Quick Start Guide¶

This guide walks you through the initial setup of the SPSA appliance and creating your first connection.

Prerequisites¶

Before starting, ensure you have:

• [ ] SPSA appliance deployed (see Installation Guide)
• [ ] Network connectivity to target systems
• [ ] Initial credentials provided by Skillplan:
  • Console account: spadmin
  • Portal account: spadmin
• [ ] TOTP authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator)

Step 1: Console Setup¶

After deploying the SPSA appliance, the first setup steps are performed via the VM console. This is required because all network access except the SPSA Portal (HTTPS/443) is blocked by the integrated host firewall.

First Console Login¶

1. Open the VM console in your hypervisor (ESXi or Hyper-V)
2. Log in with the console credentials:

Configure Keyboard Layout¶

The default keyboard layout is US English (QWERTY). To change to your local layout:

sudo kbmap

A menu appears with available keyboard layouts:

Select your preferred layout using the cursor keys and press Enter.

Reset Console Password¶

You must change the default spadmin console password:

passwd

Follow the prompts to enter and confirm your new password.

Verify IP Address¶

Display the current IP addresses of the appliance:

getip

Example output:

Interface: eth0   IP Address: 192.168.1.73
Interface: eth1   IP Address: 192.168.2.150

Note the IP address you'll use to access the SPSA Portal.

Log Out of Console¶

exit

The remaining configuration is done through the SPSA Portal web interface.

Step 2: First Portal Login¶

Connect to SPSA Portal¶

1. Open a web browser (Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge recommended)
2. Navigate to: https://<spsa-ip>/
3. Accept the self-signed certificate warning:
4. Chrome: Click Advanced → Proceed to [IP] (unsafe)
5. Edge: Click Advanced → Continue to [IP] (unsafe)

Administrator Login¶

Log in with the portal administrator credentials:

Configure MFA (TOTP)¶

On first login, you'll be prompted to set up Two-Factor Authentication:

1. Open your authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator)
2. Scan the QR code displayed on screen
3. The app creates an entry for "SPSA" with the spadmin account
4. Enter the 6-digit code shown in your app
5. Click Continue

Portal Home Screen¶

After successful login, you'll see the SPSA Portal home screen with:

• Recent Connections - Your active sessions
• All Connections - Available connections

Step 3: Access Settings¶

Click your username (top right) to open the user menu:

Click Settings to access administration.

Administration Tabs¶

Step 4: Create Your First Connection¶

Add an RDP Connection¶

1. Go to Settings > Connections
2. Click New Connection
3. Configure basic settings:

1. Configure network parameters:

1. Configure authentication:

1. Set connection limits (recommended):

1. Click Save

Add an SSH Connection¶

1. Go to Connections
2. Click New Connection
3. Configure:

1. Configure clipboard settings if needed:

1. Click Save

Step 5: Create a User¶

Add New User¶

1. Go to Settings > Users
2. Click New User
3. Configure account:

1. Configure profile (optional):

1. Configure account restrictions (optional):

1. Set permissions:

For standard users, only enable: - Change own password

1. Click Save

Assign Connection Access¶

1. Edit the user
2. Scroll to Connections section
3. Under All Connections, check the connections the user should access
4. Click Save

Step 6: Test the Connection¶

User Login¶

1. Open a new browser window (or incognito/private mode)
2. Navigate to: https://<spsa-ip>/
3. Log in with the user credentials created above
4. Complete MFA setup on first login

Connect to Target¶

1. Click on a connection from the home screen
2. Enter credentials for the target system when prompted
3. The remote session opens in the browser

Troubleshooting Quick Tips¶

Connectivity Testing¶

From the SPSA console, test connectivity to target systems:

Test SSH connectivity:

sshping <hostname-or-ip>

Test RDP connectivity:

rdpping <hostname-or-ip>

Example:

sshping 192.168.20.5
Successfully connected to SSH at 192.168.20.5:22

Common Issues¶

For detailed troubleshooting, see the Troubleshooting Guide.

Next Steps¶

Your basic SPSA deployment is complete. Continue with:

• Connection Types - Detailed connection configuration
• User Management - User and group management
• SSL/TLS Setup - Configure trusted certificates
• Authentication Setup - AD/LDAP/SAML (Pro)
• Security Guide - Harden your deployment