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Configuring network, host, and user settings

You must configure basic network, host, and user settings before you can install a Tanium Appliance role.

Configure temporary bootstrap network settings

The Tanium Appliance Quick Start Guide describes how to install the appliance into a machine room and configure bootstrap network settings so that you can make a remote SSH connection and complete the setup and Appliance role installation from your desk. The Quick Start steps are repeated here to give context to the starting point for your initial workflows. You do not need to complete them twice.

The Quick Start steps can be completed by a restricted user (tanuser) who does not have privileges required to install or manage Tanium servers or by the privileged user (tanadmin).

Before you begin

Connect a keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) to the console port.
Obtain an IPv4 address from your network administrator and be prepared to specify the IP address, subnet mask (dotted-decimal), and default gateway IP address.

Configure the temporary settings

Power on the appliance.
The boot and start-up processes take a few minutes.
When prompted to log in, specify the user name tanuser and the default password Tanium1.
When prompted, indicate that you want to configure temporary settings.
Specify the IPv4 address, subnet mask, and default gateway IP address.
The TanOS console confirms that the settings are applied and logs you out.

Configure network and host settings

Network and host settings enable the appliance to establish connections with other computers in your local network and with other servers and hosts on the Internet. Specify appropriate settings for the network in which the appliance is deployed.

Before you begin

Your local "management computer" must be connected to a subnet that can reach the appliance IP address.
Your management computer must have an SSH client application or terminal emulator that can make a client connection to the appliance.
Be ready to specify the static IP address, subnet mask (dotted-decimal), default gateway IP address, hostname, domain name, primary and secondary DNS servers, NTP server(s), and time zone settings.
You must have an SSH client such as PuTTY to log into the TanOS console. The latest version of PuTTY was used in testing. Issues have been reported when using earlier versions of PuTTY.
You must have an SSH key generator such as PuTTYgen to generate keys for the tancopy user.
You must have an SFTP client such as WinSCP to copy files to and from the appliance. The latest version of WinSCP was used in testing.

Configure the network and host settings

Make an SSH connection to the appliance IP address that was configured in the previous step.
When prompted to log in, specify the user name tanadmin and the default password Tanium1.
When prompted, indicate that you want to complete the initial configuration.
Use the spacebar to page through the end-user license agreement (EULA); enter your email address to accept it.
The email address is stored locally only. It is not used externally for any reason.
Specify network and host configuration settings.
When prompted, specify whether you want to enable and configure the tanfactory user. The tanfactory user is a special account that has one capability—performing a factory reset.
When prompted, enter the one-time password that is displayed on the screen for the tanadmin and tanuser users.
Make a note of the one-time password. You must provide it the next time you log in. At that time, you will be prompted to specify a new password.
The console displays a notice that the initial configuration workflow has been completed and that the session will be terminated.

Configure user access

TanOS has a few built-in user accounts that you use to access the appliance operating system and perform tasks.

Before you install a Tanium Appliance role, you must configure new passwords or add SSH keys to authenticate access for the following accounts:

tanuser: Can make an SSH connection with password authentication to the TanOS console and access temporary settings and status menus only.
tanadmin: Can make an SSH connection with password authentication to the TanOS console and access all menus.
tancopy: Can make an SFTP connection with SSH key authentication to TanOS and copy files to and from the /incoming and /outgoing directories.

Before you begin

Be ready to specify new passwords for the tanuser and tanadmin accounts. The password string must be at least 10 characters long and have at least 1 uppercase character, 1 lowercase character, 1 numeric character, and 1 nonalphanumeric character.
You must have an SSH client to log into the TanOS console and an SFTP client to copy files to and from the appliance.
You must have an SSH key generator to generate keys for the tancopy user.

Change the default passwords

Open an SSH connection to the TanOS console as tanuser and then follow the prompts to change the password.
To complete the change, the session is terminated.
Open an SSH connection to the TanOS console as tanadmin and then follow the prompts to change the password.
To complete the change, the session is terminated.

Add SSH keys for the tancopy account

This procedure adds an authorized key for the tancopy user to the appliance configuration. The purpose of this key is to enable you to use an SFTP client on your management computer to copy files to the /incoming and from the /outgoing directories on the appliance. In the Tanium Module Server and HA active-active installations, you are instructed to add a different authorized key for the tancopy user. Be careful not to mistake one for the other. The authorized keys serve different purposes. Both are required.

Use an SSH key generator such as PuTTYgen to generate a public/private key pair.
In PuTTYgen, select all of the text in the Public key for pasting into OpenSSH authorized_keys file box and copy it to the clipboard.
In an SSH key exchange, the keys must match precisely as expected, including line endings. For this reason, the PuTTy documentation recommends loading the key in PuttyGen and copying it from the Public key for pasting... box instead of copying it from an open file.
Log into the TanOS console as the user tanadmin.
The TanOS console displays the tanadmin menu.
Enter C to go to the User Administration menu.
Enter 3 to go to the SSH Key Management menu.
Enter the line number for the tancopy user to display the key management menu for this user.
Enter 3 to go to the Authorized Keys menu.
Enter 2 and then follow the prompts to paste the public key generated in Step 1.
To test it, on your management computer, set up an SFTP client such as WinSCP to connect to the Tanium Server appliance:

Specify tancopy for user name.
Click the Advanced button.
Under SSH, browse and select the private key that pairs with the public key uploaded to the appliance.

You should be able to connect to the appliance /incoming and /outgoing directories.

You might see permission denied messages because WinSCP attempts to read the listing of the /incoming directory. This is expected. The user tancopy has permission to write to /incoming but not read /incoming.

Next steps

For hardware appliances, export the RAID controller security key and store it in a secure location. During recovery from controller failure, you will need to provide the key. See Export the RAID controller security key.
To save time, Tanium recommends you complete advanced network configuration, such as NIC teaming and static routes, before you install Tanium servers. See Reference: Appliance configuration.
If you are getting started with a virtual appliance, you must activate it before you can use Tanium menus for Tanium roles and operations. See Activate a virtual appliance
When these steps are completed or if none of them apply, you can continue with the installation of a Tanium role (for example, All-in-One, Tanium Server, Tanium Module Server, or Tanium Zone Server).

Last updated: 8/13/2018 10:22 AM | Feedback