How to install Sentrifugo HRM on Ubuntu Server 18.04

Your data center contains many of the tools your business requires to function. If one of those tools isn’t an HRM solution, you’re missing out. Fortunately, there are plenty of open source applications you can install to help make your Human Resources department hum like a well-oiled machine.

One such tool is Sentrifugo HRM. This particular solution includes modules for employee performance; vacation dates; appraisals; time, leave, and employee management; analytics; hiring and recruiting; background checks. Sentrifugo HRM even includes a Service Desk to make your HR processes even easier.

I’m going to walk you through the process of installing the Sentrifugo HRM solution on Ubuntu Server 18.04.

What you’ll need

• A running, updated instance of Ubuntu Server 18.04

• A user account with sudo privileges

How to install necessary dependencies

The first thing to do is to install the necessary dependencies. To do this, log in to your Ubuntu Server and first install the MariaDB database with the command:

sudo apt-get install mariadb-server -y

Once that installation completes, secure the database server with the command:

sudo mysql_secure_installation

Create a password for the admin user and answer the questions to complete the process. 

Now we’re going to install the remaining dependencies. Do this with the command:

sudo apt-get install apache2 php7.2 libapache2-mod-php7.2 php7.2-common php7.2-mbstring php7.2-xmlrpc php7.2-soap php7.2-gd php7.2-xml php7.2-intl php7.2-mysql php7.2-cli php7.2 php7.2-ldap php7.2-zip php7.2-curl unzip wget -y

Finally, start and enable both the database and web servers with the command:

sudo systemctl start mariadb
sudo systemctl enable mariadb
sudo systemctl start apache2
sudo systemctl enable apache2

How to configure the database

Now we’re going to do the necessary database work. Log in to the database server with the command:

sudo mysql -u root -p

Create the database with the command:

CREATE DATABASE sentrifugodb;

Now create a new user and give it full permissions to the new database with the commands:

CREATE USER 'sentrifugo'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'PASSWORD';
GRANT ALL ON sentrifugodb.* TO 'sentrifugo'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'PASSWORD' WITH GRANT OPTION;

Where PASSWORD is a strong, unique password.

Finalize the database with the commands:

FLUSH PRIVILEGES;
exit

How to download and install Sentrifugo

Next we’ll download and install Sentrifugo. Download the necessary file with the command:

wget http://www.sentrifugo.com/home/downloadfile?file_name=Sentrifugo.zip -O Sentrifugo.zip

Once the file downloads, unzip it with the command:

unzip Sentrifugo.zip

Move the file and give it the necessary permissions with the commands:

sudo cp -r Sentrifugo_X /var/www/html/sentrifugo
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/sentrifugo/
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/sentrifugo/

Where X is the Sentrifugo release number.

Open the Sentrifugo configuration file for editing with the command:

sudo nano /var/www/html/sentrifugo/application/configs/application.ini

Locate the line:

phpSettings.error_reporting = E_All

Change that line to:

phpSettings.error_reporting = E_ALL & ~E_DEPRECATED & ~E_STRICT

Create the Apache virtual host file with the command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/sentrifugo.conf

In that file, paste the following:

<VirtualHost *:80>
     ServerAdmin admin@example.com
     DocumentRoot /var/www/html/sentrifugo
     ServerName example.com
     ServerAlias www.example.com
    <Directory /var/www/html/sentrifugo/>
        Options +FollowSymlinks
        AllowOverride All
        Require all granted
     </Directory>
     ErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.log
     CustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined
</VirtualHost>

Edit the config file as needed, and then save/close the file.

Enable the newly created site and the rewrite module with the commands:

sudo a2ensite sentrifugo
sudo a2enmod rewrite

Reload Apache with the command:

sudo systemctl reload apache2

Before you launch the web-based installer, there’s a PHP function that has been deprecated. To fix this, open the config file with the command:

sudo nano /var/www/html/sentrifugo/install/PHPMailer/PHPMailerAutoload.php

In that file, replace the line:

function __autoload($classname)

With:

function spl_autoload_register()

Save and close the file.

Finally, point a web browser to http://SERVER_IP/sentrifugo (where SERVER_IP is the IP address of the hosting server). You will be greeted by the web-based installer (Figure A), where you can easily complete the installation.

Figure A

Once you complete the web-based installer, you’ll see a page that includes the credentials for an initial user (Figure B).

Figure B

Click link to open the Sentrifugo login, and use the credentials displayed on the success page.

Congratulations, you’re ready to start using your new Sentrifugo HRM solution.