Elastic and Kibana Install (Windows)

Open PowerShell as an Admin.

Run the following script.

mkdir C:\Apps;
mkdir C:\InsightMaker;
mkdir C:\Downloads;
mkdir C:\Utils

Download and save the InsightEngine zip file from GitHub in to your new Downloads folder.

• If you do not have access to this reach out to your Aiimi contact.

Run the following script in an Admin PowerShell to download any additional software needed

Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://nssm.cc/release/nssm-2.24.zip" -destination "C:\Downloads";
Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://github.com/notepad-plus-plus/notepad-plus-plus/releases/download/v8.4.9/npp.8.4.9.Installer.x64.exe" -destination "C:\Downloads";
Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://www.7-zip.org/a/7z2201-x64.exe" -destination "C:\Downloads";
Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-8.17.3-windows-x86_64.zip" -destination "C:\Downloads";
Start-BitsTransfer -Source "https://artifacts.elastic.co/downloads/kibana/kibana-8.17.3-windows-x86_64.zip" -destination "C:\Downloads"

Go to your downloads folder and check everything has downloaded.

• 7-Zip

• Elasticsearch

• Kibana

• Notepad ++

• NSSM

Extract 4 of the zip files by running the following script in an Admin PowerShell.

Expand-Archive -Force C:\Downloads\elasticsearch-8.17.3-windows-x86_64.zip C:\Apps;
Expand-Archive -Force C:\Downloads\Kibana-8.17.3-windows-x86_64.zip C:\Apps;
Expand-Archive -Force C:\Downloads\nssm-2.24.zip C:\Utils;
Expand-Archive -Force C:\Downloads\insightengine-win.2025.5.7.zip C:\InsightMaker

Check each file has extracted to the correct location.

• Elasticsearch is in the Apps folder.

• Kibana is in the Apps folder.

• NSSM is in the Utils folder.

• There should be 13 folders within the Insight Maker folder.

Run the following script in an Admin PowerShell to update these.

$Filename = "C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\config\elasticsearch.yml";
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#cluster.name: my-application','cluster.name: ') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#node.name:','node.name:') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#path.data: /path/to/data','path.data: C:\Apps\Data') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename  -Raw) -replace '#path.logs: /path/to/logs','path.logs: C:\tmp\logs') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#network.host: 192.168.0.1','network.host: 0.0.0.0') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#discovery.seed_hosts:','discovery.seed_hosts:') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace 'host1','0.0.0.0') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace ', "host2"','') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#cluster.initial_master_nodes:','cluster.initial_master_nodes:') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;
((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace ', "node-2"]',']')  | Set-Content -Path $Filename

Close your previous PowerShell window to avoid confusion.

Open a new Admin PowerShell.

Run the following script to Install Elastic as a service.

cd C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3;
.\bin\elasticsearch.bat 

Do not close PowerShell when this script has finished.

This will return a password for Elastic. Make a note of this for later.

It will also return a token needed for the Kibana install. Make a note of this for later.

Open your web browser and navigate to https://localhost:9200.

Login with the username 'elastic' and the password you got from PowerShell.

• If this was successful it will show a block of code that contains build details. These should include, Name, Cluster_uuid, Build_flavour, etc.

Open a new Admin PowerShell window.

• Do not close the previous window.

Run the following script to Install Kibana.

cd C:\Apps\kibana-8.17.3\bin;
.\kibana.bat

• Do not close PowerShell when this script has finished.

Once this has finished running a URL will appear. In your browser, Navigate to that URL.

Copy the enrolment token you got from the Elastic PowerShell.

Paste it into the Enrolment token in the Kibana session.

Select Configure Elastic.

• The configuration may not complete. That's not an issue at this point.

In your web browser, navigate to http://localhost:5601.

Use the Elastic credentials you used earlier to login.

Copy the text of your Elastic license into a Notepad++ file.

Save this as 'Dev-license.json' in the root folder.

Within http://localhost:5601 navigate to the Management tab on the left.

Select Elastic License Management.

Upload the Dev-license.json file via the license manager.

• It is normal for this to cause an access issue in Kibana. If it doesn't, check Elastic isn't already installed in 'Programs and Features'. Remove it if it is there.

Open another new PowerShell as an Admin.

• This should be the third PowerShell you have open.

Run the following script to create an Elastic ca cert.

cd C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\bin;
.\elasticsearch-certutil ca

When prompted for an output file, leave this empty and press Enter.

• If asked if you want to overwrite the existing file, type Y and press enter.

When prompted for the CA password enter a secure password.

• This password cannot include any special characters.

Run the following script to create an Elastic certificate.

./elasticsearch-certutil cert -ca C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\elastic-stack-ca.p12;

When prompted enter the CA password you created.

When prompted for an output file, leave this empty and press Enter.

When prompted enter a password for this certificate and press enter

• This password cannot include any special characters. For added security this should be different to the CA password.

Run the following script to create a new folder and move the certificates to it.

mkdir C:\Apps\certs;

copy-item C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\*.p12 -Destination C:\Apps\certs

move C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\*.p12 C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\config\certs

Run the following script to make these changes.

$Filename="C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\config\elasticsearch.yml";

((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace 'http.p12','elastic-certificates.p12') | Set-Content -Path $Filename

((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace 'transport.p12','elastic-certificates.p12') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;

((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#action.destructive_requires_name: false','action.destructive_requires_name: true') | Set-Content -Path $Filename;

(Get-Content -path $Filename) | ? {$_.trim() -ne "" } | set-content $Filename

Run the following script to update the transport keystore password.

cd C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\bin;
.\elasticsearch-keystore add xpack.security.transport.ssl.keystore.secure_password

If asked if you want to overwrite the existing file, type Y and press enter.

When prompted enter the Certificate password you created and press enter.

• Be careful when you enter your password, as it does not show what you have entered.

Run the following script to update the transport truststore password.

.\elasticsearch-keystore add xpack.security.transport.ssl.truststore.secure_password

If asked if you want to overwrite the existing file, type Y and press enter.

When prompted enter the Certificate password you created and press enter.

• Be careful when you enter your password, as it does not show what you have entered.

Run the following script to update the http keystore password.

.\elasticsearch-keystore add xpack.security.http.ssl.keystore.secure_password

If asked if you want to overwrite the existing file, type Y and press enter.

When prompted enter the Certificate password you created and press enter.

• Be careful when you enter your password, as it does not show what you have entered.

Run the following script to update the http truststore password.

.\elasticsearch-keystore add xpack.security.http.ssl.truststore.secure_password

When prompted enter the Certificate password you created and press enter.

• Be careful when you enter your password, as it does not show what you have entered.

Run the following script to update the verification mode in the kibana.yml file.

$Filename="C:\Apps\Kibana-8.17.3\config\kibana.yml";

((Get-Content -path $Filename -Raw) -replace '#elasticsearch.ssl.verificationMode: full','elasticsearch.ssl.verificationMode: none') | Set-Content -Path $Filename

You can now close the PowerShell consoles you have open.

1. Within each console press Ctrl + C to end the session.

2. It will ask if you want to terminate the session. Enter Y to confirm.

Open PowerShell as an Admin.

Run the following command to install the Elastic service.

C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\bin\elasticsearch-service.bat install

Run the following command to start the Elastic service.

C:\Apps\elasticsearch-8.17.3\bin\elasticsearch-service.bat start

Open your web browser and navigate to https://localhost:9200.

• This may take a few minutes to load for the first time.

Login using your Elastic credentials.

Run the following script to install the Kibana Service.

C:\Utils\nssm-2.24\win64\nssm.exe install insightenginekibana

Select the browse (...) button in the top field.

Navigate to Apps > Kibana > Bin and select Kibana.

Select Install Service.

Run the following script to start the Kibana service.

C:\Utils\nssm-2.24\win64\nssm.exe start "insightenginekibana"

Open your web browser and navigate to http://localhost:5601.

• This may take a few minutes to load the first time.

Login using your Elastic credentials.