Edge Extend Agent

The Edge Extend agent and server provide high-performance, secure access to remote file servers. This guide provides information on how to use and configure the agent.

Agents are deployed to remote sites and connect over the internet to Edge Extend controllers.

For general documentation see Edge Extend.

The following steps must be completed before configuring an agent.

• Installation of a controller . If needed see Edge Extend Installation.
• Export an agent configuration file. If needed see Edge Extend Server Getting Started.

The Edge Extend agent is installed as a virtual machine on the remote site.

• Virtual Machine - Run on remote site with file servers
• AWS Cloud - Access to Amazon FSx and other AWS-based file systems.

Log in to the instance with a standalone SSH client.

For AWS Cloud follow the instructions at AWS Cloud SSH Access.

For private clouds the default username is smbstream and the initial password is QuickChangeM3. For example:

ssh smbstream@34.194.216.200

(If the command freezes check that your appliance allows SSH access (port 22) from your IP address.)

Become root. The default password is MakeM4Secure.

su -

Check that you can change into the smbStream directory:

root@smbstream:~# cd smbStream
root@smbstream:~/smbStream#

And check that the agent is running:

root@smbstream:~/smbStream# docker-compose ps
           Name                         Command               State   Ports
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
smbstream_smbstreamagent_1   /smbStream/smbStreamAgentLinux   Up           

The agent configuration file you exported from the controller will look like this:

{
  "AgentID": "775a8716-107e-445b-8f9d-4b4b7d688f80",
  "AgentPrivkey": "LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBSU0EgUFJRVktLS0tLQpNSUlKS1FJ....",
  "CtrlPubkey": "LS0tLS1CRUdJTiBSU0EgUFVCTElDIEtFWS0tLS0tCk1JSU....",
  "Controller": "44.97.174.244:8445",
  "Password": "InputAgentPasswordHere"
}

As root replace this file with your exported agent configuration file. For example,

vi /root/smbStream/config/streamAgent.cfg

Replace “InputAgentPasswordHere” with the password you used to create the “Agent” profile within the controller.

Restart the agent to pick up the modified file. You must be in the ~/smbStream directory:

# docker-compose restart
Restarting smbstream_smbstreamagent_1 ... done

On startup, the agent authenticates with the Edge Extend server. It also pulls down connection information about local file servers to which to connect to. If this information changes at the controller just restart the agent to refresh.

Monitor the logs to check the agent successfully connects. You must be in the ~/smbStream directory. Use Control-C to terminate:

docker-compose logs -f

The logs will show a successful connection to the controller and any local connections.

smbstreamagent_1  | 2022/02/14 19:34:41 Dialing SMBStream controller: smbstream.company.com
smbstreamagent_1  | 2022/02/14 19:34:42 Authentication Successful

The server logs will show the agent successfully connecting:

smbstreamcntrl_1  | 2022/02/14 19:34:42 Accepted UDP Session from 3.105.127.210:49809