Documentation

Complete guide for using OPNmanager hosted service

Documentation

Getting Started

Hosted Service: OPNmanager is a fully managed hosted service. No installation or server management required!

Welcome to OPNmanager

OPNmanager is a comprehensive, cloud-hosted platform for managing multiple OPNsense firewalls from a single, centralized dashboard. Our hosted service eliminates the need for you to maintain servers, handle updates, or worry about system administration.

Key Benefits

  • Zero Installation: Access immediately through your web browser
  • Automatic Updates: Always running the latest version with security patches
  • High Availability: 99.9% uptime with redundant infrastructure
  • Secure Hosting: Enterprise-grade security and data protection
  • Backup Management: Automated backups with point-in-time recovery
  • Multi-tenant Support: Isolate customers and manage permissions

Quick Start Guide

1. Sign Up

Create your OPNmanager account and choose your subscription plan.

2. Access Dashboard

Log in to your hosted instance using your secure credentials.

3. Add Firewalls

Connect your OPNsense devices to the centralized management platform.

4. Configure & Monitor

Set up monitoring, alerts, and centralized configuration management.

Dashboard Overview

The OPNmanager platform provides a comprehensive, organized interface for managing your OPNsense firewalls. The navigation is intelligently structured into logical sections.

Navigation Structure

Core Management
  • Dashboard: Overview of all systems
  • Firewalls: Main management interface with search, filtering, and status
  • Customers: Customer and organization management
  • Manage Tags: Organize firewalls with custom tags
  • Add Firewall: Quick device addition
  • Backups: Configuration backup management
Administration
  • Updates: System update management
  • Users: User account and permissions
  • System Logs: Platform activity logging
  • SMTP Settings: Email configuration
  • Branding: Custom appearance settings
  • Security: Fail2Ban and SSL management
Development Tools
  • Version Management: Platform versioning and releases
  • Change Log: Auto-generated version history
Information & Help
  • User Documentation: Comprehensive guides with sticky navigation
  • About: Platform information and statistics
  • 2FA Setup: Two-factor authentication

Managing Firewalls

Firewall Management Interface

The main Firewalls page (/firewalls.php) provides a comprehensive table view of all managed devices with powerful search and filtering capabilities.

Key Features: Real-time status monitoring, advanced search, tag filtering, customer grouping, and bulk operations.
Search and Filtering
Search Options
  • Hostname search
  • IP address lookup
  • Customer name filtering
  • Real-time search as you type
Filter Options
  • Status filtering (Online/Offline)
  • Tag-based grouping
  • Customer organization
  • Version-based filtering
Status Monitoring
Online
Last checkin < 10 minutes
Offline
No recent checkin
Warning
Agent issues detected

Adding a New Firewall

Use the dedicated "Add Firewall" page for streamlined device onboarding:

  1. Navigate to Add Firewall: Click "Add Firewall" in the main navigation
  2. Enter Device Details: Provide hostname, IP address, and customer information
  3. Configure Access: Set up SSH credentials or API keys
  4. Test Connection: Verify connectivity before saving
  5. Apply Tags: Organize with custom tags for easier management
  6. Set Monitoring: Configure check intervals and alert thresholds
Important: Ensure the OPNsense device allows SSH or API access from the management platform IP.
Security Note: Ensure your OPNsense firewall allows management access from our hosted platform IP ranges.

Firewall Operations

  • Remote Configuration: Push configuration changes to multiple devices
  • Firmware Updates: Centrally manage firmware updates
  • Rule Management: Create and deploy firewall rules across devices
  • Certificate Management: Centralized SSL/TLS certificate deployment

Platform Information

About Page Overview

The About page (/about.php) serves as your central hub for platform administration and version information.

Platform Status
  • Current Version: Displays active release version
  • Development Version: Shows upcoming features
  • System Statistics: Real-time platform metrics
  • Release Information: Version history and details
System Metrics
  • Total Firewalls: Count of managed devices
  • Active Agents: Currently online devices
  • Open Issues: Bug tracking status
  • Pending Tasks: Todo list summary
Version Management Integration

The About page integrates directly with the platform's version management system, showing:

  • Current production version (v2.4.0)
  • Development version in progress
  • Release dates and descriptions
  • Direct links to version management and changelog
Administrative Quick Access

From the About page, administrators can quickly access:

Version Management
Change Log
PDF Reports

Configuration Management

Template System

OPNmanager supports configuration templates to standardize settings across multiple firewalls:

  • Create reusable configuration templates
  • Apply templates to multiple devices simultaneously
  • Version control for configuration changes
  • Rollback capabilities for failed deployments

Configuration Areas

  • Network Interfaces
  • Firewall Rules
  • NAT Configurations
  • VPN Settings
  • DNS/DHCP Services
  • High Availability
  • Traffic Shaping
  • Intrusion Detection

Monitoring & Alerts

Real-time Monitoring

Monitor all your firewalls from a centralized location:

  • System Health: CPU, memory, disk usage
  • Network Traffic: Bandwidth utilization and trends
  • Security Events: Blocked connections and intrusion attempts
  • Service Status: VPN connections, gateway status

Alert Configuration

Set up intelligent alerts for:

  • System resource thresholds
  • Network connectivity issues
  • Security threats and anomalies
  • Service outages
  • Configuration changes
  • Firmware update notifications

Backup & Restore

Automated Backups

OPNmanager automatically backs up your firewall configurations:

  • Scheduled Backups: Daily, weekly, or monthly backup schedules
  • Change-triggered Backups: Automatic backup before configuration changes
  • Retention Policies: Configurable backup retention periods
  • Encrypted Storage: All backups encrypted and securely stored

Restore Operations

  • Point-in-time configuration restoration
  • Selective configuration restoration
  • Cross-device configuration deployment
  • Disaster recovery planning

Enhanced User Documentation

Sticky Navigation Interface

The platform's User Documentation page (/documentation.php) features an enhanced interface with:

Navigation Features
  • Sticky Sidebar: Always-visible section navigation
  • Smooth Scrolling: Animated section transitions
  • Active Highlighting: Current section indication
  • Responsive Design: Mobile-optimized layout
Content Organization
  • Structured Sections: Logical content organization
  • Quick Access: Jump to any section instantly
  • Code Examples: Syntax-highlighted examples
  • Visual Guides: Screenshots and diagrams
Professional Layout

The documentation uses a professional 3+9 column layout with:

  • Custom Scrollbar: Styled navigation with smooth scrolling
  • Bootstrap 5 Integration: Modern, responsive design components
  • Interactive Elements: Hover effects and visual feedback
  • Accessibility Features: Screen reader friendly and keyboard navigation
Enhancement: This documentation system represents a significant upgrade from basic documentation pages, providing a professional user experience that rivals enterprise platforms.

User Management

Role-based Access Control

Manage user access with granular permissions:

  • Administrator: Full access to all features and settings
  • Operator: Configuration and monitoring access
  • Viewer: Read-only access to dashboards and reports
  • Custom Roles: Define specific permission sets

Multi-tenant Support

Isolate customer environments:

  • Separate tenant workspaces
  • Customer-specific firewall groups
  • Isolated user management
  • Custom branding per tenant

API Access

RESTful API

Integrate OPNmanager with your existing systems:

  • Configuration Management: Programmatically manage firewall settings
  • Monitoring Data: Retrieve performance and security metrics
  • Alert Integration: Forward alerts to external systems
  • Backup Operations: Trigger and manage backups via API

Authentication

  • API key authentication
  • OAuth 2.0 support
  • Rate limiting and throttling
  • Comprehensive API documentation

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

  • Verify firewall allows management access
  • Check SSH key configuration
  • Confirm network connectivity
  • Review firewall logs for blocked connections
  • Check configuration template validity
  • Verify target device compatibility
  • Review deployment logs
  • Ensure sufficient privileges

Support

Email Support

Get help from our technical support team.

support@opnmanager.com

Live Chat

Chat with our support team in real-time.

Available 24/7 through the dashboard

Support Levels

  • Standard Support: Email support with 24-hour response time
  • Priority Support: 4-hour response time with phone support
  • Enterprise Support: Dedicated support engineer and 1-hour response time