Nectar Applications - LimeSurvey

NeCTAR have packaged LimeSurvey into the Application Catalogue so you can create your own instance of LimeSurvey running in the NeCTAR cloud.

To create the application, click the Applications tab, then the Applications sub-tab. If you don't immediately see LimeSurvey, just type it into the search field on the right. Once you've found it, click Quick Deploy.

Click the LAMP server - Add Application button to configure the LimeSurvey LAMP server.

If you want to enable HTTPS, please see the Enable HTTPS article. If you want to add Backups, please see the Duply Backups article. Click Next to continue.

Choose your desired Instance flavor, Instance image, Key Pair and the Availability Zone. Click Next to continue.

The last step allows you to provide a name for the LAMP base application. You can keep the default, LAMPBase, or supply your own. Click Create to continue.

Your LAMP server will now be available in the LimeSurvey configuration. Click Next to continue.

Provide the required database configuration settings for LimeSurvey:

• MySql root password is used for root user access to the MySql server. Avoiding weak passwords is important for the protection of your data.
• Database name is the name of the database to create for LimeSurvey data. The default database name is limesurvey.
• Username and Password used by LimeSurvey to connect to the LimeSurvey database. The default username is limesurvey. This password is also the initial admin user password for LimeSurvey. 

Click Next to continue.

The last step allows you to provide a name. You can keep the default, LimeSurvey, or supply your own. Click Create to continue.

You will then be taken to the Application Environments screen. You'll want to click the Deploy This Environment button to kick off the deployment.

The application is now being deployed. This should take around 5 minutes.

LimeSurvey is now deployed and ready. You should see the Last Operation message appear with the address of your LimeSurvey instance. You can click this link to get started.

You will reach the LimeSurvey start page. The link for LimeSurvey Administration is http://<instance address>/limesurvey/admin.

You can login as the LimeSurvey admin user with the Password you provided earlier.

The LimeSurvey admin interface is now available! 

Using Fail2ban

The fail2ban service is configured to monitor access to the LimeSurvey login page. Too many access attempts will result in the temporary banning of an offending IP address.

You can use the fail2ban-client command on your instance to manage the fail2ban service.

To check the LimeSurvey fail2ban status:

$ sudo fail2ban-client status limesurvey-murano
Status for the jail: limesurvey-murano
|- Filter
|  |- Currently failed: 0
|  |- Total failed:     5
|  `- File list:        /var/log/httpd/access_log
`- Actions
   |- Currently banned: 1
   |- Total banned:     1
   `- Banned IP list:   10.10.10.100</code>

To un-ban LimeSurvey access for the IP address (10.10.10.100 in this example):

$ sudo fail2ban-client set limesurvey-murano unbanip 10.10.10.100
$ sudo fail2ban-client status limesurvey-murano
Status for the jail: limesurvey-murano
|- Filter
|  |- Currently failed: 0
|  |- Total failed:     5
|  `- File list:        /var/log/httpd/access_log
`- Actions
   |- Currently banned: 0
   |- Total banned:     1
   `- Banned IP list:</code>