# Configuring MaxScale for MaxGUI

## Overview

*MaxGUI* is a graphical utility that can perform administrative tasks using [MaxScale's REST API](/docs/maxscale/reference/maxscale-rest-api.md). It is available starting in MaxScale 2.5. It supports many different operations.

MaxGUI is not available out-of-the box. MaxScale requires some configuration before MaxGUI can be used.

## Enabling MaxGUI

1. If you want to use MaxGUI remotely, [configure the REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/configuring-maxscales-rest-api.md#configuring-maxscales-rest-api-for-remote-connections) for remote connections.

Several global parameters must be configured in maxscale.cnf.

| Parameter                                                                                                                              | Description                                                                                                 |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [admin\_host](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/deployment/installation-and-configuration/maxscale-configuration-guide.md#admin_host) | • This parameter defines the network address that the REST API listens on.• The default value is 127.0.0.1. |
| [admin\_port](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/deployment/installation-and-configuration/maxscale-configuration-guide.md#admin_port) | • This parameter defines the network port that the REST API listens on.• The default value is 8989.         |

For example:

```
[maxscale]
...
admin_host            = 0.0.0.0
admin_port            = 8443
```

2. MaxGUI requires TLS, so you must [enable TLS for MaxScale's REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/connecting-to-maxscale-using-tls-with-maxctrl.md) Several global parameters must be configured in maxscale.cnf.

| Parameter                                                                                                                                              | Description                                                                         |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| [admin\_ssl\_key](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/deployment/installation-and-configuration/maxscale-configuration-guide.md#admin_ssl_key)          | \* This parameter defines the private key used by the REST API.                     |
| [admin\_ssl\_cert](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/deployment/installation-and-configuration/maxscale-configuration-guide.md#admin_ssl_cert)        | \* This parameter defines the certificate used by the REST API.                     |
| [admin\_ssl\_ca\_cert](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/deployment/installation-and-configuration/maxscale-configuration-guide.md#admin_ssl_ca_cert) | \*This parameter defines the CA certificate that signed the REST API's certificate. |

For example:

```
[maxscale]
...
admin_ssl_key=/certs/server-key.pem
admin_ssl_cert=/certs/server-cert.pem
admin_ssl_ca_cert=/certs/ca-cert.pem
```

3. Ensure that the admin\_gui global parameter is enable. It is enabled by default, so it will only be disabled if it was previously disabled manually.
4. Restart the MaxScale instance.

```
$ sudo systemctl restart maxscale
```

5. [Create a new admin REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/creating-a-rest-api-user-for-maxscale-with-maxctrl.md#creating-an-admin-user) user with MaxCtrl:

```
$ maxctrl --secure 
   --user=admin 
   --password=mariadb 
   --hosts=192.0.2.100:8443
   --tls-key=/certs/client-key.pem 
   --tls-cert=/certs/client-cert.pem 
   --tls-ca-cert=/certs/ca.pem 
   create user "maxscale_rest_admin" "maxscale_rest_admin_password" --type=admin
```

Replace maxscale\_rest\_admin and maxscale\_rest\_admin\_password with the desired user and password.

6. [Delete the default REST API](/docs/maxscale/maxscale-management/administrative-tools-for-mariadb-maxscale-maxctrl/deleting-a-rest-api-user-for-maxscale-with-maxctrl.md#deleting-a-user) named admin with MaxCtrl:

```
$ maxctrl --secure 
   --user=maxscale_rest_admin 
   --password=maxscale_rest_admin_password 
   --hosts=192.0.2.100:8443
   --tls-key=/certs/client-key.pem 
   --tls-cert=/certs/client-cert.pem 
   --tls-ca-cert=/certs/ca.pem 
   destroy user "admin"
```

7. Visit MaxGUI in your web browser.

For example:

* If you were accessing it from local host with the default port, then you would visit this address: [127.0.0.1:8989](https://127.0.0.1:8989)
* If you were accessing it with the above example configuration, then you would visit this address: [192.168.2.100:8443](https://192.168.2.100:8443)

8. Enter your user and password to login.

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