Download and Install

This is a step by step guide of how to install eSign on a bare metal infrastructure.

Before downloading and installing eSign, verify that you have a supported JRE installed. This example uses JRE 8, which is recommended for eSign.

$ java -version
java version "1.8.0_212"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_211-b12)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 25.211-b12, mixed mode)

Downloading Apache Tomcat

Download Apache Tomcat 8.0.53 from the official website, choosing the version that better suites your architecture.

On Windows environments (for developers)

  1. Download Apache Tomcat to your current folder:

    $ curl "https://archive.apache.org/dist/tomcat/tomcat-8/v8.0.53/bin/apache-tomcat-8.0.53-windows-x64.zip" -o apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip
  2. Unzip apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip to your current folder

On Windows environments (for servers)

When installing on windows servers we strongly advise Tomcat to be installed as a windows service.
Apache Tomcat already ships an installer specifically from windows machines, where you can simple choose to install Tomcat as a service.

  1. Download Apache Tomcat (installer) to your current folder:

    $ curl "https://archive.apache.org/dist/tomcat/tomcat-8/v8.0.53/bin/apache-tomcat-8.0.53.exe" -o apache-tomcat-8.0.53.exe
  2. Execute the installer and select the Startup Server option.

tomcat service

On Linux/Unix environments

  1. Download Apache Tomcat and unzip to your current folder:

    $ curl "https://archive.apache.org/dist/tomcat/tomcat-8/v8.0.53/bin/apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip" -o apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip \
    	&& unzip apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip \
    	&& rm apache-tomcat-8.0.53.zip

Downloading eSign

To download eSign you must first acquire a license and credentials to access the artifacts' repository.

Open eSign artifacts' repository with the provided credentials.

Download eSign WAR

  1. Manually download and unzip the desired version of esign-server.war from the artifacts' repository.

    nexus esign server
  2. Rename the file to eSignServer.war.

  3. Copy eSignServer.war into your Apache Tomcat’s WEBAPPS folder.

Alternatively, you can run the following command to download the eSign into the Apache Tomcat you have just downloaded:

Replace <USER> and <PASSWORD> with your credentials.
$ curl --user <USERNAME>:<PASSWORD> "https://support-omnifs.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/nexus/repository/maven-esign/novabase/connect/paperless/esign/esign-server/1.8.1/esign-server-1.8.1.war" \
-o apache-tomcat-8.0.53/webapps/eSignServer.war

Download eSign Home Folder

  1. Manually download the a version of esign-home.zip that matches your esign-server.war.

    nexus esign home
  2. Unzip esign-home.zip.

  3. Rename the folder to esign-home

Alternatively, you can run the following command to download the eSign into the Apache Tomcat you have just downloaded:

Replace <USER> and <PASSWORD> with your credentials.
  • On Windows environments

    curl --user <USERNAME>:<PASSWORD> "https://support-digitaljourney.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/nexus/repository/maven-esign/novabase/connect/paperless/esign/esign-home/1.8.1/esign-home-1.8.1.zip" -o esign-home-1.8.1.zip
    powershell -command "Expand-Archive esign-home-1.8.1.zip"
    move esign-home-1.8.1\esign-home-1.8.1 esign-home
    rmdir esign-home-1.8.1
    del esign-home-1.8.1.zip
  • On Linux/Unix environments

    $ curl --user <USERNAME>:<PASSWORD> "https://support-digitaljourney.westeurope.cloudapp.azure.com/nexus/repository/maven-esign/novabase/connect/paperless/esign/esign-home/1.8.1/esign-home-1.8.1.zip" -o esign-home.zip \
    	&& unzip -q esign-home.zip \
    	&& mv esign-home-1.8.1 esign-home \
    	&& rm esign-home.zip

Running eSign

  1. Set an environment variable called ESIGN_HOME pointing to esign_home directory.

    • On Windows environments

      $ set ESIGN_HOME=C:\MY_INSTALL_FOLDER\esign-home
    • On Linux/Unix environments

      $ export ESIGN_HOME=/MY_INSTALL_FOLDER/esign-home
  2. Start Apache Tomcat

    • On Windows environments

      $ apache-tomcat-8.0.53\bin\startup.bat
    • On Linux/Unix environments

      $ apache-tomcat-8.0.53/bin/startup.sh

These commands will launch a java process with Apache Tomcat running eSign on the default port 8080.

Access eSign landing page at: http://localhost:8080/eSignServer

Final Notes

The steps described above launch an eSign instance with default configurations, which will not be suitable for a productive environment.
To prepare eSign for a productive environment ensure:

  • A License file is installed

  • A database persistence provider is configured

  • A public key for encrypting biometrics is configured

  • An HTTPS connection is configured