How to install and configure IBM Qradar

5 min read4 days ago

IBM QRadar is a powerful Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solution designed to provide advanced threat detection, log management, and network visibility. This step-by-step guide will walk you through the installation process of QRadar in a virtual environment.

For this setup, we are using a VMware vSphere with a software installation of QRadar 7.5.0. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Download the QRadar ISO

Before starting the installation, you need to download the QRadar ISO file. To proceed, download the ISO file from this link. If you don’t have an account, create one first.
If the above link doesn’t work, you can use the IBM QRadar Community Edition. It’s free but slightly outdated; however, it’s still functional and suitable for learning and testing purposes.

Step 2: Prepare the Environment

You can find the minimum requirements for QRadar installation at this link. I will use the following resources for this installation:

CPU: 9 cores
RAM: 24 GB
Disk Space: 300 GB
Environment: VMware vSphere

Note: You can use any virtual environment for the QRadar installation, such as VMware Workstation, Hyper-V, or VirtualBox. However, for this guide, I have chosen VMware vSphere for the setup process.

Step 3: Begin Installation with VMware vSphere

Create a New Virtual Machine and provide a name for the virtual machine (e.g., IBM QRadar)

2. Select compute resource

3. Select your storage where you will install.

4. Choose the ESXi version compatible with your environment.

5. Select Linux as a guest OS and set the version to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (64-bit).

6. Configure VM Resources as I said before.

7. Review your settings and finish.

After setting up the virtual machine, power it on and start the QRadar installation process.

Note: If you encounter an error related to Secure Boot, simply disable the Secure Boot option.

Step 4: Select Appliance Type

Since we are using a virtual environment, select Software Install on the “Appliance Install” screen and press Next to continue.

Step 5: Assign Appliance Functionality

On the “Software Appliance Assignment” screen, select All-In-One Console option and press Next

All-in-one Console – For a standalone system combining console, event processing, and data storage

Step 6: Type of Setup

Select the normal setup and press Next.

Step 7: Date and Time Configuration

Change the Date and Time according to your time zone and press Next.

Step 8: Set the Time Zone

Select your region and time zone then press Next.

Step 9: Internet Protocol Setup

Choose Internet Protocol Version:
On the Internet Protocol Setup screen, you are prompted to select the IP version for your QRadar deployment. Select IPv4 option.

Interface Configuration Mode:
You are also asked whether to enable bonded interface configuration:

Yes: Use bonded interface mode if you want to combine multiple network interfaces for increased bandwidth or redundancy.
No: Use a single network interface.

I have selected No.

Step 10: Management Interface

Here just click Next.

Step 11: Configure Networking

On the “Network Information Setup” screen, give the hostname, assign an IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and DNS settings based on your network requirements. And click Next

Step 12: Admin Password Setup

On the Admin Password Setup screen, enter a strong password for the QRadar admin account in the Enter New Admin Password field. Ensure the password meets the requirements. And press Next.

Step 13: Access QRadar Console

After the installation, access the QRadar web console by opening a browser and navigating to https://<QRadar_IP> . Provide the username as “admin” and the password you defined above.