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This guide covers the complete process of installing, configuring, activating, and managing plugins in ITSM-NG.

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Prerequisites

Before installing a plugin, ensure:
  • You have administrative access to ITSM-NG
  • The plugin is compatible with your ITSM-NG version
  • All required PHP extensions are installed
  • File system permissions are correctly set on the plugins directory

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Installation Methods

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Method 1: Manual Installation via Web Interface

1

Download the Plugin

Download the plugin package (usually a .tar.gz or .zip file) from the official source or plugin marketplace.
2

Extract to Plugins Directory

Extract the plugin archive to the ITSM-NG plugins directory:
cd /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/
tar -xzf /path/to/plugin-name.tar.gz
Or for zip files:
cd /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/
unzip /path/to/plugin-name.zip
3

Set Permissions

Ensure the web server has appropriate permissions:
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/plugin-name
chmod -R 755 /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/plugin-name
4

Access Plugin Management

  1. Log in to ITSM-NG as an administrator
  2. Navigate to Setup > Plugins
  3. The new plugin should appear in the list with status “Not installed”
5

Install the Plugin

  1. Locate the plugin in the list
  2. Click the Install button
  3. Wait for the installation process to complete
  4. Check for any installation messages or errors
6

Configure (if required)

If the plugin requires configuration:
  1. The status will show “To be configured”
  2. Click on the plugin name to access configuration
  3. Complete the required settings
  4. Save the configuration
7

Activate the Plugin

  1. Return to Setup > Plugins
  2. Click the Enable button next to your plugin
  3. The status should change to “Activated”
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:724-784

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Method 2: Command Line Installation

For automated deployments or scripting:
1

Extract Plugin Files

cd /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/
tar -xzf plugin-name.tar.gz
chown -R www-data:www-data plugin-name
2

Run Discovery

ITSM-NG automatically discovers plugins when the admin interface is accessed. Alternatively, trigger discovery programmatically through the Plugin API.
3

Install via Database

You can also use ITSM-NG’s CLI tools if available, or execute plugin installation through custom scripts using the Plugin class methods.

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Plugin States

Understanding plugin states helps troubleshoot installation issues:

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Not Installed

Plugin files are present but not installed in the database. Click Install to proceed.

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To Be Configured

Plugin is installed but requires configuration before activation. Access the plugin configuration page to complete setup. Source: inc/plugin.class.php:530-560

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Not Activated

Plugin is installed and configured but not currently active. Click Enable to activate.

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Activated

Plugin is fully operational and integrated into ITSM-NG.

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Not Updated

Plugin files are newer than the installed version. Click Update to migrate to the new version. Source: inc/plugin.class.php:497-527

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To Be Cleaned

Plugin directory is missing but database entries remain. Click Clean to remove database entries. Source: inc/plugin.class.php:971-982

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Managing Plugins

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Activating a Plugin

1

Navigate to Plugins

Go to Setup > Plugins in the ITSM-NG interface.
2

Verify Prerequisites

The system automatically checks:
  • GLPI version compatibility
  • PHP version requirements
  • Required PHP extensions
  • Dependent plugins
  • Configuration status
3

Click Enable

If all prerequisites are met, click the Enable button.
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:794-888

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Deactivating a Plugin

1

Access Plugin List

Navigate to Setup > Plugins.
2

Disable Plugin

Click the Disable button next to the active plugin.
3

Verify Deactivation

  • Plugin status changes to “Not Activated”
  • Plugin features are no longer available
  • Data remains in the database
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:898-930

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Updating a Plugin

1

Backup Your Data

Always create a backup before updating:
mysqldump -u root -p itsm_ng > backup_before_plugin_update.sql
2

Deactivate the Plugin

Deactivate the plugin before updating files.
3

Replace Plugin Files

cd /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/
rm -rf plugin-name
tar -xzf plugin-name-new-version.tar.gz
chown -R www-data:www-data plugin-name
4

Check Plugin Status

Return to Setup > Plugins. The status should show “Not Updated”.
5

Run Update

Click the Update button to execute database migrations and updates.
6

Reactivate Plugin

Click Enable to activate the updated plugin.
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:497-527

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Uninstalling a Plugin

Uninstalling a plugin removes all associated data from the database. This action cannot be undone.
1

Deactivate First

If the plugin is active, deactivate it first.
2

Backup Data

Create a backup if you might need the plugin data later:
mysqldump -u root -p itsm_ng > backup_with_plugin_data.sql
3

Uninstall via Interface

  1. Go to Setup > Plugins
  2. Click the Uninstall button
  3. Confirm the uninstallation
4

Remove Files (Optional)

To completely remove the plugin:
rm -rf /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/plugin-name
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:670-711

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Troubleshooting

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Plugin Not Appearing

Issue: Plugin directory exists but doesn’t show in the plugin list. Solutions:
  1. Check file permissions - web server must be able to read the plugin directory
  2. Verify setup.php exists and contains required functions
  3. Check for PHP syntax errors in plugin files
  4. Review web server error logs
# Check permissions
ls -la /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/

# Check for errors
tail -f /var/log/apache2/error.log

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Prerequisites Not Met

Issue: Cannot activate plugin due to failed prerequisites. Solutions:
  1. Review the error message for specific requirements
  2. Install missing PHP extensions
  3. Update GLPI/ITSM-NG to required version
  4. Install dependent plugins first
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:815-835

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Plugin Causes Errors

Issue: ITSM-NG shows errors after activating a plugin. Solutions:
  1. Deactivate the plugin immediately
  2. Check compatibility with your ITSM-NG version
  3. Review plugin and ITSM-NG logs
  4. Contact plugin developer for support
# Emergency plugin deactivation via database
mysql -u root -p itsm_ng
UPDATE glpi_plugins SET state = 4 WHERE directory = 'plugin-name';

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Configuration Required

Issue: Plugin installed but stuck in “To be configured” state. Solutions:
  1. Click on the plugin name to access configuration
  2. Review documentation for required settings
  3. Complete all mandatory configuration fields
  4. Check plugin_myplugin_check_config() function requirements
Source: inc/plugin.class.php:531-560

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Update Fails

Issue: Plugin update process fails or produces errors. Solutions:
  1. Restore from backup
  2. Check plugin changelog for breaking changes
  3. Review upgrade notes in plugin documentation
  4. Ensure database user has sufficient privileges
  5. Check for conflicts with other plugins

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Plugin Directories

ITSM-NG supports multiple plugin directories for flexibility:
  • Default: /var/www/html/itsm-ng/plugins/
  • Custom locations can be defined in configuration
The system searches all configured directories when loading plugins. Source: inc/plugin.class.php:233-259

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Security Considerations

  1. Only install trusted plugins - Plugins have full access to ITSM-NG
  2. Verify plugin sources - Download only from official repositories
  3. Review code - For critical systems, audit plugin code before installation
  4. Keep plugins updated - Security patches may be released
  5. Test in staging - Always test plugins in a non-production environment first

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Performance Tips

  • Limit active plugins - Only activate plugins you actually use
  • Monitor resource usage - Some plugins can impact performance
  • Regular maintenance - Keep plugins updated for performance improvements
  • Database optimization - Run database maintenance after installing/removing plugins

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Next Steps

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