Alpine Linux

This guide covers installing the LinuxGuard agent on Alpine Linux, commonly used in containers and lightweight environments.

Important: Alpine Linux uses OpenRC (not systemd) for service management and musl libc (not glibc). Commands in this guide differ from other distribution guides accordingly.

Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• Kernel: Linux kernel 4.18 or later

• Permissions: Root or sudo access

• Network: Outbound HTTPS access to packages.linuxguard.io

• curl: The curl package (not installed by default on Alpine minimal)

Note: For complete system requirements including architecture and detailed prerequisites, see the Prerequisites Guide.

To install curl if not already present:

sudo apk add curl

Repository Setup

The recommended installation method uses the APK package manager to install LinuxGuard from the official repository.

Step 1: Import GPG Key

Create the APK keys directory and import the LinuxGuard signing key:

sudo mkdir -p /etc/apk/keys
curl -fsSL https://packages.linuxguard.io/gpg/linuxguard.asc | \
  sudo tee /etc/apk/keys/linuxguard.asc > /dev/null

Step 2: Add Repository

Add the LinuxGuard repository to your system:

echo "https://packages.linuxguard.io/apk/alpine/v$(cut -d. -f1,2 /etc/alpine-release)/main" | \
  sudo tee -a /etc/apk/repositories

Step 3: Install Agent

Update the package index and install the agent:

sudo apk update
sudo apk add linuxguard-agent

The installer will also install the sysstat dependency, which provides iostat and mpstat for system metrics collection.

Step 4: Enable and Start Service

Alpine uses OpenRC for service management. Enable the agent to start at boot and start the service:

sudo rc-update add linuxguard-agent boot
sudo rc-service linuxguard-agent start

Note: Alpine uses OpenRC for service management. Use rc-service and rc-update instead of systemctl.

Direct Download

If you prefer to download and install the package manually, you can download the APK package directly:

curl -fsSL -o linuxguard-agent.apk \
  https://packages.linuxguard.io/apk/pool/linuxguard-agent-latest.$(uname -m).apk
sudo apk add --allow-untrusted linuxguard-agent.apk

Note: Manual installation does not configure automatic updates. We recommend using the repository method for production systems.

Verification

After installation, verify the agent was installed correctly:

Check Agent Binary

Confirm the agent binary is installed:

which linuxguard-agent

Expected output:

/usr/bin/linuxguard-agent

Verify Agent User

Confirm the dedicated linuxguard user was created:

id linuxguard

Expected output (UID/GID may vary):

uid=999(linuxguard) gid=999(linuxguard) groups=999(linuxguard)

Check Service Status

Verify the agent service is running (OpenRC command):

sudo rc-service linuxguard-agent status

Expected output:

 * status: started

The agent is now installed and ready for enrollment.

Alpine-Specific Considerations

musl vs glibc

Alpine uses musl libc instead of glibc. The LinuxGuard agent package for Alpine is specifically compiled against musl. Do not install Debian/Ubuntu or RedHat/CentOS packages on Alpine — they are compiled against glibc and will not run.

Container Environments

Alpine is commonly used as a container base image due to its small size (3-10MB vs 100-300MB for Debian/Ubuntu). For container-specific installation instructions, see the Container Installation Guide.

Troubleshooting

Service Commands Not Working

Issue: systemctl: command not found or systemctl commands fail.

Solution: Alpine uses OpenRC, not systemd. Use rc-service linuxguard-agent <command> instead of systemctl <command> linuxguard-agent. Most common mistake when switching from other distributions.

Binary Compatibility Errors

Issue: Agent fails to start with library or symbol errors.

Solution: Verify you installed the Alpine-specific package. This error typically indicates a glibc vs musl mismatch. Reinstall using apk add linuxguard-agent from the Alpine repository.

Missing curl

Issue: Repository setup fails because curl is not installed.

Solution: Alpine minimal installations don't include curl by default. Install with:

apk add curl

Note: For additional troubleshooting guidance, see the Troubleshooting Guide.

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Next Step: Configuration →

Related: Installation Overview | Prerequisites | Container Installation