideoOS. Administration.exe
MOBOTIX HUB Mobile: VideoOS.MobileServer.Service.exe

Your organization may have strict guidelines regarding virus scanning, but it is important that you exclude the above folders and files from virus scanning.


5.Installation of a distributed MOBOTIX HUB System

1. Install SQL Server
Since the ManagementServer requires or creates an SQL database, the SQL server must be suspended in the first step

2. Installing Management Server
Since all other components of the MOBOTIX HUB System log on to the ManagementServer, it must be installed in the first step. After the installation, it is possible to download all other required components separately.

By double clicking on the EXE File of the MOBOIX HUB VMS Installer, you can start the installation

Choose your language for the installation part

Click Continue


Accept the MOBOTIX license agreement

Click Continue


Browse for your MOBOTIX HUB License

Click Continue


Select Custom to decide to only installing ManagementServer

Select only the HUB ManagementServer

Click Continue


Now you can decide whether you want to install SQL Express on this PC or use an existing SQL Server on the network.

In this case, a SQL Express Server has already been installed and configured.
For this example we use the existing SQL Express Server

Click Continue


Now you can decide to create a new database on the SQL Server or use an existing database

Click Continue


Select a configuration password to protect your system after.

Click Continue


Choose Network Service or use a Active Directory user with the right rights to install and configure the system.

Click Continue


In this step you can secure your system with self-created certificates

Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation

Click Install


After some minutes the installation is done.
Make sure that the check mark is set for "Show system component download page"

Click Close


A window of your prefered browser will open and now you can download (locally) all components you want to use in your system.


3. Installing Log Server

Choose your language for the installation part


Click Continue


Accept the MOBOTIX license agreement


Click Continue


Choose your SQL Server in your network


Click Continue


Create a new databse or use an existing database


Click Continue


Choose Network Service or use a Active Directory user with the right rights to install and configure the system.

In this case I want to show you, that not only the Network Service works.

Click Continue


Enter the URL of your HUB ManagementServer.

Use the IP-Adresse or the Hostname of your ManagementServer “PC”.
The standort Port is: 80


Click Continue


In this step you can secure your system with self-created certificates


Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation

Click Install


After some minutes the installation is done.

Click Close


4. Installing Event Server

Choose your language for the installation part


Click Continue


Enter the URL of your HUB ManagementServer.

Use the IP-Adresse or the Hostname of your ManagementServer “PC”.
The standort Port is: 80

Click Continue


In this step you can secure your system with self-created certificates


Click Continue


Select your SQL Server and the correspondig databse of your system

Click Continue


Choose Network Service or use a Active Directory user with the right rights to install and configure the system.

In this case I want to show you, that not only the Network Service works.


Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation


Click Install


After some minutes the installation is done.


Click Close


5. Installling Recording Server

Choose your language for the installation part


Click Continue


Select Custom


Enter a name for your recording server and the adress of your management server
Use the IP-Adresse or the Hostname of your ManagementServer “PC”.
The standort Port is: 80

Select the locatin where the recordings should be placed


Click Continue


Here you can decide to install more then one recording server on this computer.

Select 1 when you want to use only one recording server

Click Continue


Choose Network Service or use a Active Directory user with the right rights to install and configure the system.

Click Continue


In this step you can secure your system with self-created certificates


Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation


Click Install


After some minutes the installation is done.


Click Close


Install the latest device pack on the computer on which the recording server is running, to get full support of the latest cameras!


6. Installing Mobile Server
To get a connection via Mobile App or WebClient you have to install a separated Mobile Server

Choose your language for the installation part


Click Continue


Accept the MOBOTIX license agreement


Click Continue


Select Custom


Select HUB Mobile Server (64-bit) and the preferred Admin Plugin


Click Continue


Choose Network Service or use a Active Directory user with the right rights to install and configure the system.

In this case I want to show you, that not only the Network Service works.


Click Continue


Enter the adress of your management server
Use the IP-Adresse or the Hostname of your ManagementServer “PC”.
The standort Port is: 80

Choose the Mobile Server Ports for the mobile connection
Default:
HTTP: 8081
HTTPS: 8082

Click Continue


In this step you can secure your system with self-created certificates


Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation

Click *Install


After some minutes the installation is done.

Click Close


7. Installing ManagementClient

Choose your language for the installation part


Click Continue


Accept the MOBOTIX license agreement

Click Continue


Select the file location and product language for your installation

Click Install


After some minutes the installation is done.