Infrastructure configuration guide

Guide for securely configuring Alpacon in enterprise environments.

Firewall configuration

Server systems

Alpacon agents use outbound HTTPS/WSS connections. If you have whitelist-based firewall or proxy on server systems, you need to allow outbound connections to the following destinations.

DomainPurposeRequiredNotes
https://<workspace>.<region>.alpacon.ioCore featuresRequiredWorkspace name and region vary by setup
https://s3.*WebFTP uploads/downloadsOptionalOptional if not using WebFTP features

⚠️ Note: If you don’t allow these domains, you may not be able to use full Alpacon features. As domains are specific to your organization, there’s no security risk of connecting to third-party workspaces.

Using proxy systems (Optional)

Alpacon agents support proxy connections. If you configure HTTP_PROXY and HTTPS_PROXY environment variables, agents will use these to connect to backend systems.

export HTTP_PROXY=http://proxy.company.com:8080
export HTTPS_PROXY=http://proxy.company.com:8080

Client systems

Alpacon clients (Web/CLI) use outbound HTTPS/WSS connections. If you have whitelist-based firewall or proxy on client systems, allow outbound connections to:

DomainPurposeRequiredNotes
https://alpacon.ioCore featuresRequired
https://<workspace>.<region>.alpacon.ioCore featuresRequiredWorkspace name and region vary by setup
https://auth.alpacon.ioAuthenticationRequired
https://portal.alpacax.comProfileRequired
https://pay.alpacax.comPaymentOptionalOnly for billing managers
https://s3.*WebFTP uploads/downloadsOptionalOptional if not using WebFTP features

Security considerations

Transitioning from SSH to Alpacon

With Alpacon, you transition from perimeter-based port protection to zero-trust approach.

  1. Block SSH port

    • Block user access to port 22
    • Keep only emergency access
    • Simplify firewall configuration
  2. Restrict direct SSH access

    # /etc/ssh/sshd_config example
    PermitRootLogin no
    PasswordAuthentication no
    PubkeyAuthentication no  # For Alpacon-only systems
    AllowUsers emergency-admin  # Allow only emergency accounts
  3. Remove VPN dependency

    • VPN access to internal network with unlimited server access is a security threat
    • Complex VPNs or jump hosts reduce visibility
    • Simplify access with Alpacon single platform

Security best practices

1. Principle of least privilege

  • Allow access only to necessary servers per user
  • Use group-based permission management
  • Regular permission reviews

2. Audit logging configuration

Configure audit logging in your workspace settings:

  1. Go to SettingsPreferences
  2. Set log retention period (default: 90 days)
  3. Configure alert notifications for privileged operations

3. Mandatory MFA

Configure MFA policies in your workspace settings:

  1. Go to SettingsSecurity
  2. Enable Enforce MFA for all users
  3. Select allowed MFA methods (hardware key, biometric, OTP)
  4. Set MFA retention time for session duration

High availability configuration

Regional configuration

Alpacon supports global regions. Choose the nearest region to minimize latency.

RegionEndpointRecommended for
US1*.us1.alpacon.ioNorth America, South America, Europe
AP1*.ap1.alpacon.ioAsia-Pacific

Availability guarantee

  • Redundancy: All components redundant
  • Auto-failover: Automatic failover on failure
  • SLA: 99.9% availability guarantee

Disaster recovery

  1. Agent auto-reconnection

    • Automatic retry on network failure
    • Exponential backoff algorithm
  2. Session recovery

    • Automatic session recovery after disconnection
    • Reconnection possible within session timeout

Compliance

Regulatory compliance readiness

Alpacon follows industry-standard frameworks and best practices:

  • SOC 2 framework: We align with SOC 2 Type II security principles and are preparing for certification
  • ISO 27001 alignment: Security controls aligned with ISO 27001 standards
  • GDPR compliance: Data handling practices designed to support GDPR requirements (EU customers)
  • HIPAA readiness: Infrastructure designed with healthcare industry requirements in mind

Note: We are actively working toward obtaining SOC 2 Type II and other industry certifications. Updates on our certification status will be announced as they become available.

Data residency

  • Data stored only in selected region
  • Cross-region replication option
  • On-premises deployment option (Enterprise)

Troubleshooting

Connection issues

SymptomCauseSolution
Agent offlineFirewall blockingAllow outbound HTTPS/WSS
Intermittent disconnectionsProxy timeoutAdjust proxy keepalive settings
Slow responseRegion distanceChange to nearer region

Log checking

# Agent logs
sudo systemctl status alpamon
sudo journalctl -u alpamon -n 50

Migration checklist

Checklist for transitioning from SSH to Alpacon:

  • Install Alpacon agent on all servers
  • Invite users to Alpacon workspace
  • Configure groups and permissions
  • Configure MFA policy
  • Update firewall rules
  • Block SSH port 22 (except emergency)
  • Configure audit logging
  • Establish backup and recovery procedures
  • Conduct team training