Deploying Hipchat Server

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This page describes how to deploy Hipchat Server from an open archive (OVA) image and an Amazon Machine Image (AMI) using Amazon Web Services (AWS). It also describes how to configure Hipchat Server to use a static IP address.

Deploying from an OVA image

You can deploy Hipchat Server from an OVA image. Before you start, see the recommendations for deploying Hipchat Server in a secure configuration.

Downloading the OVA image

Download the OVA image at here.


Validate the integrity of the download...

You can validate the integrity of the downloaded OVA by comparing its SHA512 checksum with the one published on the release notes.

Linux:

$ sha512sum HipChat.ova

Mac:

$ shasum -a512 HipChat.ova

Windows:

PS> CertUtil -hashfile HipChat.ova SHA512

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System requirements for deploying the OVA image

We distribute Hipchat Server in an open virtualization archive (OVA) format. 

We support deploying the Hipchat Server OVA image on VMware and VirtualBox.

Note: If you want to cluster Hipchat Server for high availability and fault tolerance, we recommend you deploy Hipchat Server using VMware as VMware provides these features. For details, see the VMware site and documentation. Also, see this FAQ.

The virtual machine uses a 64-bit OS base on Ubuntu defaulting to 4GB RAM and 4 vCPU and 74GB of storage capacity.

Deploying from the OVA image

  1. Start your virtualization management interface using any of the following: VI Client, VirtualBox, VMware Fusion, Workstation, or Virtual Server.
  2. Deploy the appliance (OVF template), then specify the local HipChat.ova image.
  3. Accept the license agreement.
  4. Specify the deploy-time configurations, if available.
  5. Start the virtual machine, if it doesn't start automatically.
  6. Wait at least five minutes for the server to start for the first time.
    Your Hipchat Server's IP address (https://ip-address) will be accessible and will show you the Configure Hipchat Server UI when the system is ready.
  7. Log into the local console or SSH with the following credentials:
    Username: admin
    Password: hipchat 
  8. Accept the EULA and type passwd and update the local admin account password.
    (warning) The password is your key into the Hipchat Server command line interface. If you lose it, we can't recover it for you.
  9. Optionally, configure a static IP address
  10. Log in to and configure Hipchat Server in the UI. The first time you log in, a setup wizard runs. 

Configuring a static IP address

If you deployed Hipchat Server from an OVA image, Hipchat Server is running in dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) mode (if DHCP is available), and will have its IP address, netmask, gateway, and DNS provided by your DHCP Server.

You can alternatively, manually, assign a static IP address.

When you configure Hipchat Server to use a static IP address you must configure all parts of the network, such as the netmask, gateway, and DNS.

To assign an IP address, type the following command:

hipchat network -m static -i <IP> -s <netmask> -g <gateway> -r <DNS>

For example:

hipchat network -m static -i 192.168.1.2 -s 255.255.255.0 -g 192.168.1.1 -r 4.4.4.4

If you have multiple network interfaces (NIC), you can use the -c option to configure each one separately.

To configure eth1, for instance:

hipchat network -m static -i 192.168.1.2 -s 255.255.255.0 -g 192.168.1.1 -r 4.4.4.4 -c 1

Netmask, default gateway and DNS are mandatory options when configuring a static IP address. If you're configuring more than one NIC, you will end up with more than one default gateway in your routing table. This will cause routing problems and might render your instance unreachable.

To get around that, you should run hipchat network for all NICs then remove the gateway from /etc/network/interfaces and delete the routes from the routing table.

The workaround will no longer be needed once HCPUB-2677 - Getting issue details... STATUS is fixed.

Note: For more help on the syntax, type:

hipchat network

Deploying from an AMI

You can deploy Hipchat Server from an AMI. 

Note: For information on Amazon Web Services' security infrastructure, see Amazon Web Services Security Center.

  1. Log into the Amazon Web Services (AWS) administrator's console.
  2. Download the current set of public machine images' names by region: hipchat-server-amis.html (hipchat-server-amis.csv)
  3. In the Amazon Machine Images (AMIs), search for a Hipchat Server identifier in your region, for example: ami-11aa22bb33 
  4. Launch the selected image.
  5. Define a new security group (firewall rules) with open outbound and the following inbound rules for TCP ports:
    • 22 for remote management by yourself
    • 80, 443, 5222, 5223 for production chat and web services
    • Provision an instance of Hipchat Server image
  6. Select an Instance Type with at least two vCPUs and 4GB or more of RAM:
    • c4.large for under 100 users (4GB RAM)
    • c4.xlarge under 500 users (8GB RAM)
    • c4.2xlarge under 1000 users (16GB RAM) 
    • c4.4xlarge under 3000 users (30GB RAM) 
    • c4.8xlarge under 5000 users (60GB RAM)
  7. Assign at least 60GB to the root EBS SSD volume.
    Note: 4GB is used for system files; the rest is used for file uploads, logs, and chat history.
  8. Assign the newly created Hipchat security group.
  9. Select a keypair for SSH access as the admin user. For example, type:

    ssh -i yourkey.pem admin@4.4.5.5

    Note: If you are prompted for a password when trying to SSH using your EC2 private key then verify that you have the correct key, the correct user ownership of the yourkey.pem file, and and that the permissions on the key are read only (i.e. chmod 400). 

  10. Note the public fully qualified domain name (FQDN) once deployed, for example:
    ec2-4-4-5-5.compute-1.amazonaws.com


    Important

    Hipchat Server is designed to use the Public DNS address, not the Public IP.
  11. Create a CNAME record for your production domain that resolves to the AWS public hostname.
  12. Wait at least ten minutes for the server to start for the first time (depending on instance type).
    Your Hipchat Server's FQDN (https://ec2-1-2-3-4.EXAMPLE-compute-1.amazonaws.com) will be accessible and will show you the Configure Hipchat Server UI when the system is ready.

Getting root access to the OVA and AMI files

To get root access to the OVA or AMI files:

SSH in as "admin" and run sudo /bin/dont-blame-hipchat

Changes you make as root may be overwritten on upgrade and may cause data loss.

Next Step: Configure your Hipchat Server

Last modified on Jan 13, 2020

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