Knowledge Base

Procedure

1. Connect the server to the switch using an Ethernet cable.
2. Connect the participant PCs to the switch using Ethernet cables.
3. Connect a USB camera to the participant PCs. It is also possible to use a built-in webcam on a laptop.
4. Connect the eye trackers to the participant PCs using USB cables.
5. Connect the biosensor devices to the participant PCs using Bluetooth.
6. Connect the switch to the Internet.

Guides

Installation Readiness Tool

Aim: To verify whether the NoldusHub server and the network in which it is embedded are configured correctly.

What Is the Installation Readiness Tool?

The Installation Readiness Tool is a collection of Powershell scripts and executables that can be run on the NoldusHub server to verify whether server and network configurations are in line with NoldusHub requirements. The tool can be executed from command line and it produces results feedback in the user interface (text). The same feedback is also stored in log files for easy communication to Noldus Support.

Typical application of the Installation Readiness Tool is after configuring the hardware/virtual server, and prior to installation (see diagram below).

What Is Tested with the Installation Readiness Tool?

First and foremost, we wish to make clear that the Installation Readiness Tool is a work-in-progress tool. Over time, new tests will be added when needed. At this moment (NoldusHub version 1.7) the Installation Readiness Tool checks whether minimal requirements are met for:

• Storage drive type and available storage space (minimally 512 GB PCIe SAS or NVMe™ Class 40 M.2 SSD)
• Physical memory availability
• Number of CPU Cores
• Network speed
• Server Operating System
• Website availability for NoldusHub installation (tools and images)

Results

First check for false positives: for instance, some SSD hard drives are not recognized as such. If the test fails to recognize that it is an SSD drive, but you are sure it is, the outcome can be ignored. The same applies to other outcomes.

If a test failed and the reason is indeed a misconfiguration (ports not accessible, website not accessible, physical memory too small, etc.), make sure the customer resolves the issue first, and then test again.

Distribution of the Installation Readiness Tool

The Installation Readiness Tool is maintained and updated by the NoldusHub Developers team. Its release frequency differs from the NoldusHub product releases. However, the most recent version is shipped with the installation package in a separate folder named Ops_InstallationReadinessTool.

Subdomain

Aim: To set up NoldusHub in your company domain with a secure connection, so NoldusHub starts without security warnings. This step is optional but highly recommended.

Before You Begin

To open NoldusHub without security warnings, your system administrator should set up NoldusHub in your company domain. Your system administrator should ensure a valid SSL certificate for this domain is available. This information is therefore aimed at the system administrator.

NOTE: The steps below are only an example. Your system administrator should have detailed instructions on setting up a secure NoldusHub connection for your particular organization. If you do not want to set up NoldusHub in your company domain, continue with the installation of NoldusHub.

Procedure

We advise using a secure connection when using NoldusHub. This can be done with a valid SSL certificate, which is necessary to encrypt the connection between the server and the browser. Using SSL certificates fulfills two main requirements:

• Encrypted communication between user and server computers
• Server identification. By inspecting a certificate that the server presents, it is easier to trust loaded applications from that server.

To obtain an SSL certificate:

1. Buy a certificate from a Certification Authority (e.g. DigiCert). You do not have to install the certificate on the participant PC or the server. Usually it contains the root certificate of the trusted certificate authority and therefore can be validated. This is the recommended solution.
2. Use a wildcard certificate of your company. Please note that a password for the certificate is required and has to be saved in the plain text configuration file on the NoldusHub server.

To set up the certificate:

1. This step can best be done after installation of NoldusHub. The necessary folders are created during the installation process.
2. Suppose the company domain name is https://www.mydomain.com. NoldusHub could be set up as a subdomain: https://noldushub.mydomain.com.
3. Set up a DNS record that points the subdomain to the IP address of the NoldusHub server.
4. Placement of the certificates in the correct folder is done during the installation of NoldusHub step 2.9. Copy the certificate files (Security Certificate file <name>.cer; Key file <name>.key; Personal Information Exchange file <name>.pfx) to the folder C:\ProgramData\Noldus\Websites\cert on the server.

Important: Three certificate files should be copied to the above-mentioned folder: *.cer, *.key, and *.pfx. If you only have a *.pfx file, convert it to *.cer and *.key files and copy all three files to the folder mentioned above.

Testing the SSL Certificate

After setting the SSL certificate up, its configuration can be tested using the Certificate Checking Tool. This check is good practice before every upgrade. It is essential before a first-time or clean installation.

Troubleshooting

• Sometimes the combination of files that constitute the SSL certificate fileset is not complete. Missing files can be created using the OpenSSL toolkit.
• Sometimes the fileset appears complete, but the password-protected PFX file is not configured with a password. The OpenSSL toolkit can be used to set a password.
• Sometimes a certificate will not allow SSL because the PFX file password is not RSA-encrypted. RSA encryption is required.
• If you run into problems or get stuck, reach out to Noldus Support.

Why Should the SSL Certificate Be Verified?

After the SSL certificate is installed on the server, it should be verified whether its configuration is in line with NoldusHub requirements. Important requirements are the combination of different certificate files available and the match between the NoldusHub server domain and the domain for which the certificate was prepared. In addition, one of the certificate files needs to be password-protected (the .pfx file). If any of these requirements is not fulfilled, NoldusHub will not work. Therefore, the SSL certificate should be verified before proceeding to the installation.

Source: NoldusHub 1.7 Installation Documentation, Noldus Information Technology