System Requirements and Supported Platforms

Server Scout is designed to be lightweight and compatible with most modern Linux environments. This guide outlines the system requirements and supported platforms to help you determine if your infrastructure is compatible.

Minimum System Requirements

Before installing Server Scout, ensure your system meets these baseline requirements:

  • Bash 4.0 or later - Required for the monitoring scripts
  • curl - Used for secure data transmission to Server Scout servers
  • systemd-based Linux distribution - Server Scout relies on systemd for service management and resource limits

You can verify your Bash version with:

bash --version

Check if curl is installed:

curl --version

Supported Linux Distributions

Server Scout has been tested and verified to work on the following distributions:

Enterprise and Long-Term Support

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7+
  • CentOS 7+
  • AlmaLinux 8+
  • Rocky Linux 8+
  • Oracle Linux 7+
  • SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 12+

Community Distributions

  • Debian 10+ (Buster and later)
  • Ubuntu 18.04+ (Bionic Beaver and later)
  • Fedora 30+
  • openSUSE Leap 15+
  • Arch Linux (rolling release)

Cloud and Minimal Distributions

  • Amazon Linux 2+
  • Alpine Linux 3.10+ (requires bash package installation)

For Alpine Linux users, install bash before proceeding:

apk add bash

Resource Footprint

Server Scout is engineered to have minimal impact on your system resources:

Memory Usage

  • Runtime footprint: Approximately 3 MB RAM during normal operation
  • systemd memory limit: 48 MB hard limit enforced automatically
  • Memory management: Automatic cleanup prevents memory leaks

CPU Usage

  • Per-cycle impact: Less than 100ms CPU time per 5-second monitoring cycle
  • systemd CPU limit: 5% CPU cap enforced to prevent resource contention
  • Scheduling: Low-priority scheduling ensures system processes take precedence

Disk Usage

  • Agent installation: Approximately 2 MB for core agent and standard plugins
  • Spool directory: Up to 1.4 MB during network outages for data buffering
  • Log rotation: Automatic log management prevents disk space issues

Network Requirements

Server Scout's network usage is designed to be minimal and secure:

  • Bandwidth: Approximately 2 KB per POST request every 5 seconds
  • Protocol: Outbound HTTPS only (port 443)
  • Frequency: Data transmission occurs every 5 seconds during normal operation
  • Offline handling: Local spooling during connectivity issues with automatic retry

No inbound connections are required, making Server Scout suitable for servers behind firewalls or NAT.

Dashboard Browser Requirements

The Server Scout web dashboard is compatible with all modern browsers:

Supported Browsers

  • Chrome 70+
  • Firefox 65+
  • Safari 12+
  • Edge 79+

Technical Requirements

  • JavaScript: Must be enabled for full functionality
  • HTTPS: Secure connection required
  • Responsive design: Optimised for both desktop and mobile viewing

Virtualisation and Container Support

Server Scout works seamlessly in virtualised environments:

Supported Platforms

  • VMware vSphere/ESXi
  • KVM/QEMU
  • Xen
  • Hyper-V
  • Docker containers
  • LXC/LXD containers
  • Cloud instances (AWS EC2, Google Cloud, Azure, etc.)

Important Considerations

Some hardware-specific metrics may not be available in virtualised environments:

  • CPU temperature: May return null values without physical sensor access
  • Hardware RAID status: Limited visibility in VMs
  • Power management: Some power-related metrics may be unavailable

These limitations don't affect core monitoring functionality and are clearly indicated in the dashboard when applicable.

Pre-Installation Check

Before installing Server Scout, run this quick compatibility check:

# Verify system compatibility
bash --version && curl --version && systemctl --version

If all commands return version information successfully, your system meets the requirements for Server Scout installation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the minimum system requirements for Server Scout?

Server Scout requires Bash 4.0 or later, curl for data transmission, and a systemd-based Linux distribution for service management. You can verify these requirements by running bash --version, curl --version, and systemctl --version commands. These are the only baseline requirements needed for installation.

Which Linux distributions does Server Scout support?

Server Scout supports major enterprise distributions like RHEL 7+, CentOS 7+, AlmaLinux 8+, and SUSE SLES 12+. Community distributions include Debian 10+, Ubuntu 18.04+, Fedora 30+, and Arch Linux. Cloud distributions like Amazon Linux 2+ and Alpine Linux 3.10+ are also supported, though Alpine requires bash package installation.

How much memory and CPU does Server Scout use?

Server Scout uses approximately 3 MB RAM during normal operation with a 48 MB systemd memory limit. CPU usage is less than 100ms per 5-second monitoring cycle with a 5% CPU cap enforced by systemd. The agent installation requires about 2 MB disk space with automatic log rotation to prevent disk issues.

Does Server Scout work in Docker containers and virtual machines?

Yes, Server Scout works seamlessly in virtualised environments including VMware vSphere, KVM, Xen, Hyper-V, Docker containers, LXC/LXD containers, and cloud instances. Some hardware-specific metrics like CPU temperature or hardware RAID status may not be available in VMs, but core monitoring functionality remains unaffected.

What network requirements does Server Scout have?

Server Scout uses approximately 2 KB per POST request every 5 seconds over outbound HTTPS (port 443) only. No inbound connections are required, making it suitable for servers behind firewalls. During network outages, data is spooled locally (up to 1.4 MB) with automatic retry when connectivity returns.

How do I check if my system is compatible with Server Scout?

Run this compatibility check command: bash --version && curl --version && systemctl --version. If all commands return version information successfully, your system meets Server Scout requirements. This verifies you have the required Bash version, curl for data transmission, and systemd for service management.

Why does Server Scout require systemd?

Server Scout relies on systemd for service management and enforcing resource limits. Systemd automatically manages the memory limit (48 MB), CPU cap (5%), and ensures low-priority scheduling so system processes take precedence. This prevents Server Scout from impacting system performance while maintaining reliable monitoring operation.

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