ISO Installer

Overview

The ACS Monitor Server ISO provides a complete installation experience — operating system and monitoring platform installed from a single boot. No existing Linux server required.

  • The ISO installs a minimal Linux operating system pre-configured for ACS Monitor
  • After the OS installs, a first-boot setup wizard guides you through network configuration, OS updates, and license activation
  • Admin credentials (email and password) are set when you create the server on acsmon.com — the ISO pulls them automatically using your license key

Requirements

  • Dedicated physical or virtual machine (the ISO erases all data on the target disk)
  • Minimum: 2 CPU cores, 4 GB RAM, 20 GB disk
  • Recommended: 4 CPU cores, 8 GB RAM, 50 GB disk
  • Network connection with internet access (required for license activation and application download)
  • USB drive (for physical servers) or virtual CD/DVD mount (for VMs)

Creating a Server

  1. Log in to your account at acsmon.com
  2. Go to Servers and click "Add Server"
  3. Enter a server name, admin email, admin password, and select your tier
  4. Accept the Terms of Service
  5. Note your license key — you will need it during installation

Downloading the ISO

  • On your server's detail page, click the "ISO Install" tab
  • Click "Download ISO" to download the installer
  • Verify the SHA256 checksum if desired
  • Write the ISO to a USB drive using Rufus (Windows), Etcher (Mac/Linux), or dd

Installation

  1. Boot the target machine from the ISO (USB or CD/DVD)
  2. Select "Install ACS Monitor Server" from the boot menu
  3. The graphical installer will guide you through:
    • Set the root password for server administration
    • Configure network settings (DHCP is recommended)
    • Select the installation disk
  4. Click "Begin Installation" and wait for the OS to install
  5. The machine will reboot automatically when complete

First Boot Setup

After the first reboot, the ACS Monitor setup wizard appears:

  1. Network configuration — verify or change your network settings (DHCP or static IP)
  2. OS updates — the system applies any available security updates
  3. Hostname — set a hostname for your monitoring server
  4. License key — enter the license key from your acsmon.com server page
  5. The wizard validates your license key and automatically configures the monitoring application
  6. Installation typically takes 10–15 minutes depending on your internet connection

After Installation

  • Access the ACS Monitor dashboard at https://your-server-ip
  • Log in with the admin email and password you set on acsmon.com
  • The server management console is available via SSH — log in as root to access the management menu
  • Type acs-monitor from the shell to relaunch the management menu at any time

Server Management Console

When you SSH into the server as root, a management menu appears with the following options:

Option Description
System Status View service health, CPU, memory, and disk usage
Network Settings View or change IP configuration and hostname
OS Updates Check for and install operating system updates
View Logs View application and system logs
Restart Services Restart the monitoring application
Check for App Updates Compare installed version with latest available
Reboot / Shutdown Safely restart or power off the server
Quit to Shell Drop to a bash command line (type acs-monitor to return)

Troubleshooting

Cannot Connect to License Server During Setup

Verify network connectivity. The server must be able to reach acsmon.com over HTTPS.

License Key Rejected

Ensure the license key matches a server on your acsmon.com account that has not already been installed. Each key can only be used once.

Installation Fails After License Validation

Check the install log at /var/log/acs-firstboot.log for details.

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