Track 0 — Foundations

Install PingFederate: Standalone ZIP Setup & License Activation

Step-by-step guide to installing PingFederate standalone ZIP distribution, setting JAVA_HOME, running web services, and configuring initial license keys.

Prerequisites & Java Setup

System Requirements & Java Setup

PingFederate is an enterprise Java-based Federation Server. Installing and running PingFederate from the standalone ZIP archive requires a supported Java Development Kit (JDK 17 or Java 21 for PingFederate 13.x/12.x).

IAMCourses Notes

Java Requirement Note:

PingFederate requires a supported JDK (typically Java 17 or Java 21 for PingFederate 13.x). If it fails to launch or displays a Java missing warning, ensure JAVA_HOME is correctly exported in your terminal environment before running the startup scripts.

Setting JAVA_HOME in macOS / Linux Terminal

# Export Java 17 or Java 21 JDK path
export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17) # or -v 21

# Verify Java version
java -version

Key Port Allocation

Port 9999 (HTTPS): Reserved for the PingFederate Administrator Console UI.
Port 9031 (HTTPS): Reserved for the SSO Runtime Engine endpoints (SAML/OAuth/OIDC transactions).

Download PingFederate ZIP Archive

Official Product Distribution Download

Download the official PingFederate standalone ZIP distribution archive directly from the Ping Identity Downloads Page.

1. Select Product Distribution (ZIP)

On the Ping Identity download portal, navigate to Option 1 and select the PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION (ZIP) package option.

Ping Identity Download Center showing Product Distribution ZIP download button for PingFederate — Figure 1: Select "PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION (ZIP)" on the official Ping Identity download page.

2. Download Progress

The browser will download the standalone distribution archive file (e.g. pingfederate-13.1.1.zip).

Browser downloading PingFederate ZIP archive package — Figure 2: Browser downloading the standalone PingFederate ZIP distribution archive.

Download PingFederate License Key

Acquiring Your License Key File

PingFederate requires a valid license key file (pingfederate.lic) during initial web setup. You can generate or download your trial license directly from the Ping Identity Support Portal.

Ping Identity Support Portal showing Manage License Keys button — Figure 3: Click "Manage License Keys" in the Ping Identity Support portal to retrieve your license file.

Extraction & Directory Layout

Unzipping the Distribution Package

Extract the downloaded ZIP package to your desired installation location on disk (e.g. ~/Downloads/pingfederate-13.1.1/ or C:\pingfederate\).

Extracting the ZIP Package

# Unzip the downloaded file
unzip pingfederate-13.1.1.zip

# Change directory into the bin folder
cd pingfederate-13.1.1/pingfederate/bin/

/bin/

Contains startup scripts (run.sh, run.bat) and management tools.

/server/default/conf/

Holds configuration files, SSL keystores, and server properties.

/pingfederate/log/

Contains runtime logs (server.log, admin.log, init.log).

Starting Services & Execution Stages

Launching the PingFederate Application Process

Navigate to the pingfederate/bin/ directory and execute the startup script to start the PingFederate server runtime.

Executing run.sh in Terminal

# Launch PingFederate startup script
./run.sh

Terminal output showing './run.sh' launch and 'PingFederate running...' status message — Figure 4: Terminal console output confirming "PingFederate running..." status.

What Happens After Running `./run.sh`:

1
Initiated Execution (Folder: pingfederate/bin/)
Executes run.sh or run.bat to launch the PingFederate Java application process.
2
Deployed Web Applications (Folder: pingfederate/work/)
Extracts and compiles web WAR application archives for the Admin Console (port 9999) and SSO Engine (port 9031).
3
Created Server Logs (Folder: pingfederate/log/)
Generates system log files including server.log, init.log, admin.log, and JVM garbage collection logs.
4
Created Temp Storage (Folder: pingfederate/server/default/tmp/)
Creates the temporary runtime directory to hold active session data and temporary cache files.
5
Updated Server State (Folder: pingfederate/server/default/data/)
Loads and initializes local configuration XML data and embedded HSQL server database files.
6
Started Web Services & Endpoints
• Admin Console UI: https://localhost:9999/pingfederate/app
• Engine Runtime Port: https://localhost:9031/

First Access & EULA Setup Wizard

Accessing the Admin Console for First-Time Setup

Open your browser and navigate to https://localhost:9999/pingfederate/app. Bypass the browser self-signed SSL certificate warning to load the PingFederate Setup wizard.

Accepting Subscription Terms & Conditions

On first access, PingFederate displays the Subscription Agreement & Terms and Conditions modal screen. Select the checkbox "I agree to the terms and conditions" and click "Next".

PingFederate Setup modal showing Subscription Agreement Terms and Conditions checkbox and Next button — Figure 5: Accept the PingFederate terms and conditions modal during initial web setup.

Verification & Dashboard

Admin Console Dashboard Overview

After completing initial setup and uploading your license key file, PingFederate launches the main Administrator Console Dashboard. From here, you can manage IdP Adapters, SP Connections, OAuth Clients, Data Stores, and Policy Contracts.

PingFederate Admin Console Main Dashboard showing shortcuts for IdP Adapters, SP Connections, Data Stores, and standalone No Cluster state — Figure 6: PingFederate Admin Console main dashboard after successful installation and standalone setup.

Success Verification Checklist:

PingFederate service reports PingFederate running... in terminal.
Admin Console is accessible at https://localhost:9999/pingfederate/app.
Terms and conditions completed and license key uploaded.
Main dashboard displays active shortcuts and standalone runtime state.

What's Next?

With PingFederate installed and running, you are ready to configure key identity providers (IdP), service providers (SP), and authentication adapters in subsequent lab modules!