Installing SystemBuddy

You'll have received an email with your license key and two downloads: the Server (the SystemBuddy backend + web portal your team signs into) and the Desktop Agent (installed on employee PCs). Here's the whole setup, top to bottom.

1 · What you need first

A Windows or Linux machine on your network to host the server (2 GB+ RAM is plenty to start).
PostgreSQL 14+ installed on it (or reachable from it). SystemBuddy stores everything there. Full list of supported versions below.
The two downloads from your license email, and the key itself.

2 · Install the server

Run the SystemBuddy Server Setup you downloaded. It installs the server, registers it as a Windows service, and puts everything in place.
Open appsettings.Production.json and set your PostgreSQL connection string, and a unique random Jwt:Key (32+ characters). The server refuses to start in production until a real key is set.
On the HTTPS and access page pick how browsers reach the server (see below). Setup only reports success once the health check answers through the address you chose.
Start the SystemBuddy service (the installer offers this at the end). On first run it creates its database schema automatically.

HTTPS options

SystemBuddy itself only listens on http://127.0.0.1:3000. The installer bundles a small, pinned edge service ("SystemBuddy Edge", built on Caddy) that terminates TLS in front of it, runs under its own service account, and opens ports 80 and 443 in Windows Firewall. Nothing is downloaded during setup. Pick one mode:

Automatic (Let's Encrypt): for a public DNS name that points at the server with ports 80 and 443 reachable from the internet. Certificates are issued and renewed automatically; an optional e-mail receives expiry warnings.
Own certificate: you supply a PFX file and its password, or a PEM certificate (with chain) and private key. Renewal stays with you: drop in the new file and re-run Setup, or use edge\Apply-EdgeConfig.ps1.
Internal only: no internet needed. The edge creates a local certificate authority and exports C:\ProgramData\SystemBuddy\caddy\root.crt; push that root to your PCs with group policy (or certutil -addstore Root) and browsers trust the internal address.
None: keep today's behaviour: loopback HTTP only, and you place your own reverse proxy in front.

The hostname you enter must match the Application URL. If the edge cannot become ready (for example the domain does not resolve yet), Setup removes it again and the server keeps running on the loopback port, so you can fix DNS and simply re-run the installer.

3 · First sign-in

Browse to the server's address. The first-time setup wizard appears once and asks you to create your administrator account. No default passwords exist anywhere in SystemBuddy, on purpose.

4 · Activate your license

Sign in as that admin → Settings → License.
Set the License Server URL to https://licensing.systembuddy.net and save.
Paste your license key and activate. Your plan's features unlock immediately, and the server quietly re-validates on a schedule from then on.

Your data never leaves your network. Activation only exchanges the key and entitlements with our licensing service.

5 · Roll out the agent

Run the Agent installer on each employee PC (or push it with your usual tooling).
In the agent's Settings, set the Server URL to your SystemBuddy server's address and sign in.
Machines auto-register as assets on first contact; enable "Start automatically at login" so it's always a tray-click away.

6 · You're live

Employees request help from the agent; IT works tickets, assets, updates and sessions from the portal. Updates arrive in Settings → Software Updates when we publish them. Server updates apply with the included script, agent updates roll out to your devices from the portal.

Supported platforms

SystemBuddy is built for the servers you already have, including older ones. Run a second server node from the same installer and you have high availability: the setup wizard walks you through the database standby and the load balancer.

Windows Server for the SystemBuddy server: 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022 and 2025. The installer needs no add-ons on any of them: it uses netsh and sc.exe directly, so it does not depend on a newer PowerShell.
PostgreSQL for the database: 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18.
Linux database nodes: fully supported, and recommended if you want the database to fail over automatically. A Windows database node works too, with promotion done by you or by the script the wizard prints.

Windows Server 2012 R2 is past Microsoft's support (extended support ended in October 2023), so it no longer receives operating system security fixes. SystemBuddy still installs and runs there and Setup will not block you, but it does warn, and moving that node to a newer Windows is worth planning.

Stuck?

Email orders@systembuddy.net with your license key's first block and where you got stuck, and we answer fast.