Installation and Upgrade Guides › Web Agent Installation Guide for Apache-based servers › Install and Configure Apache-based Agents on UNIX/Linux › How to Configure Apache-based Agents on UNIX or Linux

How to Configure Apache-based Agents on UNIX or Linux

Configuring the agent occurs after the installation. Configuration requires several separate procedures which are described using the following process:

1. Gather the information that the configuration program requires.
2. (RedHat Linux only) Edit the configuration files for embedded Apache web servers on RedHat Linux.
3. Source the Agent environment script.
4. Set the library path variable on UNIX or Linux systems.
5. Run the agent configuration program.
6. (Optional) Run the unattended or silent installation and configuration program for other agents.
7. Set the LD_PRELOAD variable.
8. (SuSE 9 zSeries only) Set the LD_ASSUME_KERNEL variable.
9. (Red Hat Linux only) Set the CAPKIHOME variable.

Gather the Information that the Configuration Program Requires on UNIX/Linux

Gather the following information about the environment for the product before running the configuration program for the agent:

Register Host

Indicates whether you want to register a trusted host. This registration creates a trusted host object in the Policy Server and an SmHost.conf file on the web server. The agent uses this information to make an initial connection to Policy Servers when it starts. Register each agent instance as a trusted host only once.

Default:Yes

Options: Yes, No

Admin User Name

Specifies the name of a CA SiteMinder® user with Administrative privileges that is already defined in the Policy Server. This CA SiteMinder® user account requires privileges to register trusted hosts.

Admin Password

Specifies a password for the Admin User Name that is already defined in the Policy Server.

Confirm Admin Password

Repeats the password entered in the Admin Password field. This value verifies the password for the Admin User Name already defined in the Policy Server.

Trusted Host Object Name

Specifies a unique name for the trusted host you are registering. This trusted host object is stored on the Policy Server.

Host Configuration Object

Specifies the name of a Host Configuration Object that is already defined in the Policy Server. After the agent initially connects to a Policy Server (using the SmHost.conf file settings), subsequent connections use the settings from the Host Configuration Object.

Policy Server IP Address

Specifies the Internet Protocol address of the Policy Servers to which the agent attempts to connect upon startup. If your Policy Server is behind a firewall, specify a port number also.

If a hardware load balancer is configured to expose Policy Servers in your environment through a single Virtual IP Address (VIP), enter the VIP.

Example: (IPV4) 192.168.1.105

Example: (IPV4 with the port number) 192.168.1.105:44443

Example: (IPV6) 2001:DB8::/32

Example: (IPV6) [2001:DB8::/32]:44443

FIPS Mode Setting

Specifies one of the following algorithms:

FIPS Compatibility/AES Compatibility

Uses algorithms existing in previous versions of CA SiteMinder® to encrypt sensitive data and is compatible with previous versions of CA SiteMinder®. If your organization does not require the use of FIPS-compliant algorithms, use this option.

FIPS Migration/AES Migration

Allows a transition from FIPS-compatibility mode to FIPS-only mode. In FIPS-migration mode, CA SiteMinder® environment continues to use existing CA SiteMinder® encryption algorithms as you reencrypt existing sensitive data using FIPS-compliant algorithms.

FIPS Only/AES Only

Uses only FIPS-compliant algorithms to encrypt sensitive data in the CA SiteMinder® environment. This setting does not interoperate with, nor is backwards-compatible with, previous versions of CA SiteMinder®.

Default: FIPS Compatibility/AES Compatibility

FIPS is a US government computer security standard that accredits cryptographic modules which meet the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES).

Important! Use a compatible FIPS/AES mode (or a combination of compatible modes) for both the CA SiteMinder® agent and the Policy Server.

Name

Specifies the name of the SmHost.conf file which contains the settings the Web Agent uses to make initial connections to a Policy Server.

Default: SmHost.conf

Location

Specifies the directory where the SmHost.conf file is stored.

Default: web_agent_home\config

Enable Shared Secret Rollover

Select this check box to change the shared secret that the Policy Server uses to encrypt communications to the Web Agents.

Select Servers

Indicates the web server instances that the configuration program finds on the computer. Select the check boxes of the instances you want to configure. Clear the check boxes of those instances from which you want to remove CA SiteMinder® protection.

Agent Configuration Object Name

Specifies the name of an agent configuration object (ACO) already defined on the Policy Server.

Default: AgentObj

Advanced Authentication Scheme Dialog

Specifies the advanced authentication scheme for the web server instances you selected previously.

Edit the configuration files for embedded Apache web servers on RedHat Linux

For an embedded Apache web server (included by default) on a RedHat Linux system, modify certain configuration files to accommodate the product first.

Follow these steps:

1. Log on to the RedHat Linux system.
2. Open the following file with a text editor:

   web_agent_home/ca_wa_env.sh
   

   web_agent_home

   Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

   Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

3. Verify that the line that sets the LD_PRELOAD variable begins with a comment (the LD_PRELOAD variable setting is disabled).
4. Save the changes and close the ca_wa_env.sh file.
5. Open the following file with a text editor:

   /etc/sysconfig/httpd
   

6. Add the following line to the end of the file:

   PATH=$PATH:web_agent_home/bin
   

7. Save the changes and close the text editor.

Source the Agent Environment Script on UNIX or Linux

The agent installation program creates an environment script in the following directory:

web_agent_home/ca_wa_env.sh

web_agent_home

Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

For most Apache-based web servers, source this script after doing any of the following tasks:

• Running the agent configuration program.
• Starting the web server.

  Note: If you perform all the previous tasks in the same shell, only source the script once.

For the embedded Apache web server included with RedHat Linux, do one of the following tasks:

• Source the script before starting the httpd service.
• Source the script in the following file (instead of starting it manually each time):

  /etc/init.d/htppd
  

More information:

Enable a Web Agent

Set the Library Path Variable on UNIX or Linux

Set the library path variable on UNIX or Linux systems before running the agent configuration program.

The following table lists the library path variables for the various UNIX and Linux operating environments:

Set the value of the library path variable to the web_agent_home/bin directory.

web_agent_home

Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

Set Web Agent Variables when using apachectl Script

You run your Apache server using the apachectl script (such as when running an Apache web server on POSIX). Adding a line to the apachectl script sets the environment variables for the agent.

Follow these steps:

1. Locate a line resembling the following example:

   # Source /etc/sysconfig/httpd for $HTTPD setting, etc
   

2. Add the following line after the line in the previous example:

   sh /web_agent_home/ca_wa_env.sh
   

   web_agent_home

   Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

   Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

Run the Web Agent Configuration Program on UNIX/Linux

After gathering the information for your agent configuration, run the agent configuration program. This program creates an agent runtime instance for the web servers running on your computer.

This configuration program is wizard or console based, depending on the option you select. Running the configuration program in the wizard or console mode once creates a properties file. Use the properties file to run unattended configurations on other computers with same operating environment in the future.

Follow these steps:

1. Open the following directory on your web server:

   web_agent_home/install_config_info

   web_agent_home

   Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

   Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

2. Use one of the following configuration methods:
   • For a GUI-based configuration, go to Step 3.
   • For a console-based configuration, go to Step 5.
3. Run the following executable file:

   ca-wa-config.bin
   

4. Go to Step 8.
5. Open a Command Prompt window with root privileges.
6. Navigate to the executable file listed previously, and then run it with the following switch:

   -i console
   

7. Go to Step 8.
8. Follow the prompts shown in the configuration program. Provide the requested values from your agent configuration worksheet.

   The agent runtime instance is created for your web servers.

See the CA SiteMinder® Default Headers

To see the CA SiteMinder® default headers, such as SMUSER and SMUSERDN, set the LegacyVariables parameter to No on Apache 2.4.x web servers.

Run the Unattended or Silent Installation and Configuration Programs for Agents on UNIX/Linux

The unattended or silent installation option can help you automate the installation and configuration process. This method saves time if you have a large CA SiteMinder® environment that uses many agents with identical settings.

For example, suppose the Agents in your environment use the same web server version, installation directory, Agent Configuration Object and Policy Servers. Use the installation wizard or console-based installation program for your first installation. Afterwards, you could create your own script to run the installation program with the .properties file the wizard or console-based installation program created.

Follow these steps:

1. Run the following wizards on your first web server (in the order shown):
   1. The CA SiteMinder® Web Agent Installation wizard.
   2. The CA SiteMinder® Web Agent Configuration wizard.
2. Locate the following file on your first web server:

   web_agent_home/install_config_info/ca-wa-installer.properties
   

   Note: If the path contains spaces, surround it with quotes.

   web_agent_home

   Indicates the directory where the CA SiteMinder® Agent is installed.

   Default (UNIX/Linux installations): /opt/ca/webagent

3. Perform each of the following steps on the subsequent web server:

   Note: To automate this process, create your own customized script to execute these files on your systems. Use any scripting language that you want.

   1. Create a temporary directory on the subsequent web server.
   2. Copy the following files from the web server where you ran the wizards (from Steps 1 and 2) to the temporary directory on your subsequent web server:
      • The CA SiteMinder® Web Agent Installation executable file.
      • CA SiteMinder® ca-wa-installer properties file.
   3. Open a Command Prompt window with root privileges in the temporary directory.
   4. Run the following command:

      agent_executable.bin -f properties_file -i silent
      

      The CA SiteMinder® agent is installed and configured on the web server silently.

   5. (Optional) Delete the temporary directory from your web server.
4. Repeat Step 3 for each additional web server in your CA SiteMinder® environment that uses the configuration that the settings in your ca-wa-installer.properties file specify.

Set the LD_PRELOAD Variable

Most Apache-based CA SiteMinder® agents require that the LD_PRELOAD variable is set to the following value:

LD_PRELOAD=web_agent_home/bin/libbtunicode.so

Note: Embedded Apache web servers included with RedHat Linux require different configuration procedures.

Set the LD_ASSUME_KERNEL for Apache Agent on SuSE Linux 9 for zSeries

After you install the Web Agent on an Apache web server running on SuSE Linux 9 for zSeries, set the LD_ASSUME_KERNEL environment variable as follows:

LD_ASSUME_KERNEL=2.4.21

export LD_ASSUME_KERNEL

Important! You must set this variable to 2.4.21 because it represents the kernel release upon which the Web Agent libraries are built.

Without this setting, the following problems occur:

• The Apache web server will not start properly.
• Host registration dumps core.

Set the CAPKIHOME Variable for Red Hat Linux 6 Systems

If you want to run an Apache-based Web Agent on a Red Hat Linux system, set the CAPKIHOME environment variable by entering the following commands:

CAPKIHOME="/usr/local/CA/webagent/CAPKI"
export CAPKIHOME