TUI Reference
The Pulse appliance is operated through a terminal user interface (TUI) that opens automatically on the console (tty1) and over SSH. The main menu has twelve entries. Use the arrow keys (or j/k) to move between them, enter to open one, and q to quit.
System Status
Shows the appliance's software version, uptime, IP address, the health of each core service, disk usage, and when the last backup ran. Open this first when a user reports the application is slow, unreachable, or behaving strangely — it's the quickest way to confirm whether the box itself is healthy.
Network Configuration
Configures the appliance's IPv4 address, gateway, and DNS servers, and switches between DHCP and static-IP modes. Open this during initial setup, when moving the appliance to a different network, or when the LAN team changes the assigned IP.
NTP Configuration
Sets the time-synchronization server the appliance uses. Open this if the clock has drifted, if the site uses an internal NTP server instead of the default upstream pool, or after relocating the appliance to a network without internet access.
Update System
Applies a signed system update from a USB stick, the SFTP exchange, or a CD/DVD-ROM. Open this when a new Pulse release is announced, when a security update is required, or when on-site support has staged an update bundle for you to apply.
SFTP Access
Manages how customers authenticate for SFTP file exchange with the appliance — both the SSH public keys and the appliance's auto-generated password. Open this when onboarding a new customer integration, rotating a key or the password, or removing access when a relationship ends.
Backup / Restore
Creates a full database backup or restores the appliance from a previous backup file. Open this before risky operations (updates, configuration changes), on a regular cadence as part of normal operations, or to recover from data loss or a failed update.
View Logs
Browses recent system and application logs from journald and the Pulse server. Open this when diagnosing a service that won't start, investigating an alert that didn't fire, or gathering evidence to send to support.
Restart Services
Restarts the Pulse server, PostgreSQL, or nginx individually. Open this if a service has gotten stuck — for example, the web UI returns 502 errors but the appliance is otherwise healthy — and you want to bounce a single service rather than rebooting the whole box.
TLS Certificates
Manages the TLS certificate the web interface presents to browsers. Open this to switch between self-signed and customer-supplied certificates, generate a certificate signing request (CSR) for the customer CA to sign, or install a renewed certificate before the current one expires.
Rollback
Switches the appliance back to a previous system generation. Open this immediately after an update if the new version misbehaves — rollback is the safety net that lets the operator return to a known-good state without involving support.
Expert Shell
Opens an interactive system shell on the appliance, gated by a password. Open this only when support explicitly asks for it: it bypasses the TUI's guardrails and any change made here is invisible to the rest of the menu.
Reboot System
Reboots the appliance. Open this after an update that requires a kernel restart, when instructed by support, or as a last resort if the appliance is in a clearly broken state and the operator wants to start fresh.