Best Steps To Install OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04

This guide is designed to walk you through the process of installing OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04. OTRS (Open Source Ticket Request System) is a powerful, free application designed to streamline incident and service request management. It provides an organized and automated framework for technical support, enhancing interactions with your customers and users. The core of OTRS revolves around tickets, submitted by users via various channels like email or phone, and efficiently routed to the appropriate support personnel, ensuring every activity is meticulously tracked.

Now, let’s delve into the step-by-step instructions for installing OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04.

Before you begin installing OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04, it’s crucial to log in to your Ubuntu server as a non-root user with sudo privileges and configure a basic firewall for security. If you haven’t already done so, you can follow our comprehensive guide on Initial Server Setup with Ubuntu 22.04.

This guide focuses on installing the OTRS Community Edition from the source code on Ubuntu 22.04. Follow the outlined steps carefully.

Install Required Packages For OTRS

First, update your system’s package index to ensure you have the latest information about available packages:

sudo apt update

Next, install the necessary build tools and Perl modules required for OTRS to function correctly. This comprehensive command will install a range of dependencies:

sudo apt install perl libapache2-mod-perl2 libdbd-mysql-perl libtimedate-perl 
libnet-dns-perl libnet-ldap-perl libio-socket-ssl-perl libpdf-api2-perl 
libdbd-mysql-perl libsoap-lite-perl libtext-csv-xs-perl libjson-xs-perl 
libapache-dbi-perl libxml-libxml-perl libxml-libxslt-perl libyaml-perl 
libarchive-zip-perl libcrypt-eksblowfish-perl libencode-hanextra-perl 
libmail-imapclient-perl libtemplate-perl libmoo-perl libauthen-ntlm-perl 
libjavascript-minifier-xs-perl libdbd-odbc-perl  libcss-minifier-xs-perl 
libdbd-pg-perl libdatetime-perl apache2 mariadb-server mariadb-client -y

Download the latest OTRS Source Code

Before downloading, create a dedicated system user account for OTRS. This user will own the OTRS files and processes:

sudo useradd -r -m -d /opt/otrs -c "OTRS User" -s /usr/sbin/nologin otrs

Now, download the latest OTRS Community Edition package from the OTRS Community Edition Downloads page. Use the wget command to download the file directly to your server and then extract it into the /opt/otrs directory:

# sudo wget https://otrscommunityedition.com/download/otrs-community-edition-6.0.39.tar.gz
# sudo tar xvfz otrs-community-edition-6.0.39.tar.gz -C /opt/otrs --strip-components=1

After extracting the source code, run the OTRS Perl script to verify that all required Perl modules are installed. This script will identify any missing dependencies:

sudo perl /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.CheckModules.pl

Example Output:

  o Apache::DBI......................ok (v1.12)
  o Apache2::Reload..................ok (v0.13)
  o Archive::Tar.....................ok (v2.38)
  o Archive::Zip.....................ok (v1.68)
  o Crypt::Eksblowfish::Bcrypt.......ok (v0.009)
  o CSS::Minifier::XS................ok (v0.13)
  o Date::Format.....................ok (v2.24)
  o DateTime.........................ok (v1.55)
    o DateTime::TimeZone.............ok (v2.51)
  o DBI..............................ok (v1.643)
  o DBD::mysql.......................ok (v4.050)
  o DBD::ODBC........................ok (v1.61)
...

Note: If the script reports any missing Perl modules, install them using the apt package manager. For example, if libEncode is missing, run sudo apt install libencode-perl.

Activate Default OTRS Configuration

Activate the default OTRS configuration file by renaming it to remove the .dist extension. This is crucial for OTRS to function correctly.

sudo cp /opt/otrs/Kernel/Config.pm{.dist,}

Once renamed, double-check the integrity of other required modules by executing the following commands:

# sudo perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/cgi-bin/index.pl
# sudo perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/cgi-bin/customer.pl
# sudo perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.Console.pl
# sudo perl /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.SetPermissions.pl

Create OTRS Database User on Ubuntu 22.04

Secure your MariaDB installation by running the MySQL security script. This script will guide you through setting a root password and removing insecure defaults:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Follow the prompts, setting a strong password and answering the questions appropriately.

After securing the installation, log in to the MariaDB shell as the root user:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Create the OTRS database:

CREATE database otrsdb character set utf8 collate utf8_general_ci;

Next, create a dedicated database user for OTRS and grant it all necessary privileges:

grant all on otrsdb.* to otrsuser@localhost identified by 'password';

Remember to replace 'password' with a strong, unique password.

Flush the privileges to apply the changes and exit the MariaDB shell:

flush privileges;
exit;

Now, edit the MariaDB configuration file to optimize performance for OTRS:

sudo vi /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf

Add or modify the following lines within the [mysqld] section:

max_allowed_packet   = 64M
query_cache_size     = 32M
innodb_log_file_size = 256M

Save the changes and exit the file.

Restart the MariaDB service to apply the configuration changes:

sudo systemctl restart mariadb

Configure Apache For OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04

To serve OTRS through Apache, create a symbolic link to the OTRS Apache configuration file in the Apache web root directory:

sudo ln -s /opt/otrs/scripts/apache2-httpd.include.conf /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/

Disable the default Apache site, as it may conflict with OTRS:

sudo a2dissite 000-default.conf

Enable the required Apache modules:

sudo a2enmod perl version deflate filter headers

Set the correct ownership for the /opt/otrs directory, ensuring the OTRS user has the necessary permissions:

# sudo chown -R otrs: /opt/otrs/
# sudo usermod -aG www-data otrs

Update OTRS file permissions to allow the web server to access the necessary files:

sudo /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.SetPermissions.pl --web-group=www-data

Before restarting Apache, check the configuration for any errors:

sudo apachectl -t

Expected Output:

Syntax OK

If the configuration is valid, restart the Apache service:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

If you have a firewall enabled, allow external access to the Apache web server:

sudo ufw allow 80/tcp

Access OTRS Web Interface

Access the OTRS web interface by navigating to your server’s IP address followed by /otrs/installer.pl in your web browser.

You will be greeted by the OTRS Welcome screen. Click Next to proceed.

(Image of OTRS Welcome screen)

Accept the license agreement and click Continue.

(Image of OTRS License Agreement)

Select MySQL, choose Use an existing database for OTRS, and click Next. Enter the OTRS database credentials (database name, username, and password) and click Next.

(Image of OTRS Database Configuration)

If the database connection is successful, click Next.

(Image of OTRS Database Setup)

Configure the system settings, such as the system ID and administrator email address, and click Next.

(Image of System Settings for OTRS)

Configure your SMTP server settings or skip this step if you prefer to configure email later.

(Image of Mail Configuration for OTRS)

Once the installation is complete, you will see the server URL, login username, and password. Click on the provided URL to access the OTRS login screen.

(Image of OTRS URL)

Enter the username and password and click Login.

(Image of OTRS Login Screen)

You should now see the OTRS dashboard.

(Image of OTRS Dashboard)

If you encounter the "OTRS Daemon not running error," execute the following commands:

# sudo -Hiu otrs /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.Daemon.pl start
# sudo cp /opt/otrs/var/cron/otrs_daemon{.dist,}
# sudo -Hiu otrs /opt/otrs/bin/Cron.sh start

Refresh the OTRS screen to confirm that the error has been resolved.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured OTRS (Open Source Trouble Ticket System) on Ubuntu 22.04!

Alternative Solutions for Installing OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04

While the source installation method provides maximum control and customization, alternative approaches can streamline the process, especially for users who prefer a simpler setup. Here are two alternative methods for installing OTRS on Ubuntu 22.04:

1. Using Docker Compose:

Docker Compose allows you to define and manage multi-container Docker applications. This approach simplifies the installation process by containerizing OTRS and its dependencies, ensuring consistency and portability.

Explanation:

Containerization: Docker isolates OTRS and its dependencies (like MariaDB) into separate containers. This eliminates dependency conflicts and ensures a consistent environment across different systems.
Docker Compose: Docker Compose simplifies the management of multiple containers by defining them in a single docker-compose.yml file.
Simplified Installation: Docker Compose automates the download, configuration, and startup of all necessary containers, reducing manual intervention.

Code Example (docker-compose.yml):

version: "3.9"
services:
  db:
    image: mariadb:10.6
    restart: always
    environment:
      MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: your_root_password
      MYSQL_DATABASE: otrsdb
      MYSQL_USER: otrsuser
      MYSQL_PASSWORD: your_otrs_password
    volumes:
      - db_data:/var/lib/mysql

  otrs:
    image: otrs/otrs:latest
    restart: always
    ports:
      - "80:80"
    depends_on:
      - db
    environment:
      OTRS_DATABASE_HOST: db
      OTRS_DATABASE_NAME: otrsdb
      OTRS_DATABASE_USER: otrsuser
      OTRS_DATABASE_PASSWORD: your_otrs_password
    volumes:
      - otrs_data:/opt/otrs

volumes:
  db_data:
  otrs_data:

Steps to Install:

Install Docker and Docker Compose: Follow the official Docker documentation to install Docker and Docker Compose on your Ubuntu 22.04 system.
Create docker-compose.yml: Create a file named docker-compose.yml in a directory of your choice and paste the above code into it. Replace your_root_password and your_otrs_password with strong, unique passwords.
Run Docker Compose: Navigate to the directory containing the docker-compose.yml file and run the following command:
```
docker-compose up -d
```
This command will download the necessary images, create the containers, and start them in detached mode.
Access OTRS: Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost (or your server’s IP address). The OTRS web installer should appear.

2. Using Pre-built Virtual Appliance:

Another alternative is to use a pre-built virtual appliance. Several vendors offer virtual appliances with OTRS pre-installed and configured, ready to be deployed on virtualization platforms like VMware or VirtualBox.