Introducing the single Installation script for F5 NGINX Instance Manager

F5 NGINX Instance Manager (NIM) is a centralised management tool designed to simplify the administration and monitoring of F5 NGINX instances across various environments, including on-premises, cloud, and hybrid infrastructures. It provides a single interface to efficiently oversee multiple NGINX instances, making it particularly useful for organisations using NGINX at scale.

In the past, installing NGINX Instance Manager and its dependencies could often be a tedious and error-prone process. Whether you’re dealing with databases, NGINX proxies, or multiple components that require manual configuration, the time and effort involved can quickly add up. This is where our new single-installation script comes into play.

Designed to streamline and simplify the installation of NGINX Instance Manager, this script allows you to set up everything you need on a supported operating system with minimal effort. Gone are the days of hunting for specific installation commands, configuring dependencies manually, or worrying about compatibility issues between different systems. With this script, you can install NGINX Instance Manager, the Clickhouse database, and NGINX proxy components in one seamless operation.

 

Key Features:

• One-command installation: The script automates the installation of NGINX Instance Manager, Clickhouse database, and the NGINX proxy. Just run the script, and it takes care of everything.
• Cross-platform compatibility: The script supports all the operating systems specified in our technical specification document, making it versatile for different environments.
• Offline installation support: For users working in environments without internet access, the script can pull all necessary binaries from our software repository, enabling installation on a disconnected host. Simply gather the required binaries beforehand, and you’re good to go!
• License key integration: The only thing you’ll need to run the script in a fresh operating system environment are your license keys. This makes the process even easier, as there’s no need for additional setup steps.

 

What you need

• A fresh machine with one of the supported operating systems installed.
• Download the JSON web token, SSL certificate, and private key for NGINX Instance Manager from MyF5 (including trials). You can use the same files as F5 NGINX Plus in your MyF5 portal.
• Download the script here.

 

Step 1 - Download and run the installation script

By default, the script:

• Assumes you’re connected to the internet for installations and upgrades
• Reads SSL files from the /etc/ssl/nginx directory
• Installs the latest version of NGINX Open Source
• Installs Clickhouse
• Installs the latest version of NGINX Instance Manager

 

If you want to use the script with non-default options (e.g. to use NGINX Plus instead of Open Source), use these switches:

• To point to a repository key stored in a directory other than /etc/ssl/nginx: -k /path/to/your/<nginx-repo.key> file
• To point to a repository certificate stored in a directory other than /etc/ssl/nginx: -c /path/to/your/<nginx-repo.crt> file
• To install NGINX Plus (instead of NGINX OSS): -p <nginx_plus_version> -j /path/to/licence.jwt

 

You also need to specify the current operating system. To get the latest list supported by the script, run the following command:

 

grep '\-d distribution' install-nim-bundle.sh

 

To see other options in the script, run:

 

sudo bash install-nim-bundle.sh -h

 

For example, to use the script to install NGINX Instance Manager on Ubuntu 24.04, with repository keys in the default /etc/ssl/nginx directory, with the latest version of NGINX Plus, run the following command:

 

sudo bash install-nim-bundle.sh -n latest -d ubuntu24.04 -j /path/to/license.jwt

 

In most cases, the script completes the installation of NGINX Instance Manager and associated packages. At the end of the process, you’ll see an auto generated password. Save that password. You’ll need it when you sign in to NGINX Instance Manager.

 

Step 2 – Access NGINX Instance Manager

To access the NGINX Instance Manager web interface, open a web browser and go to https://<NIM_FQDN>, replacing <NIM_FQDN> with the Fully Qualified Domain Name of your NGINX Instance Manager host.

 

The default administrator username is admin, and the generated password is saved, in encrypted format, to the /etc/nms/nginx/.htpasswd file. The password was displayed in the terminal during installation. If you’d like to change this password, refer to the “Set or Change User Passwords” section in the Basic Authentication topic.

 

 

This single-installation solution significantly reduces the complexity of deploying Instance Manager, whether you’re operating in a connected or disconnected environment. Now, all it takes is a simple command to get everything up and running.

 

For more information and alternative options when using the script for NGINX Instance manager, please see the instructions here.