This article describes how to install SquaredUp for Azure using the downloadable installer. The easiest way to install SquaredUp for Azure is via the Azure Marketplace. If you don't wish to use the Marketplace you can use the SquaredUp for Azure downloadable installer. For example, if you wish to deploy on an existing Azure virtual machine, a VM outside of the tenant you're connecting to, on a non-Azure machine, or because of security factors.
For step-by-step information about deploying SquaredUp from the Azure Marketplace please see How to deploy SquaredUp for Azure from the Marketplace.
This articles covers how to install SquaredUp for Azure for the first time.
If you have an earlier version of SquaredUp for Azure already installed, then the installer will upgrade your installation:
- For upgrades to the next major version, such as v4 to v5, see How to migrate from SquaredUp for Azure v4 to v5
- For upgrades to a minor version, such as v4.6.0 to v4.8.1, or v5.0 to v5.0.1, see How to upgrade SquaredUp for Azure.
What you need
- A downloaded SquaredUp for Azure installer
- Your SquaredUp for Azure licence key. You will have received this by email following your purchase or free trial.
- A server to install on (see below)
- Ensure the server's default browser is not set to Internet Explorer, which is no longer supported (search Windows > default apps).
- Your Azure tenant ID
- An Azure Active Directory global admin account, or account that can deploy applications to Azure Active Directory (AD).
A restart of the server may be required.
Where to install
SquaredUp for Azure can be installed on any Windows Server in your environment. The location of the SquaredUp server has no bearing on the Azure resources you will be able to see and dashboard in SquaredUp. You will be able to select the relevant Azure tenant during the setup process.
The setup application will automatically install IIS and any other pre-requisites, so the only dependency is that the server will need internet access to Azure. We recommend you provision a new server dedicated to hosting SquaredUp.
As Internet Explorer is no longer supported, check that another browser is set as the server's default browser (search Windows > default apps).
For more information, see Server Spec and Sizing Guidelines.
What we create
- SquaredUp has a number of prerequisites that will be automatically installed by the setup process (e.g. the IIS Web Server role)
- A read-only Azure application in your Azure AD that will populate your dashboards by querying Azure APIs.
- The installer makes some changes to Azure Active Directory to give SquaredUp permission to access the Graph API. These steps occur automatically. To read about what modifications are made during setup and why please see Reference - Active Directory Modifications.
Run the installer
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On the server you want to run SquaredUp for Azure, run the SquaredUp for Azure installer .exe that you have downloaded.
- Click Next
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Accept the Licence Agreement and click Install.
Prerequisites will be installed if not installed already.
A restart of the server may be required.
If your server has restarted the install should resume when the server restarts, but you may need to click Deploy SquaredUp for Azure from the Start menu.
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Check the deployment type says New installation and click Next.
If the installer detects a version of SquaredUp for Azure is already installed then it will default to an In-Place upgrade, meaning that it will upgrade the current SquaredUp for Azure instance. See How to upgrade SquaredUp for Azure.
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Check the deployment location and click next.
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On the Configure SquaredUp For Azure screen you must enter your Azure Tenant ID and confirm the Redirect URI.
Enter your Azure Tenant ID.
You can find your tenant/directory ID from the Azure portal: Azure Active Directory > Properties (under Manage) > Directory ID and clicking the Copy to clipboard button.
Before proceeding you must check and confirm the Redirect URI.
The Redirect URI should be the address using the fully qualified domain name (FQDN) that you will use to access SquaredUp for Azure once deployed.
By default the machine name you are installing on is shown, but you may need to add or change the domain details to ensure that this is the correct FQDN.
If you have another address that you use to browse to SquaredUp for Azure, for example in your bindings, in DNS or via your load balancer, you should use this. This can be changed at a later date see here.
- Click Next or Deploy.
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If SSL is not already configured for the chosen website, then the Configure SSL Binding page will appear. You must choose what type of SSL certificate you want to use. SquaredUp for Azure will only work using HTTPS.
- Existing Certificate - Use this option to choose an existing SSL certificate.
- Create Self-Signed Certificate - The installer will create a new self-signed certificate, set to expire after 12 months.
- Configure Later - While you can choose to configure the certificate later, please note that SquaredUp for Azure will not work until HTTPS is configured with a SSL certificate.
For more information see How to configure Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Check the hostname is correct, and click Deploy.
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Once the deployment is complete click Finish.
Logon to SquaredUp for Azure for the first time
Clicking Finish at the end of the installation will open SquaredUp for Azure in a browser using the URI you specified.
If SquaredUp for Azure does not open automatically, you will need to correct the URI (see here) and then you must browse to this address to run the SquaredUp setup wizard as described below.
If the browser appears blank when browsing to SquaredUp, ensure the server's default browser is not set to Internet Explorer, which is no longer supported (search Windows > default apps).
Before you can get started, SquaredUp for Azure has to complete some final configuration of your environment, which includes activating your licence and Azure AD authorisation.
SquaredUp setup wizard
If you are not able to log in with an account that is an Azure Active Directory global admin account, or an account that can deploy applications to Azure Active Directory (AD), you will not be able to complete the setup wizard. You can ask a global admin user to run the wizard or to follow the article: How to manually configure SquaredUp for Azure.
- Browse to SquaredUp for Azure (using the URI you specified) and the SquaredUp setup wizard will appear.
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On the Azure AD screen click the Setup button to configure the Azure Active Directory.
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Next we need to add the SquaredUp setup application to Azure AD. This application is created using the Microsoft device login process and impersonates the current user. For more information see The SquaredUp Setup enterprise registration
You will see the message Awaiting authorization... and should follow the steps as described below.
- Click the copy link to copy the authorization code.
- Click on the URL in step two which opens the address in a new tab.
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Paste in the copied code and click next.
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On the Microsoft Sign in or Pick an account screen login with the Azure AD admin account you wish to use to deploy the SquaredUp setup application.
You may need to ask a global admin user to run the wizard or to follow the article: How to manually configure SquaredUp for Azure.
or
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You should see a message confirming that you have signed in to the SquaredUp for Azure Setup application. Close this tab.
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Return to the tab showing the SquaredUp setup screen. After a few seconds it should say that SquaredUp is correctly configured for Azure AD Authentication.
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You will see the message 'Starting...' and then a Microsoft screen Permissions requested. Tip: Copy the name of the SquaredUp enterprise application with its GUID and save it for later use. If you have several SquaredUp instances it may be useful later to paste this in to the Azure portal when configuring Open Access or making users SquaredUp administrators.
A privileged user will see a checkbox to 'Consent on behalf of your organization'. Enabling this will grant these permissions for all users and disable this dialogue for future first time logins. For more information see SquaredUp Setup enterprise application.
- Click Accept to allow SquaredUp to access Azure as you.
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You will be returned to the SquaredUp setup wizard at the Activation screen.
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You will have received this by email following your purchase or free trial. Paste this key in now, and click Activate. If you have not received a licence key please contact Support.
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Click Import to install the default dashboards and perspectives.
SquaredUp for Azure will then open.
- The newly-created SquaredUpAzure enterprise application will now need to be modified in order to assign the "SquaredUpAdministrator" role to the relevant users (or groups) that will administer SquaredUp, see How to make a user a SquaredUp administrator. If this is not completed then only the account that deployed SquaredUp will be able to manage SquaredUp.
Next steps
- Set up a SquaredUp administrator(s). To manage SquaredUp you will need to be a SquaredUp administrator, see How to make a user a SquaredUp administrator.
- Give dashboard authors permission to create dashboards. A SquaredUp administrator will need to give users or groups author permission to a Team Folder, within which they can create and edit dashboards. See Team Folders.
- Configure Open Access dashboards. Open Access enables easy sharing of dashboards, that do not require authentication to view. See How to configure Open Access.
Troubleshooting
Two 'Deploy SquaredUp' tools on the start menu
If you upgraded from SquaredUp for Azure v4.4 to v4.5 you will see two 'Deploy SquaredUp' tools on the Windows Start menu.
You should use the v4.5 'Deploy SquaredUp For Azure' deploy tool, and ignore the older 'Deploy SquaredUp' tool.
See Two 'Deploy SquaredUp' tools on the start menu.
Two SquaredUp uninstallers in 'Add or Remove Programs'
If you upgraded from SquaredUp for Azure v4.4 to v4.5 you will see two uninstallers for SquaredUp for Azure: SquaredUp for Azure 4.4 and SquaredUp for Azure 4.5.
To remove all instances of SquaredUp for Azure you should run the 4.5 uninstaller first, then the 4.4 uninstaller.
See Two SquaredUp uninstallers in 'Add or Remove Programs'.
And How to remove SquaredUp for Azure.
HTTP Error 500 (Static) after logging in when multi-factor authentication is required for the Microsoft Azure Management application
This error is shown when an Azure Active Directory Conditional Access policy is configured requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for the Microsoft Azure Management application.
See Troubleshooting users being unable to log on - HTTP Error 500 (Static)
Submit a request
If configuration fails, a large volume of diagnostic text will be produced, followed by a red failure message. If you experience this, please submit a request and we can help diagnose the cause.
Note that the diagnostic text may reveal sensitive details - such as your username, installed AD applications and IDs. Please be conscious of this when sending us details - for example, it is not appropriate to send us this text over email.
Reference - Azure Active Directory modifications
This reference section specifies what modifications are made during setup and why. These steps occur automatically.
SquaredUp Setup enterprise application in Azure Active Directory (AAD)
During the setup process you will be prompted to grant permissions to SquaredUp Azure Setup to use permissions from your Azure and Microsoft accounts.
This application is only used to setup SquaredUp and does not affect its operation. It ceases to have any permissions within your tenant as soon as it is removed.
Explanation
In order to access Azure data and authenticate users, your SquaredUp server will need its own unique AD application specific to your Azure tenant.
The SquaredUp Azure Setup application obtains the permissions necessary to automatically create such an AD application:
- The Azure Setup AD application is added to your Azure tenant
- The setup wizard uses the application's permissions to create a new AD application unique to your SquaredUp server
- The SquaredUp server uses its unique AD application to access Azure data and perform user authentication
Permissions requested
This setup application requests the following permissions from whomever logs into their Microsoft account during the setup process:
- Access to the directory as the current user
- Impersonation of the current user to access Azure service management
- Sign in and read the profile of the current user
These are the permissions required to create a subsequent AD application for the SquaredUp server.
Granting consent for your organisation is unnecessary unless you want to set up multiple SquaredUp servers.
Permission removal
Once SquaredUp has been set up, you are free to delete this application ("SquaredUp for Azure Setup") from your directory by using the Azure portal.
In the portal this application is typically visible in the "Enterprise Applications" blade.
SquaredUp enterprise application in Azure Active Directory (AAD)
The setup application creates an enterprise application specific to your current server. The application is named in the form SquaredUpAzure<GUID>.
This is the application that the SquaredUp web application uses to authenticate users. Each user that logs into SquaredUp shares the following permissions with the SquaredUp server:
- Impersonation of the current user to access Azure service management
- Reading all directory data
- Reading all groups
- Sign in and read the profile of the current user
- Read all user's basic profiles
All of these permissions are delegated: SquaredUp cannot make use of them if the signed in user does not already have them.