Silent Command-Line Installation

Let's suppose you have several computers around the world on which you want to install EFT. You can provide to each of the remote sites an installation file with a batch file, then ask a local administrator to execute the batch file, which will install EFT. The script silently installs or upgrades EFT without any interaction on the part of the administrator. The installer logging functionality can be used to verify the outcome and diagnose potential issues. You can also upgrade silently from the command line and install the administration interface from a command line.

NOTE: If you install EFT HA via the silent installer, then, once configured, if you upgrade EFT via the install wizard, EFT fails to start the server service. The install wizard is setting the EFT server configuration details to the default paths. This issue only occurs when you use the silent installer for the initial deployment, then follow with an upgrade using the wizard. If you use the wizard for both installing and upgrading, or the silent installer for both installing and upgrading, this issue does not occur. Refer to the Upgrading EFT topic for more information.
NOTE: At this time, the silent install parameters do no apply to subscription installations and upgrades.

Command line usage

installer.exe /S /USERNAME= /PASSWORD= [/APPDATA=] [/D=]

where /S = silent installation and /USERNAME = administrator user name

Optional parameters examples:

/APPDATA = appdata path
(default = "C:\ProgramData\Globalscape\EFT Server")
/INSTALL_SQLEXPR =(y/n, Y/N)
/NOAUTOSTART = If present, service will not automatically start when installation is complete

Batch File Examples

  • If you are installing EFT without a database at the default path:

eft-nodb.exe /S /USERNAME=test /PASSWORD=test

  • If you are installing EFT at the default path with SQL Express:

eft.exe /S /USERNAME=admin /PASSWORD=alaska /INSTALL_SQLEXPR=y

  • Skip launching of the EFT Windows service that typically occurs at the end of installation, reinstallation, upgrade, or database settings modification:

/NOAUTOSTART

  • Do not install the full server. Install only the files needed for the administration interface:

eft.exe /S /USERNAME=admin /PASSWORD=africa /aionly /debug

  • Use an alternate location for EFT application data:

eft.exe /S /USERNAME=admin /PASSWORD=africa /APPDATA=c:\eft data dir

  • Set installation directory:

/D=D:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server

  • Instruct the installer to install only the stand-alone server; do not install the trial database that is included in the installer

  • /D=<path> -- If used, this must be the last parameter used in the command line and must not contain any quotes, even if the path contains spaces. Only absolute paths are supported. 

/S
/USERNAME=<username> 
/PASSWORD=<password>

Optional Parameters

/D=<path>
/debug
/aionly
/CLUSTERNODE=<option>
/APPDATA="<DATA_PATH>"
/NOAUTOSTART

HA Cluster Example

  • /NOAUTOSTART should be configured after /S and before any other commands

  • Licenses should be added before passing any HA configuration parameters

  • Any folder paths for AppData or SharedConfigPath should be encapsulated in quotes when spaces exist

eft-8.1.0.16_nodb.exe /S /NOAUTOSTART /USERNAME=EFTAdmin /PASSWORD=!D5f5ns51 /EFTUSER="1234567"
EFTLICENSE="A12345678" /PGPLICENSE="AQERQERQR" /WSLICENSE="ASFJOAJROWFOQ" /HACLUSTERNODE=1 /MULTICASTPORT="8001" /APPDATA="D:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server\Config"
/SHAREDCONFIGPATH=\\njfile01\Shared\EFTSharedConfig /D=C:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server\

Parameters must be in the following order:

Command/Switch

Example

Silent Command

/S

Login

/USERNAME=test /PASSWORD=!x12345abcdef

Which node this is

/HACLUSTERNODE=1

Which PORT to use for this EFT HA cluster

/MULTICASTPORT="8052"

Where your default data will be stored

/APPDATA="C:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server\Config"

The location from which both nodes will pull the mutual configuration

/SHAREDCONFIGPATH=\\vmware-host\Shared Folders\EFTSharedHAConfig\Config

Where the binaries go

/D=D:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server\

Administration Interface-Only Installation

This path will instruct the installer to install the administration interface without installing EFT. This is useful if you want to do remote administration of EFT. (This path is only applicable when the Server is not installed on the same computer.)

Required Parameters

/S 
/aionly

Optional Parameters:

/D=<path> -- If used, this must be the last parameter used in the command line and must not contain any quotes, even if the path contains spaces. Only absolute paths are supported.

Silent Upgrade

The installer can also be run in silent mode for upgrades. The Silent upgrader only works if EFT was installed using silent installation.

To do a silent upgrade of EFT

  1. Close all instances of EFT administration interface, both local and remote connections.

  2. At the command prompt enter the following command:

	eft-nodb.exe /S

The executable exits silently (without notification) and the upgrade continues in the background.

After several minutes, the silent upgrade process will complete and the EFT server service will be automatically restarted.

A record of the upgrade can be found in the EFT installation directory file Installer.log.

NOTE: ARM must be upgraded separately, because the silent installer will not upgrade ARM. The “/INSTALL_SQLEXPR” flag does not work with doing a silent install upgrade.

Command-Line Parameters

The installer supports specification of the following command line parameters. When running the installer in silent mode, using the /S switch, these parameters are used to specify both the required and optional values as detailed in Parameter Definitions.

Parameter Definitions

  • /S
    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone
    • Description: Initiates a silent installation.
    • Default: The installer defaults to graphical user interface mode.
    • Example: /S

  • /D=<path>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: The installation directory.

    • Default: C:\Program Files\Globalscape\EFT

    • Example: /D=C:\Program Files\GlobalSCAPE\EFT Server

  • /debug

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: Enables logging to the Windows system debug log. This log may be viewed in real time using tools such as DebugView that is part of the SysInternals Suite from Microsoft.

    • Default: Disabled by default

    • Example: /debug

  • /aionly

    • Description: Do not install the full server. Install only the files needed for the administration interface.

    • Default: The installer deploys both the administration interface and EFT by default

    • Example: /aionly

  • /APPDATA="<DATA_PATH>"
    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone
    • Description: Use an alternate location for EFT application data
    • Default: EFT usually writes application data to the OS standard location C:\ProgramData\Globalscape\EFT Server Example: /APPDATA=C:\EFTData

  • /CLUSTERNODE=<option>

    • Applicable installation types: active-passive

    • Description: This install will be part of an active-passive cluster.

    • Options:

      /CLUSTERNODE=1 - This is the primary

      /CLUSTERNODE=2 - This is not the primary

    • Description: This install will be part of an active-passive cluster.

    • Example: /CLUSTERNODE=1

  • /HACLUSTERNODE=<option>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: This install will be part of an active-active cluster.

    • Options:

      • /HACLUSTERNODE=1 - This is the first node in the cluster.

      • /HACLUSTERNODE=2 - This is not the first node in the cluster.

    • Default: Default installations are non-clustered

    • Example: /HACLUSTERNODE=1

  • /PASSWORD=<password>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Requirements: Must be used in conjunction with the /USERNAME switch

    • Description: The password to use for the initial administration account.

    • Default: None

    • Example: /PASSWORD=wkBG2YxgzBpR

  • /DMZGW=”<EFT site>/<DMZ host>/<DMZ port>|…”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: Specify the gateway(s) for given EFT site(s) on the current node.

    • Example: /DMZGW="MySite/192.168.10.210/44500|Site2/192.168.10.210/44500"

  • /NOAUTOSTART

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: Skips launching of the EFT Windows service that typically occurs at the end of installation, reinstallation, upgrade, or database settings modification.

    • Default: Service automatically starts on new installs

    • Example: /NOAUTOSTART

  • /INSTALL_SQLEXPR=<option>

    • Description: Whether to install the bundled MSSQL Express Installer

    • Options: Y - Install the bundled MSSQL Express; N - Do not install the bundled MSSQL Express

    • Prerequisites: Can only be used with EFT installs that contain a bundled SQL Express installer.

    • Example: /INSTALL_SQLEXPR=Y

  • /NOREQS

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: If specified, the installer will skip checking of the common prerequisites that occurs during initial installer launch. This setting is mainly used for debugging purposes, or when the checks have errors that are preventing a valid install in the field.

    • Check #1 - Check for Minimum OS

    • Check #2 - Check if user currently has administrator privileges

    • Check #3 - Check if DMZ is installed

    • Check #4 - As of EFT 6.5 Unicode DotNet 4.0 FULL is a requirement

    • Check #5 - EFT is of two prior versions

    • Default: The common prerequisites will be checked by default

    • Example: /NOREQS

  • /logfile=<file>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: Log installation messages to the specified file (this is in addition to theinternal log that is always created by the installer).

    • Default: None

    • Example: /logfile=C:\Temp\EFTInstall.log

  • /SkipValidateSQLServerPassword

    • Description: By default, the installer will validate the EFT Server administrator password against the SQL Server Express password requirements (e.g., the Windows account password policy plus some additional illegal keywords). This option provides a way to instruct the installer to skip this validation check.

    • Default: Disabled by default

    • Example: /SkipValidateSQLServerPassword

  • COHERENCEQUEUE=“<name>”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: Use an alternate name for EFT’s coherence queue.

    • Default: EFTCoherenceQueue

    • Example: /COHERENCEQUEUE=NewCoherenceQueueName

  • /EVENTQUEUE=”<name>”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: Use an alternate name for EFT’s event queue.

    • Default: EFTEventQueue

    • Example: /EVENTQUEUE=NewEventQueueName

  • /MULTICASTADDRESS=”<ip>”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: Use an alternate multicast address for MSMQ.

    • Default: 234.1.1.1

    • Example: /MULTICASTADDRESS="234.9.9.9"

  • /MULTICASTPORT=“<port>”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: Use an alternate multicast port for MSMQ.

    • Default: 8001

    • Example: /MULTICASTPORT="9999"

  • /MSMQMulticast

    • Set to 0 indicates the HA installation uses unicast, otherwise multicast is used. Default is 1. (In EFT v7.4.2 and later)

    • Product and module registration parameters

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Example (registering EFT Enterprise): /EFTLICENSE=“A92463BH4RY7”

  • /REGISTRATIONPROXY=“<ip>:<port>”

    • Description: If registering during installation, specify the ip and port of the proxy to send registration traffic through.

    • Default: not used

    • Example: /REGISTRATIONPROXY="192.168.100.248:3128"

  • /EFTUSER=”<name>”

    • If product registration is performed during installation, this name will be used to register all modules for which serials are provided.

    • Example: /EFTUSER=“John Doe”

  • /HACLUSTERNODE=<option>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active

    • Description: This install will be part of an active-active cluster.

    • Options:1.This is the first node in the cluster; 2.This is NOT the first node in the cluster

    • Default: Default installations are non-clustered

    • Example: /HACLUSTERNODE=1

  • /SHAREDCONFIGPATH=“<SHARED_PATH>”

    • Applicable installation types: active-active nodes

    • Description: Specify the location of an active-active cluster’s shared configuration data.

    • Default: none

    • Example: /SHAREDCONFIGPATH=\\host\sharedfolder

  • /USERNAME=<username>

    • Applicable installation types: active-active, active-passive, standalone

    • Description: The username to use for the initial administration account.

    • Default: None

    • Example: /USERNAME=EFTAdmin

Registration Parameters

Register EFT Server first before you register any module licenses.

NOTE: The Advanced Authentication Modes module doesn't register in the Silent Installer. You can register it in the EFT administration interface after installation.

  • /EFTLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers EFT server during installation.

  • /ACCLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers Acceleration module during installation. (Only in EFT v7.2.3 - 7.4.7.13)

  • /ADVAUTHLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers the Advanced Authentication Modes module (AAMM).

  • /ARMLICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers ARM during installation.

  • /AS2LICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers AS2 during installation.

  • /AWELICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers AWM during installation.

  • /CICLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers the Content Integrity Control features

  • /CCMLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers Cloud Connector Module (CCM). (EFT v7.4.4 and later)

  • /DMZSINGLELICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers single-site DMZ during installation.

  • /DMZMULTILICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers multisite DMZ during installation.

  • /EALICENSE="<serial>"

    • Registers the Enterprise Actions module (EAM).

  • /FMELICENSE="<serial>"

    • Registers the Folder Monitor event

  • /FORMSLICENSE

    • Registers the Secure Forms module.

  • /FTCLicense=“<serial>”

    • Registers the File Transfer Client.

  • /FTPSLICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers the FTPS module license

  • /HALICENSE=“<serial>”

    • Registers the HA license

  • /HTTPSLICENSE

    • Registers the HTTPS module. (EFT v8.1 and later)

  • /MTCLICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers the MTC during installation.

  • /PGPLICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers the OpenPGP module during installation.

  • /RAMLICENSE =“<serial>”

    • Registers the Remote Agent Module (RAM). (EFT v7.4.4 and later)

  • /RCLICENSE =“<serial>”

    • Registers the Regulatory Compliance module (EFT v8.1 and later)

  • /SFTPLICENSE

    • Registers the SFTP module. (EFT v8.1 and later)

  • /TELICENSE =“<serial>”

    • Reisters the Timer event. (EFT v8.1 and later)

  • /WSLICENSE=”<serial>”

    • Registers the Workspaces module. (EFT v8.0.7 and later)

Installation Logging

The installation log file is intended for debugging purposes and contains messages that may help resolve issues that arise during installation.

During installation and maintenance, the installer creates an Installer.log file in the %TEMP%\<Product Name> directory. For example:

C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\EFT Server\Installer.log

At the completion of the installation, either due to success or failure, the installer copies the final log to the <InstallDir>\logs directory, if it exists. If the installer fails during an initial clean installation, the <InstallDir>\logs directory may not exist. In this case, the final log file remains in the %TEMP%\<Product Name> directory.

The installer attempts to append to the existing log file on subsequent runs of the installer (e.g., if the user performs a Reinstall). It does this by copying any existing Installer.log file from the installation directory into the Temp directory, writing to it during installation, and then copying it back to the <InstallDir>\logs directory when the installation is finished.

You can write out the same log messages to another log file of your choosing using the /logfile=<Log file> command line switch to the installer.

Debug Logging

The installer is capable of writing the same messages that go to the Main Installer Log using the Windows debug logging infrastructure. These messages may be viewed using a utility such as SysInternal’s DebugView application. To enable this logging, the installer must be run from the command line with the /debug switch.