Linux Binary

This guide covers installing and running Qtap as a Linux binary in cloud-connected mode, managed through the Qplane control plane.

Preflight Check

Verify your environment's compatibility:

curl -sSL https://github.com/qpoint-io/preflight/releases/latest/download/preflight.sh | sudo bash

Prerequisites

• Linux host with kernel 5.10+

• Root/sudo access

• x86_64 or arm64 architecture

• Registration token from app.qpoint.io (Settings → Installation)

Installation

Quick Install

curl -s https://get.qpoint.io/install | sudo sh

Manual Installation

1. Download the appropriate binary:

For x86_64:

curl -L https://downloads.qpoint.io/qpoint/qtap-v0.14.4-linux-amd64.tgz -o qtap.tgz

For arm64:

curl -L https://downloads.qpoint.io/qpoint/qtap-v0.14.4-linux-arm64.tgz -o qtap.tgz

1. Extract and install:

tar -xzf qtap.tgz && \
    sudo mv qtap-* /usr/local/bin/qtap && \
    sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/qtap

Running with Registration Token

Run Qtap in cloud-connected mode:

sudo qtap --registration-token=$TOKEN

Replace $TOKEN with your actual registration token from app.qpoint.io.

Running as a Service

Service Configuration

1. Create environment file for secure token storage:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/qtap && \
    sudo touch /etc/qtap/environment && \
    sudo chmod 600 /etc/qtap/environment

1. Add your registration token and optional tag variables:

sudo tee /etc/qtap/environment << 'EOF'
REGISTRATION_TOKEN=your_registration_token_here
QTAP_ENVIRONMENT=Production
QTAP_SERVICE=API
EOF

Tags are optional but useful for filtering in Qplane dashboards (e.g., filter by environment, region, or cluster). See Organizations & Environments for when to use tags vs installations.

1. Create systemd service file:

sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/qtap.service

Add the following content:

[Unit]
Description=Qtap Traffic Analysis Service
After=network.target
StartLimitIntervalSec=0

[Service]
Type=simple
User=root
EnvironmentFile=/etc/qtap/environment
ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/qtap --registration-token=${REGISTRATION_TOKEN} --tags="Environment:${QTAP_ENVIRONMENT},Service:${QTAP_SERVICE}"
Restart=always
RestartSec=1

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

Managing the Service

1. Reload systemd:

sudo systemctl daemon-reload

1. Start the service:

sudo systemctl start qtap

1. Enable service to start on boot:

sudo systemctl enable qtap

1. Check service status:

sudo systemctl status qtap

1. View service logs:

sudo journalctl -u qtap -f

Updating Binary

Installation Script

The quickest way to update Qtap is via our installation script:

1. Stop the service:

   sudo systemctl stop qtap

2. Download and install the new version:

   curl -s https://get.qpoint.io/install | sudo sh

3. Restart the service:

   sudo systemctl start qtap

4. Verify the update:

   qtap --version
   sudo systemctl status qtap

Manually

1. Stop the service:

   sudo systemctl stop qtap

2. Download and install the new version:

   # Download the new version
   curl -L https://downloads.qpoint.io/qpoint/qtap-vX.Y.Z-linux-amd64.tgz -o qtap-new.tgz
   
   # Extract and replace
   tar -xzf qtap-new.tgz
   sudo mv qtap-* /usr/local/bin/qtap
   sudo chmod +x /usr/local/bin/qtap

3. Restart the service:

   sudo systemctl start qtap

4. Verify the update:

   qtap --version
   sudo systemctl status qtap