Introduction
CAST Console Standalone Docker provides the latest releases of the following CAST components in one single Microsoft Windows image for Docker:
| CAST Console Standalone - (not enterprise edition) therefore it only supports one Node for analysis purposes (the Node is predefined in the image). |
| CAST AIP Core |
| CAST Extend local server |
| Embedded CAST Dashboards |
This image is designed to be installed on one single Microsoft Windows machine running Docker specifically for demo or POC requirements, with the aim of generating data for CAST Imaging. All components are preconfigured for use and the only configuration required is to enter your CAST Console global and Imaging license keys.
The image does not contain:
- CAST Storage Service
- CAST Imaging (UI)
See CAST Imaging Docker which does include the components listed above.
Deployment requirements
Hardware
| Server type | Architecture | CPU | RAM | DISK | OS | Notes |
| Physical/virtual | 64-bit | Minimum 1 CPU / 2 cores:
Recommended 1 CPU / 4 cores:
|
| 256GB min - with min 20GB free | Microsoft Windows | 16GB RAM is the absolute minimum requirement to allow all packages and components to function, however, analysis performance will be poor as such 32GB RAM is recommended. Note that by default, a container has no resource constraints and can use as much of a given resource as the host’s kernel scheduler allows. Please consult https://docs.docker.com/config/containers/resource_constraints/ for more information. |
Software
| Software | Notes |
|---|---|
| Host Operating System | Microsoft Windows only
|
Docker | The following is required:
or:
Note:
|
| Access to Docker Hub | The Docker image (castimaging/aip_console_standalone) is hosted on https://hub.docker.com/, therefore the server on which you are performing the installation requires internet access to this URL. Note that the image is approx. 7GB in size so may take some time to download:
|
| Access to CAST Storage Service / PostgreSQL | A CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance is required when installing and using the components. You can use a local or remote instance. See Storage for CAST AIP. This instance will be used for two things:
|
| Access to / credentials for CAST Extend | Valid credentials for CAST Extend - see https://extend.castsoftware.com/#/register. Note that these credentials are optional:
|
| License keys | The following keys are required and are input as part of the initial setup:
|
Required ports
These ports can be changed during the installation process, but CAST highly recommends that they are left at their defaults. If other ports are chosen, ensure that you do not use ports that are required by other CAST software:
| Software | Default Ports |
|---|---|
| CAST Console Standalone | 8081 |
| CAST Extend local server | 8085 |
| Embedded CAST Dashboards | 8087 |
Deployment process
Command line
To deploy the container, run the following command line on the machine where Docker has been installed via a command prompt window (CMD):
docker run -p <CONSOLE PORT>:8081 -p <EXTEND LOCAL SERVER PORT>:8085 -p <DASHBOARDS PORT>:8087 -e EXTENDMAIL=<EXTEND USERNAME> -e EXTENDPASSWORD="<EXTEND PASSWORD>" -e CSSSERVER=<CSS HOST> -e CSSPORT=<CSS PORT> -e CSSUSER=<CSS USERNAME> -e CSSPASSWORD=<CSS PASSWORD> -e CSSDB=<CSS DATABASE NAME> -e CSSSCHEMA=<CSS SCHEMA NAME FOR CONSOLE> -v "<PATH FOR CONSOLE LOGS>":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\logs" -v "<PATH FOR CONSOLE SHARED FOLDER>":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\shared" -v "<PATH FOR CONSOLE DELIVERY FOLDER>":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\delivery" -v "<PATH FOR CONSOLE DEPLOY FOLDER>":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\deploy" -v "<PATH FOR EXTEND LOCAL SERVER DATA FOLDER>":"C:\CAST\extendproxy_data" castimaging/aip_console_standalone:latest
Update the following parameters for your own environment:
| Parameter name | Notes |
|---|---|
| <CONSOLE PORT> | Listening port for CAST Console - 8081 recommended. |
| <EXTEND LOCAL SERVER PORT> | Listening port for Extend Local Server - 8085 recommended. |
| <DASHBOARDS PORT> | Listening port for CAST Dashboards - 8087 recommended. |
| <EXTEND USERNAME> | Valid credentials for CAST Extend - see https://extend.castsoftware.com/#/register. Note that these credentials are optional:
|
| <EXTEND PASSWORD> | |
| <CSS HOST> | Host name/IP address of your local/remote CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance (if the instance is local, please avoid using "localhost"). |
| <CSS PORT> | Port number on which your local remote CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance is running. |
| <CSS USERNAME> / <CSS PASSWORD> | CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance credentials. |
| <CSS DATABASE NAME> | The database name on your target CAST Storage Service/PostgreSQL instance. Typically this will be postgres, but you are free to choose a different name if necessary. This database must exist already. One schema will be created in the database you specify - and the name of this schema is defined in <CSS SCHEMA NAME FOR CONSOLE> (see below). The credentials you specify MUST have full read/write access rights to the database you specify. |
| <CSS SCHEMA NAME FOR CONSOLE> | This is the name of the schema that will be used to store persistence information. CAST recommends node_standalone, but you are free to choose a different name if necessary.
|
| <PATH FOR CONSOLE LOGS> | Mounts a local folder on your PC allowing access to the following locations, which are stored inside the various containers:
For example you could choose to mount these locations to your D:\ drive: -v "D:\CAST\Console\logs":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\logs" -v "D:\CAST\Console\shared":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\shared" -v "D:\CAST\Console\delivery":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\delivery" -v "D:\CAST\Console\deploy":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\deploy" -v "D:\CAST\Console\extend":"C:\CAST\extendproxy_data" |
| <PATH FOR CONSOLE SHARED FOLDER> | |
| <PATH FOR CONSOLE DELIVERY FOLDER> | |
| <PATH FOR CONSOLE DEPLOY FOLDER> | |
| <PATH FOR EXTEND LOCAL SERVER DATA FOLDER> | |
| castimaging/aip_console_standalone:latest | This command will pull the latest image. Unless you need to download a specific release, do not change this. |
Ports
With regard to port definitions, Docker requires a listening port (M) on the machine where Docker is installed and a port within the container (C), for example:
docker run -p <M>:<C>
You can use any free port for the listening port (M), but CAST does not recommend changing the port within the container (C) from those provided in the example command lines.
Example command line:
docker run -p 8081:8081 -p 8085:8085 -p 8087:8087 -e EXTENDMAIL=myextend.account@customer.com -e EXTENDPASSWORD="MyP@ssW0rd" -e CSSSERVER=my_postgres -e CSSPORT=2284 -e CSSUSER=operator -e CSSPASSWORD=CastAIP -e CSSDB=postgres -e CSSSCHEMA=node_standalone -v "D:\CAST\Console\logs":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\logs" -v "D:\CAST\Console\shared":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\shared" -v "D:\CAST\Console\delivery":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\delivery" -v "D:\CAST\Console\deploy":"C:\CAST\Data_AIP-Console-Standalone\deploy" -v "D:\CAST\Console\extend":"C:\CAST\extendproxy_data" castimaging/aip_console_standalone:latest
Image pull and container creation
When the command is executed, Docker will download (pull) the image and then create the container. When the container is ready you will see in the message "Your container is ready...": (1):
Click to enlarge
You should also take note of the items marked 2 and 3 in the image above:
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| 2 | Extend Local Server Admin key - this is required when configuring the Extend Local Server in CAST Console - see below. |
| 3 | Unique Extend Local Server access URL - required for accessing the admin console in Extend Local Server - see Manage CAST Extend local server via Administration Center. |
Check ports (optional)
If you need to find out which front-end listening ports you defined for your CAST components, run the following command on the machine where docker is installed:
docker ps
This will list all the containers running on your machine with their listening ports.
Configure Windows Firewall (optional)
If you would like to access any of the components deployed via this image from a remote machine on the network, you will need to modify the Microsoft Windows Firewall on the host machine to open the listening ports you need to access using the TCP protocol, for example port 8081 (CAST Console):
Initial configuration
CAST Console
Connect to CAST Console with the following URL either from the local machine or from another machine on the network if you opened the appropriate Microsoft Windows Firewall ports:
http://localhost:<CONSOLE PORT> or http://<my_host>:<CONSOLE PORT> e.g: http://localhost:8081 or http://my_host:8081
You will first be prompted to enter the CAST Console global license key - either a Contributing Developers (CD) key or a Named Application key:
Click to enlarge
Next enter your CAST Extend configuration:
| Use CAST Extend Local Server | If you chose to download and install the CAST Extend Local Server component, you should now chose the CAST Extend Local Server option and enter the following details:
Click Next to continue. |
|---|---|
| Use CAST Extend website | If you chose NOT to download and install the CAST Extend Local Server component, you should now chose the CAST website option and enter the following details:
Click Next to continue. |
Then click Save and Finish:
Click to enlarge
You will finally be prompted to login. Login with either of the following credentials - both have the ADMIN role and perform all tasks and view all data:
- admin/admin
- cast/cast
Click to enlarge
You are now ready to onboard an application for analysis. See Application onboarding.
Troubleshooting tips
Docker error message
If you receive the following message in the command prompt window after running the initial deployment command line, this indicates that you are currently using Containers for Linux. You will need to switch to Containers for Windows - see https://docs.docker.com/desktop/faqs/windowsfaqs/#how-do-i-switch-between-windows-and-linux-containers.
docker: image operating system "windows" cannot be used on this platform
Not able to switch container type using the UI
If you are not able to switch to Containers for Windows by right clicking the Docker Desktop icon in the system tray (e.g. the option is missing), you can switch using the following command run from %PROGRAMFILES%\Docker\Docker:
.\DockerCli.Exe -SwitchDaemon
