Production considerations for Unix-based deployments

This page describes in detail how you can achieve the following tasks:

  • Use an external MongoDB server instead of the built-in database

  • Configure HTTPS communication for the web server

  • Install MetaDefender Storage Security on a different disk

Use an external database

Production deployments of MetaDefender Storage Security should ensure high availability and/or load-balancing at the database level by using an external MongoDB (or any compatible service) instead of the built-in database that is included with the basic installation.

Info

We recommend using a version of MongoDB that is the same as the built-in database version from the Unix-based deployments | System Requirements page.

How to setup an external MongoDB in MetaDefender Storage Security

The following steps should be performed before initializing MetaDefender Storage Security for the first time (i.e before the mdss -u init command from the installation guide).

Info

These steps can be performed after the installation or at any other time but the existing data (if any) will be lost. In this case, the last step should be replaced with a restart instead of a start command.

  1. Ensure that your external MongoDB is properly configured and ready to accept remote connections

Note: it is recommended to setup access control for your external database as well as taking the necessary network security measures to ensure that only the server running MetaDefender Storage Security can access the database.

  1. Locate the configuration file created by the installer in /etc/mdss/customer.env

  2. Add the following configuration line:

MONGO_URL=mongodb://user:password@server:port/MDCS?authSource=admin

  1. Please check the connection string documentation for more information. Make sure you add MDCS as the target database as shown in the example above.

  2. Save the file.

  3. Initialize MetaDefender Storage Security by running the following command:

sudo mdss -u init

  1. Return to the installation process and continue the installation.

MongoDB advanced setup

For special use cases you may need to backup your database or restore it. MetaDefender Storage Security allows you to do this by using the following commands

sudo mdss -u export_db

Running this command will create a dump file in /etc/mdss/db_[...].tar this file can be use afterwards as a restore file using the import command:

sudo mdss -u import_db
Info

Product versions 3.4.2 and above do not support importing databases from earlier versions (less than 3.4.2). When using the import_db utility on these versions, it will automatically restore the database from the most recent backup file named db_[...].tar.

Configure HTTPS communication for the web server

Production deployments should ensure that any HTTP traffic between clients (browsers or other API client) and MetaDefender Storage Security is encrypted using HTTPS.

Click here for detailed instructions on how to setup a certificate for NGINX web server.

Install MetaDefender Storage Security on a different disk

The following steps should be performed before initializing MetaDefender Storage Security for the first time (i.e before the mdss -u init command from the installation guide).

Info

These steps should be performed right after the installation of Docker so that no data is lost.

  1. First make sure Docker is not running and the default directory is clean

  2. Remove existing images and volumes

sudo docker rm -f $(docker ps -aq); docker rmi -f $(docker images -q)

  1. Stop Docker

sudo systemctl stop docker

  1. Remove the default Docker location

sudo rm -rf /var/lib/docker

  1. Create a new empty directory in the default location

sudo mkdir /var/lib/docker

  1. Create a new empty directory on the new partition

sudo mkdir /<PATH_TO_NEW_LOCATION>

  1. Mount the new location in the default directory

sudo mount --rbind //<PATH_TO_NEW_LOCATION> /var/lib/docker

  1. Start back the docker service

sudo systemctl start docker

  1. Initialize MetaDefender Storage Security by running the following command:

sudo mdss -u init


Next to read:
Production considerations for Windows-based deployments
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Production considerations for Unix-based deploymentsUse an external databaseHow to setup an external MongoDB in MetaDefender Storage SecurityMongoDB advanced setupConfigure HTTPS communication for the web serverInstall MetaDefender Storage Security on a different disk