How to Get Started
Plan for about 20-30 minutes from a blank VM to your first dashboard.
Every installation includes a built-in 7-day trial license - no signup step blocks you from trying it. After the trial period, you can purchase and activate a production license; Trisul prompts you with upgrade options on login.
Here is how you get started with links to relevant pages.
Step 1: Get a Linux VM or a Bare Metal machine ready
Ubuntu and RHEL/CentOS are supported. Packet capture mode (used by Trisul NSM) needs more resources than flow-based mode (used by the other three product modes). If you're not sure your hardware is enough, check System Requirements first. It breaks sizing down by deployment scale and by processing mode.
Step 2: Sign up and download Trisul
Visit the Trisul Get Started page and sign up, this also activates your 7-day trial license.
Step 3: Install
Follow Installing Trisul. To check package signatures before you install, see Verifying Packages. If you're upgrading an existing instance instead, see Upgrading Trisul.
Step 4: Tell Trisul what to monitor, and pick your mode
Trisul does four jobs on one platform, and this is the step where they diverge. Send Trisul either raw packets (via a SPAN/TAP port) or NetFlow/IPFIX/sFlow exports, and pick the mode that matches what you're here for:
| I want to... | Send this | Configure this | Then run this mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monitor security threats from raw traffic | Packets, via SPAN port | Configure Packet Capture | Trisul NSM |
| Analyze traffic from routers/firewalls/switches | NetFlow / IPFIX / sFlow | Configure NetFlow | Trisul NetFlow Analyzer |
| Generate compliance records | NetFlow / IPFIX | Configure NetFlow | Trisul IPDR DoT Compliance Solution |
| Run carrier-scale NetFlow + BGP analytics | NetFlow + BGP peering | Configure NetFlow | Trisul ISP Analytics |
You'll choose the mode itself on first login - see Selecting the Product Mode. Nothing here is permanent; you can change modes later from Web Admin → Manage → App Settings → UI.
Not sure which row fits? Product Modes compares the four product modes - worth a detour if you want the "why" before the "how."
Step 5: Login and start viewing
Point your browser at http://<your-server-ip>:3000 and log in. See Logging In for default credentials and first-login steps.
Congratulations! You're running Trisul. From here:
- New to the terminology (NetFlow, PCAP, ASN, and so on)? The Glossary has it.
- Ready to go deeper on your specific mode? Jump to the Trisul NSM, Trisul NetFlow Analyzer, Trisul IPDR DoT Compliance Solution, or Trisul ISP Analytics guide. The User Guide covers what all modes share.
- Past the 7-day trial? See Licensing to get and install a production license.
- Adding people? See Users to create accounts for your team.