Setting Up the Control System

Describes how to configure and access the Control System.

The Control System allows you to manage the cluster (including nodes, volumes, users, and alarms) through a comprehensive graphical user interface with all the functionality of the command line or REST APIs.

Installing the Web Server and API Server

In prior releases, the mapr-webserver package contained both the Control System UI static files and the server running the Java application. Starting from v6.0, the UI static files are in mapr-webserver. The mapr-apiserver runs the server that sends the queries. The apiserver allows you to perform cluster administration programmatically.

When you install mapr-webserver, the mapr-apiserver is automatically installed because of the dependency on the mapr-apiserver to perform the queries. If mapr-webserver is installed, you can use the graphical user interface to manage your cluster. You can also install the mapr-apiserver independently to run APIs or web clients that query or programmatically access MapR File System, MapR Database, and other components; however, without the webserver, the Control System will not be available on this node to perform administrative tasks using the UI.

To install the webserver and/or apiserver, see Installing MapR and MapR Ecosystem Components.
  • If you install using the MapR Installer, by default, the installer selects one instance of the mapr-webserver and mapr-apiserver to install. You can specify additional webserver and/or apiserver instances to install in the Configure Service Layout page.
  • If you install manually, run the appropriate command on the node to install the mapr-webserver and/or mapr-apiserver packages. For more information on the command to run, see Step 3: Install Cluster Service Packages. After you install the packages, run the following commands:
    • /opt/mapr/server/configure.sh -R
    • maprcli node services -nodes <nodes> -name apiserver -action start

For the purposes of high availability, the recommendation is to run at least 2 instances of the webserver and 2 instances of the apiserver.

Configuring Metrics and Logging to Enable Metrics Visualization

During installation using the MapR Installer, you can configure metrics and logging using settings on the Monitoring page of the MapR Installer user interface. The metrics collection infrastructure must be installed because the Control System relies on these metrics to provide graphs and charts. If the metrics collection infrastructure is not installed, you cannot visualize the metrics in the panes on the Control System. If you did not install metrics collection or logging during your initial installation, you can add it later by selecting the feature during an Incremental Install.

Configuring SameSite Cookie Support

The SameSite attribute of the Set-Cookie HTTP response header allows you to declare if your cookie should be restricted to a first-party or same-site context.

Edit the following section in the /opt/mapr/apiserver/conf/web.xml file to set the SameSite cookie:

 <session-config>
    <cookie-config>
      <http-only>true</http-only>
      <max-age>86400</max-age>
      <name>MAPR.APISERVER.JSESSIONID</name>
      <secure>true</secure>
      <comment>__SAME_SITE_LAX__</comment>
    </cookie-config>
    <session-timeout>30</session-timeout>
  </session-config>

Set it to one of the following values:

_SAME_SITE_STRICT_
Cookies will only be sent in a first-party context and not be sent along with requests initiated by third party websites.
_SAME_SITE_LAX_
Cookies are allowed to be sent with top-level navigations and will be sent along with GET request initiated by the third party website. This is the default value.
_SAME_SITE_NONE_
Cookies will be sent in all contexts, that is, sending cross-origin is allowed.

For more information, see SameSite cookies.

Browser Compatibility

The Control System is web-based, and works with the following browsers:

  • Chrome 58 and later
  • Safari 11.x for v6.0.1

    Safari 10.x for v6.0

    NOTE Safari Private Window is not supported.
  • Firefox 53 and later
  • Microsoft Edge 15, 16, and 17
NOTE If you encounter the following error on Firefox 79 and above: 
Secure Connection Failed
Error code: SEC_ERROR_REUSED_ISSUER_AND_SERIAL
then delete the Control System certificates as described to resolve this error.

Launching the Control System

To use the Control System, navigate to the host that is running the WebServer in the cluster. Control System access to the cluster is typically using HTTP on port 8080 or using HTTPS on port 8443. You should disable pop-up blockers in your browser to allow MapR to open help links in new browser tabs.

The first time you open the Control System using HTTPS from a new browser, the browser alerts you that the security certificate is unrecognized. This is normal behavior for a new connection. Add an exception in your browser to allow the connection to continue.