Installation & Deployment

StacksAtlas is distributed as an enterprise-ready MSI installer, simplifying deployment across Windows environments.

System Requirements

StacksAtlas is lightweight and designed to run alongside other server applications.

Installation Process

1. Request Download

• Navigate to the Pricing Section on our website.
• Select the tier that fits your needs (or the Free Home Lab tier).
• Check your Email: You will receive an email containing:
  • The Download Link for the MSI installer.
  • Your Activation Code (if you purchased a license).

2. Browser Warnings (Keep File)

Because our installer is updated frequently, your browser might flag it as "Uncommonly Downloaded".

• Edge/Chrome: You may see a warning that the file "could harm your device".
  1. Hover over the download.
  2. Click the Three Dots (...) menu.
  3. Select Keep.
  4. Select Keep Anyway to finish the download.

3. Run Installer & SmartScreen

Double-click the StacksAtlas.msi file.

• Windows SmartScreen: You will likely see a blue window saying "Windows protected your PC".
  • Why? We are building our reputation with the certificate authority.
  • Action: Click More Info, then click the Run Anyway button.

4. Automated Setup

The installer performs the following actions automatically:

1. Service Registration: Installs the background service (StacksAtlas) set to Automatic (Delayed Start).
2. Firewall: Configures Windows Defender Firewall rules for Ports 5000 (HTTP) and 5001 (HTTPS).
3. Shortcuts: Creates a "StacksAtlas" shortcut on your Desktop.

5. Launch & SSL Warning

At the end of installation, ensure "Launch StacksAtlas" is checked and click Finish.

• Your browser will open to https://localhost:5001.
• SSL Warning: You will see a "Connection is not private" warning.
  • Why? The appliance generates a distinct, self-signed certificate for your local network so that traffic is encrypted. Browsers do not trust self-signed certificates by default.
  • Action: Click Advanced and select Proceed to localhost (unsafe).