Pyramid installation tips

Daniel
updated 4 days ago

This article provides useful recommendations and checks to perform before installing or upgrading Pyramid.

Following these recommendations can help prevent common installation issues and ensure that your environment meets the requirements of the Pyramid version being installed.

1. Check System Requirements

Before installing or upgrading Pyramid, confirm that the server meets the supported operating system, hardware, software, and database requirements.

Always refer to the latest Pyramid System Requirements before proceeding.

Important for Pyramid 2025.11 and later:

Operating systems: Ubuntu 20, Debian 11, and Amazon Linux 2 are no longer supported.
PostgreSQL: PostgreSQL 12 and earlier are no longer supported as Pyramid repository databases.
Windows: Ensure that the required .NET Framework 4.7.2 and .NET 10 components are installed.
Linux: Ensure that the operating system is fully updated and that the required software repositories and dependencies are accessible.

Note: Minimum hardware requirements vary depending on the deployment type, number of users, and expected workload. Kubernetes deployments have different requirements from native installations.

2. Check Antivirus and Endpoint Security

Antivirus and endpoint security software can sometimes interfere with the Pyramid installation process by blocking executables, extracting files, or preventing services from being created or started.

Before installing Pyramid, check whether your security software requires exclusions for:

The Pyramid installer executable.
The Pyramid installation directory.
The Pyramid data and repository directories.
Relevant Pyramid service processes.

If the installation fails and antivirus interference is suspected, review the antivirus logs and temporarily apply approved exclusions where necessary.

Important: Completely disabling antivirus protection is not normally recommended. Any temporary security changes should be approved by your IT or security team and reverted after troubleshooting.

3. Check Firewall and Network Ports

Pyramid uses multiple services that communicate with each other across the network.

If a firewall is enabled, ensure that the required ports are open between the relevant Pyramid servers and components.

This is particularly important for distributed and multi-server installations.

Check that:

The required Pyramid service ports are available.
Servers can communicate with each other.
The Pyramid application can connect to its repository database.
Users can access the required web application ports.
Firewalls, security groups, and network access controls allow the required traffic.

For the required ports, refer to: Firewall Settings for Pyramid .

4. Check Repository Database Requirements

Pyramid requires a repository database to store application configuration, metadata, and other repository information.

Supported repository database technologies include:

Microsoft SQL Server
PostgreSQL
Oracle Database

Before installing Pyramid, verify that the selected database version is supported and that the appropriate connection details and permissions are available.

When the installer is expected to create a database, the database account must have sufficient privileges to perform the required operations.

For existing databases or managed database services such as AWS RDS, the database may need to be created in advance by the database administrator.

In these cases, select the appropriate existing repository or managed database option in the installer.

Important PostgreSQL Changes in Pyramid 2025.11

Pyramid 2025.11 and later no longer support PostgreSQL 12 or earlier as repository databases.

Customers using an older PostgreSQL repository must migrate to a supported version before upgrading Pyramid.

This includes customers who originally installed Pyramid using the older bundled PostgreSQL 9.6 database.

For these installations, PostgreSQL must be migrated to a supported, separately managed PostgreSQL instance before upgrading Pyramid.

The migration guides below use PostgreSQL 18:

Important: Complete the PostgreSQL migration and verify that the existing Pyramid installation is working correctly before proceeding with the Pyramid 2025.11 or later upgrade.

If you are using an externally managed PostgreSQL server that already meets the supported requirements, the bundled PostgreSQL migration procedure does not apply.

5. Check Installation Permissions and Dependencies

Ensure that the account running the Pyramid installer has sufficient permissions to install the application, create directories, configure services, and perform the required system changes.

Windows: Run the installer as Administrator.
Linux: Run the installer with the appropriate administrative permissions, typically using sudo.

On Windows, install the required .NET components before starting the installation to help avoid unnecessary installation interruptions or reboots.

On Linux, ensure that the operating system is fully updated and that the required package repositories are accessible.

Linux installations may require internet access or access to properly configured offline repositories to install the necessary dependencies.

6. Backup Before Upgrading

If you are upgrading an existing Pyramid installation, always take a backup before starting the upgrade.

At a minimum, ensure that you have:

A valid backup of the Pyramid repository database.
Backups of relevant IMDB data files.
Backups of uploaded files and generated content, where applicable.
Copies of any important configuration files.

Where possible, verify that backups can be restored before proceeding with a production upgrade.

For repository backup instructions, see: How to Backup and Restore a PostgreSQL Database .

7. Troubleshooting Installation Failures

If the Pyramid installation fails, review the error message and installer logs before attempting to reinstall the software.

Common causes of installation failures include:

Unsupported operating system or database versions.
Missing software dependencies.
Insufficient installation permissions.
Antivirus or endpoint security interference.
Blocked or unavailable network ports.
Insufficient database permissions or incorrect connection settings.
Configuration or service files remaining from an incomplete installation.

If the installation fails:

Review the error message displayed by the installer.
Check the installer logs for the underlying error.
Verify that the system requirements and prerequisites are met.
Correct any identified issues and retry the installation.
If a complete uninstall and reinstall is required, refer to How to Fully Uninstall Pyramid .

Important: Do not perform a complete uninstall or remove Pyramid repository data without first confirming that all required backups have been taken.

8. Collecting Installer Logs

If you are unable to resolve the installation issue, collect the installer logs before opening a support ticket.

On Windows, installer logs are generally written to the temporary directory of the account running the installation.

To access this directory, press Windows + R and enter:

%TEMP%

On Linux, installer logs may be located in:

/tmp

Depending on the Pyramid version and installer, look for log files with names such as:

installerbuilder_install.log
pyramidinstaller.log

File names may differ between installer versions. If multiple installation attempts have been made, sort the logs by modification time to identify the files associated with the relevant attempt.