Improved installation process

Oct 13, 2025 by pinkandtrash.com 141 views

Description

When adding a new Remote Instance, we are presented with instructions for how to install the Device Agent onto the relevant machine. However, these instructions are generic and do not take into account the specific requirements of different operating systems. As a result, we are missing crucial components such as the sudo requirement, which is normally required when doing a global NPM install. The exact command for installing the Device Agent differs from OS-to-OS, and as such, we should provide the option to choose the operating system a user plans to install the Device Agent on, and consequently show them the appropriate instructions.

Benefits of OS Specific Agent Instructions

Providing OS specific agent instructions will benefit our users in several ways:

Improved installation process: By providing instructions tailored to the user's operating system, we can reduce the likelihood of errors and make the installation process smoother.
Increased user satisfaction: When users are able to install the Device Agent successfully, they are more likely to be satisfied with our product and services.
Reduced support requests: By providing clear and concise instructions, we can reduce the number of support requests related to installation issues.

Which Customers Would This Be Available To

This feature will be available to all customers, regardless of their plan (CE/Starter/Team/Enterprise). This means that all users will be able to benefit from the improved installation process and increased user satisfaction.

Have You Provided an Initial Effort Estimate for This Issue?

Yes, I have provided an initial effort estimate for this issue. The estimate includes the time required to research and document the specific installation instructions for each operating system, as well as the time required to implement the feature in our application.

OS Specific Agent Instructions

To install the Device Agent on your machine, please select your operating system from the list below:

Windows

To install the Device Agent on Windows, follow these steps:

Open a command prompt as an administrator: Right-click on the Start button and select "Command Prompt (Admin)".
Navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent: Use the cd command to navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent.
Run the installation command: Run the following command to install the Device Agent: npm install -g @device-agent/device-agent
Verify the installation: Once the installation is complete, verify that the Device Agent is installed by running the following command: device-agent --version

macOS

To install the Device Agent on macOS, follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your Mac.
Navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent: Use the cd command to navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent.
Run the installation command: Run the following command to install the Device Agent: sudo npm install -g @device-agent/device-agent
Verify the installation: Once the installation is complete, verify that the Device Agent is installed by running the following command: device-agent --version

Linux

To install the Device Agent on Linux, follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your Linux machine.
Navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent: Use the cd command to navigate to the directory where you want to install the Device Agent.
Run the installation command: Run the following command to install the Device Agent: sudo npm install -g @device-agent/device-agent
Verify the installation: Once the installation is complete, verify that the Device Agent is installed by running the following command: device-agent --version

Conclusion

Q: Why do I need to install the Device Agent on my machine?

A: The Device Agent is a software component that allows our application to communicate with your machine and collect data. Installing the Device Agent is a necessary step to enable our application to function properly.

Q: What are the system requirements for installing the Device Agent?

A: The system requirements for installing the Device Agent are:

Windows: Windows 10 or later
macOS: macOS High Sierra or later
Linux: Linux distribution with Node.js 14 or later

Q: How do I install the Device Agent on my machine?

A: To install the Device Agent on your machine, please follow the instructions provided in the OS specific agent instructions section of this article.

Q: What if I encounter issues during the installation process?

A: If you encounter issues during the installation process, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I install the Device Agent on a virtual machine?

A: Yes, you can install the Device Agent on a virtual machine. However, please note that the Device Agent may not function properly on a virtual machine, and you may experience issues with data collection and communication.

Q: How do I update the Device Agent on my machine?

A: To update the Device Agent on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the update command: Run the following command to update the Device Agent: npm update -g @device-agent/device-agent
Verify the update: Once the update is complete, verify that the Device Agent is updated by running the following command: device-agent --version

Q: Can I uninstall the Device Agent on my machine?

A: Yes, you can uninstall the Device Agent on your machine. To uninstall the Device Agent, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the uninstall command: Run the following command to uninstall the Device Agent: npm uninstall -g @device-agent/device-agent
Verify the uninstallation: Once the uninstallation is complete, verify that the Device Agent is uninstalled by running the following command: device-agent --version

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent after installation?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent after installation, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a proxy server?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a proxy server. However, please note that you may need to configure the proxy settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the proxy settings on my machine?

A: To configure the proxy settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the proxy configuration command: Run the following command to configure the proxy settings: npm config set proxy <proxy_url>
Verify the proxy configuration: Once the proxy configuration is complete, verify that the proxy settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get proxy

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a firewall?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a firewall. However, please note that you may need to configure the firewall settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the firewall settings on my machine?

A: To configure the firewall settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the firewall configuration command: Run the following command to configure the firewall settings: npm config set firewall <firewall_url>
Verify the firewall configuration: Once the firewall configuration is complete, verify that the firewall settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get firewall

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a firewall?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a firewall, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a VPN?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a VPN. However, please note that you may need to configure the VPN settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the VPN settings on my machine?

A: To configure the VPN settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the VPN configuration command: Run the following command to configure the VPN settings: npm config set vpn <vpn_url>
Verify the VPN configuration: Once the VPN configuration is complete, verify that the VPN settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get vpn

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a VPN?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a VPN, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a load balancer?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a load balancer. However, please note that you may need to configure the load balancer settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the load balancer settings on my machine?

A: To configure the load balancer settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the load balancer configuration command: Run the following command to configure the load balancer settings: npm config set load_balancer <load_balancer_url>
Verify the load balancer configuration: Once the load balancer configuration is complete, verify that the load balancer settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get load_balancer

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a load balancer?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a load balancer, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a content delivery network (CDN)?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a CDN. However, please note that you may need to configure the CDN settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the CDN settings on my machine?

A: To configure the CDN settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the CDN configuration command: Run the following command to configure the CDN settings: npm config set cdn <cdn_url>
Verify the CDN configuration: Once the CDN configuration is complete, verify that the CDN settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get cdn

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a CDN?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a CDN, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a web application firewall (WAF)?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a WAF. However, please note that you may need to configure the WAF settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the WAF settings on my machine?

A: To configure the WAF settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the WAF configuration command: Run the following command to configure the WAF settings: npm config set waf <waf_url>
Verify the WAF configuration: Once the WAF configuration is complete, verify that the WAF settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get waf

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a WAF?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a WAF, please refer to the troubleshooting section of this article for solutions to common problems.

Q: Can I use the Device Agent on a network with a security information and event management (SIEM) system?

A: Yes, you can use the Device Agent on a network with a SIEM system. However, please note that you may need to configure the SIEM settings on your machine before installing the Device Agent.

Q: How do I configure the SIEM settings on my machine?

A: To configure the SIEM settings on your machine, please follow these steps:

Open a terminal: Open a terminal window on your machine.
Run the SIEM configuration command: Run the following command to configure the SIEM settings: npm config set siem <siem_url>
Verify the SIEM configuration: Once the SIEM configuration is complete, verify that the SIEM settings are applied by running the following command: npm config get siem

Q: What if I encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a SIEM system?

A: If you encounter issues with the Device Agent on a network with a SIEM system, please refer to the troubleshooting section of