> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://syteca.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Management Tool Prerequisites

> Prepare a Windows computer to install the Syteca Management Tool — enable IIS, install .NET Framework, configure IIS roles, set up an SSL certificate, and bind HTTPS.

This page is the complete pre-install checklist for the Syteca Management Tool. Work through it top to bottom on the Windows computer where you'll install the Management Tool — by the end, IIS will be enabled and configured, .NET Framework will be installed, a certificate will be issued and trusted, and HTTPS will be bound.

<Info>
  **Not available in SaaS.** The Management Tool is only installed on-premises and in self-hosted deployments. In SaaS, you access the equivalent functionality through your browser without local installation.
</Info>

<Note>
  On **Windows 7**, the steps below must be followed in sequence — some steps depend on earlier ones.
</Note>

After completing this checklist, return to [Install the Management Tool](/docs/administration/deployment/install-management-tool) for the installer itself.

## 1. Turn on IIS

Internet Information Services (IIS) is the web server that hosts the Management Tool's web interface. Turn it on using the method that matches your OS.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Windows 10 / 8.1 / 7">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open Programs and Features">
        Select **Control Panel → Programs → Programs and Features**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Open Windows Features">
        Click the **Turn Windows features on or off** link.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Enable IIS">
        In the **Windows Features** window, in the **Features** tree-view, select the **Internet Information Services** checkbox, then click **OK**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows Server 2012 / 2016 (Server Manager)">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open Server Manager">
        On the **Start** menu, select **Server Manager**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Add roles and features">
        In the **Navigation** pane, select **Dashboard**, then click **Manage → Add roles and features**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Walk through the wizard">
        Click **Next** on the **Before You Begin** page. On the **Installation Type** page, select **Role-based or feature-based installation** and click **Next**. On the **Server Selection** page, select **Select a server from the server pool**, pick your server, and click **Next**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Select the Web Server (IIS) role">
        On the **Server Roles** page, select the **Web Server (IIS)** checkbox, then click **Next** and **Add Features** to confirm.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows Server 2012 / 2016+ (PowerShell)">
    Run this PowerShell command as administrator:

    ```powershell theme={"system"}
    Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server,Web-Mgmt-Tools
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows Server 2019 Core (PowerShell)">
    Server 2019 Core has no GUI — use PowerShell with the full set of features needed for the Management Tool:

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Install IIS and its components">
        ```powershell theme={"system"}
        Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server,Web-WebSockets,Web-Asp-Net,Web-Asp-Net45,Web-Mgmt-Console
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Verify installed features">
        ```powershell theme={"system"}
        Get-WindowsFeature
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Launch IIS Manager (when needed)">
        After installation, IIS Manager can be run by using its full path:

        ```text theme={"system"}
        C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv\InetMgr.exe
        ```
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## 2. Install .NET Framework

<Frame caption="The IIS Web Server feature selection during Step 1 — every required sub-feature must be enabled before the Management Tool can install.">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/syteca/0FlD-vkHsBA1azVX/images/administration/deployment/iis-features-selection.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=0FlD-vkHsBA1azVX&q=85&s=5182736536b1f5d1427d4fa2b630ed8c" alt="Server Manager IIS feature selection screen showing the required IIS sub-features checked for the Management Tool prerequisites" width="800" height="567" data-path="images/administration/deployment/iis-features-selection.png" />
</Frame>

.NET Framework **4.8** is required to run the Management Tool.

* .NET Framework 4.8 is **included** in Windows 10 (version 1903 and later) and on most current Windows Server versions.
* If your version of Windows doesn't have .NET Framework 4.8, [download it from Microsoft](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet-framework). Installation requires administrator permissions.

<Warning>
  After installing .NET Framework, **restart the computer** before continuing. The remaining steps depend on the framework being fully registered with IIS.
</Warning>

<Note>
  Syteca 7.23 and later also require **.NET 8.0** for the Application Server (separate from .NET Framework 4.8 on the Management Tool host). See [Syteca 7.23 release notes](/docs/release-notes/v7-23) for details.
</Note>

## 3. Configure IIS

After IIS is on, enable the specific roles and features the Management Tool needs. The exact list depends on your Windows version — pick the matching tab.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Windows 10">
    In the **Windows Features** window, select all of these checkboxes, then click **OK**:

    * **.NET Framework 4.8 Advanced Services**
    * **Internet Information Services → Web Management Tools → IIS Management Console**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Application Development Features → ASP.NET 4.8** and **WebSocket Protocol**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Common HTTP Features → Static Content**
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows 8.1">
    In the **Windows Features** window, select all of these checkboxes, then click **OK**:

    * **.NET Framework 4.5 Advanced Services**
    * **Internet Information Services → Web Management Tools → IIS Management Console**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Application Development Features → ASP.NET 4.5** and **WebSocket Protocol**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Common HTTP Features → Static Content**
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows 7">
    In the **Windows Features** window, select all of these checkboxes, then click **OK**:

    * **Internet Information Services → Web Management Tools → IIS Management Console**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Application Development Features → ASP.NET**
    * **Internet Information Services → World Wide Web Services → Common HTTP Features → Static Content**
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows Server 2016">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Confirm Web Server (IIS) is selected">
        In the **Add Roles and Features Wizard**, on the **Server Roles** page, confirm the **Web Server (IIS)** checkbox is selected, then click **Next**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Select .NET features">
        On the **Features** page, select both:

        * **.NET Framework 4.6 Features → .NET Framework 4.6**
        * **ASP.NET 4.6**

        Click **Next**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Walk through the Web Server Role pages">
        On the **Web Server Role (IIS)** page, click **Next**. On the **Role Services** page, select **ASP.NET 4.6** under **Application Development**, click **Next**, then **Add Features**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Confirm Application Development features">
        Back on the **Role Services** page, confirm all of these are selected under **Application Development**:

        * **.NET Extensibility 4.6**
        * **ASP.NET 4.6**
        * **ISAPI Extensions**
        * **ISAPI Filters**
        * **WebSocket Protocol**

        Click **Next**, then **Install**. When done, click **Close**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Windows Server 2012">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Confirm Web Server (IIS) is selected">
        In the **Add Roles and Features Wizard**, on the **Server Roles** page, confirm the **Web Server (IIS)** checkbox is selected, then click **Next**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Select .NET features">
        On the **Features** page, select both:

        * **.NET Framework 4.5 (Installed)**
        * **ASP.NET 4.5**

        Click **Next**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Walk through the Web Server Role pages">
        On the **Web Server Role (IIS)** page, click **Next**. On the **Role Services** page, select **ASP.NET 4.5** under **Application Development**, click **Next**, then **Add Features**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Confirm Application Development features">
        Back on the **Role Services** page, expand **Application Development** and confirm all of these are selected:

        * **.NET Extensibility 4.5**
        * **ISAPI Extensions**
        * **ISAPI Filters**
        * **WebSocket Protocol**

        Click **Next**, then **Install**. When done, click **Close**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## 4. Provide an SSL certificate

You can either **generate a self-signed certificate** (sufficient for internal deployments — must then be added to Trusted Root manually) or **import a purchased trusted certificate** issued for the computer where the Management Tool will run.

<Note>
  If you already have a certificate generated or installed for this computer, skip this step and continue with [Step 6 — bind HTTPS](#6-bind-https-on-the-default-website).
</Note>

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Generate a self-signed certificate">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open IIS Manager">
        * On **Windows 8.1 / 7**: **Computer → Manage → Services and Applications → Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager**.
        * On **Windows Server 2012+**: press **Windows+R**, enter `inetmgr`, press **Enter**.

        <Tip>
          The `inetmgr` command opens IIS Manager on any Windows version — fastest way regardless of OS.
        </Tip>
      </Step>

      <Step title="Open Server Certificates">
        Click the main node in the **Connections** tree-view, then double-click the **Server Certificates** icon in the **IIS** section.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Create the certificate">
        In the **Actions** pane on the right, click **Create Self-Signed Certificate**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Name it">
        In the **Create Self-Signed Certificate** window, enter a name in **Specify a friendly name for the certificate**, select **Personal** in the **Select a certificate store** drop-down, then click **OK**.
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Import a purchased trusted certificate">
    <Steps>
      <Step title="Open IIS Manager">
        Use `inetmgr` or the GUI route as in the self-signed tab above.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Open Server Certificates">
        Click the main node in the **Connections** tree-view, then double-click the **Server Certificates** icon in the **IIS** section.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Import">
        In the **Actions** pane on the right, click **Import**.
      </Step>

      <Step title="Choose the file">
        In the **Import Certificate** window, click the **…** button to browse for the certificate file. Enter the password in the **Password** field, then click **OK**. The certificate appears in the **Server Certificates** pane.

        <Note>
          For purchased certificates that were issued for your computer, you can skip the next step (adding to Trusted Root) — they're trusted automatically by Windows. Continue with [Step 6](#6-bind-https-on-the-default-website).
        </Note>
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Server 2019 Core (PowerShell)">
    Server 2019 Core has no GUI for IIS Manager — generate, export, and import the certificate with PowerShell.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Generate and bind a self-signed certificate to port 443">
        ```powershell theme={"system"}
        $site = "Default Web Site"
        New-WebBinding -Name $site -IPAddress * -Port 443 -Protocol https
        $cert = New-SelfSignedCertificate -CertStoreLocation 'Cert:\LocalMachine\My' -DnsName "syteca"
        $certPath = "Cert:\LocalMachine\My\$($cert.Thumbprint)"
        $providerPath = 'IIS:\SslBindings\0.0.0.0!443'
        Get-Item $certPath | New-Item $providerPath
        ```

        On Server 2019 Core, this single block both creates the certificate **and** binds it to port 443 — you do **not** need [Step 6](#6-bind-https-on-the-default-website).
      </Step>

      <Step title="Export an existing self-signed certificate (if you need to move it)">
        ```powershell theme={"system"}
        $password = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "my_password" -Force -AsPlainText
        Get-ChildItem -Path Cert:\LocalMachine\My\<cert_thumbprint> |
            Export-PfxCertificate -FilePath "C:\cert.pfx" -Password $password
        ```
      </Step>

      <Step title="Import an existing self-signed certificate">
        ```powershell theme={"system"}
        $password = ConvertTo-SecureString -String "my_password" -Force -AsPlainText
        Import-PfxCertificate -FilePath <path_to_certificate> -CertStoreLocation Cert:\LocalMachine\My -Password $password
        ```
      </Step>
    </Steps>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## 5. Add the self-signed certificate to Trusted Root

If you generated a **self-signed** certificate in Step 4, you must export it and add it to Trusted Root Certification Authorities — otherwise the browser will show a certificate error when opening the Management Tool. **Skip this step entirely** if you imported a purchased trusted certificate.

### Export the self-signed certificate

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Export from IIS Manager">
    In IIS Manager, on the **Server Certificates** pane, select the certificate you generated. In the **Actions** pane on the right, click **Export**.

    <Tip>
      You can also right-click the certificate and choose **Export** from the context menu.
    </Tip>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save it">
    In the **Export Certificate** window, set the file location and a password, then click **OK**. The certificate is exported as a `.pfx` file.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Import into Trusted Root Certification Authorities

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open MMC">
    Press **Windows+R**, enter `mmc`, press **Enter**, then click **Yes** in the User Account Control prompt.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the Certificates snap-in">
    In the **Console** window, select **File → Add/Remove Snap-in**. In the dialog, select **Certificates → Add**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick Computer account">
    In **Certificates snap-in**, select **Computer account**, then click **Next**. In **Select Computer**, select **Local computer: (the computer this console is running on)**, then click **Finish**. Back in **Add or Remove Snap-ins**, click **OK**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Trusted Root">
    In the **Console** window, expand the **Certificates (Local computer)** node. Find the **Trusted Root Certification Authorities** node.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Import the certificate">
    Right-click **Trusted Root Certification Authorities**, choose **All Tasks → Import**, then walk through the **Certificate Import Wizard**:

    * **File to Import** — browse to the `.pfx` you exported.
    * **Private key protection** — enter the password you set during export.
    * **Certificate Store** — accept the default (Trusted Root Certification Authorities).
    * **Finish** — confirm.

    <Note>
      The **Issued To** field on the imported certificate contains the name of the computer the Management Tool will be installed on. You must use the **same name** in the address bar of your browser to open the Management Tool — otherwise the browser will still warn about the certificate.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Close MMC">
    Close the **Console** window.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## 6. Bind HTTPS on the default website

<Info>
  On **Windows Server 2019 Core**, this step is already done — the PowerShell block in Step 4 handled the binding. Skip to [Next steps](#next-steps).
</Info>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open IIS Manager">
    Open IIS Manager (`inetmgr` from the Run window, or via Computer → Manage on Windows 8.1 / 7).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select the Default Web Site">
    In the **Connections** pane on the left, expand the node with the target computer's name, expand the **Sites** node under it, and select **Default Web Site**.

    <Note>
      If there's no Default Web Site, any other website can be selected — the name doesn't matter.
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Site Bindings">
    In the **Actions** pane on the right, click the **Bindings** link.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add an HTTPS binding">
    If there's no `https` binding yet, click **Add**. In the **Add Site Binding** window:

    * **Type:** select **https**.
    * **SSL certificate:** select the certificate from Step 4.

    Click **OK**, then **Close** in the **Site Bindings** window.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

With all six steps complete, the Windows computer is ready to install the Management Tool. Continue to [Install the Management Tool](/docs/administration/deployment/install-management-tool).

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Installation checklist" icon="list-checks" href="/docs/administration/deployment/installation-checklist">
    The full Syteca deployment checklist (Application Server, Database, Management Tool).
  </Card>

  <Card title="System requirements" icon="server" href="/docs/get-started/requirements/application-server">
    Supported Windows versions, hardware specs, and network ports.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Update best practice" icon="refresh-cw" href="/docs/administration/deployment/update-syteca">
    The procedure to follow when upgrading an existing deployment.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Security and encryption" icon="shield" href="/docs/administration/security/encryption">
    Encryption details for Client–Server communication.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>