Preparing to install Security Center - Security Center 5.8 GA

Security Center Installation and Upgrade Guide 5.8 GA
Applies to
Security Center 5.8 GA
Last updated
2019-09-27
Content type
Guides
Guides > Installation guides
Language
English (United States)
Product line
Security Center unified platform > Security Center
Version
5.8

To make sure that your Security Center installation goes smoothly, you must perform a series of pre-configuration steps.

What you should know

IMPORTANT: No server name can be longer than 15 characters. Security Center truncates all server names longer than the maximum limit to 15 characters, causing errors when the system tries to access those servers.
CAUTION:
Do not use the image of a configured machine to install Security Center on similar machines. Security Center installer creates unique IDs when it runs for the first time on a machine. These IDs are stored in configuration files and the Directory database. If these IDs are duplicated, then it will cause conflicts with the entities in the system sharing the identifiers. This may make the system unusable.

Cameras developed by some manufacturers have been restricted due to a higher cybersecurity risk profile; these cameras require a special connection license, in addition to the normal camera license. To view a list of manufacturers that require a restricted license, use the Restricted License Type filter on the Supported Device List.

Procedure

  1. Read the Security Center Release Notes for any known issues, limitations, and other information about the release.
  2. If you plan to use restricted cameras, do the following:
    1. Contact your sales representative to obtain a special connection license for your restricted camera connections.
    2. Sign the “Exclusion of Liability and Hold Harmless” waiver.
  3. Create a list of the computers that will be part of your new system, and decide what software components need to be installed on each.
    • Security Center Server (main or expansion server?)
    • Security Center Client (Config Tool, Security Desk, or both?)
    • SQL Server (Express, Standard, or Enterprise edition?)
  4. Review the Security Center 5.8 GA system requirements to ensure that the minimum hardware requirements (servers and workstations) and software requirements (Windows, web browser, and so on) are met.
  5. Read the Best practices for configuring Windows to work with Security Center.
    You will have to follow these recommendations after you have installed Security Center to ensure the optimal performance of your system.
  6. If you are running Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, you must install Microsoft hotfix 2588507 followed by update 2999226.
  7. If you are running Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2, you must install Microsoft update 2919355 followed by 2999226.
  8. Verify the network connections between your servers, workstations, and units.
    Make sure that the ports required by Security Center are open and redirected for firewall and NAT purposes.
  9. Verify the unicast and multicast network connections and settings.
    Security Center does not modify your network infrastructure or how it works. Multicast will work with Security Center out of the box automatically, as long as the network supports it with the necessary load. If multicast is the only protocol configured, Security Center will not switch to a different protocol if multicast is blocked, and video will not get recorded.
  10. Read the Security Center 5.8 GA installation prerequisites.
    Security Center Installer automatically verifies and installs the software prerequisites on your system but it is good practice to know what they are beforehand.
  11. Have your system ID and password in hand to activate your license on the main server.
    Your System ID and password are found in the Security Center License Information document. Genetec™ Inside Sales or Genetec™ Customer Service sends you this document when you purchase the product.
  12. Make sure you have administrative privileges. If not, then the installation setup.exe must be run as administrator.
    You may need to be a Microsoft Windows Domain administrator to access databases and storage on the machines. Check with your IT administrator.
  13. (For Directory failover or VSS operation) Install SQL Server on a separate drive.
  14. Grant the service users all necessary SQL server permissions.
  15. (Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2016) Activate the Media Foundation feature.
  16. Download the Security Center installation package.
  17. Unblock any blocked files.
    After downloading the Security Center installation package, the ZIP files may need to be unblocked before their contents are extracted.

After you finish

Install Security Center.