Prepare your Linux environment for a manual installation

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This guide helps you prepare your Linux environment for a manual installation. Manual installation deploys the Pentaho Server to your own supported web application server (for example, Tomcat).

If you prefer an installation that includes a bundled web application server, see Archive installation.

Process overview

If you already installed a supported web application server, skip Install your web application server.

1. Create the Pentaho user

2. Create Linux directory structure

3. Install Java

4. Install your web application server

5. Install the Pentaho Repository host database

6. Download and unpack installation files

7. Set environment variables

8. Advanced Linux considerations

9. Prepare your Pentaho Repository

Create the Pentaho user

Create a user account with administrative privileges. You will use it for the remaining steps.

1. Create an administrative user on the server and name it pentaho.

2. Verify the pentaho user can read, write, and execute in its home directory.

3. Verify users can write to the directory where you install Pentaho.

Create Linux directory structure

Choose an installation path. Pentaho recommends this directory structure.

1. Sign in to the machine where you will run the Pentaho Server.

2. Make sure you are signed in as the pentaho user.

3. Create these directories under the pentaho user’s home directory:

   <your home directory>/pentaho/server/pentaho-server
   <your home directory>/.pentaho

4. Verify you have read, write, and execute permissions for the directories you created.

Install Java

Pentaho requires a supported Java version.

1. Check Components Reference for the supported Java version.

2. Download and install the supported JRE or JDK.

3. Set JAVA_HOME to your Java installation directory.

   Example:

   export JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/jdk11.x.x.x

Install your web application server

If you plan to deploy Pentaho on your own Tomcat server, install Tomcat first.

If you already have a supported Tomcat installed, skip this section.

1. Check Components Reference for the supported Tomcat version.

2. Install your web application server, following its vendor documentation.

3. Start the web application server and verify you can reach the default page.

4. Stop the web application server.

Install the Pentaho Repository host database

The Pentaho Repository stores data used for scheduling and security. It also stores metadata and models for reports.

1. Choose a supported database type:

   • PostgreSQL

   • MySQL

   • MariaDB

   • Oracle

   • MS SQL Server

2. Check Components Reference for supported database versions.

3. Install the database you selected.

4. Verify the database is installed and running.

Download and unpack installation files

Pentaho Server and Operations Mart are delivered as compressed files. Download them, unpack them, then copy the contents to the correct directories.

Download files

1. Sign in to the Support Portal using the credentials in your Pentaho Welcome Packet.

2. In the Pentaho card, select Download.

3. In the 11.x list, select Pentaho 11.0 GA Release.

   You might need to select See all <number> articles to see all downloads.

4. In Pentaho Server/Manual Build (No Web Application Server), download:

   • pentaho-server-manual-ee-11.0.0.0-<build number>.zip

5. In Operations Mart, download:

   • pentaho-operations-mart-11.0.0.0-<build number>.zip

Unpack installation files

1. Unpack pentaho-server-manual-ee-11.0.0.0-<build number>.zip.

2. Move its contents to:

   • /pentaho/server/pentaho-server

3. Unpack pentaho-operations-mart-11.0.0.0-<build number>.zip.

4. Move its contents to:

   • /pentaho/server/pentaho-server

5. In /pentaho-server, go to /pentaho-server-manual-ee.

6. Unpack these ZIP files and move their contents as shown:

   • license-installer.zip → pentaho/server

   • jdbc-distribution-utility.zip → pentaho/server

   • pentaho-data.zip → pentaho/server/pentaho-server

   • pentaho-solutions.zip → pentaho/server/pentaho-server

7. Copy these files to your web application server:

   • pentaho.war → pentaho/server/pentaho-server/<tomcat installation directory>/webapps

   • pentaho-style.war → pentaho/server/pentaho-server/<tomcat installation directory>/webapps

   • PentahoServer_OSS_Licenses.html → pentaho/server/pentaho-server

Verify directory structure

1. Verify these directories exist:

   • pentaho/server/pentaho-server/

   • pentaho/server/pentaho-server/data/<database name>

2. If your web application server is not under pentaho/server/pentaho-server, verify you copied the WAR files to your chosen <tomcat installation directory>/webapps directory.

Set environment variables

If you do not set the required *_HOME environment variables, Pentaho may not start correctly.

1. Set PENTAHO_JAVA_HOME to your Java installation path.

   Example:

   export PENTAHO_JAVA_HOME=/usr/lib/jvm/java-11-oracle

2. (Optional) If you are using a JRE, also set JRE_HOME.

3. Sign out and sign back in, then verify the variables are set.

Advanced Linux considerations

Some headless server scenarios need extra configuration.

• A system with no video card

• A system with a video card but no X server installed

In some environments (especially without a video card), you might need both procedures to generate reports.

Systems without video cards

Add -Djava.awt.headless=true to CATALINA_OPTS in your application server startup scripts.

Startup can fail if any environment variable value is invalid. Double-check settings after edits.

Example:

export CATALINA_OPTS="-Djava.awt.headless=true -Xms4096m -Xmx6144m -XX:MaxPermSize=256m -Dsun.rmi.dgc.client.gcInterval=3600000 -Dsun.rmi.dgc.server.gcInterval=3600000"

If you create a service control script, add the same parameter to its CATALINA_OPTS.

Systems without X11

Chart generation requires X11 functions.

If you cannot install an X server, install Xvfb instead. Xvfb emulates X11 in memory.

Install Xvfb using your operating system’s package manager.

Prepare your Pentaho Repository

After you finish preparing your environment, initialize and configure your Pentaho Repository.

Select the database you are using:

• PostgreSQL

• MySQL or MariaDB

• Oracle

• MS SQL Server