Quick Start: Single-Host RPM Evaluation

The fastest way to bring up the control plane on one machine for a hands-on trial. The bundled quickstart.sh automatically: installs the RPMs → installs and initializes a local PostgreSQL → creates the database and role → generates a random password and writes it into the config → starts the control plane → prints the access URL and default credentials.

For production (external/HA database, split CP/DP, security hardening), use the standard path in Deploy with the Offline RPM Bundle instead.

Run the Quick Start Script

tar -xzf api7-ee-rpm-<version>-<dist>.<arch>.tar.gz
cd api7-ee-rpm-<version>-<dist>.<arch>/
sudo ./quickstart.sh

Then follow the on-screen hints:

1. Open the printed https://<host>:7443, log in with admin / admin and change the password, then upload the License until its status is normal.
2. Onboard a data plane: in the console create a gateway group → Add Instance → choose RPM → run the generated script on a host where api7-gateway is installed (see Onboard the data-plane gateway).

Scope

Single-host evaluation only. It installs a local PostgreSQL (which must be obtainable: online, a pre-staged offline repository, or an existing PostgreSQL). For production use the standard deployment.

Evaluate in a Container

All components are systemd services, so the container must run systemd as PID 1; otherwise quickstart.sh fails at systemctl / postgresql-setup with System has not been booted with systemd as init system. Example:

docker run -d --name api7-eval --privileged \
  -v /sys/fs/cgroup:/sys/fs/cgroup:rw --cgroupns=host \
  -p 7443:7443 -p 9080:9080 -p 9443:9443 \
  rockylinux:8 /sbin/init        # use rockylinux:9 for an el9 evaluation
docker cp api7-ee-rpm-<version>-<dist>.<arch>.tar.gz api7-eval:/root/
docker exec api7-eval bash -lc 'cd /root && tar -xzf api7-ee-rpm-*.tar.gz'
docker exec -it api7-eval bash -lc 'cd /root/api7-ee-rpm-*/ && ./quickstart.sh'

tip

The base image (e.g. rockylinux:8) ships without systemd; if /sbin/init is missing, install it first (dnf -y install systemd) or use an image that already runs systemd.

Next Steps

• Enable dashboard metrics: Install Prometheus.
• Onboard more gateways via RPM: Deploy an RPM Data Plane Using the Dashboard's Docker Script.
• Operations, ports, upgrade, troubleshooting: Deploy with the Offline RPM Bundle.