Install the agent

Install the CentralHost agent on a Linux server using the .deb or .rpm package.

The CentralHost agent is a single statically-linked binary shipped as a .deb (Debian/Ubuntu) and .rpm (Rocky/Alma/RHEL) package. It runs as a hardened systemd service with only the minimal Linux capabilities it needs.

Requirements

• A Linux server with systemd (Ubuntu, Debian, Rocky Linux, AlmaLinux or RHEL/CentOS).
• root access (via sudo) to install the package.
• Outbound HTTPS — the agent dials out to the control plane; no inbound ports need to be opened.

Two ways to install

Automatic — over SSH (recommended)

The simplest path: let CentralHost install and enroll the agent for you. In the dashboard, click Add server, enter the server’s address and SSH credentials (a key is recommended over a password), and CentralHost connects over SSH, installs the right package and enrolls the agent automatically — nothing to copy or run by hand.

The SSH credentials are used once to bootstrap the agent. Ongoing access flows through the control plane, not SSH. See Connect a server for the full walkthrough.

Manual — with an enrollment token

Prefer full control? Install it yourself. In the dashboard, choose Add server → Install manually and copy the enrollment token, then run the installer on the server:

curl -fsSL https://get.centralhost.sh/install.sh | sudo sh -s -- --token <ENROLLMENT_TOKEN>

The installer detects your distribution, installs the right package, writes the agent configuration and enables the service. To verify it’s running:

systemctl status centralhost-agent

You should see active (running). The agent will appear in your dashboard within a few seconds.

What gets installed

Uninstall

Removing the package stops the service and deletes the agent. Your data in CentralHost is unaffected until you remove the server from the dashboard.

# Debian/Ubuntu
sudo apt-get remove centralhost-agent
# Rocky/Alma/RHEL
sudo dnf remove centralhost-agent