What is the difference between the Enterprise Console installer and the Controller installer?

The Enterprise Console installer only installs the Enterprise Console application. You need to use the Enterprise Console later on to install the Controller as well as other Cisco AppDynamics On-Premises platform components.

The Controller Installer is used to install only the Controller application. From 4.4, Cisco AppDynamics On-Premises does not support the Controller installer anymore. You should use the Enterprise Console instead to install, monitor, upgrade, and configure the Controller.

Where should I install the Enterprise Console application?

The Enterprise Console can be installed on the same host as the Controller. However, you should not install the Enterprise Console on the same host if the Controller is part of an HA pair. If the Enterprise Console and Controller are on the same host and that host becomes unavailable, the Enterprise Console will not be able to failover to the other Controller. For large deployments, it is also recommended that you install the Enterprise Console on a separate host.

Which hosts does the Enterprise Console need SSH access to?

The Controller and Events Service hosts.

How many SSH connections does the Enterprise Console make per minute?

For each single Controller node (HA Controller deployments will have two Controllers), the Enterprise Console will open approximately 10 SSH connections per minute. For each Events Services node (an Events Service cluster may have 3–5 nodes), the Enterprise Console will open 1 SSH connection per minute.

What protocols does the Enterprise Console use to connect to remote hosts?

The Enterprise Console uses Java Secure Channel (JSch) API with the provided key file to access remote hosts. In scenarios where you have an SSH jump server or jump host configuration, you will have to invest in additional provisions for your application to work. Consult the customer support in such cases.

Can platforms share the same installation path? 

No, platforms cannot share the same installation path or hosts. You must also choose an installation path that does not overlap with where the Enterprise Console is installed.

Can I use Express installation to discover and upgrade existing controllers and events services?

Express installation is a convenient way to create a complete platform on a single host in one step. It does not support discovering and upgrading an existing controller managed outside the Enterprise Console.

Can I make configuration changes outside of Enterprise Console?

It is not recommended that you make changes directly to Cisco AppDynamics configuration files, such as in domain.xml or db.conf. If you do make changes directly in configuration files, it is recommended that you make the equivalent change in the Enterprise Console. Note that such changes result in a restart the controller.

Do I need to back up the Enterprise Console database? 

Yes, the Enterprise Console database is not automatically backed up. See Controller Data Backup and Restore for information on backing up the Controller and Enterprise Console databases.

Is Enterprise Console supported on Windows?

Yes, it is, but there are several differences between the Linux and Windows deployment. First, the platform components (Controller, MySQL database, Events Service, and EUM Server) all have to be installed on the same machine for Windows. The second difference is that the Enterprise Console on Windows does not support Controller High Availability. Finally, on Windows, you do not have the replication of the MySQL database and cannot install a second node through the Enterprise Console. On Linux, it is recommended to have at least three node clusters for the Events Service. 

If you need to scale up the Events Service on Windows, see Install the Events Service on Windows for instructions.

How can I install the Controller without the Enterprise Console?

Starting from Cisco AppDynamics On-Premises version 4.4, you can only install the Controller through the Enterprise Console. For earlier versions, you can still use the Controller installer.