What every administrator must know

The few things that keep a Mintrix server safe and recoverable. Read this once after the first sign-in; each part links to the details.

Keep .env and its APP_KEY

/opt/mintrix/.env holds APP_KEY, the key Mintrix encrypts with: two-factor secrets, stored settings such as the Ministra password, and sign-in sessions. The installer creates it once.

• Never change it, never lose it. Passwords and API keys are stored hashed, not encrypted, so they do not depend on it; everything encrypted does.
• Keep a copy of .env off the server, next to your backups. A backup is only usable with the same APP_KEY.
• Moving to a new server? Put the old .env in /opt/mintrix/ before you install: see Move to a new server.

If APP_KEY changes

Administrators with two-factor authentication can no longer sign in ("The MAC is invalid"), and encrypted settings have to be entered again. See Troubleshooting.

Backups

• New installations make a backup every day. Check under Settings > Backups that scheduled backups are on and that the last one is recent.
• Every update backs up the database first, to /opt/mintrix/mysql_backups/.
• Backups stay on the server. Copy them, with .env, somewhere else: a broken disk takes both.

Details: Backups.

Administrator access

• Change the default administrator password and email at the first sign-in, and set up outgoing email (MAIL_* in .env) so password resets work.
• Turn on two-factor authentication from your user menu (top right). Settings > Security can require it for every administrator.
• Locked out? From the server you can always add an administrator or reset someone's two-factor authentication, without the panel: see Administrator accounts.
• Signing out signs you out everywhere: every browser and device you are signed in on.
• IP_WHITELIST in .env limits where administrators may sign in from: see Settings.

Watch the dashboard and the System Log

The dashboard shows a warning at the top when something needs you:

• Ministra cannot be reached;
• the scheduler or the queue worker has stopped (backups, device expiry, the Ministra sync and the programme guide then wait);
• scheduled backups are off or overdue;
• an update is available, especially a security update;
• errors in the System Log, or many failed sign-ins, in the last 24 hours.

Settings > System Log has the details of each. Keys, passwords and tokens are masked there, so it is safe to copy lines from it when you ask for help.

On the server, sudo docker compose ps in /opt/mintrix shows whether every service runs: see Status and logs.

Updates

Update from System Update in the panel or with sudo mintrix-update. Each update backs up the database first and keeps .env. Going back to an older version does not undo database changes: restore the backup taken before the update instead.

Details: Update.

Ministra

Mintrix saves to Ministra first: a device, subscriber, channel or film is saved only once Ministra has it. When Ministra cannot be reached or refuses Mintrix's login, saving fails and the message says why; nothing is half saved. Ministra has releases of its own: update it under Settings > Ministra > Update, which backs up its database first.

Details: Ministra with Mintrix, Update and settings.

Set-top boxes

Boxes run Mintrix's own MAG app or Ministra's portal, depending on their portal address. Mintrix's app is updated from Settings > System Update, and boxes load a new version by themselves.

Details: The MAG app, Updating boxes.

Your licence

The licence is for your domain, and Mintrix renews it by itself every day. When it ends, Mintrix turns read-only: nothing that serves your viewers stops, and nothing is deleted, but changes wait until it is renewed. Settings > License shows its state and your plan's MAG and app device limits.

Details: Licence and devices.