SuiteCRM, an enterprise open-source Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform, is a fork of SugarCRM. This PHP-based platform empowers businesses to tailor strategies, actions, and decisions effectively.
This comprehensive guide walks you through the process of installing the latest SuiteCRM version on a Debian 9 server. We will deploy this powerful CRM application using Apache, PHP, and the MariaDB database engine.
Requirements
- A server or VPS with at least 2GB of RAM and a minimal installation of Debian 9.
- Root access to the machine, either locally or via SSH. Alternatively, an account with root privileges via sudo can be used.
- A static IP address for the external network interface, configured either manually or via DHCP assignment.
- A public domain name for internet access or server IP address for intranet setups.
- An operational mail server for communication features. Public services like Gmail or Microsoft Exchange are also viable options.
Step 1: Prepare the Server
Log into your server with root or a sudo-privileged user, then configure the hostname:
hostnamectl set-hostname www.mycrm.org
Verify the hostname update:
hostnamectl
cat /etc/hostname
hostname -s
hostname -f
Update the system:
apt update
apt upgrade
Reboot to apply changes:
systemctl reboot
After rebooting, install essential utilities:
apt install wget curl zip unzip
Step 2: Install Apache and PHP
Install Apache and PHP with required modules for SuiteCRM:
apt install apache2 libapache2-mod-php7.0 php7.0 php7.0-gd php7.0-opcache php7.0-mbstring php7.0-xml php7.0-json php7.0-zip php7.0-curl php7.0-imap
Step 3: Install MariaDB Database
Install MariaDB and the PHP MySQL module:
apt install mariadb-server php7.0-mysql mariadb-client
Ensure Apache and MariaDB are active:
netstat -tlpn
ss -tulpn
Install Netstat if missing:
apt install net-tools
Enable secure connections with Apache SSL module:
a2enmod ssl
a2ensite default-ssl.conf
a2enmod rewrite
systemctl restart apache2
Edit Apache configuration for URL rewrite:
nano /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/000-default.conf
<Directory /var/www/html> Options +FollowSymlinks AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory>
nano /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/default-ssl.conf
<Directory /var/www/html> Options +FollowSymlinks AllowOverride All Require all granted </Directory>
Restart Apache:
systemctl restart apache2
Step 4: Configure Firewall
Allow HTTP/HTTPS traffic:
ufw allow 'WWW Full'
Alternatively:
ufw allow 80/tcp
ufw allow 443/tcp
Step 5: Configure MariaDB and PHP
Secure MariaDB root access:
mysql -h localhost
MariaDB [(none)]> use mysql;
MariaDB [mysql]> update user set plugin='' where user='root';
MariaDB [mysql]> flush privileges;
MariaDB [mysql]> exit;
Run MariaDB security script:
mysql_secure_installation
Set and confirm new root password, remove anonymous users, disallow remote root login, remove test database, and reload privileges.
Update PHP settings in /etc/php/7.0/apache2/php.ini:
cp /etc/php/7.0/apache2/php.ini{,.backup}
nano /etc/php/7.0/apache2/php.ini
file_uploads = On default_charset = UTF-8 memory_limit = 128M post_max_size = 60M upload_max_filesize = 60M memory_limit = 256M max_input_time = 60 max_execution_time = 6000 date.timezone = Europe/London
Set the correct timezone according to your location. Enable OPCache for improved performance:
[opcache] opcache.enable=1 opcache.enable_cli=1 opcache.interned_strings_buffer=8 opcache.max_accelerated_files=10000 opcache.memory_consumption=128 opcache.save_comments=1 opcache.revalidate_freq=1
Restart Apache:
systemctl restart apache2
Create a PHP info file for verification:
echo '<?php phpinfo(); ?>' | tee /var/www/html/info.php
Visit https://yourdomain.tld/info.php to verify PHP settings.
Step 6: Install SuiteCRM
Download and extract SuiteCRM:
wget https://suitecrm.com/files/158/SuiteCRM-7.9/178/SuiteCRM-7.9.9.zip
unzip SuiteCRM-7.9.9.zip
Remove default web files, then move SuiteCRM to the webroot:
rm /var/www/html/index.html
rm /var/www/html/info.php
cp -rf SuiteCRM-7.9.9/* /var/www/html/
Set the correct permissions:
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/
Create a SuiteCRM database and user:
mysql -u root -p
MariaDB [(none)]> create database mycrm_db;
MariaDB [(none)]> grant all privileges on mycrm_db.* to 'crm_user'@'localhost' identified by 'password1234';
MariaDB [(none)]> flush privileges;
MariaDB [(none)]> exit;
Step 7: Finalize SuiteCRM Installation
Access SuiteCRM in a browser via https://yourdomain.tld. Follow the installer steps, providing the database name, user, and admin credentials. Set up your email settings, branding, and localization options.
Redirect to HTTPS
Modify the .htaccess file to enforce HTTPS:
nano /var/www/html/.htaccess
# Redirect to HTTPS
<IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule (.*) https://%{SERVER_NAME}/$1 [R,L]
Setting Up Schedulers
Add a cron job for SuiteCRM schedulers:
crontab -e -u www-data
* * * * * /usr/bin/php7.0 -f /var/www/html/cron.php > /dev/null 2>&1
Conclusion
Congratulations! SuiteCRM is now installed and running on your Debian 9 server. For additional customization and support, visit the SuiteCRM wiki page.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: How do I access the SuiteCRM admin panel?
A: Use the admin credentials created during installation to log in to SuiteCRM at https://yourdomain.tld.
Q2: Why is there a browser warning when accessing SuiteCRM?
A: The warning appears due to the self-signed SSL certificate. Consider obtaining a certificate from a trusted CA.
Q3: How can I troubleshoot installation issues?
A: Check the server logs for errors, ensure all services are running, and verify file permissions are correctly set.
Q4: Can I install SuiteCRM on a system other than Debian?
A: Yes, SuiteCRM can be installed on various operating systems. The process may vary depending on the system’s package manager and service manager.