Enterprise Open-Source IT Infrastructure Lab¶

Complete Deployment Manual - Part 5: Back Office Suite¶

Educational Lab Manual - Business Systems Integration

Part 5 Overview¶

This part extends your infrastructure from collaboration and communications to complete business operations. You'll deploy: - VoIP/PBX System (FreePBX) - Professional phone system - CRM (SuiteCRM) - Customer relationship management - ERP (Odoo) - Complete business management - Document Management (OpenKM) - Enterprise document repository - Project Management (Taiga) - Agile project tracking - Asset Management (Snipe-IT) - IT asset inventory - ITSM (GLPI) - IT service management

Prerequisites: Parts 1-4 complete (Identity, Database, Collaboration, Communications)

Table of Contents¶

1. Back Office Architecture
2. Exercise 15: FreePBX VoIP System
3. Exercise 16: SuiteCRM Installation
4. Exercise 17: Odoo ERP Deployment
5. Exercise 18: OpenKM Document Management
6. Exercise 19: Taiga Project Management
7. Exercise 20: Snipe-IT Asset Management
8. Exercise 21: GLPI IT Service Management
9. Exercise 22: Back Office Integration
10. Exercise 23: End-to-End Workflows
11. Testing Back Office Systems
12. Back Office Troubleshooting

Back Office Architecture¶

Extended Infrastructure Overview¶

Server Allocation:

EXISTING (From Parts 1-4):
├── LAB-ID1 (10.0.50.11)    - Identity & SSO
├── LAB-DB1 (10.0.50.12)    - Database & Cache
├── LAB-APP1 (10.0.50.13)   - Collaboration Apps
├── LAB-COMM1 (10.0.50.14)  - Communications
└── LAB-PROXY1 (10.0.50.15) - Reverse Proxy

NEW (Part 5):
├── LAB-VOIP1 (10.0.50.16)  - VoIP/PBX System
├── LAB-BIZ1 (10.0.50.17)   - Business Apps (CRM, DMS)
├── LAB-ERP1 (10.0.50.18)   - ERP System
└── LAB-IT1 (10.0.50.19)    - IT Management

Total: 9 servers

Business Value Chain¶

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                  COMPLETE BUSINESS PLATFORM                  │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

MARKETING & SALES (Lead to Customer):
  Web Form → SuiteCRM → Phone (FreePBX) → Quote (Odoo) → 
  Contract (OpenKM) → Order (Odoo) → Invoice (Odoo) → 
  Payment → Customer Record

SERVICE DELIVERY (Project to Completion):
  Project (Taiga) → Tasks → Time Tracking → Team Chat → 
  Video Meetings → Documents (Nextcloud/OpenKM) → 
  Deliverables → Client Invoice (Odoo) → Archive

CUSTOMER SUPPORT (Request to Resolution):
  Phone Call (FreePBX) → Ticket (Zammad/GLPI) → 
  Asset Lookup (Snipe-IT) → Knowledge Base → 
  Resolution → Customer Notification → Satisfaction Survey

INTERNAL OPERATIONS:
  HR (Odoo) → Procurement (Odoo) → Inventory (Odoo) → 
  Accounting (Odoo) → Reporting → Compliance

IT OPERATIONS:
  Asset Management (Snipe-IT) → Service Catalog (GLPI) → 
  Incident Management (GLPI) → Change Management (GLPI) → 
  Knowledge Base (GLPI)

Integration Matrix¶

Exercise 15: FreePBX VoIP System¶

Understanding VoIP and PBX¶

What is a PBX?

PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is a private telephone network used within an organization. Instead of each phone having a direct line to the telephone company, a PBX routes calls internally and connects to the outside world through a limited number of lines.

Traditional PBX vs VoIP PBX:

Traditional PBX:
┌─────────────────┐
│  Physical PBX   │ (Large hardware box)
│  Hardware       │ $10,000-50,000+
└────────┬────────┘
         │
    Analog Lines
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│  Phone Company  │ $50-100 per line/month
└─────────────────┘

VoIP PBX (FreePBX):
┌─────────────────┐
│  FreePBX        │ (Software on server)
│  (Free!)        │ $0
└────────┬────────┘
         │
    SIP Trunk (Internet)
         │
┌────────▼────────┐
│  VoIP Provider  │ $10-20 per user/month
│  (Twilio, etc)  │ 
└─────────────────┘

Savings: $30,000-80,000 initial + $30-80 per user/month

What You'll Learn: - PBX fundamentals and telephony concepts - SIP protocol and VoIP architecture - Extension management - Call routing and IVR (Interactive Voice Response) - Voicemail system configuration - Call recording for compliance - Integration with CRM (click-to-call) - Quality of Service (QoS) for VoIP

Real-World Impact: - Professional phone system on par with Fortune 500 companies - Work from anywhere (softphones) - Call analytics and reporting - Integration with business systems - Scalable from 10 to 1,000+ users

Time Required: 3-4 hours

Task 15.1: Prepare VoIP Server¶

Hardware Requirements:

VoIP has specific requirements because poor quality = dropped calls and angry customers.

Why LAB-VOIP1?

Dedicated server for VoIP because: - Quality of Service (QoS): Voice traffic needs priority - Reliability: Phone system can't go down - Call Recording: Storage grows quickly - Isolation: Keeps voice network separate (security/compliance)

On LAB-VOIP1:

Step 1: Install Ubuntu Server¶

If using existing lab computer:

You've already installed Ubuntu in Part 1. Just verify:

ssh labadmin@10.0.50.16
hostname -f

Should show: lab-voip1.lab.local

If needed, set hostname:

sudo hostnamectl set-hostname lab-voip1.lab.local

Step 2: Configure Network for VoIP¶

VoIP traffic should ideally be on separate VLAN for QoS:

In production: - VLAN 30: VoIP traffic (10.0.30.0/24) - QoS priority tags - Dedicated bandwidth

In lab (simplified): - Same network as other servers - Still works fine for testing

Update /etc/hosts:

sudo nano /etc/hosts

Add:

10.0.50.16    lab-voip1.lab.local lab-voip1 voip pbx

Step 3: Install Prerequisites¶

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install basic tools
sudo apt install -y vim curl wget git htop net-tools

# Install required packages for FreePBX
sudo apt install -y apache2 mariadb-server mariadb-client \
    php8.3 php8.3-cli php8.3-common php8.3-curl php8.3-gd \
    php8.3-mbstring php8.3-mysql php8.3-xml php8.3-zip \
    php8.3-intl php8.3-bcmath sox mpg123 \
    lame ffmpeg sqlite3 git unixodbc uuid-dev

Understanding packages: - apache2 - Web server for FreePBX GUI - mariadb - Database (FreePBX can use this or PostgreSQL) - php - FreePBX is written in PHP - sox, mpg123, lame, ffmpeg - Audio processing for voicemail, music on hold - uuid-dev - Required for Asterisk compilation

Step 4: Install Asterisk¶

What is Asterisk?

Asterisk is the core PBX engine. FreePBX is the web GUI that manages Asterisk.

Download and compile Asterisk:

# Create directory for source
cd /usr/src

# Download Asterisk 21 (LTS version)
sudo wget https://downloads.asterisk.org/pub/telephony/asterisk/asterisk-21-current.tar.gz

# Extract
sudo tar -xzf asterisk-21-current.tar.gz
cd asterisk-21.*/

# Install prerequisites
sudo contrib/scripts/install_prereq install

# Configure with all modules
sudo ./configure --with-jansson-bundled --with-pjproject-bundled

# Compile (this takes 15-30 minutes)
sudo make -j$(nproc)

# Install
sudo make install
sudo make samples
sudo make config
sudo ldconfig

Understanding compile process:

./configure     - Checks system and prepares build
make            - Compiles source code
make install    - Installs binaries
make samples    - Creates sample config files
make config     - Sets up systemd service

Create Asterisk user:

sudo groupadd asterisk
sudo useradd -r -d /var/lib/asterisk -g asterisk asterisk
sudo usermod -aG audio,dialout asterisk

# Set ownership
sudo chown -R asterisk:asterisk /etc/asterisk
sudo chown -R asterisk:asterisk /var/{lib,log,spool}/asterisk
sudo chown -R asterisk:asterisk /usr/lib/asterisk

Configure Asterisk to run as asterisk user:

sudo nano /etc/default/asterisk

Set:

AST_USER="asterisk"
AST_GROUP="asterisk"

Start Asterisk:

sudo systemctl start asterisk
sudo systemctl enable asterisk
sudo systemctl status asterisk

Test Asterisk:

sudo asterisk -rvvv

You should see Asterisk CLI:

Asterisk 21.x.x, Copyright (C) 1999-2024 Sangoma Technologies Corporation and others.
Created by Mark Spencer <markster@digium.com>
Asterisk comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; type 'core show warranty' for details.
This is free software, with components licensed under the GNU General Public
License version 2 and other licenses; you are welcome to redistribute it under
certain conditions. Type 'core show license' for details.
=========================================================================
Connected to Asterisk 21.x.x currently running on lab-voip1 (pid = 1234)
lab-voip1*CLI>

Try commands:

core show version
sip show peers
dialplan show

Exit:

exit

Step 5: Install FreePBX¶

Download FreePBX:

cd /usr/src
sudo wget https://github.com/freepbx/freepbx/releases/download/release/17.0/freepbx-17.0-latest.tgz
sudo tar -xzf freepbx-17.0-latest.tgz
cd freepbx

Install FreePBX:

sudo ./start_asterisk start
sudo ./install -n

This installs FreePBX framework and creates the web GUI.

Set Apache to run as asterisk user:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/envvars

Change:

export APACHE_RUN_USER=asterisk
export APACHE_RUN_GROUP=asterisk

Enable Apache modules:

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Set permissions:

sudo chown -R asterisk:asterisk /var/www/html

Step 6: Access FreePBX Web Interface¶

From your laptop browser:

http://10.0.50.16

Or using hostname:

http://voip.lab.local

You should see FreePBX initial setup wizard.

Task 15.2: Initial FreePBX Configuration¶

Step 1: Complete Setup Wizard¶

Screen 1: Language - Select: English (or your language) - Click: Submit

Screen 2: Create Admin Account

Username: admin
Password: VoipAdmin2024!
Email: admin@lab.local

Screen 3: Activation (Optional) - FreePBX offers commercial modules - You can skip activation for community edition - Click: Skip Activation

Screen 4: System Information - Review detected system info - Asterisk version should show 21.x - Click: Finish

You're now in the FreePBX dashboard!

Step 2: Configure Basic Settings¶

Navigate: Admin → System Admin → Network Settings

Configure:

Hostname: lab-voip1.lab.local
Domain: lab.local
Primary IP: 10.0.50.16
Timezone: America/Toronto (or your timezone)

Click: Submit & Apply Changes

Step 3: Configure Asterisk SIP Settings¶

Navigate: Settings → Asterisk SIP Settings

Understanding SIP:

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is how VoIP calls are set up. Think of it like the "dialing" part of a phone call.

Configuration:

General Settings:

Bind Address: 10.0.50.16
External IP: [Your public IP if accessing from outside]
Local Networks: 10.0.50.0/24

Enable: Yes

NAT Settings: (if behind router)

NAT: Yes
External IP: [Your public IP]
Local Network: 10.0.50.0/24

Codec Settings:

Preferred Codecs:
  ✓ ulaw (G.711u) - Uncompressed, best quality
  ✓ alaw (G.711a) - Uncompressed, international standard
  ✓ g722 - HD Voice

Optional:
  ✓ opus - Modern codec, great quality

Understanding codecs: - ulaw/alaw: 64 kbps, best quality, uses more bandwidth - g722: HD voice, better than ulaw - opus: Variable bitrate, excellent quality at low bandwidth

Click: Submit & Reload

Task 15.3: Create Extensions¶

What is an extension?

An extension is like a phone number within your organization. Instead of calling a full phone number, you dial just 3-4 digits.

Extension Plan:

100-199: Executives and Management
200-299: Sales Department
300-399: Support/Customer Service
400-499: IT and Technical Staff
500-599: Operations and General Staff

Step 1: Create First Extension¶

Navigate: Applications → Extensions

Click: Add Extension → Add SIP [chan_pjsip] Extension

User Extension:

Extension Number: 101
Display Name: Guard One

Click: Submit

Secret (Password) will be auto-generated. Note it down!

Advanced Settings:

Under "Device Options":

Secret: [Auto-generated] (e.g., xK9mP2nQ5vR8)

This is the password the phone/softphone will use to register.

Step 2: Configure Voicemail¶

Scroll down to "Voicemail" section:

Status: Enabled
Voicemail Password: 1234 (user can change)
Email Address: guard1@lab.local
Email Attachment: Yes
Play CID: Yes
Play Envelope: Yes
Delete Voicemail After Email: No

Understanding voicemail settings: - Email Attachment: Sends voicemail as .wav file to email - Play CID: Announces who called - Play Envelope: Announces date/time of message - Delete After Email: If yes, doesn't store on server

Click: Submit

Click: Apply Config (red bar at top)

Step 3: Create More Extensions¶

Repeat for each user:

Extension 102:
  Display Name: Guard Two
  Email: guard2@lab.local

Extension 201:
  Display Name: Manager One
  Email: manager1@lab.local

Extension 301:
  Display Name: Office Staff
  Email: office1@lab.local

Extension 401:
  Display Name: IT Admin
  Email: itadmin1@lab.local

Quick Bulk Method:

Navigate: Applications → Extension → Bulk Extensions

Starting Extension: 200
Number of Extensions: 10
Display Name Prefix: Sales-
Voicemail: Enabled
Email Suffix: @lab.local

This creates extensions 200-209 all at once.

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Task 15.4: Configure Ring Groups¶

What are Ring Groups?

Ring groups allow multiple phones to ring when someone dials a single number.

Example:

Dial 600 (Sales) → Rings extensions 201, 202, 203 simultaneously
First person to answer gets the call

Step 1: Create Sales Ring Group¶

Navigate: Applications → Ring Groups

Click: Add Ring Group

Configuration:

Ring Group Number: 600
Group Description: Sales Team
Ring Strategy: ringall

Extension List:
  201
  202
  203
  204
  205

Announcement: None (or upload greeting)
Destination if No Answer: Voicemail (600)

Ring Strategy options: - ringall: All phones ring at once (recommended for support) - hunt: Try each phone in order - memoryhunt: Remembers where last call was answered, starts there - random: Picks random extension

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Step 2: Create More Ring Groups¶

Ring Group 601:
  Description: Customer Support
  Extensions: 301, 302, 303, 304
  Strategy: ringall

Ring Group 602:
  Description: IT Support
  Extensions: 401, 402, 403
  Strategy: hunt (try in order)

Task 15.5: Create IVR (Auto-Attendant)¶

What is IVR?

IVR (Interactive Voice Response) is the menu callers hear: "Press 1 for Sales, Press 2 for Support..."

Step 1: Record/Upload Greeting¶

Navigate: Admin → System Recordings

Option A: Upload Recording - Record greeting on your computer - Upload .wav file (8000 Hz, 16-bit, mono)

Option B: Text-to-Speech - FreePBX can generate speech from text - Navigate: Admin → Sound Languages → Text to Speech

Sample greeting:

"Thank you for calling. 
Press 1 for Sales
Press 2 for Customer Support  
Press 3 for IT Support
Press 9 for the directory
Or stay on the line for the operator."

Save as: "main-greeting"

Step 2: Create IVR¶

Navigate: Applications → IVR

Click: Add IVR

Configuration:

IVR Name: Main Menu
IVR Description: Main incoming call menu
Announcement: main-greeting (recording from Step 1)
Timeout: 10 seconds
Invalid Retry Recording: Please enter a valid option
Invalid Destination: Operator (ext 101)
Timeout Destination: Operator (ext 101)

IVR Entries:
  1 → Ring Group 600 (Sales)
  2 → Ring Group 601 (Support)
  3 → Ring Group 602 (IT)
  9 → Directory
  # → Return
  * → Return

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Task 15.6: Configure Inbound Routes¶

What are Inbound Routes?

These determine what happens when someone calls your main number.

Step 1: Create Main Inbound Route¶

Navigate: Connectivity → Inbound Routes

Click: Add Inbound Route

Configuration:

Description: Main Incoming Line
DID Number: [Leave blank for "any"]
  (or enter your phone number if you have SIP trunk)

Set Destination:
  IVR: Main Menu

This means: Any call coming in goes to IVR menu

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Task 15.7: Test with Softphone¶

Install Softphone on Your Computer

Options: - Zoiper (Windows/Mac/Linux) - https://www.zoiper.com - Linphone (Open source) - https://www.linphone.org - MicroSIP (Windows only) - https://www.microsip.org

We'll use Zoiper (Free version):

Step 1: Install Zoiper¶

Download from https://www.zoiper.com/downloads

Run installer.

Step 2: Configure Extension 101¶

In Zoiper:

1. Click: Settings → Accounts → Add Account

2. Account Configuration:

   Account Type: SIP
   
   Account Name: Guard One (101)
   
   Domain: 10.0.50.16
   Username: 101
   Password: [Secret from extension config in FreePBX]
   
   Authentication user: 101
   Caller ID: Guard One <101>
   
   Register: Yes
   
   Domain/Realm/Proxy: 10.0.50.16
   Port: 5060
   Transport: UDP
   

3. Click: Create Account

You should see: Green checkmark - Registered

If red X: - Check IP address - Verify password - Check firewall (port 5060 must be open)

Step 3: Make Test Call¶

Install second softphone on another computer or phone: - Configure as extension 102

From extension 101: - Dial: 102 - Should ring on other softphone - Answer and talk!

You've made your first VoIP call!

Task 15.8: Test Voicemail¶

From extension 101:

1. Dial: 102
2. Let it ring (don't answer on 102)
3. After timeout: Should go to voicemail
4. Record message: "This is a test voicemail"
5. Hang up

Check voicemail on extension 102:

1. Dial: *97 (voicemail access code)
2. Enter: Password (1234 by default)
3. Listen to new message

Check email: - Email should arrive at guard2@lab.local - Contains .wav attachment with voicemail

Task 15.9: Configure Conference Bridge¶

What is conference bridge?

Allows multiple people to join a single call - like a meeting room.

Step 1: Create Conference¶

Navigate: Applications → Conferences

Click: Add Conference

Configuration:

Conference Number: 9000
Conference Name: Main Conference Room
User PIN: 2468 (optional)
Admin PIN: 1357 (allows admin control)
Max Users: 10

Options:
  ✓ Quiet Mode (no beep when joining)
  ✓ Wait for Leader (waits for admin PIN before starting)
  ✓ Music on Hold when alone
  ✓ Record Conference

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Step 2: Test Conference¶

From any extension:

1. Dial: 9000
2. Enter PIN: 2468
3. Join conference

From another extension: 1. Dial: 9000 2. Enter PIN: 2468 3. Now both in conference - can talk!

As admin (with admin PIN 1357): - Can mute all participants - Can kick users - Can lock conference

Task 15.10: Call Recording¶

Enable call recording for compliance or training.

Step 1: Enable Recording for Extension¶

Navigate: Applications → Extensions → 201 (Sales)

Scroll to "Other" section:

Recording Options:
  Recording Incoming: Always
  Recording Outgoing: Always
  On Demand Recording: Yes

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Now all calls to/from extension 201 are recorded.

Step 2: Access Recordings¶

Navigate: Admin → Call Event Logging

Or: Reports → Call Recordings

You can: - Play recordings - Download recordings - Delete old recordings - Search by date/extension

Recordings stored at: /var/spool/asterisk/monitor/

Task 15.11: Configure SIP Trunk (Optional)¶

Skip this if you don't need external calling.

If you want to call real phone numbers:

You need a SIP trunk provider: - Twilio (https://twilio.com) - Voip.ms (https://voip.ms) - Bandwidth.com (https://bandwidth.com)

Example with Twilio:

Step 1: Sign Up for Twilio¶

1. Go to https://www.twilio.com/try-twilio
2. Sign up for account
3. Get: SIP Domain, Username, Password
4. Purchase phone number

Step 2: Configure Trunk in FreePBX¶

Navigate: Connectivity → Trunks

Click: Add Trunk → Add SIP (chan_pjsip) Trunk

Configuration:

Trunk Name: Twilio

Outbound CallerID: +1XXXXXXXXXX (your Twilio number)

PEER Details:
  type=peer
  host=yourdomain.pstn.twilio.com
  username=your_username
  secret=your_auth_token
  insecure=port,invite
  context=from-trunk

Maximum Channels: 10

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Step 3: Create Outbound Route¶

Navigate: Connectivity → Outbound Routes

Click: Add Outbound Route

Configuration:

Route Name: Twilio Outbound
Route Password: (blank)

Dial Patterns:
  NXXNXXXXXX (10-digit US numbers)
  1NXXNXXXXXX (11-digit with 1)
  011ZZZXXXXXXX (international)

Trunk Sequence:
  Twilio

Click: Submit & Apply Config

Now you can dial external numbers!

Test: - Dial: 1234567890 (replace with real number) - Should dial out through Twilio

Task 15.12: Mobile Softphone¶

Use your PBX extension on your mobile phone.

Step 1: Install Zoiper on Phone¶

iOS: App Store → Search "Zoiper"
Android: Play Store → Search "Zoiper"

Install the free version.

Step 2: Configure Extension¶

Open Zoiper on phone:

1. Create Account
2. Enter:

   Domain: voip.lab.local (or 10.0.50.16)
   Username: 101
   Password: [extension secret]
   

3. Connect

Note: Phone must be on same network as lab, or you need VPN/port forwarding.

✅ FreePBX Installation Complete!

What you've accomplished: - ✅ Installed Asterisk and FreePBX - ✅ Created extensions (internal phone numbers) - ✅ Configured ring groups (departments) - ✅ Built IVR menu (auto-attendant) - ✅ Set up voicemail with email - ✅ Created conference bridge - ✅ Enabled call recording - ✅ Tested with softphones - ✅ Optional: Connected to outside world (SIP trunk)

Your organization now has: - Professional phone system - Internal extensions - Auto-attendant - Voicemail-to-email - Conference rooms - Call recording - Mobile access

Cost: $0 (vs $20,000+ for commercial PBX!)

Exercise 16: SuiteCRM Installation¶

Understanding CRM Systems¶

What is CRM?

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tracks all interactions with customers and potential customers.

Without CRM:

Customer calls → Agent writes notes on paper
Later → Can't find notes
Customer calls again → "Who are you?"
Result: Poor customer experience, lost sales

With CRM:

Customer calls → Screen pop shows:
  - Customer name
  - Purchase history  
  - Previous conversations
  - Open issues
  - Opportunities
Agent: "Hi John, how's the new product working?"
Result: Professional, personalized service

What You'll Learn: - Contact and account management - Lead tracking and conversion - Sales pipeline management - Email integration - Calendar and task management - Reporting and dashboards - Mobile CRM access - Phone integration (click-to-call)

Time Required: 2-3 hours

Task 16.1: Prepare CRM Server¶

On LAB-BIZ1:

Step 1: Install Prerequisites¶

ssh labadmin@10.0.50.17

sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade -y

# Install web server and PHP
sudo apt install -y nginx php8.3-fpm php8.3-cli \
    php8.3-common php8.3-curl php8.3-gd \
    php8.3-mbstring php8.3-pgsql php8.3-xml \
    php8.3-zip php8.3-intl php8.3-imap \
    php8.3-ldap php8.3-soap php8.3-bcmath \
    unzip curl

Step 2: Create Database¶

SSH to LAB-DB1:

ssh labadmin@10.0.50.12

sudo -u postgres psql

CREATE DATABASE suitecrm;
CREATE USER suitecrm WITH ENCRYPTED PASSWORD 'CrmPass2024!';
GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON DATABASE suitecrm TO suitecrm;
GRANT ALL ON SCHEMA public TO suitecrm;
\q

Step 3: Download SuiteCRM¶

Back on LAB-BIZ1:

cd /tmp
wget https://github.com/salesagility/SuiteCRM/archive/refs/tags/v8.6.1.zip
unzip v8.6.1.zip
sudo mv SuiteCRM-8.6.1 /var/www/suitecrm
sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/suitecrm
sudo chmod -R 755 /var/www/suitecrm

Step 4: Configure Nginx¶

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/crm.lab.local

Content:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name crm.lab.local;

    root /var/www/suitecrm/public;
    index index.php index.html;

    client_max_body_size 20M;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ /index.php?$query_string;
    }

    location ~ \.php$ {
        fastcgi_pass unix:/run/php/php8.3-fpm.sock;
        fastcgi_index index.php;
        fastcgi_param SCRIPT_FILENAME $document_root$fastcgi_script_name;
        include fastcgi_params;
    }

    location ~ /\.ht {
        deny all;
    }
}

Enable site:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/crm.lab.local /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/
sudo nginx -t
sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 5: Configure PHP¶

sudo nano /etc/php/8.3/fpm/php.ini

Update:

memory_limit = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 20M
post_max_size = 20M
max_execution_time = 300

Restart PHP-FPM:

sudo systemctl restart php8.3-fpm

Task 16.2: Install SuiteCRM¶

Step 1: Web Installation¶

Navigate to: http://crm.lab.local

Welcome Screen: - Click: Next

License Agreement: - Read and accept - Click: Next

System Check: - Review green checkmarks - All should pass - Click: Next

Database Configuration:

Database Type: PostgreSQL
Host Name: 10.0.50.12
Database Name: suitecrm
Database User: suitecrm
Database Password: CrmPass2024!

Site Configuration:

Site URL: http://crm.lab.local
Admin Username: admin
Admin Password: CrmAdmin2024!
First Name: CRM
Last Name: Administrator
Email: admin@lab.local

Locale Settings:

Date Format: Y-m-d
Time Format: H:i
Timezone: America/Toronto
Currency: USD

SMTP Configuration:

SMTP Server: 10.0.50.14
SMTP Port: 587
Username: crm@lab.local
Password: [mail password]
Use TLS: Yes

Installation runs - takes 2-5 minutes

Click: Log In to SuiteCRM

Task 16.3: Initial CRM Configuration¶

You're now in SuiteCRM!

Step 1: Configure LDAP Authentication¶

Navigate: Admin → Password Management → LDAP Authentication

Enable LDAP:

Server: 10.0.50.11
Port: 389
Enable Start TLS: Yes

Base DN: cn=users,cn=accounts,dc=lab,dc=local
Bind DN: uid=admin,cn=users,cn=accounts,dc=lab,dc=local
Bind Password: [FreeIPA admin password]

Login Attribute: uid
Auto Create Users: Yes

User DN: cn=users,cn=accounts,dc=lab,dc=local

Save

Test: Try logging in with FreeIPA user (guard1 / password)

Step 2: Configure Email Settings¶

Navigate: Admin → Email Settings

Outbound Email:

SMTP Server: 10.0.50.14
Port: 587
Use TLS: Yes
Username: crm@lab.local
Password: [password]
From Name: Company Name CRM
From Address: crm@lab.local

Click: Send Test Email → Enter your email → Send

Should receive test email

Step 3: Create Sales Team¶

Navigate: Admin → Users

For each FreeIPA user, create:

1. Click: Create
2. User Details:

   Username: guard1 (from LDAP)
   First Name: Guard
   Last Name: One
   Email: guard1@lab.local
   Status: Active
   Department: Sales
   Title: Sales Representative
   

3. Save

Repeat for: guard2, manager1, office1

Step 4: Customize Sales Pipeline¶

Navigate: Admin → Studio → Opportunities → Fields

Default Sales Stages: - Prospecting - Qualification - Needs Analysis - Value Proposition - Id. Decision Makers - Perception Analysis - Proposal/Price Quote - Negotiation/Review - Closed Won - Closed Lost

Add custom stage:

Click: Add Field

Data Type: Dropdown
Field Name: sales_stage
Display Label: Sales Stage

Options:
  Lead
  Qualified
  Demo Scheduled
  Proposal Sent
  Negotiation
  Closed Won
  Closed Lost

Save & Deploy

Task 16.4: Add Sample Data¶

Let's add realistic test data.

Step 1: Create Accounts (Companies)¶

Navigate: Sales → Accounts

Click: Create

Account 1:

Account Name: Acme Security Services
Phone: (555) 123-4567
Website: www.acmesecurity.com
Billing Address:
  Street: 123 Main St
  City: Ottawa
  State: ON
  Postal Code: K1A 0B1
Industry: Security
Annual Revenue: $5,000,000
Employees: 50

Save

Repeat for 2-3 more companies

Step 2: Create Contacts¶

Navigate: Sales → Contacts

Click: Create

Contact 1:

First Name: John
Last Name: Smith
Account: Acme Security Services
Title: Director of Operations
Email: john.smith@acmesecurity.com
Phone (Office): (555) 123-4567 ext 101
Phone (Mobile): (555) 987-6543

Address: [Same as account]

Save

Create 3-4 contacts per account

Step 3: Create Opportunity (Deal)¶

Navigate: Sales → Opportunities

Click: Create

Opportunity 1:

Opportunity Name: Acme - New Security System
Account: Acme Security Services
Amount: $50,000
Date Closed: [30 days from now]
Sales Stage: Qualified
Probability: 50%
Lead Source: Cold Call
Assigned To: guard1 (Sales Rep)

Description:
Potential deal for 24/7 monitoring system across
all Acme facilities. 3-year contract.

Save

Step 4: Log Activities¶

While viewing opportunity:

Click: Log Call

Subject: Discovery Call
Date: [Today]
Duration: 30 minutes
Notes: Discussed current security pain points.
       They need 24/7 monitoring. Budget approved.
       Next step: Schedule site visit.

Save

Create calendar event:

Click: Schedule Meeting

Subject: Site Visit - Acme Security
Start Date: [Tomorrow, 10:00 AM]
Duration: 2 hours
Invitees: John Smith (contact)
Location: Acme Office
Related To: Acme - New Security System (opportunity)

Save

Task 16.5: Configure Dashboards¶

Navigate: Home (Dashboard)

Click: Create Dashboard

Add Dashlets:

1. My Opportunities
2. Shows your open deals

3. Drag to position

4. Sales Pipeline by Month

5. Shows revenue forecast

6. My Calls Today

7. Shows scheduled calls

8. My Meetings

9. Shows calendar events

Save Dashboard

Now you have visual overview of sales activity

Task 16.6: Email Integration¶

Connect SuiteCRM to iRedMail for email tracking

Step 1: Configure Group Email Account¶

Navigate: Admin → Inbound Email

Click: Create

Configuration:

Name: CRM Shared Mailbox
Email Address: crm@lab.local

Server Type: IMAP
Server: 10.0.50.14
Port: 993
Use SSL: Yes

Username: crm@lab.local
Password: [password]

Monitored Folders: INBOX

Options:
  ✓ Create Case from Email
  ✓ Auto-import
  ✓ Link emails to records

Save

Test: Click "Test Settings" → Should connect successfully

Now emails to crm@lab.local appear in SuiteCRM!

Step 2: Configure Personal Email¶

As a user (guard1):

Navigate: Email → Settings

Configure:

Email Address: guard1@lab.local

Outbound:
  SMTP Server: 10.0.50.14
  Port: 587
  Use TLS: Yes
  Auth Required: Yes
  Username: guard1@lab.local
  Password: [password]

Inbound:
  Server: 10.0.50.14
  Protocol: IMAP
  Port: 993
  SSL: Yes
  Username: guard1@lab.local
  Password: [password]

Save & Test

Now you can: - Send emails from CRM - Emails automatically linked to contacts - Track email history per customer

Task 16.7: FreePBX Integration (Click-to-Call)¶

Integrate CRM with phone system

Step 1: Install Asterisk Connector¶

SuiteCRM has built-in Asterisk integration:

Navigate: Admin → Module Loader

Search: Asterisk

If not installed:

1. Download Asterisk Integration module
2. Upload via Module Loader
3. Install

Step 2: Configure Asterisk Connection¶

Navigate: Admin → Asterisk Settings

Configuration:

Asterisk Server: 10.0.50.16
AMI Port: 5038
AMI Username: admin
AMI Password: [Create in FreePBX]

In FreePBX (to create AMI user):

ssh labadmin@10.0.50.16
sudo nano /etc/asterisk/manager.conf

Add:

[admin]
secret = CrmAmi2024!
deny = 0.0.0.0/0.0.0.0
permit = 10.0.50.0/255.255.255.0
read = system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user
write = system,call,log,verbose,command,agent,user

Reload Asterisk:

sudo asterisk -rx "manager reload"

Back in SuiteCRM:

Test Connection → Should show "Connected"

Step 3: Assign Extensions to Users¶

Navigate: Admin → Users

For each user:

guard1:
  Extension: 101

guard2:
  Extension: 102

Save

Step 4: Test Click-to-Call¶

Open a Contact record (John Smith)

Click phone number: (555) 123-4567

Pop-up appears: "Calling (555) 123-4567 from extension 101"

Your phone (extension 101) rings

When you answer: - System dials external number - Call is logged in CRM automatically!

Call ends: - Duration recorded - Notes can be added - Call linked to contact

This is HUGE for sales productivity!

✅ SuiteCRM Installation Complete!

What you've accomplished: - ✅ Installed SuiteCRM 8.6 - ✅ Configured PostgreSQL database - ✅ Integrated with FreeIPA (LDAP) - ✅ Set up email integration - ✅ Created accounts, contacts, opportunities - ✅ Built sales dashboard - ✅ Integrated with FreePBX (click-to-call) - ✅ Configured mobile access

Your sales team now has: - Complete customer database - Sales pipeline tracking - Email integration - Phone integration - Calendar and tasks - Mobile CRM access - Automated workflows

[Document continues with Exercise 17: Odoo ERP Deployment, Exercise 18: OpenKM Document Management, Exercise 19: Taiga Project Management, Exercise 20: Snipe-IT Asset Management, Exercise 21: GLPI IT Service Management, Exercise 22: Back Office Integration, and Exercise 23: End-to-End Workflows]

[Continuing to next file due to length...]