How to Install OTRS Ticketing System on Ubuntu 22.04

In this article, we will guide you through the installation and configuration of the OTRS (Open Ticket Request System) on an Ubuntu 22.04 server. OTRS is a powerful, open-source ticketing system used by businesses to manage customer support requests, IT services, and other internal processes. By the end of this tutorial, you’ll have a fully functional OTRS system ready to handle your organization’s ticketing needs, providing an efficient way to track and manage customer interactions.

Prepare Your Instance

Before starting, make sure you have your server instance ready:

Initiating Instance Creation:

Create a new virtual machine instance on your hosting provider’s platform.

Shape.host Resources dashboard showing the Create menu and available instance templates.

Choosing a Location:

Choose a hosting plan that meets your needs and select Ubuntu 22.04 as the operating system.

Shape.host instance form with Amsterdam selected as the data center location.

Selecting a Plan:

Choose a hosting plan that meets your needs and select Ubuntu 22.04 as the operating system.

Shape.host instance form with the $22 monthly plan and Ubuntu image selected.

Authentication Method:

Set up authentication, either using SSH keys or a password, and finalize the instance creation.

Shape.host instance form showing authentication, hostname and instance creation options.

Here you will find the ip to connect to your Instance.

Shape.host Resources dashboard with instance details and CPU usage.

Connecting to Your Instance:

To connect to your instance, use SSH. Open a terminal and enter the following command:

ssh root@your-server-ip

Replace your-server-ip with the IP address of your instance, which you can find in your hosting provider’s dashboard.

2. Update and Upgrade Your System

Start by updating and upgrading your system to ensure all packages are up to date:

apt update -y
apt upgrade -y

Terminal showing APT package management commands and output.

3. Install Required Perl Modules

OTRS requires several Perl modules to function properly. Install them using the following command:

apt install perl libapache2-mod-perl2 libdbd-mysql-perl libtimedate-perl libnet-dns-perl libnet-ldap-perl libio-socket-ssl-perl libpdf-api2-perl libsoap-lite-perl libtext-csv-xs-perl libjson-xs-perl libapache-dbi-perl libxml-libxml-perl libxml-libxslt-perl libyaml-perl libarchive-zip-perl libcrypt-eksblowfish-perl libencode-hanextra-perl libmail-imapclient-perl libtemplate-perl libmoo-perl libauthen-ntlm-perl libjavascript-minifier-xs-perl libdbd-odbc-perl libcss-minifier-xs-perl libdbd-pg-perl libdatetime-perl -y

4. Install Apache and MariaDB Server

Install Apache and MariaDB, which are required to host the OTRS application and manage the database:

apt install apache2 mariadb-server mariadb-client -y

After installation, start and enable the services to ensure they run on startup:

systemctl start apache2 mariadb
systemctl enable apache2 mariadb

Terminal showing systemd service management commands or output.

5. Configure MariaDB

Secure MariaDB and tweak its settings for optimal performance:

mysql_secure_installation

Terminal showing the mysql_secure_installation command for OTRS setup.

Terminal showing mariadb commands or output during Configure MariaDB.

Edit the MariaDB configuration file:

nano /etc/mysql/mariadb.conf.d/50-server.cnf

Add the following lines under the [mysqld] section:

max_allowed_packet=256M
character-set-server=utf8
collation-server=utf8_general_ci
innodb_buffer_pool_size=4G
innodb_log_file_size=1G

Terminal showing the GNU nano editor and configuration text.

Save the file and restart MariaDB to apply the changes:

systemctl restart mariadb

6. Install OTRS

Create a dedicated user for OTRS:

useradd -r -m -d /opt/otrs -c "OTRS User" -s /usr/sbin/nologin otrs
usermod -aG www-data otrs

Terminal showing Linux user account management commands.

Download and extract the OTRS package:

wget https://otrscommunityedition.com/download/otrs-community-edition-6.0.35.tar.gz
tar xvfz otrs-community-edition-6.0.35.tar.gz -C /opt/otrs --strip-components=1

Terminal showing file download commands and transfer output.

Terminal showing the OTRS system user creation command.

Change ownership of the OTRS directory:

chown -R otrs:otrs /opt/otrs

Terminal showing file ownership or permission commands.

7. Configure OTRS

Check for required Perl modules:

perl /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.CheckModules.pl

Terminal showing tar commands or output during Configure OTRS.

Rename the configuration file:

cp /opt/otrs/Kernel/Config.pm{.dist,}

Terminal showing file and directory setup commands.

Run the following scripts to set up the environment:

perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/cgi-bin/index.pl
perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/cgi-bin/customer.pl
perl -cw /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.Console.pl
perl /opt/otrs/bin/otrs.SetPermissions.pl

Terminal showing an Apache configuration test.

Link the Apache configuration file:

ln -s /opt/otrs/scripts/apache2-httpd.include.conf /etc/apache2/sites-enabled/

Terminal showing the Apache configuration symlink command for OTRS.

Disable the default Apache site and reload the service:

a2dissite 000-default.conf
systemctl reload apache2

Terminal showing the Apache command to disable the default site during OTRS setup.

Enable required Apache modules and restart the service:

a2enmod perl version deflate filter headers

Fix permissions:

/opt/otrs/bin/otrs.SetPermissions.pl --web-group=www-data
systemctl restart apache2

Terminal showing the OTRS permission setup command.

8. Access OTRS Web Interface

Finally, check the status of Apache:

systemctl status apache2

Open your browser and access the OTRS installer via http://your-server-ip/otrs/installer.pl.
Certainly! Here’s the step-by-step setup process for OTRS in a format suitable for adding photos under each step in WordPress:

Completing the OTRS Installation via Web Interface

Step 1: License Agreement

First, review and accept the OTRS Community Edition license to proceed with the installation.

OTRS Community Edition installer welcome screen.

OTRS Community Edition license agreement screen.

Step 2: Database Settings

Select your database type (MySQL, Oracle, or PostgreSQL) and opt to create a new database for OTRS.

Step 3: Database Configuration

Enter the root database user credentials and configure a new OTRS database user with limited permissions. Specify the database name.

OTRS database connection configuration form.

Step 4: System Configuration

Configure system settings including System ID, FQDN, Admin Email, Organization Name, Log Module, Default Language, and MX Record checks.

OTRS database setup settings and status.

Step 5: Email Configuration.

Set up outbound and inbound mail configurations. Choose mail types (Sendmail, IMAP, etc.) and provide the necessary server details and credentials.

Step 6: Finish Setup

Confirm the installation. The system will provide login credentials for the root user, and you’ll see the installation completion page with a link to the login page.

Step 7: Login to OTRS

Step 8: Initial Dashboard Overview

Upon login, access the OTRS Agent Dashboard where you can start managing tickets and configuring further settings.

OTRS dashboard with ticket lists and warning banners.

In the above screen, you should see the “OTRS Daemon not running error”.

To resolve this error, run the following command on your server interface:

su -c "/opt/otrs/bin/otrs.Daemon.pl start" -s /bin/bash otrs
cp /opt/otrs/var/cron/otrs_daemon{.dist,}
su -c "/opt/otrs/bin/Cron.sh start" -s /bin/bash otrs

Step 9: Initial Ticket Overview

The dashboard shows an overview of tickets, including new, open, and escalated ones, giving you a basic interface for managing customer requests.

You have now installed the OTRS ticketing system on Ubuntu 22.04. OTRS will enable you to streamline your customer service processes, enhance your team’s productivity, and provide better service to your clients.

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