Spector 360 System Requirements

In this topic

The Spector 360 Setup program installs all required Spector 360 Server Components. We recommend initially installing all components on a single server computer and later, when you are certain Spector 360 is correctly deployed, distributing components to other computers as needed.

Administrator Credentials

To install (or uninstall) Spector 360 components requires Administrator-user credentials for the computer(s) where you are installing components. To install and manage the Client on computers across the network also requires Administrator credentials. You'll need either a Domain Administrator login (valid on computers in the network) or an Administrator login that has been defined on each computer. In addition, the Client computer Windows OS must be configured as described below.

Single-Server Configuration

You can use Setup to install ALL Server Components, Microsoft SQL Server, and a Dashboard on a single computer. The "single server" computer requires network access to all Client computers. In this configuration, all Spector 360 Servers can run under the computer's Local System account.

Operating System*:
Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000, or
Windows 64-bit Editions

Disk space is a concern for the Spector 360 Database component, which will create backups and continue to grow. Make sure you have free disk space to support:
25 Clients - Minimum 100 GB
25-50 Clients - Minimum 200 GB
50-100 Clients - Minimum 500 GB
More than 100 Clients - More than 500 GB
See Estimating the Database Size
512 MB RAM depending on the OS; 1 GB+ RAM recommended
600-MHz Pentium III or faster processor; 1 GHz+ processor recommended
Static IP address for the server computer
Internet access to register and obtain an Unlock Code during Setup and to receive updates.

*NTFS File System
Microsoft SQL Server 2005 depends on the features of an NTFS file system. Make sure the computer OS where you install the Spector 360 Database uses the NTFS and not the FAT32 file system.

Client Recorder

The Client requires network communication with the Primary Server, Control Center, Data Vault Server, and Web Filter Server.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Vista
Windows 2000
Windows 64-bit systems*
50 MB free hard disk space
Administrator share level access (C$) to the computer is available
File and Printer Sharing must be enabled (applies to Vista)
Task Scheduler Service must be enabled (for remote installation)

Registry Services must be enabled (for remote management)
A SpectorSoft license for each Client installation (e.g., a 100-Client license to install on 100 computers)

*Windows 64-Bit Editions
Spector 360 Server Components run on 64-bit Edition systems, but the Client as provided does not. If you wish to monitor computers running Windows 64-bit operating systems, contact SpectorSoft Technical Support and request a special Client Deployment Utility update.

Dashboard

The Dashboard requires network access to the Spector 360 Database (SQL Server instance). Dashboards can be installed as needed across the network.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000, or
Windows 64-bit Editions
56 MB free hard disk space
280 MB (x86), 610 MB (x64) for Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0, if it has not been installed (available as a free download from Microsoft)
Windows login or SQL login privileges to the Database

Note: Each Dashboard requires permissions for accessing the File Storage Location where Screen Snapshot and Email Attachment files are stored. By default, this is the C$ Share on the Database computer. You can change the network share for security. See Sharing the File Storage Folder.

Distributed Server Configuration

You can install Server Components on different computers across the network. Each non-local server will run under a network account with permission to access appropriate locations on the network. The disk space sizes below are for individual, installed components; the computer on which you run the Setup will require at least 200 MB to handle the Setup files.

Primary Server

The Primary Server requires direct network access to each Client computer. A single Primary Server can manage up to 10,000 Client licenses.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000, or
Windows 64-bit Editions
1 MB free space to install
Static IP address
Internet access for registration and updates (optional)
Computer is always on
As needed, a Windows Firewall exception at IP port 16770 (created on Setup) to allow Clients to retrieve licensing and configuration information

Control Center Server and Application

The Control Center application runs on the same machine as the Control Center Server and requires direct network access to each Client computer, one Data Vault, and one Primary Server. A single Control Center can administer up to 6,000 Clients. You may install multiple Control Centers for a single Primary Server.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000
Windows 64-bit Editions
1 MB free space to install
Static IP address
Computer is always on
As needed, Windows Firewall exception at IP port 16768 (created on Setup) allows Clients to receive configuration information and communicate status

Note: The Control Center application installs with a Microsoft Management Console (MCC) snap-in and if needed will install with Microsoft XML Parser, a Windows service provided with most operating systems to process XML. Managing Clients from the Control Center requires Domain Administrator privileges or Local Administrator privileges on each Client computer.

Data Vault Server

The Data Vault Server requires direct network access to each Client, the Control Center, and the Database. A preferable configuration is to install the Data Vault Server, Database, and File Storage Location on one computer. You may install multiple Data Vault Servers for a single Primary Server, but each Data Vault server requires its own Control Center.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000, or
Windows 64-bit Editions
205 MB free to install
Static IP address
Permission to write to the Database and to File Storage Location folders (created automatically during Setup)
Computer is always on
As needed, Windows Firewall exception at IP port 16769 (created on Setup) allows Clients to communicate recorded events

If you have a very large network, or plan to record networks at several locations, install Multiple Data Vault Servers that communicate with one central Database (and one centralized File Storage Location). Each Data Vault Server requires its own Control Center application to manage a set of Clients.

Database and File Storage

The Spector 360 Database requires network communication with the Control Center Server, Data Vault Server, Web Filter Server, and each Dashboard. Be sure to install a Dashboard on the database computer. Spector 360 provides Microsoft SQL Server 2005 for 1,000 or more Clients or the more efficient Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express for fewer than 1,000 Clients. It is also possible to install a Spector 360 Database instance using an existing Microsoft SQL Server 2005 installation.

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 depends on the features and file size maximums used by NTFS. Make sure the computer OS where you install the Spector 360 Database uses the NTFS and not the FAT32 file system.

Windows XP Professional
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2008
Windows Vista
Windows 2000, or
Windows 64-bit Editions
350 MB free disk space to install SQL Server 2005 Express or Standard alone
Disk space is a concern for the Spector 360 Databases, which will create backups and continue to grow. Make sure you have free disk space to support:
Up to 25 Clients - 100 GB free disk space
25-50 Clients - 200 GB
50-100 Clients - 500 GB
More than 100 Clients - More than 500 GB
See Estimating the Database Size
400+ MB per user, per month, for the File Storage location
See Estimating the Database Size
As needed, Firewall exceptions that allow the Dashboard to connect to the SQL Server (created on Setup)
A locally installed Dashboard is required for certain Database Management functions

Web Filter Server

The Web Filter Server requires direct network access to Client computers being recorded and to the Spector 360 Database (SQL Server instance).

When there are thousands of web sites to filter, you may decide to install the Web Filter Server on its own computer so that web filtering doesn't interfere with other database processing.